Vacation 2010

Last year, we didn't do a real "vacation vacation" because we were saving up for Vacay 2010....boy it's a good thing!

Day 1--Driving & visiting:
Taken while still in the garage I think (they're still smiling because at this point, they didn't realize that it would be 2 days in the van):


We stopped off in Atlanta for a visit with the Fun Family at the World Of Coke. The girls were like best friends all over again! And nothing like good ol' American Coke to clear away the after taste from the Beverly.



After driving a little bit past that, we stopped in Macon, GA for dinner and a visit with some other friends--MamaBrande & her crew. After many attempts to get a smiling pic of all the little kids, I gave up and opted for silly faces:

Memory Lane Monday #21

I took a road trip this Memorial Day weekend--literally and figuratively! My carmates (or should I say new-van-mates? I traded in the Uplander last week): Princess, Gman, and my mom & dad made the looong drive to Enterprise, in southern Alabama on Saturday--I lived there for 9th-12th grade. It's the one place we lived in all my military-brat days that I truly did not want to leave and consider to be "home".

Enjoyed a BBQ and pool party that evening at my folk's friends' house--John & Debbie Railsback. Their sons Travis & Shawn are my age--Shawn and I were friends in Germany first, then our dads were both sent to Ft. Rucker, Alabama at the same time! Few military brats get to go to school for 7 years on 2 different continents with the same person!

On Sunday morning I had brunch with my girlfriends from high school....although honestly, we couldn't tell that 21 years had past! We had sooo much fun traveling down Memory Lane together!!!! Unfortunately it was too short and incomplete with Alison not being there (she was very ill). But we'll definitely be planning a REAL get together soon!!!

May 1989, l-r: Alison, Cynthia, Cathy, Marissa, me
May 2010, clockwise from top: Marissa, Cynthia, Cathy, me



After brunch, the folks, kids & I packed back in the van and drove to central Alabama for a surprise 50th Anniversary celebration for some dear family friends my parents have had since I was 5. It was wonderful to see them again!

Long trip, short time, but oh so very worth it!

My friend Melissa

I've known her for about 11-12 years. She was a Home Economics teacher in her previous life. She's started a new website with TONS of tips and ideas on how to save TONS of money when shopping for just about anything. And updates on special sales from just about any store or website. Because of her savvy coupon & sales ads knowledge, she has actually left the grocery store with more money than what she went in with and bags of groceries too. SERIOUSLY! I've seen it.

You can check out her site here.

Where, oh where...

have I been? Haven't blogged in an eternity. We have been B.U.S.Y. I tell, ya!! July has just been a whirlwind. We've actually done several Take Off Tuesdays and other adventures that I haven't posted. I am having major camera issues.

July 4th weekend--Family Reunion in Tennessee. Had a fabulous time! Great to see everyone again!

July 7th--Take Off Tuesday was to the Cincinnati Zoo (one last trip before annual pass expired) to see the exhibits we missed on Mother's Day and revisit the favorite exhibits. Then on to vacation: Great Wolf Lodge.What a needlessly expensive odyssey that turned out to be. But the kids did have a great time on the water slides--they didn't want to stay as long as we figured, and they didn't like the special wolf-den/bunkbed room! Also, snuck in a visit to the Aquarium before that pass expired and did a fun Duck Boat ride on the Ohio River.

July 14th--Take Off Tuesday was to the Old Kentucky Chocolates factory here in town. I won't bore you with more pics since Andrea posted her's from when she came to visit us.

July 16th-- Alexander became a teen-ager. He asked, in lieu of a party, to take him and 3 friends to Six Flags (thanks to my Mom for coming and keeping my sanity in check!) I figured it would be a nightmare, but the day went EXCEPTIONALLY well! THe boys had a great time and were overall, very well behaved; turned the neighbor's son into a roller coaster junkie.

July 21st--Take Off Tuesday was to the Valley View Ferry again, but 4x better since 4/5ths of the Funaholics went too!

Had an amazing visit with the Funaholics on July 22 Part A and Part B, as well as July 23rd!

