Words to live by.

As most of you probably know, I am currently on "summer break". While I have several jobs and projects keeping me busy this summer, I am fortunate enough to choose to do them when I want to. That means if the weather is nice and I feel like going hiking for the afternoon, I do. Or if I get a spontaneous urge to go somewhere or visit someone, I can. I know what most of you non-teachers out there are thinking ("you suck"), but the grass is not always greener on the other side. Because even though I am on summer break, my bestest friend in the whole world is not. And as the proverb goes, Without other people's companionship, even paradise would be an unlikable place.

In fact, not only has Jonas been working 50+ hours every week, he was also recently informed that he only gets 5 days of vacation this year. He has already taken 2 (thinking that he would get the standard 10 in a year), so that leaves a meager 3 days of vacation for the rest of the year. Considering we've already planned a hiking road trip in July, he now has to work 2 Saturdays next month just to get 5 days off in a row for our trip.

Ok. So I promise I am not writing this post just to complain. I am writing this post because I have been doing a lot of thinking about work-life balance lately, and I feel like our society really struggles with this one. Why is it that to have a "successful" career in our society, people have to sacrifice the majority of their free time and enjoyment? Maybe if we had a better balance we wouldn't spend our week wishing time would pass faster. (I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend my life wishing my days away.) Time with family and friends; exercise, nutrition, and sleep; house and yard maintenance; and hobbies of all sorts take a back seat to our jobs. And all for what... money?

Yes, I realize money is important to survive and also to pay for the things that we enjoy. I think it is important to work hard and earn everything we get. But I also think if we all spent a little more time enjoying life and being with our loved ones, maybe we wouldn't dread our jobs so much. Maybe we would even enjoy them a little, or at least appreciate them for the purpose they have in our lives. Maybe people would even be inspired to work harder and put in the effort they should... wouldn't that be a trip?

I am currently reading a book titled Boys Adrift (which I highly recommend for anyone who is the parent of a boy or works with boys- especially all of you teachers out there). In it, I read a quote that sums up my thoughts on this whole work-life balance thing quite nicely. It was taken from the famous book All I Really Need to Know in Life I Learned in Kindergarten, by Robert Fulghum. In it he says we should, "Learn some and think some and draw some and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some." I love this. I feel like every day would be a good day if we had this kind of balance in our lives.

So, this is something that I am making a goal in my life. Especially with a crazy fall around the corner, I am going to try really hard to keep a good work-life balance. (In addition to my first full-time teaching job, I am also the new head soccer coach at SHS.) Given I will be working 70+ hours a week during soccer season, it's going to be tough. But until then, I guess I'll have to stock up on the "life" part of my work-life balance goal this summer. I only wish my bestie could be there to enjoy it with me, but Jack and good friends make great hiking buddies too...

Hanging out in central Oregon

Hiking Smith Rock with Lisa, Abby, and (of course) Jack

Me and my little buddy

I heart the Cascades

Beautiful lakes, mountains on the horizon, and mutli-million dollar estates... some people have it rough.

 Abs and Lisa taking in the view at the top of Smith Rock

Profile pic of Monkey Face

 Someone wore himself out hiking

Jack made a new friend :)

View while hiking Twin Lakes

At the big lake. So beautiful.

 Rachael playing fetch with Jack in the water.

I know he's thinking, "Hurry up guys!"

 Me and Rach- love this girl!

Introducing Rachael to mine and Joe's favorite Douglas County tradition- go hiking east of Roseburg, stop at the Illahee Restaurant/Bakery on the way home and eat HUGE  pieces of delicious homemade pie!

 My 2nd favorite choice: Marionberry Pie a la mode. Dutch Apple is THE best, but they were out of it, wah wah

When will it end?!

As you know, we started ripping out/laying our hardwood floor a few weeks ago. I already posted the "before" and destruction pics, but I was waiting to post the "after" pics until we were completely finished...

Well, it's been almost a month, and we still have to paint, put up the trim and finish our entry way (which I think we are going to tile now- interesting, considering we don't know how to tile). So, at the request of some dear friends of mine, here are some pics of the (almost) finished floor. You get the idea, and when it gets completely finished I promise I'll put up a few more "after" photos.

 

 

 The archaic hammer gun. 

I kid you not, this is what we used to lay our floor. (The closest automatic nail gun to rent was 100 miles away.) Just how does this antique work? Well, you simply place the nails in the shaft, use the hammer/mallot contraption you see pictured here, slam it as hard as you can onto the black knob on the gun, and the momentum from your swing drives the nail into the ground. All of that effort= 1 nail into your board. FYI- We used over 2,000 nails. And when I say we, I mean Joe. 

Getting started with the hard stuff... damn our half-octagon shaped nook!

 Our brother-in-law Lukie "ripping" the boards to make the transition from our dining room to the living room nice and smooth :)

It was a total family effort... even our nephew Wyatt helped :)

End of Day #1: it doesn't seem like this would take very long, but don't be fooled...

Progress: More floor done and we have our kitchen island back

A close up of Wyatt (and the wood)

Joe working on his carpentry skills- look at that focus!

Infamous words... "Measure twice, cut once." Oops.

Jonas, so proud of his work!

Like a glove.

(See that ugly linoleum in the bathroom? Hopefully that's gone soon too.)

Trying to finish up the hall, but these angles did NOT making it easy. 

(Guest bedroom is on the left, office on the right.)

 But we persevered... and got it done.

The view from our bedroom door.

Now down the hallway and into the great room...

I see wood. A lot of it.

Here's a shot with some furniture back in. (And a cute, spoiled doggie too!)

Looking into the kitchen.
(Don't mind the rainbow of paint samples on the wall...
we are being a little indecisive right now.)

Looking into our unfinished entry way.
(Maybe you can help, wood or tile? We need input people!)

Now you can see why I wanted to wait to post pics...

Looking into the kitchen and nook.

Looking back into the kitchen from the nook.
(Door on the left is for the pantry, door on the right is the laundry room.)

One last shot of the great room with (some) of our furniture moved back in.