Day 1

Greetings from conference!

Working conference is always an exhilarating and exhausting experience. I am in constant motion, but every time I turn a corner I run into another friend. I love seeing so many familiar and wonderful faces. After attending for almost a decade, I feel like conference is a class reunion.

Setting up the booth was frustrating, primarily because it was my first time with the task. I've worked dozens of industry conferences, but I have never been in charge of booth construction. Thankfully I had some strong friends who were generous with both their time and their efforts to help me out. After trial-and-error attempts, we finally erected a standing structure for the booth backdrop.  (Hopefully I will remember how it is constructed so that next time it will be easier.) 

After the booth was constructed I spent the afternoon in meetings and talking with friends. I didn't make it back to my room until 10, which felt like 1 AM because of the time change. (This early rising Mom was up well past her bedtime.)

Today is a full day in the exhibit hall. If you are at conference, please stop by booth #310 (LIM Innovations) and say hello!  

Travel Weary

I spent the majority of my day yesterday either at an airport or sitting on a plane. After nearly 10 hours of traveling, I finally arrived at the conference hotel. I have numerous friends who travel frequently for work. I do not possess that mentality. By the time the final plane landed I was chomping at the bit to get off of the plane.  Much respect to the travel warriors out there, because I certainly do not have the right mentality for that job!

Today will be busy with conference prep. I'm going to be busy, which is good because I won't have much time to miss my family. It will be wonderful to be reunited with my amputee friends, and engage in the conversations that can only occur when we are all together.  

Have a great day!  If you are at conference, stop by the LIM booth to say hello and a selfie!

Cow Day!

Our family loves a freebie.  Yesterday was Cow Appreciation Day at Chick Fil-A, a fun event that has become not only a family tradition but also a mission of gluttony. Whereas many families might put on a few spots to claim some free nuggets at their local restaurant for a special lunch treat, ours keeps cow costumes at the ready and carefully plans our route to be sure we visit every participating establishment within a 25 mile radius. 

We added Cow Appreciation Day to our summer traditions a few years ago, and during that time we have honed our skills.  I bought family cow costumes through the WISH app a few years ago. With each costume coming in at a mere $7, the investment has paid off in fold. (Timmy wore a homemade outfit because they didn't have costumes in his size.  Next year he will be completely match the herd.) 

In 95 degree weather we donned our heavy cow costumes, put a cooler in the back of the SUV and began our quest for free chicken. I loved seeing all of the smiles from onlookers as they noticed a car full of cows driving past them in the middle of July. After nearly two hours we had our cooler stocked with chicken and we had visited each of the five restaurants in our area. 

At least I know that the boys will eat while I'm in Tucson!

Summer Vibes

I've been working and moving nonstop, yet it seems that my to-do list is only growing. Talk about spinning your wheels! I'm at the point where I'm going to stop writing everything down because I am finding it frustrating instead of helpful. 

In addition to trying to get everything organized and ready for conference, we have entered the portion of the summer where I want to pull my hair out and bang my head into the brick fireplace. I love Scott and Robby dearly, but having them home full time is wearing me out. 

Every time I turn around there they are, asking questions or making a mess. The extra dishes, extra bodies and extra smells are beginning to fray on my last nerve. I know that they are relishing every moment of vacation, but I find myself looking to August with longing.
I know I'm not the only mom who feels this way, right?

Conference is going to be busy and is certainly not a vacation, but I am hopeful that the time away and the change of scenery will help to reset my summer vibes. I want to feel laid back and relaxed instead of frazzled and stressed. This Momom most definitely needs a break, or a maid.  

Yard Work (Stinks)

With a break in the oppressive weather, we were able to mix up our summer routine a bit. The temperatures were warm but pleasant, and Saturday was the perfect day to play outside.  After debating our options, I settled on going to the farm. Timmy thoroughly enjoyed playing on the structures and riding the Cow Train, which he hopped onto at every opportunity. Robby decided to go Geocaching with his friend. Although I missed having him with us, I suspect he had more fun on his own adventure.

Yesterday I knew that we needed to take advantage of the favorable temperatures by tackling our yard. In full disclosure, I abhor yard work. If I could afford to hire a landscaper to keep our yard presentable, I would do it in a heartbeat.  Alas, a landscaper is out of budget so we are forced to tackle the jobs ourselves.  

Some people love pruning, weeding and perfecting their outdoor oasis. I don't relate to those people. While they are busy fertilizing the grass and artfully planting flowers, I'm struggling to simply keep our yard presentable.  Even with those low standards, we are barely achieving our goal. 

Scott took aim with the weed wacker while I stomped down rogue thorn bushes. Even though it is not my favorite task, I am the natural choice for this job. I step into the bushes with my prosthetic and trample down the thorny little invaders without feeling a scratch.   I am amazed with how quickly the thorn vines spread and swallow up everything in their path. Thankfully the vines don't stand a chance against my stomping abilities, and I am happy to report that our yard is again clear of the prickly little intruders. 

While I was busy stomping and Scott was weed whacking, Robby busied himself by blowing the leaves off our deck and off the trampoline. Timmy pushed his bubble mower around the yard, making sure to cover as much square footage as possible. After a few hours we were done with our dreaded yard work morning, allowing us to spend the rest of the day playing at the pool.