Bicycle Date Night

I don't know if all the other moms are with me on this -- but, lately, by the time I get to the weekend, I desperately need a night out. This usually means hiring a sitter and going out to dinner with Bri. If we have the foresight to make arrangements to go with friends, it's a bonus. And, sometimes we stop by WinCo while the babysitter is still on the clock to restock our produce (for green smoothies). Ahhh . . . nothing says romance like a kid free visit to your local grocer, right?

Tonight was different. At Brian's urging, we finally made it to Salt Lake for our bicycle date. He mentioned the idea last summer and I balked at having to pay a sitter for all the extra time it would take. This time, I decided to phone my angelic mom, who, of course, said "yes" to taking our four cherubs for (what turned out to be) seven hours.

Brian delivered our kids to my mom's while I showered (I spent the day planting our flower beds -- hooray!). He came home to find me in workout capris and a t-shirt. After he explained that I could wear regular clothes, I changed into a black and white polka dot dress, leggings and sandals. Who knew you could be so stylish while biking around town?

We rode our bikes down (as in, downhill the entire way) to the Ogden Frontrunner station and boarded the train. I was dying to get serious about relaxing, but, alas -- the transition from stay-at-home mom to working mom has been tricky. And, even though I am busy doing something every spare second of every day, there was still more to be done. Brian patiently played games on his iPhone (I'm pretty sure he didn't mind) while I called three more restaurant owners and completed one interview. By the time we reached Farmington, I put work away and thanked Brian for all the nice things he did today. "Thank you for bathing Katie (and, dressing her in a cute new summer outfit for my mom to see). Thank you for taking the boys with you on your photo assignment this morning (taking pictures of volunteers filling sandbags -- how convenient that the boys could play in the sand). And, thank you for making them feel special by taking them to IHOP after. Thank you for installing a sprinkler system last year so I could plant flowers again. And, thank you for not getting mad when I was being grumpy and stressed about the demands of life (how was it already 4 pm when I hadn't even accomplished the things that had to be done before 2 pm?)."

Then, he wanted to make the night extra special and relaxing. So, he pulled out his iPhone and played clips from a funny stand-up comedian. Laughing out loud was the best! And, he told me I looked hot in my polka dot dress. By the time we reached Salt Lake I was in pretty high spirits.

We had plans to meet some of our favorite friends at one of our favorite restaurants (Frida Bistro). We were feeling so giddy and high on being relaxed -- we neglected to think about making a reservation or actually showing up early at the restaurant to put our name on a list. Instead, we cruised around Salt Lake on our bikes and looked around a few shops at The Gateway.

I highly recommend the bicycle date night. It's relaxing and lovely and a nice change from the norm (that is unless you always ride your bike, in that case you should consider a driving date).

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, we found out we could not get a table until 8. Too late for two couples who have eight kids between them. The saddest part was not getting to spend more time with our friends. But, in the end we parted ways with plans to dine at the Frida soon.

Brian and I opted for quick and inexpensive instead, and halfway through our meal we realized we had just missed the 8 o'clock train and we would have to wait another hour. I'm telling you, we were quite irresponsible in our carefree state. My mom, being the wonderful lady she is, agreed to drive our kids to our home and PUT THEM TO BED (always the best thing a babysitter can do for us -- [ahem] besides being pro bono). So, we lazily rode back on the train and watched some more comedy.

When we arrived in Ogden at 9:45 p.m., there was a strong eastern wind blowing (I am listening to it right now and it is powerful indeed. I just checked - 23 mph winds with 40 mph gusts!). This was bad since it meant riding several miles uphill in a headwind. It turned out to not be too bad. At least it wasn't raining. All part of the adventure. And, kind of romantic pedaling around in the dark together. Definitely more romantic than strolling the produce section.

It was the perfect night. Perfect enough to get us through another week in the sweatshop of life.

Anyone have a fabulous idea for date night?

