I'm just going to put it down for minute

I just want to go on and on about so many things.  

About how tired I am all the time because being a single parent with three kids is like drowning in the middle of a huge body of water 90% of the time {except us chunky dunkers do float...just saying}

About how annoyed I am with people in my feed on facebook talking constant smack about all the political posts....yes people it is in fact a social forum so the whole idea is to be able to voice whatever you like on your facebook.  I realize I post about 100 times more than what is reasonable in a given day but that isn't really my point here...

About how my family has been passing around the same virus for going on a month now and how I still can't get my surgery {that i showed up for} rescheduled because of said plague...

About how the holidays are coming and Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year and I am dreading it and last year was the worst Christmas of my entire life...

BUT, THE THING IS...

I was reminded this week that you can't change what has been and what it you can only work on what will be.  So in the spirit of lightening the damp mood that is my life....here's to the theory of improvement:) 

The expense of entertaining your children...OH MY

Well it's that time again...BACK TO SCHOOL!   The kids have settled into their routine.  Anna is beside herself with the excitement of books, assignments & deadlines {seriously, where does she get this?}.  Aaron is completely indifferent and simply states in his calm sleepy voice "do we have to go to school again" each morning when I wake him up.  Christopher has started a new school {he is in big boy school now} and went two days this week without getting into trouble {yes out of 5 but anyone who knows my Christopher knows that this is actually an accomplishment:)}  So in the interest of having one last hooray before the season started again we took off to the beach last week.  Now when I initially began planning this little adventure I had three objectives:

• To celebrate Anna & Christopher's birthdays in style
• To go to Myrtle Beach even though that meant a hotel and a gazillion tourists {mostly yankees...}
• To take the kids to the Pirate's Voyage Dinner Show

So off we went on a Thursday morning...we stopped a couple of places along the way {one of which was a Dr. appointment for me at the VA...you can imagine how that went with three kids...the med students were actually left to watch the kids while I went to talk to the surgeon for a few minutes...I wish I had a camera to share the look on their little faces when they were told to watch the kids and we would be back!!  hehehe  So....we made it to the beach and Anna was DYING to get to Joe's Crab Shack {NO complaints here}  

Aaron refusing to provide his poor mother with a nice picture

Anna loving some crab dip

There really aren't words...:)

She ate the entire pot!!

Moving on from dinner, we walked around Broadway for a while and bought candy and so on...then we had to make a walmart run.  By this time I was EXHAUSTED...like lay down in the grass and take a nap so you can make it to the car exhausted...so we returned to our hotel {did i mention which was NOT at all what I expected and I will not stay there again...EVER}.  The kids were itching to get on the beach even though it was late...so down we went!  It was perfect weather and I would have been perfectly happy to sleep right there...

Not being able to see the water made them nervous to get in at first but i eventually had to pull them out!

After a good solid nights sleep we were ready to hit the beach!  The ocean is my happy place so I was ready!

I took a multitude of pics that day but I can't load them all {after all that is what facebook is for right} but this picture above is my all time favorite picture of my babies to date!  I had to tweak it a little with the effects but I love it!  

My little Anna is growing up on me so fast.  Future Roxy girl out there!  She took to the water like a fish...she gets that from me...her daddy doesn't even like the pool!

The next big event on our agenda was Pirate's Voyage.  Now, Anna requested this as her birthday present so I was not exactly "excited" about it...but let me tell you...if you are going down to Myrtle Beach, I would HIGHLY suggest grabbing some tickets to this show...it was excellent and the food pretty good too...

We also got to spend some time with some old friends {and family} which is always a plus!

One last trip to Broadway before getting ready to head home...

As you can see we had a lot of fun and spent A LOT of money doing so...Just one of the many reasons i love this blog...it's an electronic diary to remind my kids just how much I love them:) 

I have never been so happy to come back to Lancaster and I can tell you that I will not be taking three kids on vacation by myself again anytime soon.  I love them and I am so glad that they had a wonderful and memorable experience, but it took me three days to recover:(  I'm not as good as I once was...

A very special day for a special post!!!

Today, JULY 23rd, is my beautiful, sweet, precious little green eyed baby girls birthday!!  {How is that for adjective overload}  Indulge me this little trip down memory lane:)

 It all started with a little angel named Anna.  She was born in Phoenix, AZ in the middle of July and it was 116* the day she was born {per the baby book} coming in at 8 lbs 4 oz and 20 inches long.  Her mommy was in labor FOREVER because she was so comphy she just didn't want to come out...but eventually she did and on this day...A FUTURE STAR WAS BORN!!!

Here on the beach {our favorite place} in the fall of 2003!

Then...in 2005 Anna got a brand new baby brother named Aaron:)  She wasn't so sure at first but they became best friends!

Anna loves the beach and her mommy used to take her and her brother to Bradenton Beach almost every weekend when they lived in Tampa.

Early on {at about 2 1/2} Anna started to sing with mommy in the car.  Her favorite song to sing was Shine On by Rascal Flatts:) I used to say that was my song for my babies:)  She still plans to be on American Idol one day!!

 During the summer of 2006 Anna, her brother, and of course mommy moved back to Carolina and soon Anna discovered the world of Dance!!  

We had to be careful when we had garage sales because Anna would go shopping through her old stuff before the shoppers could!

I LOVE this picture of Anna on one of our comping trips to MB state park before we moved to Tallahassee, FL in 2007.  My baby loves the beach like her Mama:)

Then in 2008...SURPRISE...Another baby brother.  When we went for the ultrasound to find out the gender she sat there with her legs, arms & eyes crossed hoping for a sister....but once she got her hands on him it was love at first sight:)

Party time at Disney 2008...The personality is really starting to come out about this time

Beautiful flower girl for her Uncle David's wedding 2011...already such a beautiful young lady inside and out:)

Beach May 2012.  This photo is 100% my little Anna Banana.

