another ski for women....

 the peacocks should have won, imho.  but some tree things won the group contest.  i got there right after the parade but in enough time to enjoy the sites and costumes of ski for women.  people in alaska love to dress up.

 seemed like a great turn out to me.  the party wave, with the costumes, is always the most popular.  it's only like 5k i think...which is great cause some of those costumes would be hard to ski in.  i remember when i skied it as a Mr potato head i was so hot!!  you forget about that when planning the costumes.  the people who did the peacocks come up with amazing, elaborate and seemingly heavy and awkward costumes every year.  pretty amazing really.

 some are way more imaginative than i.  loved the snowflakes.  often groups will meet up near the end so they can finish together as a group.  the snowflakes were scattered about so we called them scattered snowstorm.

 took the dogs and nearly forgot their costumes so i had to run back inside and quickly dig through the dog costume box.  i guess that should be embarrassing that i have a few containers of dog costumes. less for rio...they don't make much for huge pups like her!  don't they think big dogs like to dress up too?

 tetra's?  above.  i think that is what it is.  valentine hearts below...two groups that gathered before the finish line to make a big finish.  loved how tetra's lined up!!  great effort.

 the money raised goes to help women who are abused or at risk.

 my pups weren't the only dogs out there, but they were the only dogs in costume.  this little guy had to say hello.  blossom and rio got tons of attention, pets, loves and photo's taken of them.  always good to show support however i can.  i hadn't expected to be able to go so i was pretty happy to just get out and get a look at the costumes.

 the adult unit was short the next night so last night i ended up being floated down there from picu.  just a few more weeks of going back and forth between the two units.  i'm actually feeling more and more ready for the change and also feeling a bit in limbo as i'm not sure what is going on.   did the manager get my email about possible schedule, are we waiting for the acm to get back from vacation, do i need to get a new badge...it will all be nice once i am actually feeling a part of the resource pool.  i'm strange in that i like having a little locker or mail box.  so even though i'll be floating where ever, i will still have a home in the resource pool break room.  we are all creatures of habits and like to feel like we have a place and belong i suppose.
above is the grateful dead or dead heads, not sure which.

 thought these were both imaginative.  raining cats and dogs above and space aliens.  loved all the kids out at the event.  they all seemed to be having a blast.

 was impressed that this lady in the middle skied with that big box on her kids sled.  a few people were helping push from behind.  that is a work out though.

 work was pretty sweet last night i must admit.  don't get easy nights in the adult icu very often so i basked in it.

 liked the grapes too.  simple but fun!

 a few more peacock pictures.

 just a lot of effort.

 saw 3 dog sled teams out there.  this was only one with kids.  not easy to ski roped together.  people may again stop right before the finish and rope up for the effect at the finish line.

 popcorn and peanuts...i didn't get a picture of it, but the fandango thing was out there...wonder if that one was really part of this group.

 rio getting love from people coming off the trail.  heard tons of oohs and aahs for the dogs.

 this group was a rack of billiard balls.  the white ball out front was skiing backwards.  the others were "racked up" with a rope.  at the finish line the white ball ski'd into them all the break up the rack.  hehe!!

 more peacocks.  not sure if the  blue peacocks were a subset of the others or if it was coincidence.

 another, larger dog sled team.

 the peacocks passing by.

 ran into joy, who used to work peds icu with us.  fun to see her and catch up a bit.  loved her mad hatter get up!!

 after the festivities had slowed a bit i took the dogs over to the dunes.  blossom mostly just wanted to run the dunes chasing her tennis ball.  got the energy out of her.  it would have been smarter to get up earlier and do this first...but i'm more lazy than smart some days.

 we didn't go far.  funny to see the dunes call coated with snow, they were almost clear of it awhile back when i was here.

 these are just divider blocks to the motorcross area on the other side of the trail.  always like the cool pictures on them.

 simple but fun.

 these are clearly mixed in in no specific order.  clearly a reflection of the zombie like state i've been in since i woke for the monday walk today. 3 hours sleep before walking is not easy.  indy's spastic ways can make me a bit crazy when i've had so little sleep.  i just have to remember that he's sweet, just hyper.  he settled down once we'd been out for  a bit. blossom was no angel either.  since indy kept getting her tennis ball she retaliates by humping poor rio.  i must have had to pull her off rio 10 times.  lack of sleep always makes for a poor training session.  they are both sweet pups and when i take a deep breath and look at those sweet puppy eyes...all is forgiven.

 hardly noticed this pair through the trees and rio didn't pick up the scent til we were nearly passed them. we did do the big loop today.  it killed me, but i did it.  hehe.  i whine, but it really is good to get that day off started early rather than sleep all day.  not that i accomplished anything, but it does get me turned around. i'll drop off soon and be back on a more normal schedule, which i think is good.

 it was just lena, tanya and i on the walk, but katie and amy and little lucy joined us at kaladi's.  it was katies first time getting to meet lucy and she was smitten!!  i really love the monday walks and the opportunity it's been to get to know some great people more.  it was my hope when i first posted the flyers and i'm not sure what i'll do next year.  where will i post flyers, will i or will it just be word of mouth with all the regulars and new additions.

 i think acc is most happy that i am going resource pool...they know they will probably get me the most.  since i have gone back and forth between the two units for so long, many people have probably just assumed i was in the resource pool anyway.  excited for the challenges of peat and er being added to my experience.

 lucy had loads of smiles for us today.  who doesn't love a happy baby!!  she's adorable!!

 a few with the macro of lena and tanya.  i didn't take many photo's today.  zombies aren't good with camera's i find.

 did like this one of tanya and lena though.  good people are easy to find on this earth.  the papers and news focus on the bad of the world, but all the pictures today show how the good people really are winning.  i have been so blessed to have met so many wonderful people over my lifetime.  i am excited for all the new people i'll meet floating around to more parts of the hospital.  perhaps i will improve my social skills in this new position.
i always feel like life takes you where your journey is supposed to go.  decisions have always seemed easy to me...the transition is stressful but the actual decision is easy.  you listen and your heart will always lead you through the doors that are opened before you.  your heart will also lead you to the good people of this earth. your heart will warn you off those who have dark hearts, but you do have to listen.

 everyone in this crowd is no doubt filled with goodness.  who else would dress up silly just to show support for other women and laugh at each other and ourselves.  people with dark hearts surely would not be out on a trail in costume skiing.

 the superbowl was happening, but i really have no idea who was playing or who won.  did get to see a few of the cute budweiser commercials on facebook.  always fun!

 more of the line up.

 this is the team that got best group.  eh...oh well.  they were having fun and that same team really can't win every year i guess...though i think they seem to do the work to deserve it.  everyone gets a ribbon...haha...that is the world we live in.  pretending life is fair in an unfair world. sometimes you just get lucky and the unfairness benefits you...seems like i am on the good end of the unfairness pretty often...or maybe that means i just feel grateful.

 aww..butterfly!

 a group from the peds unit were dressed up like the lorax.  everyone passed by so quickly that i was just trying to snap photo's of cool costumes...when i pulled this up on the computer at home i realilzed it was my co-workers. haha!

 there was a group of these sharks, at least i think the are sharks, they were cool though.

 i'm pretty sure these sock monkeys had heads last year...probably too hot and cumbersome to ski in.  this is everyone heading off on the trail!

 s'mores...graham cracker, chocolate and two toasted marshmallows.

i'm sure there is some news out there that i have an opinion about,but i think i'll just stick to the happy theme of ski for women and the monday walk...good night.