Green Smoothie Recipes

Spinach
Carrots
Strawberries
Blueberries
Pineapple (optional)
Frozen banana
Almond milk (regular or vanilla)
Juice

Directions: Pack the blender to the top with spinach. Add one or two regular carrots or 5-6 baby carrots. Pour in about 3/4-1 cup of almond milk (feel free to use whatever kind of milk you prefer) and 1/2-1 cup of juice (we usually use grape). Press pulse a few times to puree the spinach and carrots (the blender will go from being full to about half full when the spinach is ground up). Add about 1 cup of strawberries and 1 or 1 1/2 cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen) and a little fresh pineapple if you have some on hand. Blend some more. At the very end, add 1/2 of a frozen banana and blend until smooth. You may need to add more liquid to get it to your desired consistency. We usually add more milk or juice, but, you can also add water. The kids prefer it to be more runny rather than thick like a shake (frozen fruits will make it thicker).

This is a recipe we really like. We've also thrown in pears, apples, grapes, mangoes, or raspberries. If you aren't avoiding dairy, you can add 1/2 - 3/4 cup of vanilla yogurt and it makes it even more smooth and delicious (as Brian says, "More like a dessert smoothie"). I've also thrown in flax seeds, chia seeds, flax oil or protein powder. And, speaking of "dessert smoothies," here is my favorite one of those:

Spinach
Unsweetened cocoa
Peanut butter
Vanilla almond milk
Vanilla or chocolate protein powder (or, honey)
Ice

This is what I make when I have a sweet tooth craving that I just can't shake but I'm trying to be good. I fill the blender halfway with spinach, add 2 Tablespoons cocoa, 1 Tablespoon peanut butter (or, 2 if I want to make it really sweet and peanut buttery), 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder (right now I have the whey variety from Costco - if you don't have protein powder, add a squirt of honey or Hershey's syrup to sweeten it), 3/4 - 1 cup almond milk and a 1 1/2 cups of ice. Throw it all in and blend until smooth. It's also yummy if you leave the peanut butter out. Or, leave the peanut butter out and add frozen cherries.

The other great thing about smoothies is that it makes it easier to use up all the leftover produce that's about to go bad. I would love to hear your recipes too!

Green Smoothies

My five-year-old was born a picky eater. And, I don't just mean picky. I have three other picky kids, but, Isaac is his own breed. When we introduced him to solids, he spit everything out. Rice cereal, veggies, fruits, custards - everything. We did the twelve exposure thing. We tried different textures. By the time he was one, we would offer him cookies just to laugh at the way he would turn up his nose (unfortunately, sugar was eventually the thing he embraced). He was nursed almost exclusively. He rejected cow's milk, juice and water. I was so relieved when he finally took a sip of strawberry milk in a box and ate a cracker at fourteen months. I needed a break from nursing by that point.

I didn't realize we were laying the groundwork for years of poor eating habits.

Oh, the stories I could tell you about trying to get Isaac to eat.

I talked to the Pediatrician who suggested withholding dessert as a means of getting him to eat. But, I don't believe in serving dessert unless it's a special occasion. Believe me, I have a sweet tooth a mile wide - the last thing I need is dessert every night. And, this tactic usually just meant that Sophie (my best eater) got dessert and the boys cried more than usual.

Brian had the most patience with getting Isaac to eat. He could usually get him to eat a bowl of oatmeal if he focused on nothing else for 20-minutes. For the rest of the day, it was toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, tortilla chips with melted cheese, or warmed up milk with Hershey's syrup (and, all things made from sugar were welcomed when they were available).

He is also very strong willed. After the breakfast showdown (and, the many other daily power struggles), getting Isaac to eat three square meals was a bit more than I could figure out.

I thought he would grow out of it. He didn't. Meanwhile, I've been making some changes to the way I think about feeding my family. I knew we needed more fruits and vegetables. So I set out armed with recipes for Vegan soups, salads and other tasty dishes.

