Painful Perk

I have a great arrangement at work where I have access to a low cost massage once a month , this is a good thing since I have chronic back and neck pain from 25 years of sitting in front of a computer.

I have a love/hate relationship with this process, it feels indulgent since the massuese is awesome and knows my back problems very well, she is methodical and so knowledgeable, and one hour of peace and uninterrupted attention is so nice. But oooh does it hurt, during and after, the next day I feel beat up, but I know it is a necessary part of unlocking my tight muscles, I will keep going back for more!

The Difference Between Mom and Dad

I was chatting on my phone last night when Chris picked up the house phone, "Bryan needs to talk to you Mom. " I am waving him off because I am in the middle of a conversation, so Jim grabs the phone.

I hear, "Hmm, well that stinks, figure it out," and Jim settles back on the couch and continues to watch TV. After I hang up I ask "What was that all about?"

"Bryan locked his only set of keys in his truck"

I immediately start to get up, he says "just sit down he needs to figure this out on his own."

I was ready to call AAA or hop in the car and rescue him (sorry can't help the mommy instinct). This never even occured to Jim.

A few minutes later we hear the truck pull in the driveway, Bryan comes in the house all smiles, him and his buddies found a way in and they hoisted a smaller kid in the back side window that won't lock.

That's why boys need a Mom and a Dad, Jim gave him a good lesson in self-sufficiency.

Mom's Taxi Got a Makeover

I am a happy girl — traded in the "bus" for a much more fuel efficient and sportier crossover vehicle, since I only cart around one boy these days, I was ready to downsize! I just love it!

Family History Shared

It didn't start out on the best note, after 6 full months of anticipation and years of a plan in my mind, we were finally doing it--I was going to have my father give my boys his personalized tour of Notre Dame. Surely a memory they will never forget

My industrious husband found a connection to the near impossible--6 tickets to a Notre Dame football game, we chose the weekend carefully, wanted fall in full bloom and of course it had to accommodate Bryan's football schedule. We were able to get the tickets for his Bye week. All the stars had aligned on this and it was going to happen!

We approached Bryan's coach and explain he will miss just one practice, granted our whole year has revolved around his grueling schedule, which starts in January, monopolizes our entire summer etc., this would truly be the first time he is missing. The coach was furious and decided to punish Bryan by not letting him start for his last home game, I was crazy mad and in disbelief. Bryan being the mellow soul that he is was not that shaken up by it.

As we are driving up in the car we hear a headline come over the radio "Tragedy on Notre Dame Campus". A student was killed in a freak accident and the campus was in mourning. A very sad story for sure. I wondered how it would affect the festivities we were looking forward to. They cancelled the pep rally and coaches luncheon we were planning to attend, at least they didn't cancel the game.

When we arrived the campus didn't disappoint, it is spectacular so rich with history and music at every turn.

My father recounted his days to his grandsons, showed us where he stayed, and how drastically things had changed, he attended 50 years ago, with lights out at 10 pm, dining jackets worn in the cafeteria, no girls on campus and tution, room and board costing $1,900-- now its $52,000!

The highlight of the trip was the marching band--300 best and brightest young musicians in the country -- you have to have some serious chops to be in this band, it was awesome and they really engage the fans. My Dad had been a drummer in the ND band back in the day and that impressed the boys.

A real connection to our family history was made and I couldn't be happier, what a great weekend!