10 Months into 2015

Almost 3 years since my last post. I've gone back and forth about continuing this blog. Especially since we live near family and B is now a teenager. {EEEK!}

Even if nobody reads this...it's a fun way to document our little life.

So I'm going to breathe a little life into this blog and see if I can keep up with it like I used to.

Here's a Cliff Notes version of 2015...


Brad is still playing soccer. In fact, he's more dedicated than ever. In the last three years he's moved up several levels in his soccer program and is really enjoying playing goal keeper (GK). Most of our year is focused on supporting Brad at soccer tournaments, off-season indoor soccer, agility/strength/or GK training, or just attending regular season games. In the Spring his team moved from Super II to DI and placed 1st in their bracket. This season they're undefeated. The best part is being a part of a team where the kids and parents are fun to hang out with {especially when you spend so much time with them!} Be prepared...most of my posts will likely center around the life of a soccer mom as well as lots & lots of photos of my son playing "The Beautiful Game."

2/21/2015 Game

Over the summer we moved to a new house. It isn't too far from our last home. Thank goodness! Otherwise the move would have been horrific. Ironically, the house buying process wasn't the pain. It was the move. We only moved 8 miles from our old house...but it was still painful. Rob and B went up to Dallas for a soccer camp while I moved boxes and got the new house ready for movers. It was raining like crazy, I hurt my shoulder, and our AC went out at the old place before we moved. It was all worth it in the end. We love our new home!

5/9/2015 Casa Nueva!

In August, Rob took a trip to LA to visit his dad. They had fun golfing & hanging out. Rob was super excited to see the LA Galaxy play!

8/9/2015 LA Galaxy with the Wadas Men

Almost as soon as Rob got back did my mom come out to visit. While Rob had fun doing guy stuff with his dad in LA, we had fun doing girl stuff in Texas. We visited Junk Gypsy in Round Top and Magnolia Market in Waco looking for the perfect touches to our new house. 

8/17/2015 Shopping at Magnolia Market

Brad began his last year of middle school and I'm not sure how I feel about it. On the positive side, it's his last year of middle school. Middle school is not fun - for parents or kids it seems. The kids are at an awkward age, some kids are learning how to be jerks (and practicing this new skill), and they are exploring teenage attitudes. But I don't want B to grow up so quickly! We're very fortunate we haven't had too bad of the pre-teen/early teen attitude. 

1st Day of 8th Grade

As part of my last year in my 30's, I've started a 365 photo project from my 39th birthday in September to my 40th in September of 2016. 

#365to40

A few weeks back I got back from visiting family in California. My brother and his fiance were in town and I wanted to come out anyway so it was the perfect setup to see everyone. While my dad, brother and his friend went fishing - I hung out with my mom and future sister in law, Elise. We did the whole Bridal Bazaar thing for Elise, saw a Padre game, visited their wedding venue, and Elise and I spent a night on the town (or village by the sea) causing trouble. We even found a speak easy!

Elise, Ben & I - Carlsbad Beach

So that leads us to now. We're in the middle of the Fall soccer season, 8th grade school year, and work is keeping Rob and I on our toes. Follow along...or not...with us on our adventures!

10/10/2015 Team Wadas at a Texas Stars Hockey Game

Remember me?

Probably not.

I've been MIA for a while.

My dear friend Jaymie reminded me that I haven't updated my blog since August. Work has just been kicking my butt. My work office shares my "fun" office upstairs. So literally, I just don't want to be up here because it makes me think of the stress of work. I haven't blogged, haven't crafted, haven't taken many photos since August.

Pity Party of 1!

So here's a run down of what Team Wadas has been up to over the last few months...

SOCCER - Literally, 6-7 days of our week is filled with soccer. Brad has Goal Keeper (GK) training Mondays. Team training on Tues/Thurs. Conditioning training either Wednesday or Friday. Games are 1-2 times a weekend. Rob has also been playing soccer. He plays in 3 different leagues! Below are some photos taken during the Labor Day Tournament

 

 

Our team got 2nd place!

Rob playing on one of his indoor teams.

WORK: Work's just been super busy. Enough said.

A BIT OF FUN: A few weekends ago we went to the UT Game. It had record attendance. It was quite fun. Here are  few photos from the game.

UT Band before game time

Rob and I sporting our burnt orange

Brad and his buddy Seneca

So that, my friends, is about it! Exciting stuff, right?

MIA

Missing in Action has been the theme of my summer.

Work has been eating me alive and spitting me out. How do you set boundaries on what appears to be a boundary-less job? I need to figure that out.