Here is how it would go -- after a long day, I would start cooking up a delicious meal for the family. Brian would always be working late (especially since the kids like to eat dinner early). For at least an hour before dinner, the kids would say, "Ewwww! What are you cooking!? It stinks in here!!!" And, then they would shed tears around the dinner table while I coaxed them into taking bites. Four children to one me. And, the end of the day is not when I have the most energy. A few months of this and I found myself slipping back to the tacos, quesadillas and breakfast for dinner fare the kids had enjoyed before.

But, I still wanted to figure out a way to get my family eating more fruits and veggies.

Switching to another story. I still remember the first time I beheld the Vitamix at a Sam's Club demonstration. I stood in wide-eyed wonder watching it make ice-cream and peanut butter and soup! I knew we were a good match, but - the pricetag?

My father-in-law hooked up with a Blendtec a year or so ago. My faithful blender -- the supposed "cheap" one that I asked a LOT of over the years -- was on it's way out after more than a decade of use. I had to decide if I was replacing it with just another blender, or, if it was finally time to go the route of my dream blender. My father-in-law graciously loaned me the Blendtec for a week so I could give it a try. My assessment -- my "cheap" blender was actually doing a pretty good job. Not that I wasn't super impressed by the Blendtec. I was. But -- the pricetag?

Brian, on the other hand, made his first green smoothie (spinach with fresh or frozen fruit and some juice or almond milk) and immediately the Blendtec was something he could not live without.

It was hard to let go of my first love - the Vitamix. But, after much research it appeared that one was as good as the other and Brian was hooked on the Blendtec. What could I say? I was finally getting my power blender.

I was still a little hung up on that pricetag, and then, guess what happened? The day before Blendtec made their annual appearance at Costco (we had our eye on that day so that we could get a good deal), my blender bit the dust! The day before! So, I had to stop saying, "Well, this blender is fine and it's still got some life in it." We got the Blendtec and it changed our lives.

Here is another tangent. In response to some of Isaac's behaviors, I was advised to take him off dairy, all processed foods, dyes and sugar. Processed foods didn't seem so hard (not a huge fan to begin with), but, did you read the previous paragraph about what this kid is made of? Cheese, milk and sugar. Yikes!

I knew we had to go cold turkey. I let all of the cheese and milk run out while I stealthily stocked the fridge with almond milk. Note: Our family is hugely into milk drinking so this was pretty extreme.

One morning, the kids woke up and instead of oatmeal they were presented with Green Smoothies!!! I was prepared for a battle. But, this time, there were a lot of things going for me. Number one, Brian was here, number two, I have a lot more energy in the morning, number three, green smoothies are quick so I didn't have to listen to an hour of complaining before the meal and number four, the clean-up only takes seconds.

Surprisingly, the whining was a lot less than expected. I think the kids somehow thought that we had accidentally run out of milk and so, because we were such neglectful parents, they had no other option besides going hungry (they thought the smoothies were a one time deal). If you've never had a green smoothie - I must tell you - they taste just like fruit smoothies. Except, they are packed with leafy greens so the color can throw you. But, if it's a really big problem, you can add enough strawberries and blueberries to make it turn purple.

The most amazing part was that Isaac (who had been prepped by my super healthy, super awesome car-pooling friend) sucked his smoothie right down! The kid who had scoffed at every healthy thing offered to him his entire life drank more veggies through a straw in one morning than he would usually consume in a month. He said he did it to "help his white blood cells get strong" (this statement came from the stories told to him by said awesome friend). For weeks, he drank his smoothie every morning, even requesting seconds on occasion, all the while maintaining that they were "disgusting."

But, "the best kind of disgusting" because they were good for him.