July 24th--Left on a jet plane for Vegas, Baby!!! Had lunch with 2 of my great-aunts. Craig & I met up with Laura & Ash for a joint celebration: Our 7th anniversary and Ash's birthday. Blue Man Group was my favorite activity, but I am DIEING for my Ferrari delivery!!! The gear shift fits PERFECTLY in my hand!

July 27th--Al, Craig and I got to see the International Space Station fly by at 9:50pm!

Havin' Fun!

Guess who's at my house? And they're livin' up to their nicknames! And if I was smart, I would've taken a camera with me to the ferry yesterday.

In lieu of Take-Off Tues

The route to my mother-in-law's house is about 3 hrs long and has really had nothing noteworthy other than the "The bizarre billboard baby," UNTIL a couple weeks ago. We just happened to be driving by during a giant Grand Opening last month.










A new Harley dealership in London, KY! Because of my new Honorary Biker Chick status bestowed upon me by Ann, I felt it required of me to stop and take some pics (the kids are not in the pics because they really didn't seem to care for some reason, and I WAS NOT about to loose my Honorary Biker Chick status if one of them tried to self-entertain by testing the domino effect on expensive motorcycles.)















































And for Kim & Laura's new collection, the ladies' room door sign:

It's official (almost anyways)

There are many ways to mark a season as officially started. For me, Spring has come when the following 3 things happen:
A. My Birthday.....CHECK Happy B'day to my fellow 4/7 celebrators: Sydney, Alice, Meg and 4 of my neighbors--yes there are 5 of us within a tenth of a mile with the same birthday.
B. I receive this in the mail.....CHECK


Yeah, Baby!! However, I was EXTREMELY upset to discover that we do not play LSU at home this year! I am HIGHLY. PUT. OUT. by this because that means I won't get to have a certain "Purple & Gold Fan/Funaholics" come visit me this fall! We don't even play them at all! Craig explained it had something stupid to do with conference stupid sizes, and stupid "only playing here every 4 years." Stupid SEC, messin' with MY visitor schedule!

C. Warm weather......WAS a check until today!

Sherlock Holmes plays "What's my line?"

Clue #1
So, a couple months ago, I get a Facebook friend request. The email doesn't include a picture, but I recognized the name as that of the husband of Mrs. Funaholic, whom I had recently met, so I hit accept thinking nothing of it.

Clue #2
A few weeks later, his status update was near the top of the list....I see his picture and think, "What?! That's not him! Who the heck is THAT guy?" But since I was only on Facebook to avoid what I needed to be doing, I didn't put effort into investigating and forgot all about him.

Clue #3
A couple weeks later, he sends me one of those silly Facebook things, something about "So & So has sent you a Christmas present!" So I click on it to "open" it and it gives me some stupid message about how it can't be opened til Christmas. I'm all "What?! Who is this whack job?!"

So I click over to his Facebook profile to see who/what he is. Low-n-behold, I find I'm not the only one who just blindly accepted him!

There's Clues #4, 5, & 6!!!
Laura, Kim and the one and only.....Mrs. Funaholic!


The plot thickens!

Clue # 7
I took this pic a few weeks ago and just hadn't taken the time to blog it. However! When I looked at this guy's profile today, I noted Mrs. Funaholic is no longer, and I quote, a "Mutual friend."

Since he shares the name of your beloved and you were listed as a "Mutual friend," I can only surmise that you are, somehow, the link in this mystery, Mrs. Funaholic! Who is this guy-slash-imposter? And will the real Mr. Funaholic please stand up!
;-)

Sons or daughters

When Princess and I had our GWO manicures with our friends Staci & OM, a lady came in with 2 young men in their 20s requesting pedicures. (Staci's discrete photography)


Staci was getting a pedi and was sitting on the other side of the guy with his arms up, so she overheard the discussions. They had given their mom a pedi gift certificate for Christmas and since she doesn't have any daughters, she made them come. When the guy next to Staci sat in the chair, before removing his socks, he told the poor pedicure gal "I'm really sorry." His toenails were long & nasty!

