Day three of unpacking

Day three of unpacking, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

I am starting to not feel so claustrophobic in my own home! We have unpacked about two thirds of the house. I am a visual unpacker. I put stuff away in the same 'zones' we use in every house. For example, spices go to the right of the oven. Most of the time we have the same amount of space, so it all fits. This time, the cabinets in the kitchen are much different than we had in TX.

For one thing, I don't have an island with storage underneath. I don't have that super cool pantry. When I unpack, I put everything on the counter, then put it where it is most efficient. Since there is some overflow....I have had to get creative. I put in a chrome kitchen shelf in a broom closet that was a waste of space. Now I essentially have the same thing.

Slowly but surely we are getting things unpacked. I have several boxes of things to Freecycle. I don't even bother with garage sales anymore. Unpacking all of this stuff makes me want to simplify my life even more. We have so much stuff.

All of the living furniture is not going to fit, so that chair and ottoman are going to our bedroom. The bedroom is huge, so it will fit nicely in there.

Happy Wednesday...

Did I say that?

putting my feet up, Mon-Sooner or later, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

As a part of the home buying process, we hired a home inspector to come out to make sure it wasn't falling down. We paid a bit more than normal since we used a structural engineer. Apparently he is so busy, he has someone else in his office do it. Someone who isn't a structural engineer. Two of the posts on the porch are rotted out at the bottom. As part of his guarantee, he came out to take a look at it to see if it is something he should have deemed "to be fixed by the owners"....If it is, then he will pay to have it fixed.

Anyhow, the guy who was supposed to do it in the first place came out yesterday morning just as the movers were supposed to be here as well. Husband had to run up to Lowes to get something for the dryer so it could be working just as soon as it got hooked up. You know it is killing me that I haven't done laundry in almost ten days! I am a load-a-day gal!

It took them all of ten minutes to decide that "yes, it probably should have been caught".....they were measuring the posts etc. They were gone before Husband got back. I was telling him about it and I said....

"The owner and some old guy: he was about forty , came by.........
DANG, I meant he was probably like fifty or something...or like old, not forty old!

I still don't think I am old....forty isn't that old. But this guy was old!

PS, I was ready to post some unpacking pics. But I couldn't get my cord to work. I think I need to put the ones on the camera on the external hard drive. I haven't done that since we left TX. I was too scared I would lose them.

Even though I should really try to unpack a few more boxes, I am going to relax....with a glass of wine, and put my feet up.

Happy Tuesday

Day 3- yeah me

Day 3- yeah me, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

We got the dining room neutral color finished. I only do the Cornelian Red on one wall. That red also runs around the door in the entry way.

It was hard to get a shot of the Fragrant Clove in the bathroom. It is more like the darker part on the left edge. We still need to paint this color in the downstairs bathroom.

Will's room is now done. It was post-it note yellow. Now it blends more with his new planet bedding.

The picture of Livi's room does not do it justice. It seriously glows in the dark. It is a much brighter green. We do usually paint her room a color called Pesto that matches the bedding. We just ran out of time, so we will get to it next weekend.

Finally, our stuff will be here today. Two months and four days ago the truck pulled out of our TX driveway. It seems like it has been forever since we last saw our stuff!

Day 2....whew hoo

Day 2....whew hoo, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

living room has gone from scuffed-up-walls-plain-beige to my favorite Nacho Chip from Kilz. The entry way and one wall in the dining room has gone from barfy-mint-green to my terra cotta-ish Cornelian Red. A kitchn wire cooks shelf is assembled and in an old coat closet. We had to build it in the closet since there was no way to turn the corner to get it in there.

Whew hoo! Day 2

today's goals: Will's room and the Frangrant clove (orange) bathrooms

because of him

Because if him I can only hope more people are living the life they have dreamed of instead of concentrating on the doom and gloom!

I could comment on the little painting we have done.....but I can only hope I live well and live fully.

Happy Saturday

my Friday

my Friday, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

After signing our names on approximately two inches of paper, we headed to our new home! We had already dropped off the paint when we did our walk-thru the previous day.

Despite my detailed lists of "things needed on day one of a PCS", I still had to run up to Lowe's, Target, and the grocery store. While I was gone, Husband was able to get all of that hideous wall paper border off. If you ever need to take wallpaper down, there is an amazing little product called Diff. You spray it on, let it set, and it literally peels right off.