We have green smoothies nearly every morning (it's been over a month since we started). It is one of my greatest parenting successes to know my kids are getting all that fresh produce first thing in the morning. And, guess what else? Now, that their tastebuds are accustomed to fruits and vegetables, they are more open to healthy dinners too. Even Isaac will chow down a bowl of veggie soup without a word. I can't adequately put into words what a complete turn around this is.

I highly recommend the Green Smoothie revolution.

If our family can do it, anyone can.

Home Again, Home Again

The weather in Phoenix was sunny, in the 70s and perfect.

As soon as the plane left the ground, I fell asleep in my seat. I was in and out (mostly out) for the one hour flight. I suddenly felt tired down to my bones.

A friend made a remark about how the conference was like our event planning days in college and joked about how we aren't as young as we use to be. I may not be as young as I use to be, but, I'm also pretty sure I never worked (quite) that intensely without any breaks in college.

(we are even better than we were in college, right?)

We touched down in a snowstorm. The passenger next to me was from Arizona. He took pictures of the white fluffy flakes through the window as we taxied. "I didn't even bring a coat," he said. "I hope you'll be inside a lot," I said back. Apparently, today is the 3rd day in a row that it has snowed all day. I had thought about planting flowers with the kids today for their spring break (haha). This morning, I thought we should change that plan to a day of sledding. But, the snow was so wet and just kept coming down.

It turned out to be a better day for staying indoors. Last night, I slept like a rock for 10-hours (and felt like I could have slept for 2 more if I didn't have these four kids who want to play with me).

Brian surprised me by taking portraits of the kids while I was gone and framing them and hanging them on the wall. I love them SO MUCH! It is one of the best surprises ever. I would have obsessed for so long about what the kids should wear and scheduling haircuts and all of that - another 6-months would have passed before the pictures were taken. Thank you Photo Guy!

It feels so good to be home. I'm enjoying my kids even more than before I left. They look way too grown up in their portraits (my babies!). But, Katie is soft and snuggly, Isaac still pronounces certain words like a pre-schooler, Sophie is as silly as ever, and Ian wore his sparkly blue cape with the letter "I" embroidered on the back all day -- so I felt better that they aren't completely grown up after all.

(note: sparkle cape)

After Brian completed his 19-mile training run and shot some assignments and the kids and I had spent a lazy morning together, I headed out in search of something for the kids to do today.

Brian had suggested going to a movie, but, the kids insisted that they wanted to see "Despicable Me." I figured it would cost less money to buy Despicable Me and watch it at home than go to the theater so I headed to Costco. I didn't find the movie I was looking for, but, I did find "Tangled" and "Ice Age, Dawn of the Dinosaurs," and a bunch of other stuff too. By the time I checked out, it was $143!

(so much for saving money)

When I returned home, Brian and the kids were putting together Marble Mania Mega.

It's a contraption that Ian got for a Birthday a few years ago. It definitely needs to be assembled by an adult. The last time, it took 4-hours to put it together, so, when I put it away, I was doubtful if we would ever put it together again. Today turned out to be the perfect day. I feel so much joy watching Brian and the kids spend time together.(little engineer)

Now, we have a really cool machine that transports marbles in the most magical of ways on our table. We just finished huge bowls of popcorn and Tangled. It is nice to be back home indeed.

The Menu

Friday morning was a breeze. It was just as busy as all the days before, but, at last, I knew what to do and what to expect. I only had to work until 11:45 a.m., and I also didn't stop working until 11:45 on the dot.

The most amazing thing happened. At 11:20 a.m., my brother, who just moved to Tucson called and said he had driven to a meeting in Phoenix, did I want to meet him for lunch? I told him I was taking a cab to the airport in 25 minutes. He punched my address into his GPS and said he was 25 minutes away, he would pick me up. At 11:45 a.m., he showed up in his 2011 Jeep Rubicon. Sweet ride.

I was so happy that he wanted to get together with me and also amazed at the timing. If he had been 1 hour earlier, I could not have gotten away from work. One hour later and I would have already been at the airport. Very serendipitous.