So this leads to several questions:

• If he knew they were that nasty, why didn't he atleast do a trim job before going?
• Staci said she would have instantly quit if she had been the pedi-lady, so what sort of financial difficulty would I have to be in to make me stick thru doing a job like that?
• Did they give her the certif's knowing they would be going?
• Do you think they've learned to never give her gift certifs for traditionally female activities again?
• Did the mom make them come as some sort of motivation for them to get girlfriends/wives to avoid this in the future?
• Are they thanking their lucky stars that they didn't give her a gift certif for a wax?
  

GNO, er, I mean GWO

Princess and I are alone for the Weekend! The biggest and lil' guys are gone to my mother-in-law's, the middle guy is at his dad's.

Today, we have had a fun-filled, awesome, girlie-girl day! She & I attended her friend's birthday party...the same boy who was her first crush.
...then we met up with Princess's friend OM and her mom so we could go get manies...


Then the 4 of us went to The Melting Pot for cheese and chocolate fondues.

Then Princess and I went to see the new Adam Sandler movie "Bedtime Stories" (it's a good movie, appeals to adults and kids, without all the slap-sticky, kiddie humor). On the way back from the theater, she and I had the cutest convo:

Mom: When we get home, it's straight to bed since its waaaay past your bedtime.
Princess: Can I sleep in your room?
M: With me? In my bed?
P: Yeah, I don't want you to have to sleep all alone.
M: You are so thoughtful, Sweet Girl.

Backlog of blog fodder

A. "Standing O" for J.J.&T. Rock Band




B. Package of fruit cake on a hand-painted parrot, odd-shaped serving dish. Now that is a "white elephant" if I ever saw one!


C. Parent says "No," Gman says, "I not be happy!"


D. Guess who is not a morning person.



E. Princess walked up to me and said "I look great!"
(that's pink gloves, a headband, scrunchy worn as a bracelet, and a clutch)



F. I think it may be time to invest in a new pair of jeans.

Giving Thanks

There are so many people and things to be thankful for this year. Our family has had hard times in the last 2 months with the passing of 2 truly great people. I think that makes me want to cherish what we have all the more. I am so very thankful for all the family, friends, neighbors and some near strangers who helped us thru those first weeks. I honestly don't know how we would have made it without each and every one of them. Some how, everyone knew what we would need and when we would need it...from big things like babysitting at the funerals, all the way down to the loaf of bread that I forgot to pick up at the grocery, & not yet an hour later there one was...just handed to me from the blue along with dinner, without my even saying I had forgotten it. Or just letting me privately vent via some incredibly long text messages (and amusingly disturbing ones at that).

I am thankful for my parents. They provide so much love and support and friendship.
I am thankful for my children. Even with all their quirks, attitudes and sometimes overwhelming issues, they are my everything. I live and breathe for them.
And I am thankful for all those who remain quietly in the background, but they're there if I need them.
But ever in the forefront is Craig. Always providing whatever our family needs. Whatever I need. Holding my hand, sometimes to pull me forward, sometimes to reel me back in. Loving me even when I don't listen, thinking "I told you so" but almost never saying it. I cannot imagine life without him. I hope I never have to.

Lessons in Fun

Princess and I had a blast hangin' out with Andrea & crew; Jane & CEM; and Kim & Sydney! Thank you to Andrea and family for teaching us how to have real fun!
Some highlights and funny moments:

My attempt to convert Andrea's clan to UK fans was overall unsuccessful. Carolyn was the only one receptive to my Blue & White delivery. But my fingers are crossed that at least all 3 will don the t-shirts long enough for a group photo before they are desecrated by using them for washing the car.


Honestly...why would someone bring a tripod to a museum???


Ah, thats why.


Some adorable news anchors. Christian did an AMAZING job for his audition!


You have not had jumbalaya until you've had Jim's Jumbalaya! And if you are feeling saucy, try the LSU hot sauce:


There's more, but it's past my bedtime.