Family Vacation

Traveling is one of my most favorite things to do.  I'm happy to go anywhere really; the beach, mountains, road trips, but exploring big cities is my favorite!  In an effort to pass this passion of mine along to my three monkeys we often load the whole fam damily up and head off on a wild adventure.  Oh, these excursions are always grand with lots of things to see and do; new eats, fun treats, new places to be explored.  Soon we will head off on our next adventure, to the beautiful southern California town of San Diego.  We've been once before and have hit the touristy spots, so this time we will be looking for the quirky, off the beaten path kind of places to enjoy!  Needless to say, I am beside myself, like a kid on the night before Christmas! Inevitably on these family vacations there are a few moments that I would rather just forget.  At least once there will be a full on brawl between at least two of the three in a public place, someone will "get their gagger going" over some new food we are trying and one of them will say something really inappropriate right at exactly the wrong time.

A few years ago we took the three amigos to NYC, which is by far my most favorite big city on the planet.  It was fabulous!   We went to one of the last games in the old Yankee stadium, sat on the front row of the Lion King on Broadway and saw the Statue of Liberty.  We also saw a drunk guy peeing in the subway, but that's just a part of the big city experience...right? ;)  We also did the very touristy tour of the Empire State Building.  The whole trip really was fantastic, but as with all great family vacations, there were "those moments".  Here is one of them....

No mother, I don't care how perfect she is or how perfect her family is, has ever gone on a family vacation and not made this face at least once.  Someone just happened to catch mine on film. ;) Of course, I bought this in poster size so that I can laugh at myself and this family vaca moment often. :))

There is no wine today because I am busy packing for 4 people and that takes all my faculties in perfecto condition!  I am certain that I will need to try several new wines during our adventure and will report back on all the fun things I find!

Happy Wednesday!

Jill of All Trades

A few years ago (ah hem...yes just a few) I attended college where I received a bachelors degree in public administration with a minor in psychology.  All that means is that I know a lot about political science, a little about business and even less about psychology. ;)  Since that time I have done a lot of different things, many of which I have known nothing about until I got started, and didn't really know enough to do them right until I was finished. ;)  What this has created in me is something of a "Jill of all trades".

I'm not a doctor but I can tell the difference between a cold and a sinus infection, can spot a nasty case of strep throat from a mile away and know the dosing on a dozen different medicines in 5 different weight classes without consulting the bottle or box.

I'm not a chef but I can throw a meal together in less than 30 minutes using only the 5 things left in the pantry.  No comment on how it tastes, but hey....it's usually better than cereal. ;)

I'm not a race car driver but I can get my mid size SUV from zero to 45mph in 0.3 seconds when leaving late for morning carpool, and can take a corner on two wheels without even a pause in the speech I'm giving on "what not to do".  Let's not discuss my parallel parking skills, race car drivers don't have to parallel park. ;)

I'm not a psychologists but I can talk someone off a "teenage" cliff, negotiate inter-family differences (i.e.  brother's beating the crap out of one another over a baseball game in the yard) and deal with all manner of crazy people at the local little league ball park.  ;)

I'm not a magician but I can pull a costume for dress up day, a football mouth guard and a land run lunch pail out of a hat (or maybe somewhere else ;) all at the same time and in a moment's notice.

I'm not a carpenter but I can build a bird house, re-build a bird house ;) and put together a Thomas the tank engine train set in 23 different ways.  I can also assemble a "mother of pearl" sleigh in the front yard...or throw it in the trash depending on the day. ;)

I'm not an agriculturist but I can plant flowers, shrubs, vegetables and trees and then re-plant them again when they don't make it. ;)  I can also run a lawn mower (a fact I kept hidden for many years), the leaf blower and an edger...I will not, however, attempt to use that weed eater thingie...it's straight from satan.

I'm not a teacher but I can over see homework for 3 kids in 15 different subjects on many different grade levels, including a foreign language in which the only words I know are "mas cervaza's por favor".  Let me clarify for just one second here that I did use the term "over see" not teach.  My expertise with math ends with long division and English?  Well, this blog is proof enough that I have no grasp of basic grammar. ;)

I'm not a seamstress but I can sew on a button, hem a pair of pants (and I do consider it sewing to use the most wonderful wonder under when hemming), and use my Bernina effectively enough to sew a straight line and make curtains.

In essence I am what my dad would call "a Jill of all trades, but a master of none".  The one thing I can say that I definitely am, is a mom....not a perfect one but a happy one.  Maybe by the time I am done mothering I will know enough to start.  I think they call that a Grandma. :)

The wine of the day is Le Faux Frog chardonnay in honor of my mom.  She is a master of many things, sewing and frog collecting are two very notable ones, but she is also a master mom and a super master grandma!

Happy Monday!

Find Your Inner Dog

Every single morning several things have to happen for us to get out the door.  Lunches must be made, teeth brushed, backpacks packed and a quick check to make sure everyone is wearing underwear. Not even kidding on that last one. ;)  Regardless of what everyone gets done, there is one thing that will for sure happen, every single day.  As I grab my purse and keys the little dog will be at the back door waiting.  There is no way we will ever drive carpool without her.  If only the boys were as easy to train as she is. ;)  One day last week as we are speeding along the middle asks from the back seat, "Mom, why do dogs like to stick their head out the window?"  I have no idea.  Immediately I hear the button push and the window going down.

