Otherside, less interesting.

More storage, fridge, pictures on the fridge, etc. Most importantly. . .no boxes!

That bright light is a view of the water

You can see Kenzie her little table, presents from her birthday, and lots of space!

To the left in the kitchen. . .

Notice the drying rack, back to brooklyn style washing with no dishwasher! Keeps me from getting lazy with dishes, so thats cool!

Technical Escalation Manager...

Yup, that's my new title at work, not bad eh?

Things are still going really well, my cutie pie is 2 now, hard to believe for sure…she is so grown up, as I’m here on the computer she’s listening to the Spanish language of this drum she has that talks, and she keep saying “Adios!” and it is very cute.

Actually, this is one of the first times that she has been right by me, while I’m on the computer, and she’s actually entertaining herself and letting me type!!

(Adios!)

lol..she’s turning it off and on so it says “Adios” as it is turning off.

I feel like things are good, stressful but in a good way, I need to find more clarity and purpose within myself to be a productive and active participant…and I’m working on unpacking like crazy.

Tomorrow my WONDERFUL expecting friend will watch Kenzie so I can spend some quality time with Geoff…I totally appreciate that.

Also I'm having dinner with my step-mom and half sis. My full sis Audrey is back in Iraq, I hope it's exciting but not TOO exciting there over the next few monthes...

Thanks mom!

I got a nice selection of spices for when i start cooking! Looks good.

Lucky girl!

Lots and lots of presents! Books, a bracelet, a train, butterfly cake and more!

Big crab!

I don't know if you can see it but Kenzie and i found a crab off the walkway in the water! So cool!

I love my man...

I hope he feels the same way about me...and acts on it so that I can have an announcement soon. If not though, I can deal with that too.....of course.

Finally ...I cried last night.

I don't usually give myself a chance to reminisce about the past.

Last night I had a good conversation…with a really good friend who has been through a lot. Something that I could say about myself too, but I rarely admit it. Last night, was very therapeutic. While I was well, bitching to my friend about a few shallow incidents that really don’t matter I realized some really important feelings that I have and kind of hide or brush off quite often.

I need stability. I’ve been through a lot, and anyone who has known me more than 10 years has a clue, still probably not the whole story, but man. I am 26 right now, a mother, in a stable job and there has been so much in my life that has put this kind of situation on a fantasy level that I don’t even let myself think about it. I don’t talk about it, I don’t even acknowledge it on so many levels. I have been on 100% straight up survival mode for so long, and more than anything, I want to be in a building, a growing stage, I am so tired of being in survival mode.

After I got off of the phone with RS last night…I sat and I was going through photos, see, I bought these plastic magnet picture holders so I could put up photos for Kenzie on the refrigerator and I was just looking for the basics, my mom, dad, her dad, friends etc. and in the box I found…I just saw so so much. I saw my freshman class, the class that saw me in a way nobody else did. I saw myself in that apartment in tribeca that I shared with about 12 people, photos of projects that….projects that we so so hard to finish, and I will never forget them for the rest of my life. It made me think of the times that I survived, the hell and triumphs that I have experienced that nobody understands and I cried. I cried hard. I have to say I was more grateful for the movie “Happy Feet” than I ever thought I would be for any movie ever.

I feel like I’ve been in survival mode for SO so long, that I haven’t had a chance to grow, to acknowledge the pain and trials I have gone through. I am finally able to sit and feel, feel that pain, and let it out so that I can move on, it is time for me to grow now, I will grow, I will experience more life, and more places, I won’t stop. I will acknowledge and love my past, because that is what made me who I am today, and who I will grow to be.

I cried because I am happy. I am moving on from 'survival' mode to growth. Today I bought a Sketchbook for Kenzie, and the plan is that we are going to draw in it every single day. Tracing her hand, tracing my hand…and I feel confident that it will tell a beautiful beautiful story. Better than any I’ve ever told before. I feel like I can spend more time focusing on and creating memories with her than ever. We live by a beach, she loves the water, I love the water, seasons are changing, there are more stories to tell than ever before.

She's typing!

She loves the typewriter, and I think it is a good pre-cursor to a computer. I forget who told me to keep it but thanks!

Once again. . .

Car full of stuff. . .all signed out of the apartment though! Just need to do a quick clean up tomorrow and drop off my keys (which are in the metro lost and found) and that will be it!

And on with our day. . .

Bus broke down on the viaduct. . .

I love watching how people react to mini disasters, some are FURIOUS, some are terrified, some, like Kenzie and myself, think it is really funny! I appreciate the occaisonal break in routine.

