March 2017, it has been a very eventful month of milestones that I just have to blog so I can read back on this and remember how incredible this month has been, and it's not over yet.  This month I was completely WOW'd to see my son win his first 300m high hurdle race running Varsity as a 15 year old sophomore.  I was just hoping he would run hurdles but varsity and he wins with a 41 sec time... I was proud beyond words. 

Then on March 4th I achieved my year long running streak goal of running 1 continuous mile every day for a year!  I did it with 1,085 miles for the year and I've decided to keep streaking and #runeveryday!  I ran in the most beautiful weather of So Cal from heat to rain, I ran in Tahoe with an elevation over 7000 feet and trained so many mountain trails I lost count.  It's been so much fun and so motivating to have this goal that I just can't give it up.  I'm very thankful my husband is very supportive and runs with me when he's not surfing.  This has been especially unique for me who does not do well with a daily routine, so this is a big deal!

Then we celebrated my husbands 50th birthday by going to Catalina for the day and ditching a day of work mid week!.  It was relaxing, fun and we really enjoyed seeing the buffalo in the wild. 

And next up is my son's 20th birthday... I can't believe I have a kid that old... He's in Colorado and probably going to celebrate in his own way but my heart is always with him even if he far away and still drives me crazy.. ​

Counting Blessings... its the best!
​

Sitting at a track meet this weekend, waiting to see my son run his first event of the day, 100m in a 4x100 relay, I hear the announcer over the PA begging kids to check in to their race. "I'm still waiting for XXX HS and XXX HS to check in, come on kids we need you in the staging area, hurry up please..."  I almost lost it.. but instead I laughed and asked the parents next to me... when did the begging start? We all giggled.  It really took all of my will to stop myself from going up to that person and tell her to knock it off.  

It's exciting to hear my son was stopped at the shopping mall by a modeling scout.  But I was filled with tons of emotions... is this real?  what kind of modeling? how much will it cost? what do they want?... But I never questioned why they picked him. Speaking as a gushing mom but also as an observer, he has a classic fair haired California surf look, with a little bit of other nationalities mixed in (typical american) . But I think it's more than a look, he's a sweet charming kid with a quick wit and very easy to laugh.. (he even laughs in his sleep... ever since he was a few months old til now)  So I wasn't surprised at the idea, both his grandmother and I played with the modeling world, we did more clothes/ramp work than photography but this was different.   I got a text from the agency, "Can we meet with their top scout and discuss putting my son in a Showcase in June."   I read up on the company and looked at their 

website. Then on a very rainy day in California my husband, son and I were off to a hotel in Irvine to meet with this "mother" agency. A good sign... lots of teens in the lobby of the hotel waiting to be interviewed... Trevor was cool as could be, didn't show any signs of worry... just asked "what's going to happen"... "don't know, I guess we'll find out together". We went in for the interview, it was a hard cell from the first moment. Essentially the message was "We will have your son in front of the top modeling agencies in the world we just need you to pay us and we will put together his book, put his through a workshop of walking, turning and posing for a camera then put him on a ramp in front of a bunch of agents"... the price was steep but not crazy for a book with 40 pictures... We asked for a minute to discuss as a family... The funny thing was my husband and I had come to the same conclusion on how to pay for it... we will redirect deposits to his college fund for a few months and give this a try. It was kind of eire that we thought the same thing... but the issue was, did he really want to do this? He seemed excited but we find out he is worried about how much it will cost since I have always been very tight with money... He is definitely not his brother... This wasn't a test of keeping my sense of humor as with everything with his brother, this was an opportunity to encourage him to be bold and try something new totally on his own.... stay tuned, this could be a huge waste of money or the start of interesting career for him... either way we will never say "would of, could of, should of" we are taking a risk!

Do you cringe when your teenager starts a sentence with "Why can't you...",  I do. Usually. it means the start of a fight. Parenting can be such a rollercoaster of emotions.  How can this man standing in front of me be the same boy I rocked to sleep when he had a bad dream?  Opps I slipped into reminiscing again...  back to teenagers.  Last week, in a last minute request, Hey, I need an extra $20 bucks, I need to take her out on a date and I don't have any money...  Wait... what?  you're 15. 

Final week just before Christmas break is a very difficult time of the year for my high school sophmore. How do you study when everyone is having Christmas parties and enjoying all the christmas events?  Easy, I don't let him go... Esh

So he hides in his room and says he's studying... Music is playing he's singing, laughing and talking to friends... This is not my definition of studying.   How do I motivate this kid?  He's too old to make him read to me and sit at the kitchen table so I can watch him do homework while I make dinner.   or is he?..

"Hey kid, why don't you come down here so I can see what you are studying?"
----no answer

"Hello? what are you working on?
--- stuff
--- Hey did you get me a snow jacket for Christmas 'cause Dad got me pants... 

"I'm not telling you... are you studying? "...
--- no but I just sent you the kind of jacket I want. 

" Can I see the study guide for the final... did you finish?  
--- naw, it's easy i got this... 

"Oh, I don't think so but If you insist on avoiding me I'll remind you of the deal"
--- argh.... you are SOOOO annoying


I fully expect him to fight back. All his friends older with cars and some have jobs with parents that don't agree with me.  I have such a hard time saying no to him, he's my baby. He is such a good, thoughtful, caring kid that I don't understand why he doesn't care about this. 

Here's the deal: (which I will now print out and put on the Fridge so all can see!"

Earn Money for TEST grades:  90%+ = $20, 80%+ = $10, 70%+ = $0, 0-69% = -$5 (you owe me)
Priviledges of Grades 80% or above;
- 2 activities in a week on a school night
- Driving lessons (if maintained for a month)
- Borrow keys to car, once you have a license. 
All priviledges are revoked if you have less than a B average, "No Bs no Keys" 

So he failed his finals, only passed one of the finals over 60%.  Now he leaves for his dad's place in Colorado so I have to wait to impose restrictions....  GAWDDDD parenting stinks..