If a question needs answering, this kid will find the answer.  After a few minutes of fresh air, with thankfully no low hanging branches, he pops his head back in the window and says, "Woooo, that's a LOT of fresh air!  I am wide awake now!"  Oh yeah?  Well, you look like Elvis, so much for that shower and blow dry you did this morning. ;)  The big kids says, "Hope you kept your mouth shut, it would suck to go to school with a bug stuck in your teeth."

The wine for the day is The Blake Dog cabernet, it is delightful with this "red chicken" we are having for dinner and I do love my black doggies!

Happy Sunday!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Well, a few weeks ago I made a pledge to myself that I would find some time every day to do something that I love doing...write.  Now I am sitting here at my computer laughing at the fact that it has been almost a week since I last wrote one single word.  Where does the time go?  I have no idea, but I think that someone somewhere has put time into some sort of hyper-speed mode.  Truth is, I know exactly what is happening with the time, it is consumed with carpools and baseball games and tennis matches, add to that homework, trips to the orthodontist, dentist, physical therapist, and the usual 25 loads of laundry in a week, and that's where time goes.  It's a crazy crazy schedule we are running on these days, and it takes every second of every day and all of my energy to keep up with it.  One way I have been keeping my sanity is thru a stellar play list on my ipod that is both energizing and inspirational.  One of my favorite songs is by Mandissa called These Days.  Here are the lyrics, you can see why it applies so perfectly. ;)

I never liked Mondays or bad news
Or breakin in new shoes
And mornings when I can't find my phone
Nobody likes traffic or short nights
Or situps or long flights
But sometimes that's just the way it goes
It's funny what you use to help me grow...

So I'll learn to love these days
Life along the way
In the middle of the crazy
God your love is so amazing
Through the ups and downs
You're the only hope I've found
The Lord you meet me in the madness

I'll learned to love these days
I'll learned to love these days

I can see a silver linin
When the sun's not shinin'
Even when you choose to bring the rain
Oh, but I'm trustin your leadin'
'Cause your Lord of all my joy and all my pain

So I'll learn to love these days
Life along the way
In the middle of the crazy
God, your love is so amazing
Through the ups and downs
You're the only hope I've found
The Lord you meet me in the madness

I'll learned to love these days
I'll learned to love these days

I could wait the hundred years
You gave me here the days when you near
The days when I was out there
Lookin for what comes next
Oh, cause every minute,every hour, everyday
Is such a gift and I can say
I'm thankful for each day

So I'll learn to love these days
Life along the way
In the middle of the crazy
God, your love is so amazing
Through the ups and downs
You're the only hope I've found
The Lord you meet me in the madness

So I'll learned to love these days
I'll learned to love these days
I'll learned to love these days
I'll learned to love these days 

Yes, I love these days! Even when they do include dirty socks, piles of sports equipment and math with letters. ;)  Now, if I could just find a car with a lazy boy in the drivers seat, a tv in the dash and instant delivery from my favorite local drink place I'd love these days even a little bit more. ;)  Just to be clear, I speak of the Sonic Drive-In for cokes with good ice, not instant delivery from the local wine store. I'd have to find a car that included a driver for that to work.  Heeeyyyy, hold on one second, I think I might be on to something. ;)

The wine for the day is a lovely pinot grigio from Mommy's Time Out because I'm taking a time out right now and I like it!  I wish someone would put me in time out more often, doesn't that time out system use 1 hour for every year?  A whole 28 hours in time out? ;)  I'll take it!  

Happy Saturday and Boomer Sooner!

This. Is. Awesome.

The last few days have been filled with a whole lot of boy stuff.  Baseball games, tennis matches, hurt elbows, physical therapy, orthodontist, first girlfriends, lost athletic cups (that were found in my desk drawer...ewww) and dirty uniforms. Life. It is what it is, and it's full on crazy, or maybe that's just me. ;)

Yesterday the big kid played in a tennis tournament.  I've sat thru what feels like about a million of them in the past 6 months, but this one had a couple of interesting plot twists.  One, it was 76 degrees and sunny outside instead of 110...nice!  Secondly, the big kid moved up to the 16's because he will turn 15 later this month, that opens up a whole new level of competition which is going to be great for him.  Learning to loose gracefully is a wonderful life lesson. ;)  Just kidding, he actually played really great with a fabulous attitude and I am very proud of him. :)  Lastly, his first serious girlfriend came to watch him play.  I've known these days were coming, that one day my boys would like another girl more than me.  What I didn't know is how great it would be!  She spent the entire day hanging out with us watching the big kid play, over to the little one's baseball game and then back for the last of the tennis matches.  I got to spend my day sitting by a girl and talking about girl things; like last weeks episode of Glee and nail polish.  This is much better than my usual band of spectators who like to spend the day climbing all over me begging for money for the concession stand, or pleading with me to pleeeeeaaassseee come play catch with me!  We shared candy and talked about school and tennis and all sorts of things!  This. Is. Awesome.  I have had a glimpse of the future and it is going to include GIRLS!  It's like a light shining at the end of a dark stinky shoed, dirty athletic cup, nasty gross sock infested kind of tunnel.  The hubby, being the dad that he is, approached this milestone a little differently.  Upon first meeting her he says, "Hi new girl friend, I'm Bud but you can call me, Mr. last name."  Thank goodness we have boys because if we had a daughter she would never get a second date. ;)

The wine for today is Black Box chardonnay.  This has been a weekend of sports, sports and more sports.  If it hadn't been for the one girlie bright spot I would have drowned in a sea of testosterone, and I think that calls for a tap in the kitchen.  The black box is actually really good wine and that little tap on the front comes in quite handy for the quick refill. ;)

Happy Sunday!