I was really impressed with CleanMed. The people were inspirational. The food was unforgettable.

CleanMed is a gathering of people in the medical field who are members of Practice Green Health and Health Care Without Harm and other organizations that want to "green" hospitals. They promote everything from solar panels and recycling to serving healthier food in the cafeterias to using steam sterilization instead of chemicals on OR equipment and 100 other things that make the world a better place. Lovely, lovely people.

And, since they are concerned about making the world a better place, it was really important to them that the food at the conference was local, organic, freerange, fresh, healthy, and otherwise delicious. I think one of the reasons I was so excited about the food is because it was just about all I had to look forward to (since I almost never left the hotel, haha!). But, just look at these menus:

Breakfast
Freshly squeezed juice
Homemade breakfast breads
Organic steel cut oatmeal
Fresh berries and sliced melon
raw walnuts, honey, almond butter, jams, dried fruits and cinnamon

Lunch
(the most amazing) Vegetarian lasagna
(the most delicious) Free-Range chicken
(to die for) Mousse shooters

Break
Smoothies made from whole, fresh fruits

Lunch
Quinoa, veggie and black bean salad
Grilled vegan wraps
Roasted veggies and homemade hummus
Coconut mango rice pudding with roasted cashews and quinoa brittle

Lunch
Grilled local vegetables and wild mushrooms (served in the most artistic and delectable way with an amazing sauce too)

Yogurt panna cotta with honey glazed fruit and pecan struessel
Tiramisu and truffles

Break
Freshly popped popcorn
Dark chocolate
Almonds, raw walnuts and dried fruits
Freshly squeezed lemonade

Dinner
Local baby spinach & arugula, heirloom tomatoes, locally grown pistachios, peppered goat cheese and pepito vinaigrette

Wild Mahi Mahi with Mexican papaya and blood orange salsa
Red rice and beans with jalapeno & lime
Beet confit
Goats milk cheesecake on chocolate shortbread with hand picked blueberry angelaise

Lunch
Local field greens with asparagus tips, pancetta nuggets, curly carrots, cippolini onions, radish chips and green goddess dressing

Chicken marsala medallions with wild oyster mushrooms, roasted garlic and herbs
Roasted baby carrots, asparagus and house cured tomatoes
Chocolate chiffon trifle with milk chocolate mousse and raspberries

All of the meals were complimented by giant green salads and lovely spreads of fresh fruits.

A foodie paradise.

CleanMed -- Winding Down

(Written on Thursday, but, posted today, since, my $12.95/day internet link expired right before I posted and I decided not to re-connect)

I feel like the conference has been a huge success! It has been much more intense than I was expecting. It was so satisfying to finally get to my first break in four days, sit down, take a breath, and to know -- "I've earned this moment."

Day 1, Sunday: We left Utah in a snowstorm. They had to de-ice the plane before we could take off. Arrived in our gorgeous hotel just in time to unpack, order room service and go to bed.

Day 2, Monday: I made the most of the morning by working out and spending 30 minutes on the sun deck (for the rest of the week, I was really grateful that I had had one morning to relax). I then spent the rest of the day feeling like I was learning a foreign language trying to get organized and meeting dozens of new people. For dinner, we walked across the street to a great Mexican restaurant. Outside, there was a garden of palm trees wrapped in white lights - magical ambiance.

Day 3, Tuesday: The hardest day of all. We woke up early and never stopped working until bedtime. All morning, I felt like I was a different person, and the voice inside my head magnified all of my blunders. What I didn't realize was that Patti had my back the whole time. She was giving me so many responsibilities, I was beginning to feel like I had the power to wreck the whole conference.

