The Four Nations face-off started last night with Canada taking on Sweden in Montreal. It was apparent from the beginning that this was going to be great hockey. I have to say I absolutely love the concept. The Canadians scored early with Nate McKinnon scoring a power play goal assisted by Crosby and McDavid. It was a high-caliber hockey game. I cannot wait to watch Team USA take on Barkov and Team Finland tonight.
I hope no injuries come out of this tournament because this concept is far superior to the All-Star game. I’m sure the fan engagement numbers will prove to the NHL that this is the way to go. In fact, I can’t remember a time when the All-Star game was entertaining. The Mayor attended the All-Star game in 2023 at Amerant Arena. This is a kid who lives and breathes hockey and was bored out of his gourd by the All-Star game. In fact, the highlight of his All-Star Weekend was volunteering for the dress rehearsal and skating at Amerant Bank arena. Enjoy the Four Nations Face-Off!
2025 Goal Tracker:
Run a 5K: in training
Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): I made it into February and haven’t buckled!
My parents were busy raising my brothers and me. My older brother and I would have been in high school already, while my garrulous little brother would have been in middle school. We definitely gave my folks a run for their money.
It’s hump day! Today has been good so far. This morning I did a spin class as soon as I woke up. It’s a great way to get me fired up for the day. I’m not sure I ride as hard in the morning as I would in the evening, but getting the work in is still important. I will say drinking Nuun right after brushing my teeth does make my mouth pucker. I fell asleep on the couch after walking the dogs post-spin. Apparently, I needed an early morning nap.
For the first time this week, the phones have been good to me. I needed a solid production day, so I’m pleased. Also had a PPC meeting this morning, which is always great. I love my crew. I put together a more formal document to keep our business straight. It’s nothing fancy, but it will help us become more efficient. Hopefully, the phones will be kind to me for the rest of the day.
Last week I finished Kayla Itsine’s Beginner HIIT workout on the Sweat App. It’s eight weeks of workouts that gradually build in intensity and difficulty. This week I started week one of Kayla Itsine’s HIIT program (OG BBG workout.). It’s so tough, but it’s so good. The combination of strength and plyometrics is exactly what my body needs. Truly, it complements the cardio and yoga work I was already doing. Happy Hump Day!
2025 Goal Tracker:
Run a 5K: in training
Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): I made it into February and haven’t buckled!
If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
Where does one even start with this one? I think we have a lot of ridiculous laws on the books. However, the one law I would change or create would be to institute term limits for Congress. Happy Hump Day!
Well, winter made its appearance here these past two days. It was in the mid-forties when I walked the dogs yesterday. Inspired by the cool weather, I decided to channel a little Minnesota for dinner. Consequently, I baked a hot tator-tot dish. It’s as Minnesotan as pickle rollups and just as good. The Mayor was not buying it and made himself pizza instead. His loss!
Today started cold, but it’s warmed into the 70s. Thank God! I had to wear to sweatshirts when I took the dogs out this morning. When I took them out at lunch, no sweatshirt was needed. It’s perfect outside. This is the weather people move to Florida to enjoy. It’s amazing. Today’s weather is the perfect prescription for the winter blues.
2025 Goal Tracker:
Run a 5K: in training
Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations):10 days in and I haven’t buckled!
Top performer at work: it’s been ten days, but so far so good
Travel: working on it
Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
Read daily: in progress. I’m currently reading Armadale by Wilkie Collins– so good.
Get out of debt: in progress
Financial independence: in progress
Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?
When I was born, my great-grandmother made me a quilt. It was my most prized possession when I was a child. It’s an item that if it were destroyed, there would be compensation adequate for its value. It’s priceless. As of right now, the quilt is upstairs in the closet. It will be handed down to the first granddaughter we have, so it will probably be in that closet for a while yet.
Blah, is there a better word to describe your first day back in the office after two weeks off? I mean maybe, but Meta would probably take down my post if I used it. I’ve been back at work since 8:00 am this morning with the picturesque view of my two monitors, laptop, and flat-screen television. Fortunately, the call volume and quality have been decent today, so I can’t complain too loudly. I am, however, exhausted.
Today is day two of no afternoon latte and what a terrible New Year’s resolution. I could go for a nice, hot latte right now. To be clear, my afternoon homemade coffee is still in play. I’ve almost finished it. Yet, here I am at the peak of exhaustion. I had hoped the lunchtime spin class would give me a boost, but nope. I guess being tired is just a constant state of being as an adult. Somehow I must have missed the warning on the lameness of adulting.
I had high aspirations for my time off, but I accomplished very little. At first, I was a bit annoyed with myself, but after the year we’ve had I decided to give myself grace. More than anything, I needed to rest, relax and reset. The to-do list, which is never-ending, could wait for the start of the new year and our return to routine. That’s not to say I did nothing as I still managed to knock some meaningful items off my to-do list.
