MM #10: Comfort Zone

Want to know more about MM?  Go HERE

Last night I had a blast!  I went out with a friend who's shared pieces of my life with me for nearing two decades.  We had a couple beers and talked over the loud music while munching on peanuts.  We talked about the old days when we were young and hanging out in front of coffee shops; him playing the guitar and me singing various tunes from Concrete Blonde and Tori Amos (among others).  We had fun.  The "performance" aspect of that rarely bothered me then, but now... oh, now...  performing in front of people is absolutely terrifying to me.

I don't mean to sound conceited here, but I can sing.  I do alright, anyway, pretty sure I'll never win a Grammy, but I'm ok with that.  I'm happy with my current shower and car performances. And my audience is pretty darned cute too!

Last night, while we were munching on peanuts, the Karaoke started.  And this friend, remembering the old days, convinced me to get up there and sing.  Christmas is right around the corner, and his birthday just after, with one performance I could kill two birds, he says.  So, I submit my card.  They call my name.  And I stand up there shaking so hard that I'm pretty sure I'm going to shake apart right there on the stage.  But I sang.  I sang the best I could.  And I'm pretty sure I bombed (that no-Grammy thing is pretty much set in stone now).

As I walked off stage shaking and defeated, a strange thing happened... I felt different, better, new.  Don't get me wrong I still didn't see any award-winning performances in my future.  BUT.... I had done something that scared the hell outta me.  I had done it mediocre-ly, but I had done it.  I had faced a fear and survived.  And it ocurred to me; its through these moments that we spend outside of our Comfort-Zone that we grow the most.  Yet we fight it so hard; we fight tooth and nail, sacrificing things that are important to us, just to stay in this Zone when all it takes is putting yourself out there, shaking things up a little, and diving in to the unknown.

What can you do to shake things up a bit?

A meetup with Elmo

On Sunday the girls and I had a party to attend, but first we made a pit-stop to a friends house to meet... Elmo!  

Punkin and the hostess (Mia) were all about it.  Bunny was not so sure.





Three days later and Punkin and (surprisingly) Bunny are still talking about it.  Just look at the joy in those little girls' eyes!

Pismo Wrap-Up

Our last day there, we went for a ride up the coast then stopped on the way back to camp at the tide pools;  even  though high-tide was well on its way.



Low-tide was waaaaayyyy too early while we were there for our family to really explore the tide pools, but we walked around a bit and watched the waves crashing against the rocks.  There were tons of birds!  All camped out on the rocks like one big happy bird family.



Except for this guy... this guy was meditating in the sunshine all by himself on the rock.  I walked right up to him to take this photo.  He was totally zen... didn't even flinch!



And then.... I dropped the lens cap.  Its been threatening to leave us for awhile and I thought about getting a leash for it, but I guess it saw the opportunity for a peaceful beach-side life and just had to leap.  I really hope that lens cap is enjoying the beach life... I'm a little jealous.  Seriously.



We explored the town a bit.  Had some chowder at Splash - I HIGHLY recommend it.  And did a little tourist shopping.  I'll tell you a secret, I'm one of those goobers that hates to leave a vacation without a "I heart This Place I Just Visited" t-shirt.

At dinner time, we headed back to the campsite and Chef Papa made us some dinner.  Then, we went to a camp family thingy where we learned about butterflies and bugs and sang cheesy camp songs.  It was awesome!  We headed back to camp and put the girls to bed.  Then Papa made the biggest (and bestest) fire yet and He and I sat around and talked about everything and nothing until my eyes wouldn't stay open any longer.



All in all, I would call this trip a vacation success!  I'm thinking it may even become a family tradition...  I'm just dying to go and see the butterflies in the Fall some time!

Camping Preparation

Alternatively titled:  I Sometimes Feel Woefully Under-Qualified For This Position


Taking a clue (ok, half a clue) from my own Mom who plans things to the nth degree and months in advance, I'm gathering materials, making lists and doing research in preparation for our family's first-ever camping trip!  

Papa's making a guest appearance

Well I'm not much of a writer but I do like taking pictures and video. So for my first guest post,  I've decided to upload a few videos.

The girls "helping out" in the garden

This video is from the 4th of July. Notice Punkin', in blue, running right up to people to throw her water balloons.  Bunny, in red, is doing the same.  Brave girls!

Ends with a "bang!"... literally

p.s. word of advice to anyone adding video to your blogs: use YouTube and don't just insert video from Blogger, much better quality. You would figure it would be the same considering Google owns both companies but oh well.

A Sunny Day Stroll

Its amazing how an impromptu walk can lead to so many wonderful things....

Enjoying the simple things in life;

If a tree falls in the forest...

I was thinking today...  If you don't post for over a year can you still call yourself a blogger?  Is your dusty old blog still *actually* a blog?  Who am I to keep this blog from fulfilling its purpose?  I mean, all it wants to do is look pretty and have some (hopefully) clever posts on it.  How hard could that be really?

Its not like there were no blog-worthy events over the last year.  There were plenty!

There was the trip to Disneyland...

And now back to our regularly scheduled programing!

***Update:  Alternately titled "The Beginning of My Hiatus"




Whew! I'm finally caught up! Ok, I'll just take one moment to pat myself on the back before I continue...

Fairytale Town

Pony Rides and Auntie Cole

Finally! - Trips, crafts and much, much more!

I can't believe its been over a month since I posted! So much has happened, no way I'll be able to cover it all; but I promise I'll do my very best.

If you will, please follow me on this journey in the "way back" machine!

The Wagon

Nope, no one's fallen of of it yet :). But, it has come in really handy! (Thank you so much Sus!) Since we don't have a double stroller and Punkin' refuses to walk sometimes, we often take it on walks. The girls and I have been getting outside a little more since the weather has improved and we're all grateful to get out of the house and get a little exercise!

"Woa! This is so much fun, huh Sis?"