At one point, they asked me to pass out wireless mouses (mice?) to presenters, which I did, but I didn't plug in the things that plug into the side of the PC's. I didn't even see them tucked into the little side pockets of the bags. I felt so retarded when it was explained to me and everyone was amazed (and, partly did not believe me) that I had never seen a wireless mouse that needed another device to be plugged into the computer. Finally, I got Brian to back me up. We use Mac and our wireless mouse in Bluetooth -- so take that! I mean, I can't help it if we are so technologically advanced with our wireless mouses (mice?) at our house . . .

(I still felt retarded)

The whole day felt like a series of - "Look at me! I've been a stay-at-home mom for a decade and just today I decided to re-enter the working world! What exactly is technology?" moments.

In the afternoon, Patti and I attended a Pre-Conference meeting. I had no idea what to expect. I walked into a room with 20 people standing very formal around a table waiting for Patti and I to arrive. They would not be seated, until we were seated - at the head of the table surrounded by all the higher ups at the Sheraton. The General Manager was to my left. All eyes were upon Patti and I. I just smiled and nodded like I knew what I was doing (Patti later said my silence was powerful and made me seem like I knew exactly what I was doing - she is so nice).

Everyone had a glass of champagne and to get started, there was a toast in our honor! I knew from the uproar that was caused at an extended family dinner when I lived with a host family in Russia (I was only 19, but, apparently well above the drinking age for their culture) and I toasted with fruit juice instead of vodka that it wasn't going to be appropriate to raise my water glass. Awkward!

(don't worry, I didn't drink any champagne)

Am I the only one who thinks it's strange that I was the ONLY person in a room of two dozen adults who didn't drink? Apparently adults who never drink alcohol (outside of Utah) are very unusual. I'm so sheltered.

Anyways, we toasted. Everyone introduced themselves and everyone was very gracious. I guess they are pretty stoked about getting all the business a conference like CleanMed brings (I'm guesstimating somewhere between 1/2-1 million $ gross).

At the end of the meeting, all of the managers gave us their cards and shook our hands. Even the General Manager gave me his card and said, "Please call me if there is anything, absolutely anything I can do for you." And, I wondered what in the world I would possibly call the General Manager of the Sheraton for ("Excuse me General Manager of the Sheraton, but, my room is a little too cold, could you please come turn my air conditioning down?")?

At the end of the day, we wanted to go out to dinner. Really we did. But we were simply too exhausted to even consider it. We were too exhausted to even consider an in-room movie.

Patti told me I did a great job (even though the voice inside my head was really mean and never said that all day). I went to bed feeling a little better.

Day 4, Wednesday: On this day, I finally began to feel more like myself instead of someone watching another person in a dream (kind of a scary dream).

I started ordering the hotel staff around (in a nice way) on the walkie talkies. "Joseph, we need more chairs in the meeting rooms pronto." "Darrel, there is no wireless mic in the boardroom and I ordered a wireless mic." And, every time we asked for anything, the staff said, "We are on it!" and "It's our pleasure!" and other equally nice responses.

(even though I'm pretty sure it wasn't really their pleasure - just their job)

We could even ask for things like pitchers of ice water and plates of lemons for our office, and, just like that! Someone would bring it.

Anything we wanted. Pretty sweet.

The other sweet thing I forgot to mention, is that at the Pre Conference meeting they gave a pin to Patti and a pin to me and if I show this pin to a hotel staff person, I can ask for anything I want and they will charge it to the conference account. Of course, I never got a chance to use it. But, still . . . it's kind of cool.

(There was this conflict in my mind -- do I have one really big hurrah? Or, do the responsible thing and keep my job? Of course, the latter. But, maybe the first.)

(Just kidding.)

(Maybe I'm kidding).

Again, we worked all day like slaves. But, it was much more enjoyable. Less stressful. Plus, everyone wished me a "Happy Birthday" all day long and right before I went to sleep, the hotel staff sent the lovely treat pictured at the top of this post up to my room.

Day 4, Thursday: The day I became a pro at meeting planning. At last I was in my element. I knew what to do. And, I also knew that if I didn't know what to do, I just had to pretend that I did know until everything worked itself out.

