Ahh, crunch time. Those last few days to get everything done before you leave on a vacation. No matter how early I start it seems the list gets longer those last few days. The hubs has to be in Orlando for business a few days before us. So, in a couple of days he'll get up get dressed and walk out the door and tell us "see you guys in a few days"! Then he'll hop on a plane and stay in a swanky resort and have catered food, drinks and entertainment. Must be nice. While I on the other hand will be a frazzled mess getting my teenage boys to pack (seriously, last year one of my precious angels packed 1 pair of underwear, 3 socks, and 6 shirts, no pants) study for final exams, haul around to various last minute school dances, concerts, sporting events, stop the paper, stop the mail, make sure my pet sitter hasn't skipped town, remind my parents for the 17th time that I will be out of town, get the oil changed, crap, get the side mirror fixed where I took out a mailbox on my way home from taking boys to school and the list goes on. Then drive 8 hours with hopefully a maximum of 2 stops (bahhhh, who are we kidding?!) 3 arguments, Me, singing songs they hate (my personal perk :) to arrive at our resort where my husband will hopefully be waiting to unpack the car and have a drink in his hand for me. Hasn't happened yet but I hope every year! While this is my favorite yearly vacation these last few days are sometimes frantic. For those Moms who do this every year as well. I feel your pain.
Ahh, that felt good. Venting all that has renewed my vacation excitement! Ok, while I'm looking out my kitchen window at the rain it reminded me. While at Disney World you may experience a brief shower or 2. No biggie, they usually don't last long. I always pack (well, actually leave them in the car year after year) several cheapo ponchos. They are tiny and can fit in a pocket, or bag and will save you $$ from buying them in the parks. I'm not a fan of wearing them because they make me hot and sweaty. (and not in the fun way!) But, for those of you that don't like to get a little wet they are handy to have.
Well, after all that ranting I'm off to pack my clothes. Crap, I hope my swim suit still fits........
Why oh why do I love Halloween so much???? Maybe because it signals the end of the long sultry days and nights of humidity in the South's summer. (doesn't that sound better than oh let's say wringing wet, sweat running down your crack before you get in the car kind of heat?) Nope, that's not it. I love summer. It's that scent of spooky in the air. Really! I can smell it! The second the humidity drops and a cool front comes through...actually when I have to put socks on for the first time in months, I get the urge to get out all of those lovely orange and black bins in my garage. Hmmmm what did I pick up last year at end of season sales? Oh, there's my favorite hanging bats and dangling skeletons! Yay! bahahahahaha (That was my maniacal laugh) I know, I need to practice.
I'm the crazy lady who has put up all her Halloween decorations like today. Instead of following all my neighbors with their college football flags waving cheerily from over garages, I am putting up my collection of foam head stones in my yard. I love the feel Halloween gives of being out of your element. Nothing truly every spooky happens but there is that element that it could.....
The neighborhood kids think it's cool that I put spider webs in every room. Hey, what Mom can say that?? Gives me an excuse not to dust for a month. The Hubs isn't much of a fan but he let's me do my Halloween thing without complaint (which is saying alot since football season is his fav) and will even hang something high up if I can't reach it. And won't say a word when a skull shows up on his desk for a month so that's pretty cool.
To those Moms out there with there smiling scarecrows sitting on cute little bales of hay I say Boo To You!!!! (Ironically, that's my fav Halloween Party at Disney World, but that's for another blog :) C'mon it's the only time of the year you can dress up (yes, I still do) and be someone else and scare kids without being out casted from the neighborhood. You can be cutesy wootsy all the rest of the year and look like everyone else's yard but give it up for Halloween! It's called spooky fun. No hidden agenda with the dark side, no satanic references, just a fun time and great memories. And I love it!!
I am so not the graceful type. A couple of evenings ago I slipped in my back yard on steps leading to my patio. A sprained wrist, bruised elbow, bruised back, severely bruised bottom ( I had no idea an entire buttock could bruise so freaking bad, my hubs took a picture it was so bad!) later has had me couch/bed ridden. Fun. Not. Pain meds and muscle relaxers have helped immensely. I so would not have survived the pioneer times. Chewing on bark is not my idea of pain relief. Thought it was best not to blog while on them. No telling what would have come out!
If I'm going to take that kind of fall like that I would like it to be more of a dramatic story than I slipped on 3 steps. 3 steps. Can't freaking believe I hurt so bad after 3 steps. A skiing mishap or a mountain biking accident sounds better. I imagine if there had been a video I would have looked like a cartoon charachter slipping on a banana peel. Straight up and falling flat on my back. Are my reflexes gone?? No wind milling of the arms? No trying to save myself? Have I just given up? What the hay. There should be some kind of class at the Y for how to fall gracefully, or how to fall without unglamerous injuries.....
Well, after all the years of making fun of "Bunco Women" I have (sigh) hopped on that band wagon. I hosted my first supposedly monthly Bunco party. To be honest it was actually fun. The game itself was fast paced and you weren't just sitting around gossiping. (snore) Of course, there was money and wine involved which could have upped the fun factor. And it's always fun to get together with good food, good friends and good (decent, cheap, whatever) wine. I have read online that some gals go all out with themed Bunco parties but I will hold back on that idea until I get the actual game mastered.
So, I have again followed one of my favorite all time quotes "Never Say Never"
Oh no, I have tried my best to ignore Pinterest but alas these ecards are so freaking funny.
First few rocky weeks of school behind us.. Yay. Now the nickel and diming me to death starts. The emails for fundraising start trickling in. "Could you possibly?....., Would you mind?.......etc. After years of saying yes I have finally perfected the art of saying no. No I can't sell $30 wrapping paper (the size which you could only wrap a ring box) to my friends and acquaintances who are also selling it. Or the coupon books the size of phone books? Why are the only things in there that I would use are across town? Just takes up space in my car console. In fact, it has been a number of years since I have seen a student actually sell something. It's the parents schlepping their child's wares to work and co-workers buying out of fear of getting black balled by not buying.
And then as the Mom I would look like a heel not buying my precious angels tin of crap (popcorn, candy, etc. you know what I mean.) that looks large enough to give as a gift but upon arrival it is the size of a coaster. So, I have perfected the fundraising rules in my home. One fundraiser per school year per child. I will not stand on the side of a busy road in 105 degrees on a Saturday shouting "free car wash". Luckily mine are teens now and they can do that one on their own. My husband and I prefer the "Worlds Best Chocolate" fundraiser ( I don't know about Worlds Best but it is pretty darn good) Give us a box of that and you will have $50 within an hour. And that's without leaving the house! My husband works in the restaurant business and he can take a box of chocolates and they are gone in 10 min. So, our darlings adore us and we raise a little money for our boys new 2 year old school (aka, money sucking, fundraiser every 5 minutes, sitting on the ground due to not enough bleachers school)
Don't get me wrong. Years ago I was a gung-ho, outfit matching, hair always done Mom who jumped on every fund raiser train. I am scared to think of how much $$$ I have actually raised. But now let the newer shiny Moms take over. I just want to sit back and watch. Ahhhhhhhhh
And that is my crappy view on school fundraising. :)
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