Take a breather!

I have such a busy summer coming up. This weekend was a super busy one, and I am glad it is over! I had such a blast though. I co-hosted a friend's baby shower, which was a lot of fun. I can't wait for that baby to get here!! I also went to a cousin's graduation party which was fun too. I think I might have had too much cake though. *blush*

I remember the summers when I was younger. I kept so busy that the summers just flew by. Summer camps, swimming, camping, sleepovers. I wanted to keep busy, but I also wanted to savor every moment of freedom before school started all over again. Those days went by so quickly.

Summer camp was one of my favorite places in the world. My second year of church camp, I was best friends with everyone from our church who went. The ride to camp in our big yellow bus (the 'banana van') was a blast. We sang, and joked, and laughed the whole way there. There were only a few girls, and a group of boys, one of whom was my boyfriend. We had so much fun together, but rules regarding PDA were very strict. We used to sneak into the forest behind the lodge and kiss. Not any heavy petting, just innocent smooches. One time we snuck back there with another set of friends who were dating. Everyone else was in the lodge hanging out before lights out. A counselor walked by and shined the flashlight towards us and asked if we had a chaperone. My boyfriend was very tall and had a deep voice for only being fifteen. So he said "Yes, I am a counselor, I was just checking on these guys." The other counselor said "Ok, see ya back at the lodge!" And continued on his merry way. I still get a good laugh over that night!

I had so much fun in church. Although I do feel bad about a few things I've done while in the House of God. And in the Van of God. Many a truth or dare was played in the backseat of the van. And right before youth group, a few of us went behind the church and smoked a cigarette. We would also drive over to the next town and go roller skating. Our van driver was older and somewhat deaf, so we got away with a lot. I'm not sure why we thought this was a good idea, but we busted open those glow necklaces rubbed the flourescent gel on our teeth, then freaked out passing cars as we flashed our eerily bright grins! Ok, and this one is really disgusting. We had this one spot in the back of the van, on the ceiling. We would stick our chewed gum up there and squish it in, there was probably thirty pieces of old old old dried gum up there. To be in our 'cool club' you had to lick the chewed gum. Haha! It was funny then, but makes me cringe now. Or we would sit in the backseat, facing the car behind us, and write funny signs and hold them up. We got a lot of glares and a few middle fingers. On one retreat, I snuck off with the same boyfriend and we made out in a church closet. Oh and we played Spin the Bottle in the church basement. Oh, and I learned a bit about God too! LOL!

Anyway, boy I miss those summer camp years. When my kids grow up a bit and are interested in camp, I would supremely enjoy being a counselor. I remember having some great heart to hearts with my camp counselors. What a great opportunity to be a good role model to a group of girls. Plus I think it would be fun to get a bit giggly and paint each other's toenails and laugh about boys. I think I just want to be a kid again! I also can't wait until my girls are old enough to enjoy camping. I would love to go for a weekend to our favorite lake, and have each of them bring a friend. I used to love when my parents let me bring friends along on camping trips. We would go off and explore and swim and hike during the day, then play board and card games with my parents at night. I remember my dad teaching my friend to fish (she was raised by a single mom), that memory makes me a little teary eyed still.

I want to be one of those cool moms. And I was telling my mom yesterday that it is really weird, but I can't wait to be a grandma! I just can't wait to spoil my sweet little grand kids, and keep them for the weekend. And by then I will be a mother in law. I swear, I will be the best mother in law in the world! I have just learned from other people's experiences with their mother in laws, and my own, and I just know I will be so great! I hope I have a son though, so I can have a daughter in law. We'll do lunches out, shopping trips, heartfelt chit chats. Although who am I kidding? No one will ever be good enough for my children!

Long rambling post to say that I like summer and I can't wait to be an old grandma! Haha!

A blast from the past!

The Grocery Store
Then: Giggling and blushing over the hot guy who winked at me by the tampon aisle.

Now: Tears of joy and excitement over a sale on organic produce.

The Stop Light
Then: Throwing my blond tresses over my shoulder, cruising Main Street with a car full of giggling teenagers, jamming to the blasting music.

Now: Retrieving lost binkies, brushing my greasy, unwashed hair back into a ponytail, turning up the radio to drown out the screaming from the backseat.

The Library
Then: Looking through the dictionary to see what "sex" meant, then giggling hysterically with my grade school friends.

Now: Paying fifteen dollars in late fines for children's books. Partly because I kept forgetting to take them back, and partly because my toddler loved them so much I didn't want to take them away.

The Park
Then: Scratching "JB + RS = LUV" into a picnic table with a pen.

Now: Frowning at the graffiti on the picnic tables.

The Public Bathroom
Then: Going to the restroom with a group of giggling teenage girlfriends to reapply makeup, fluff hair, and gossip.

Now: Trying not to pee on myself while holding a baby, trying to keep a toddler in the stall, and using every muscle in my body to hover a few inches above the germ infested seat.

The Bedroom
Then: Trying out kinky new moves, staying up all night talking and laughing.

Now: Collapsing into bed exhausted, staying up all night feeding and rocking, forgetting to brush my teeth.

The Night Out
Then: Spending hours perfecting my makeup and hair. Getting dressed in a hot outfit, going dancing, having a few drinks, stumbling in late.

Now: Having the husband watch the kids so I can run to the store in my sweatpants to buy diapers.

My how things change!

How did I get so lucky?