So my blah day back to work also means the return to routine, which I crave. At this point in my life, I need routine. It keeps me disciplined and working on my goals. The Mayor’s all set for school, so no longer chasing labs, endos, or medical records is a big weight off my shoulders. The remainder of my to-do list is quite manageable. And with that, I’ll get back to it.
2025 Goal Tracker:
Run a 5K: in training
Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): compliant so far
Top performer at work: it’s been one day, but so far so good
Travel: working on it
Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
Read daily: in progress
Get out of debt: in progress
Financial independence: in progress
Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?
I play with my puppies everyday. It’s just goofing around in the house or on our walks. We have a lot of fun.
Three days until the wedding, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve forgotten something. I’m sure we covered our bases, yet the anxiety is real and present. Anyway, we march on. The boys’ tuxedos arrived yesterday, so the Mayor and the Hubby will try theirs tonight. Goalielocks and Jake will go tomorrow to try on their tuxedos. My dad just picked up his and it looks amazing!
Yesterday we headed to my brother’s AirBnB to have dinner and cake for my dad’s birthday. His air conditioning went out over the weekend too, so they got a place to stay for the week. They didn’t know how long it would take for the AC to get fixed. Moreover, they have my parents brother, and sister-in-law staying with them for the wedding. The HVAC guys are insanely busy, so the wait can be long. Truly, we lucked out with our A/C guy. We had BBQ for dinner and another tasty cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Three days!
What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?
Self-care is super important for living a healthy and balanced life. I use a few strategies to stay on top of my physical and mental well-being. First of all, I go to bed every night at the same time. Also, I turn off my phone at least 30 minutes before I go to sleep. I wind down by reading, which usually prevents the wheels in my mind from turning in overdrive. I work out six days a week and include spin, run, Pilates, strength training, and yoga in my routine. Lastly, I make sure I always drink enough water.
Five days until the nuptials and we’re roasting. We are roasting since our air conditioner gave up the ghost yesterday. The South Florida heat was too much for it to handle. It has served us well over these last eighteen years, but its timing couldn’t be any worse. As if we don’t have enough to do or enough things to pay for this week, why not add a new air conditioner to the list? We may have to go a bit hillbilly and Jerry-right an air conditioner for the upstairs.
My hubby helped me out big time today by taking the food ordering out of my hands. It was nice to have one less thing to worry about. He ordered a plethora of food for Friday’s party. We’re finally all set with the food. Melly’s mom volunteered to bring a salad, which is amazing. First of all, she makes the best salads. Second of all, I’m glad someone else wanted vegetables at the party. Five days to go!
We also got some very sad news yesterday morning. I didn’t include it in the blog because I wasn’t sure everyone that needed to be told had been told. Sadly, my dad’s sister Sheila passed away yesterday from cancer. We were all hoping and praying that she’d make it to August to see the birth of her first grandchild. The fact that she didn’t make it to August adds salt to a very open wound. My aunt Sheila was an absolute doll. She was generous, kind and supportive of all her nieces and nephews. I’ll always cherish our walks up to the Dairy Store along with many other happy memories. It’s hard to be 1,500 miles away when things like this happen. I’d like to thank my cousin Holly for always keeping me in the loop. The updates were so appreciated.
What would you change about modern society?
I’d change how we interact with each other. The internet has empowered a lot of folks to be the worst version of themselves. Unfortunately, keyboard warriors are quite brave when they can hide behind the keyboard. They’ll bully and troll someone mercilessly, but would never have the guts to say any of it to their face.
Six more days until Jake and Melly get married! This morning I crossed a couple more things off my list, which felt good. We needed a few things for the bar and then photos for the in-memoriam table. Tomorrow I’ll pick up the photos and frames for the table. I still have a few more items to go. Honestly, the list seems never-ending just like it did when I was preparing to get married. Nonetheless, it will be here sooner rather than later and I can’t wait.
Yesterday I baked mini chocolate chip cookies with great success. Today I attempted sugar cookies with cookie cutters in the shape of birds and Daschunds. Unfortunately, the sugar cookies were an unmitigated disaster. The birds look like overcooked blobs, while the Daschunds look like dicks. Perhaps if you were hallucinating, you could see they’re birds or dogs, but probably not. They were so bad I threw them all away. I’ll be making the sugar cookies for Friday in their regular, boring, circular shape. Oh well, there was no harm in trying. Six more days!
What do you listen to while you work?
I like to listen to heavy metal between calls at work. If it’s not super busy, I’ll watch a live Wild Life Safari filmed in South Africa instead of listening to music. While on a call, I mute the safari but keep the closed captioning on so I can still watch it live. It’s amazing!