Happy birthday!

I have a lovely new memory for this day, it's the day Geoffrey was born. . . .Aww. . .pub next!

Out by Dick's. . .

Where the swass like to play. . . Yeah baby.

Almost forgot to send this one. . .

If you can't tell from the shirts. . . I took this picture at the football game yesterday. . .

Where we are moving to. . .

I want to be there asap!

Stress of moving is kind of getting to me...countdown continues.

Well, as of right now, which is Sunday 9/9...the tenant in theapartment that we are moving into is scheduled to be moved out by the 14th...her stuff by the 13th. I'm supposed to talk to the landlord on the 14th or 15th to see how much work they need to do, and to see if I can move my stuff in on Saturday morning....before we head to Portland for the wedding..(which I'm not even sure I can attend because I don't have a babysitting situation figured out).

There is so much going on in so many places...I think I need to write it all on my calendar so I can really absorb and deal with it all...hopefully within the next 10 days I'll be happily living right by Alki...planning a las minute b-day party for Kenzie. Oh, and I want to put on a party for unpacking too. Better go get writing. Actually no, taking Kenzie to the park she's acting up.

So many variables to juggle...it's all good though.

Plans for dress shopping have been made with my friend Donna who works with fashion and totally knows where to go.

U-Haul truck is scheduled for pickup on Friday, so that we can have that all loaded up, hopefully to unpack the next day at Alki (or maybe that night?). I have it scheduled through Tuesday…just in case. Confirmed already that I won’t be penalized for bringing it back sooner than scheduled, and I’ll only be charged for the days I have it.

My plan is to sign out of this apartment on Saturday morning, or maybe even Friday night if possible, and then head down to Portland.

Biggest question right now is where to stay after Portland. Just in case the apartment isn’t ready by the time we come back…I’m hesitant to stay with friends just because, they all live far from downtown, and I start work so early…Hotels are expensive downtown though too…I guess I’ll sort that out, um, sometime.

I really hope this all goes smoothly, and that I stop getting these headaches. Oh, and that Kenzie's daycare setup with the new management goes well this week. I know she'll miss her teacher.

Occidental vs. Lewis and Clark. . .(Saturday down in Oregon)

Can you believe it, 'I' am at. . .a football game. Geoff used to play for oxy so it's all reunion-ish.

Multi-tasking

Nice job! At the dog park. . .

Poor girl. . .

Someone was pulling her ears today. . .better safe than sorry so we're at the doctor's office. She's had bad ear infections before so i want to get it checked out / taken care of.

Us. . .

Lil copycat. . .

She loves wearing my shoes around the house all the time. tres cute!

Apt/Condo thread

It is interesting to follow the condo conversion posts on the westseattleblog.com where they reference my blog/experience as well as many others...

I'm glad I have an apartment to move into on Alki, that is for sure!!

Enjoying the empty bookshelf. . .

WOD - Delegate

Wow...first time ever I hired someone to come help me pack and clean...and WOW...I think I might be in loce. Her name is Inna and she is amazing, cleaning and cleaning, packing and packing...I can't keep up!! I finally had to just get out of her way. If anyone else needs help with this kind of thing...contact me and I'll give you her info. She ROCKS.

Disaster zone. . .

Man. . .I'm going to miss this place. . .i feel like signing all those papers, man, i wish i knew my rights 8 days ago. I am excited about my new place, but i have a LOT I'll miss about this one. I really felt like this apartment was perfect for us.

Miscommunications suck...

Miscommunication in regards to housing, feelings, experiences, standings, reactions, expectations, yeah, it um. sucks when it is off. Especially when you 'think' you are communicating something of deep meaning, and um, yeah, it is miscommunication at it's worst. No good feelings there.

Guess that late night talk is never a good idea though :-( Oh well...start again tomorrow?

Moving to Alki!!!

Okay, how can I say this calmly....I'M MOVING TO ALKI!!!!!

I'm so excited. I mean like, REALLY excited...I remember being a little kid, going to Alki with my grandfather, watching him windsurf, walking on the roccks with my mom, and shooot, in 2005 when I was pregnant in July...I remember a picture my mom took of mejuroe t ree'in

There has been some attention being paid to this isssue in the Seattle PI today, a building in Ballard is being sold for condo usage too...and this one was supposed to be affordable housing...this is such bullshit, this wouldn't have even gone through in NYC I bet...and believe me when I lived there I had a lot to say about that too...just ask my landlord.

No statue right now

I didn't miss it, it's gone!