Most know and understand how much of a morning person I am NOT. So starting my work day at 1:30am is not my cup of tea....at all.

I am hopeful to be a little bit better with putting up my own boundaries so I can enjoy my life outside my office a bit more!

Austin Aztex Game

Saturday night was a blast! We went to the season home opener of the Austin Aztex soccer team at House Park. The Aztex won 6-1 in an exciting game with 2 red cards, aggressive players, and a bunch of fun fans in the stands. Brad's strength and conditioning coach - Coach Tim - also helps train the Austin Aztecs. Brad had so much fun - as did we. Here are a few photos from the evening...

Country Liviing Fair - Austin 2012

You may remember a little trip I took last October with my mom to the Country Living Fair in Atlanta, GA. It was so fun. While we were there we saw that they were planning a Country Living Fair in Austin Spring of 2012. I was so excited! As soon as the tickets went on sale, I bought a pair of 3 day passes with early bird access.

My friend Jaymie came all the way from California to visit so we could go to the fair.

I'm not sure if there were less vendors at this fair compared to the ATL fair - or maybe it was just how they were all set up. Never-the-less, they had some great vendors/shops!

I think one of my favorite shops was the Scarlett Scales Antiques. It was this cute little booth in the corner. Quite honestly, it was easy to miss if you didn't know exactly where it was. But it had absolutely adorable items! I got some of my favorite things there!

My Be True Banner over my fire place.

#3 Bucket

Driftwood Star

We also saw Olive Grace Studios. She was at the ATL fair. I was so happy to see her. I got lots of cute fabric!

They had a huge area for their Antique booths. Lots of cute items! I found another one of my favorite pieces in the antique area:

On Day 2 Jaymie entered the Country Living Twitter contest and won $100 fair bucks! She bought me these beautiful measuring cups with half the money:

Kitchen Bling

Here are some other photos of lovely items and booths we encountered...as well as some longhorns that made their fair debut....

Creative and beautiful chandeliers

Antique Barn

I'm already looking forward to next year!

My Point of View

For about 10 years I've been terrified of getting lasik. I took my mom to get her eyes done right before my wedding shower (I think it was actually the day before). This was back when they used an actual blade to make the flap cut. The idea of being awake while all this happened to your eyes just seemed horrifying.

I've had to wear glasses for a long time. The first time I got my eyes looked at was in middle school, I got glasses...and hardly wore them. I got more glasses in high school ... and again, hardly wore them. It wasn't until I was out of college and got a job with eye insurance that I started wearing them regularly. And I've been wearing them ever since.

So I decided 2012 will be THE YEAR I get lasik.

And I did...yesterday.

Thanks to the lovely photo journaling of my hubby and son - they have captured some of my finer moments on camera.

I was SO super nervous.

They called me back. Gave me a sexy blue hair net thing to put on. Then they put two long gauze strips on top of each ear. I looked like a droopy eared dog.

Photo courtesy of my son. This was pre-doggy ears.

Here's a beauty. With my doggy ears...and while the lady was cleaning/sterilizing my eyes. Thank god it is blurry!

Eyes are all clean and sterilized! Just waiting for my Valium!

Rob got to watch the surgery through a window and a video screen. I told him to take photos but he didn't. So here's what happened....

About 4 minutes after getting the actual Valium I go in to the room. It's FAREEZING. Thank goodness I wore a sweatshirt!
I lay down on this bed, put my head under the laser. They position the laser above my head. My nerves were really starting to kick in to full gear at this point. I clasped my hands together - white knuckles to keep me still from shaking.
They put more numbing eye drops in my eyes. Multiple times. I guess they don't want me to feel the burning sensation when the laser does its thing on my eye balls. Thank you very much!
They put this clamp on my right eye to keep my eye lids open. (this is fun)
Then they put this round suction cup thing on my eye. The pressure is pretty intense. Because the suction produced so much pressure on my eye, I couldn't see anything. They tried several times to keep the suction on my eye - but it just wouldn't work. Then they would say - keep your eye still. You're moving your eye - just keep looking forward.
I'M SORRY BUT WHEN I CAN'T SEE A DAMN THING - I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE %$#@ I'M LOOKING!!
So the fact that I have wild crazy eyes and the suction just wouldn't stick (I guess I have steep eyes??) they moved me to another machine. By this time they had tried a few times on both my right and my left eye and they were getting a little swollen. And my nerves are kicked in to 5th gear.
This time they suctioned my eye just fine. (This machine, by the way, is the one that they use to make a cut flap in your eye lens.) That went fairly quick.
I move back over to the other laser, they use the clamp to keep my eye open and do my left eye first.
"Stare at the blinking green light" Honestly at this point I'm afraid I'm going to get crazy eyes again and go blind from moving my eyes. So I literally hold my breath and just stare at what I think is supposed to be the green light. (Keep in mind, by this point they've already lifted up my flap so I can't see anything really well).
"What's that smell I thought" - oh that's just my burned laser-ed eye ball. No big deal.
Time for my right eye. Held my breath - stared at the blinking light that was supposed to be green - and it was over 20 seconds later.
At this point in time the Valium STILL HASN'T KICKED IN.
And it's over.
They put these sexy clear, plastic lenses on - attached to my face via tape. Give me some rockin' sunglasses and send me on my way home.
My hubby and Brad led me out to the car.