The fourth park on our trip through Utah’s Mighty Five was Canyonlands National Park. This park is close to both Arches National Park and Dead Horse State Park. All three are near Moab, Utah. Consequently, I recommended staying in Moab for several days to fully enjoy the area. In addition, to the parks, other sites like the Birth Scene Petroglyphs are worth visiting. Canyonlands, like Capitol Reef, is a lot less busy than Zion, Bryce Canyon, or Arches. We drove from the Bryce Canyon area to Capitol Reef, which took around four hours. It was another beautiful drive.
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Canyonlands is the largest national park in Utah. It has over 337,000 acres of colorful canyons and rivers. It is broken down into districts. We visited the Island in the Sky district, which is closest to Moab. The other districts include the needles, the maze, and the rivers. These districts are not accessible from Island in the Sky and are not close to Moab. We spent one day at the park. If you’re looking to visit all four districts, you will need several days. If you plan on visiting the needles, don’t forget your bear spray, and don’t forget to remove all food from your backpacks.
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After visiting the visitor center, we made our way down the canyon. Our first trail and the most famous trail at the Island in the Sky district is the Mesa Arch. After the Mesa Arch trail, we did the Grand View Point trail. I saw a cute little snake. It was only cute because it wasn’t large and it wasn’t that close to me. After the canyon rim, we decided to do the Upheaval Dome trail. Unfortunately, we ended up taking a wrong turn. Consequently, we ended up on the Syncline Loop Trail. Coincidently, this trail is responsible for most park rescues. Thankfully, we realized our mistake before we got too deep into the trail. After a near miss with a crazy trail, we decided to make our way to the AirBnB.
Before you go, here are some things to consider.
Canyonlands is remote and has spotty cellphone service, so plan accordingly. More precisely, don’t forget to download the trail maps, so you don’t inadvertently end up on a very difficult and dangerous trail.
The busy season runs from April to Early October. And while Canyonlands isn’t as busy as Zion or Bryce, you’ll want to get there early so you’re not waiting in line to enter the park
We only had one full day at Canyonlands and I would recommend trying to plan at least 2-3 days to see all four districts. Given our limited time, we did not venture beyond the Island in the Sky district.
The Canyonlands park map is a good resource for planning your visit.
Watch the weather carefully. The weather will impact your ability to complete certain hikes safely.
Prepare to be flexible. Your planned hikes may need to change depending on the weather conditions or rock falls.
There are no restaurants in the park, so you’ll need to pack a lunch or eat outside the park.
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Some of our favorite hikes:
The Mesa Arch trail is a .6-mile loop trail. It’s easy and accessible to all levels and abilities. Moreover, the payoff is big. The Mesa Arch and the views over the canyon are stunning.
The Grand View Point trail is a 1.8-mile out-and-back trail that follows the canyon edge giving you panoramic views of the canyon below.
We attempted the Upheaval Dome trail but ended up on the Syncline Loop trail, which originates at the same point. We were not the only hikers to make this mistake. Make sure you download your trail maps before leaving the visitor center.
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Animals you may see while visiting Bryce Canyon (not an exhaustive list):
Black bears
Desert Bighorn sheep
Mule deer
Cooper’s Hawk
Ravens
White-tailed antelope squirrel
Kangaroo rats
Beavers
Great basin rattlesnake
Yellow-bellied Marmots
Cougars
The park has a beautiful visitor center in the Island in the Sky district and the Needles district. It also has numerous nice restroom facilities throughout the park. The park doesn’t have a shuttle system, so you can drive up and down the canyon. If you’ve never been to Canyonlands National Park, I’d recommend adding it to your list of places to visit.
Ho Hum, what an appropriate title for a shit show of a day. Our internet with AT&T went down early this morning along with our cell service. Fortunately, we have Comcast as a backup. Unfortunately, Comcast still sucks. Needless to say, it’s been a trying day. It has me counting down the hours to Momcation 5.0.
I should have known today was going to be a special kind of crazy. After all, it is the day the taxman cometh. One bright spot was that our menagerie was hopping this morning. We even had a new visitor. A beautiful mottled duck joined the others for a snack. The animals have gotten so used to me that they don’t fly away anymore when I bring out the food or water. Even the skittish blue jays and squirrels have started to stay.
Instead of running, I’ve been working on Zumba chores for Momcation. I haven’t taught since I tore a tendon and was diagnosed with Graves, so I’m excited to give it a go. After all, it’s only been six years. Honestly, I had forgotten both how hard and how much fun it is to put together a class. I’m a bit rusty, so hopefully I’ll be able to give my fellow moms a good workout. It’s also a test to see if my ankle and body will tolerate it. If it goes well, I’m going to start teaching again as I need a second income.