So last night was pretty eventful. I ended up opening up the door to get some fresh air, and catching two men breaking into cars in our parking lot. It ended up being a chase, with my hubby right on the guy's heels, lots of cops, a car chase, jumping fences, tackling, etc. It was pretty intense! The dumbasses got away though. :(

Anyway, I didn't get to bed until 3 AM. And got up at 6 AM with the baby. Then Tony comes into the bedroom and asks me to get the girls ready. His dad wanted to go fishing, so he was taking the girls to the in laws' house so my mother in law and sister in law could watch the girls while the guys fished.

This was so needed, as yesterday I had a major meltdown. I just had SO much anxiety and stress and I was upset with my husband and felt like I was going to pull all of my hair out, strand by strand. I am glad he recognized that I need a break desperately! They are going to be gone all day, so I am settling in for a day of NOTHING. No cleaning or anything, just relaxing, vegging out, taking a long nap and loooong hot bath. Aren't you jealous? :) If you want a break too, all you have to do is go crazy and stare at him with that desperate, bugged out, whacked, psycho look. It's easy!

How AWESOME is this?

What a sweet contest! Pinks and Blues hosts the most amazing giveaways! Right now they have an adorable Dooney and Burke handbag, and a bottle of yummy VS perfume that they are giving away. You can check out their website here. The deadline is next Friday, so run over and enter everyone!

I also signed up for their daily emails, called the Lucky Loop. Very cool stuff!

Thank GOD!

I am so unbelievably glad this week is OVER. What a miserable one!

With the flu, Chloe's fall down the stairs, Ali and I teething (her first ones, my wisdoms), horrible insomnia, it's just been a nightmare.

But hopefully this long weekend will be nice and relaxing, and next week will be much better!

Hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend and super-dee-duper week!

My Friendly Friday!

So I had a bit of a rough day. I started out so ambitious and thought of all kinds of good things I could do today, but I slacked! So I ended up writing out a few cards to some online Mommy friends and mailing them off.

My Chloe has been cracking me up all day. That girl is helpful in a not so helpful way! Alivia often rolls over onto her tummy, then after a few seconds gets mad, so we have to roll her back over. Now, the second she rolls over, Chloe comes running to flip her over to her back. Sometimes it is in a gentle way, sometimes not.

Then today, we had just walked in the door from running errands, and Ali was halfway asleep in her carseat. So I set her down and left her for a minute to see if she would put herself to sleep. Chloe said "Baby seep!" and I said "Is baby tired?" She walks up to her, sticks her face right next to the almost asleep Ali, and yells "Are tired baby?" Or if Ali cries and I am busy, I'll ask Chloe to bring a toy to the baby. So she'll run up and chuck a stuffed animal at her. :o The rest of the time though, she really loves her sissy and is really gentle with her.

I have a busy few weeks coming up. I am co hosting a baby shower for a close friend, then I have a bachelorette party, then a wedding, then the birth of above friend's baby! I am so so so excited, and crossing my fingers that I'll be able to make it for the birth (she's about two hours away) but since it is her first, it will probably be awhile. I almost miss that feeling of anticipation when I was pregnant with Chloe. Not knowing what was coming, being scared, but also feeling so anxious. Wanting the last few weeks of my pregnancy to speed along, but wanting to stay pregnant forever at the same time! I miss the freedom of pre baby life too. Taking a nap whenever I felt like it, eating ice cream without having to share, wearing clothes not covered in spit up, long showers, throwing a few things in a bag and just going on a trip on a whim, peeing in peace and quiet. I better stop now or else I'll be tempted to sell my kids. I'd probably get a decent price out of 'em though, with the unique hair. Hmm...that's tempting!

Friendly Friday!!!

I am doing something new on Fridays, just for a change of pace and something to write about!

I am going to do at least one good deed every Friday. Something little, or something big, for a stranger, myself, my family, etc. Maybe it will set the tone for the weekend and I'll be a super citizen through the next week. Here are a few ideas I brainstormed...

For the hubs:
-Give him a back/foot rub just to be nice.
-Make him a fabulous dinner, complete with candelight and fancy plates.
-Do that one thing in bed that you never want to do, but would make him SO happy! ;)

For your friends/family
-Send out a card to someone thanking them for being so great
-Send a friend some flowers at work
-Bake something yummy for a neighbor/friend
-cut your neighbor's grass
-If the weather is nice, go out and wash your car, your neighbor's car, your friend's car, etc just for fun
-Offer to babysit a friend's kids for free while she gets a few hours of Mommy time

For your community:
-Donate something to a local Salvation Army/charity
-Volunteer your time
-Take a garbage bag and some gloves and go pick up trash at the park
-Put extra money in the needy jar on the counter at the gas station

For a stranger:
-Give a homeless person an extra buck
-Help an elderly person out to the car with their groceries
-Be an extra polite driver and let people cut in front of you
-Take your kids with you to go visit an elderly home. They love visitors!

For your planet:
-Plant a tree
-Go buy some cloth grocery bags
-Go through your house and recycle as much as possible
-Ride your bike somewhere instead of drive
-Switch to organic produce

That's just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many things you can do to be a good citizen, helpful friend, or loving family member. So do something good for someone today! And post about it on your blog if you want. I bet you will feel all warm and fuzzy like inside! I'll post later today about my good deed. It still feels like Thursday, so I probably need to go to bed first!