Mad Libs time! What adjective do you think I'm using - Fill in the blank:
Get that ______________ iPhone out of my ______________ face!

I snooze on the way home. Yes, the Valium finally kicked in....after the fact.

They tell you to go home and sleep for about 3-4 hours to get passed the "discomfort" period after the surgery. You have to sleep on your back with the clear lenses on for the first 5 nights after your surgery. I hate sleeping on my back. I actually did fall asleep. But only for about 30 minutes. Then I woke up to the feeling of my eyes BURNING. It hurt so (bleeping) bad. We had our bedroom blinds shut - but it was still too much light. I couldn't open my eyes it hurt so bad. They said "discomfort" this isn't discomfort. This is great (eye) balls of fire - P.A.I.N! I put in some eye drops, take about 4 ibuprofen, and 2 sleeping pills.

3 hours later I woke up a new woman!

Despite all that - I would recommend it to anyone considering making the investment. While I still see foggy - I can tell my eye sight has already improved. And it only gets better from here. I'm really looking forward to seeing the end result!

Trip to California

My company has an annual event that brings the entire company together from all over the world. We haven't had a formal meeting like this in a couple years actually to keep costs low while we managed the rough economy. It is great to have it back and to connect with colleagues.

I flew out on Saturday to San Diego so I could spend just a little extra time with my parents. Rob & B weren't too keen on the idea of waking up at the crack of dawn to drive me to the airport. But my boys did it anyway. I am a freak when it comes to flying. I really don't enjoy it much - it's really stressful for me. I typically get to the airport about 2 hrs early. Yes, I am a freak. My parents make fun of me all the time.

Monday and Tuesday I worked from the office. We had a team dinner for a client project team which brought together our teammates from the US, Singapore, and the UK office. It was a lot of fun. They had HUGE margaritas!

Betsy & I

Wednesday we had our "team day." This was the first time we had all been together as "Client Services" since we merged with two other departments. We went from about 30-something Project Managers world-wide to about 50 people total. We had an "Amazing Race" type event. We were split in to 8 separate teams. I had the best team - we were team Honey Badgers! (If you really don't know where this comes from - go to Youtube and search for Honey Badgers...But be warned there is some spicy language in the video). It was a race to get certain tasks complete, answer questions, take photos - all in 2 hours. We finished first and had the most points and won! It was a lot of fun!

Team Honey Badgers - Champions

While I was in Carlsbad, so was my brother! He was on spring break and came down for some job interviews for a summer job. It was fantastic to see him. He always makes me laugh.

Ben & I at Sammy's in Carlsbad

Thursday I picked up Betsy and we drove out to Palm Desert for the night. We drove through the mountains (which was quite crazy & and such a windy road). There was snow on the ground - just a light dusting though!

We were in meetings all day Thursday. They gave us a break at about 4:30pm to finish checking in, rest, and get ready for the party later on.

My buddy Steph (aka sprouts) and I

Kelly & I at the People's Choice Awards

I had to throw the above photo in! This is Jackie, my leader, and her son Lucas. The company I work for has a unique program where mothers are allowed to bring their baby to work with them the first 6 months of their life. It's pretty cool. I was able to do that with Bradley and absolutely loved it. Lucas is a cutie - such a good and happy boy. I had to share a photo of how adorable he was :)

We had a good time at the party. It was fun watching people let loose on the dance floor. One thing about the company I work for is the people really know how to have fun.

Michelle & I at the party

Jackie (my leader) and I at the party

Cheryl, Jen, and I always seem to find each other at these parties.

At the hotel bar after the party (sounds like an R.Kelly song!)

Kim, Amanda, and I

It was quite a good time. I'm exhausted still and SO happy to be home! It was a busy but great time seeing family, colleagues, and beautiful Carlsbad.