Describe a positive thing a family member has done for you.
My family has done so much for me that I don’t even know where to start. I guess I’ll put it in broad strokes because otherwise, we’d have a War and Peace size answer here. The biggest thing was that they have supported me through life at every stage and every difficulty. I know that’s a pretty general answer, but the truth having support makes a huge difference.
Bryce Canyon National Park was the second stop on our road trip to Utah’s Mighty Five national parks. The drive from Cedar City to Bryce Canyon was unreal! It takes you several mountain passes and red canyons before taking you to a relatively flat drive with beautiful mountains in the background. When you first drive into Bryce Canyon National Park, it doesn’t hit you the same way that Zion does. When you drive into Zion, you’re immediately surrounded by its grandeur. This isn’t to take anything away from Bryce. It’s only to say the experience is different.
As we drove through the park, it reminded Jake and me of Northern Minnesota, which is a beautiful place. And then when you make it to the viewing points, which also serve as trailheads, Bryce Canyon takes your breath away. It will leave you breathless. The varying colors of the canyon, the hoodoos, the mountains in the background, and the trees make for an incredible view. We found as we traversed each park it was hard to compare it to the others as each park is vastly different than the others. It’s also what makes this road trip special.
Before you go, here are some things to consider.
Bryce Canyon is at a higher altitude than the other parks. Its average elevation is 8,000 ft above sea level with Rainbow Point at over 9,100 ft above sea level. If you’re not used to higher elevations, Bryce Canyon should not be the first park you visit. Give yourself time to acclimate to the higher elevation as the Mighty Five Parks’ average elevation is over 5,000 ft. There is a big difference between 5,000 ft above sea level and 9,000 ft. You should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of altitude sickness and if concerned discuss it with your healthcare provider before your trip.
The busy season runs from April to Early October. And it is busy, so plan to get there early in the morning if you’re not staying in the park.
Prepare to be flexible. Your planned hikes may need to change depending on the weather conditions or rock falls. We had planned to do both the Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Loop, but couldn’t only do part of the Navajo Loop due to a rock fall on the Wall Street side of the trail.
There are two restaurants in the park. We ate at Valhalla the pizza place, which was quite good. It wasn’t ridiculously expensive and the pizza and hot chocolate hit the spot.
Some of our favorite hikes:
Navajo Loop is a moderate 1.5-mile hike that begins and ends at Sunset Point. It is one of the park’s iconic trails passing Thor’s Hammer and featuring numerous switchbacks! We started on the Two Bridges side as the Wall Street side was closed due to a rock fall. This trail can be combined with the Queen’s Garden Trail or Peekaboo Loop Trail. This trail is a bit deceiving as you begin the trial by descending into the canyon. The end of the trail. is the hardest as you ascend back up from the canyon floor.
The Queen’s Garden is a moderate .9-mile hike that starts at Sunrise Point. It’s called the Queen’s Garden because of a hoodoo that was said to resemble Queen Victoria. We combined this trail with the Navajo Loop Trail, which was an awesome hike. Again the beginning is much easier than the end when you have to ascend out of the canyon.
Rainbow Point Trail is listed as a 1-mile easy hike. Jake and I found it to be a bit harder than easy due to the high elevation. This trail is at 9,100 feet above sea level, which is about 9,095 feet higher than I’m used to. However, you shouldn’t miss this trail. The views from Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point are incredible. Even if you don’t hike the trail, you should drive up to Rainbow Point to see how the park changes as the elevation changes. Moreover, you can also enjoy the Rainbow Point Lookout without having to hike the trail.
Mossy Cave Turret Arch and Little Windows Trail is located on the East side of the park off of Utah Scenic Byway 12. It’s a .9-mile up-and-back trail that culminates with a cave and a beautiful waterfall. Since the trail isn’t in the main part of the park, it didn’t have any crowds at all. It’s a short beautiful hike with plenty to see.
Bryce Canyon Selfies
Animals you may see while visiting Bryce Canyon (not an exhaustive list):
Pronghorn
Mule deer
Golden-mantled ground squirrel
Golden eagles
Peregrine falcons
Utah Prairie Dog – you can adopt one at the Vistor’s Center, which we did. His name is Mr. Muffins.
Great basin rattlesnake
Tiger salamander
Cougars
The park has a beautiful visitor center and numerous nice restroom facilities throughout the park. The shuttle system efficiently transports guests up and down the canyon to the various trailheads. If you’ve never been to Bryce Canyon National Park, I’d recommend adding it to your list of places to visit.
What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?
The biggest challenge I’ll face in the next six months is planning for one son’s graduation and the other’s wedding. I’d love to throw in a trip too, as I’m quite passionate about travel, but don’t think I’ll have the time or money to travel.