It always worked itself out.

On this day, I got my first break. It came at lunchtime when, instead of scarfing my meal down at my desk while continuing to work full-speed ahead, Patti said, "Why don't you take a lunch break?" And, so, I did.

I took my masterpiece of a meal up to the sun deck by the pool on the 4th floor. I took off my shoes and socks and propped up my feet and ate that feast fit for a queen while soaking up all the rays 30 minutes and a business suit could possibly allow. I made the most of that break and went back to work feeling renewed.

Then, at 4:45, Patti said again, "Why don't you take a break?" I was exhausted and delighted (I had been planning to push through until 10 p.m. since the schedule demanded two receptions, a dinner gala and a cocktail party all in one evening). I wasted no time at all in gathering up popcorn and dark chocolate from the 3rd floor reception, fresh veggies and a ginger ale from the 28th floor lounge and heading straight to my room. I threw open the curtains, inhaled the view, and got all cozy in my fluffy king size bed (I love housekeeping). Then, I turned off my brain and surfed channels on the giant flat screen while I enjoyed my treats and completely decompressed.

At 7 p.m., I was dressed up and ready to hit the dinner gala.

At 10 p.m., I was back in bed and sound asleep. I slept like a log every night. No dreams at all.

CleanMed 2011

A few months ago, I started a new job assisting Patti who is an amazing meeting and events planner.  This week, she is doing one of her largest conferences -- CleanMed -- and I am here at the Downtown Phoenix Sheraton helping out.  It is completely baptism by fire.  The experience is really stretching me as a person.  Here is what I wrote last night just before I drifted off to sleep:

Phoenix Day 1

Appreciating:  Brian for taking amazing care of our kids.

Loving:  The awesome view from my room on the 31^st floor.

Feeling Pampered:  By this plush robe and the spread of food in the Club Lounge.

Wishing:  I could spend 1 hour lying in the sun by the beautiful pool.

Nervous:  About having the energy to keep up with this non-stop week of work.  

Satisfied:  From the delicious dinner and therapeutic laughter I shared with a Patti tonight.

Excited: to jump in that fluffy King-size bed with four giant pillows.

Missing:  My babies. 

Trying to Get Use to:  Having all of this space and silence (and, not too use to it at the same time).

Today's post should be entitled:  Phoenix Day 2, (the guests begin to arrive for pre-conference functions and meetings):  "Stupid Things to Say When You Have No Idea What You Are Doing and Everyone Thinks You Are in Charge," or, "Saving Face After Starting the Day by Accidentally Brushing Off What You Later Discover to be One of the Board of Directors," or, "Dangerous Learning Curve Ahead."

(Do you know what it is like to be asked to "test the audio visual equipment" for a breakout session when you've never even seen half the stuff in the room before?  "Just go make sure it's all there and test it to see if it's working."  Ummmmmm . . . ).

Today was non-stop.  We hit the ground running at 6:30 a.m. (not "got up" at 6:30 - started working at 6:30).  And, we did not stop for anything until 7:30 p.m.  I felt pretty exhausted.  I really wanted the conference to play iPad or watch PBSkids for 30 minutes while I put my feet up this afternoon.  By 7:30, I felt a lot like I do at the end of a really hard day with the kids. 

But, then I discovered the difference.

At the end of a really hard day with the kids, 7:30 is just the beginning of the hardest part -- pushing through bedtime.  Instead of four sleepy kids, I had chamomile tea and answering the question - "Do you want to walk to a Thai restaurant or get room service?"  My days at home never end like that.  

The best part of the night was talking to all four of my kids on the phone and hearing Isaac say, "Mommy how much do you love me?  Because I love you infinity, infinity, infinity, infinity . . ."  

Both kinds of days are really rewarding.

Time to get some sleep before tomorrow.  Phoenix Day 3:  The 600 Attendees Arrive (and, they also think I know what I'm doing).