So to my most cherished little girl and best friend Anna Perlman, Happy Birthday...I love you to the stars baby girl and I am so proud of the person you have become:)  Love Mama!

Things I REALLY want to do this summer...and other ramblings

This is so cute:)

To make it...you know to the gym

To lengthen my shirts that are too short...stupid dryer

TO SEW SEW SEW SEW SEW.....:)

How did he get in there?? ;) Hello there Mr. Tatum

I just want to snuggle up with this guy when I go to bed...is that too much to ask?

When the sun is going down...deep sigh

Spray painted trash bin....or bedside table??

Preferably not while it's 109* outside though

Cruise around with two bare feet on the dashboard...just because...

Sunset not required!!:)

Why all the controversy?

"FIFTY SHADES BABY...FIFTY SHADES"

I really do have a hard time understanding the controversy over this trilogy?  Being mildly intelligent {personal opinion of course} I can understand societies need to hold women to a different standard than our male counterparts when it comes to these sorts of "naughty" topics, so I do of course understand, but I am out to make a point here.  

Example:  County libraries in the state of Florida had a ban on the book series that has only just recently been lifted.  FLORIDA!  I lived in Tampa, and in Tallahassee and let me tell you there isn't much conservative left in Florida.  I remember going to the bookstore when I lived in Brandon with my then two year old daughter and being ENRAGED because right behind the counter on the shelf {with the naughty bit covered but still} penthouse, playboy and the like were readily visible and available for the "the convenience of the masses". 

{INSERT POINT NUMBER 1...we are talking about literary work here not pornographic photographs!} 

{INSERT POINT NUMBER 2...The books are GREAT!!  I have read hundreds of romance novels in my day...ask anyone that has known me since I was 13...and these books are good!}

{INSERT POINT NUMBER 3...Take that scary first step down off of that dangerously high horse and read a few chapters...I dare you not to become engrossed}

Let's all continue to glorify the Hugh Heffners of the world {no offense Mr. H} but give me a break...just because it isn't marketed for men???  Really....it's like we have returned to the days of Henry VIII's Tudor England!  

NO SPOILERS HERE

Book 1 is all about how this remarkably damaged and deep man and naive but extremely grounded young 

woman who share a connection like the kind we women day dream about....yeah you know the one I mean;)

Book 2 is a continuation of the story.  The first book is a cliff hanger so Book 2 picks right up and is my favorite of the three.

Book 3 finishes up the journey for these two people. 

I can't say much else because I don't want to ruin it for all you naysayers that are secretly dying to read it...however, the "chemistry"  {I'm laughing....seriously;:} between these two is incredible and I would highly suggest it for anyone who loves a good romance.

One last thought on this subject before I leave you....Christian Grey wants a Brunette that likes to eat!!  Sweet Justice ladies!

Summah Time, Strawberries & The Carolina Coast...

Being a college student at any age drains the bank account, as we all know.  But we were very blessed to have the chance to go and spend a few days at my grandmothers beach house back in May after the kids got out of school.  We had such a fun relaxing time and the kids were in heaven spending their days playing in the sand.  We only saw one jellyfish {even though Christopher thought it was from Nemo and tried to go and play with it....rolling eyes at my fearless son} and we managed to escape with a slight tinge of sunburn on the boys  backs after the first day.  Here are some photos from our trip!

Day 1 so excited they didn't know where to start

"Mommy look at me I can do it" {He was fresh out of his cast and in a walking boot so taking it off at the beach was an experiment that ended in heavy amounts of motrin at night and ice packs where his foot was swollen}

On the waterway headed to get hot dogs and ice cream

First night at the beach {We have not made it to the sand yet....see the anticipation in their eyes!!}

There was a perfect little canal that formed making a little wading pool for them that was deep enough to swim and play but safe enough from the rip

Strawberry Festival 2012....again with the ice cream:)  My babies can throw back some ice cream!

Up next...my adventures in travel as I head to Florida to visit my brother and his family for a few days next month!

Reunions and such

Lat night, I was able to meet up with some girlfriends that I don't get to see as often as I should and would love to share! 

Once upon a time there were these crazy girls in tech school living in Texas.  Ashley, Beth and Wendy.  Ashley and Beth were roomates at first.  Later, Beth moved down the hall with Wendy even though she still loved Ashley to the moon and back {still sorry about that Ash}.  Anyways, Ashley and Beth spent a good bit of time together and were great friends:)

Ashley and Beth late 2000 {i think}

After Beth moved down the Hall she became friends with Wendy.  Eventually, Ashley forgave Beth for moving down the hall and they all merged to be buds.

Life took these girls away from Texas.  Ashley to California, Beth to Arizona, and Wendy back home to Carolina.  Eventually Beth made it back to Carolina and reconnected with Wendy and has stayed in contact although they don't hang out as much as they should {we are going to fix that though}

Wendy and Beth before Wendy got married summer 2006...

Wendy and Beth at the Kid Rock concert 2010 @ Fort Jackson, Columbia, SC

Ashley and Beth reconnected while Ash was living in TN and Beth in KY back in 2009.  They were able to spend some time together and Ashley used to go stay with Beth while her hubs, Brian was deployed.

Ashley and I at the Rainforest Cafe in Nashville, TN summer 2009...No I was not drinking my eyes don't cooperate with the flash so sometimes my pictures look questionable.

So three young ladies starting who started on a crazy journey headed towards adulthood in 2000...

{L to R...Wendy, Ashley & me}

Twelve years, eight children, and a few husbands;) later...

I love you crazy chics!!!  

Until next time...xoxo