That evening Will some some kids from the across the street.. We met most of the families on this end of the street. There are about six little boys under five. Only some young teen girls, but Livi loved them! The neighbors seem very nice.

After playing outside for a bit, we came in and got started on the painting......we as in Husband and Will. I got Livi settled into bed. Then....ready for this, I put two shelves, a desk and a hutch together! Oh yeah, just call me Wonder Woman.

After just one day, the wallpaper is removed. The kitchen painted a gorgeous neutral khaki. The living room is prepped to become Nacho Chip. The bathrooms are prepped to become Frangrant Cloves. The new SEPERATE Husband officer area in the basement is done. I didn't get to finish a glass of wine....but I did have a few sips!

Finally at a little after one this morning, we got to bed......

Happy Saturday. y'all.....

Twas the Night before Closing

rapainting back to white, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Twas the night before closing, when all through the hotel,
Not a kid was stirring, but Husband was going to Nashville. (yeah, long story..)

The childred were nestled, all snug in their beds,
While visions of toys danced in their heads.

And Mommy finally relaxed with wine in her cup,
Packed the last bags and put them in the trunk. (well, husband did)

Kids enrolled in another preschool,
Shot records transferred<----what a silly rule.

Paint has been bought,
Rollers, tape, and brushes, the whole lot.

This weekend we'll be painting fools,
Changing to our colors, making it cool.

Cable and internet being hooked up tomorrow,
So now, other's wireless, I won't have to "borrow".

It should be fun, loud and crazy.
With so much to do, no time to be lazy.



Peace out.....

Isn't it ironic?

Edited to add update: I put this in a comment but I will post it here as well.

Thank you all for your kind words. I am a big believer in signs, and that things happen for a reason. After a couple of days, I feel great about not putting them there and settling for a so so school. I am very happy with the one I found. They are enrolled and ready to go.

I am very hesitant to whine about this....but I still keep coming to it in my mind. Soooo, I just need to put it out there and get over it.

This afternoon I went by the preschool I visited last June when we were here buying the house. I wasn't that impressed with it. But I visited my first choice school: what looks like an inch on the map is really a 42 minute drive through the curvy roads of northern Kentucky's bourbon trail. I think I passed Maker's Mark, Jim Beam and Heaven Hill on the drive. Despite loving the school, I really can't fathom driving that back and forth every day for a mere three and a half hours of preschool.

So, I was ready to enroll them in the one here in town that I just so so liked. I went there this morning (after taking them to the duck pond). I held the door open for some mom with a baby and two other kids about Will and Livi's age. She went right into the office.....<---which I thought was super rude since I held the door open for her. Anyhow.....after waiting almost thirty minutes, the directress told me that the lady I held the door open for took the last two spots.

I was heartbroken....I even cried in my car in the parking lot. Granted I was just finishing up a visit with Aunt Flo....but dang, can't it be easy at this point of the PCS?

Because of my niceness<----is that even a word? I was given a physical "don't let the door hit you in the a$$" SIGN that I shouldn't have ever even thought of enrolling them there anyway. So I leave you with a little Alanis...

Hardly worth whining about I know....this is my trying not to whine! But isn't it Ironic?

beach '07

beach '07, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Manic Monday brought to us by the talented Fleur-de-Lisa.


What's your favorite beach in the world? We have had great fun at the Isle of Palms in Charleston. The drive along Highway 1 towards Big Sur is simple breath taking. You can't go wrong with sand and water I guess.

What's the next country you want to visit? something fun that the whole family could enjoy

What one thing are you craving today? cheese

Happy Monday

Going to Kentucky

We have had fun here in Ohio this last few weeks. It was so nice to be able spend time with the grandparents and the cousins. The weather has been hot, but bearable.

We are finally on the final act of our personal life story of this PCS move from Texas to Kentucky! Can you hear a little squeal of glee? I am so glad to finally almost be in our own house. We close on Friday, then we will be in a painting frenzy on the weekend. Then on Monday our household goods will be delivered.

I looked for a little Ohio music for your viewing pleasure. It is by the Ohio Players, singing a little Red Hot Chili Peppers song: "Love Roller Coaster"....if our life hasn't been a roller coaster this summer, I don't know what is.

Happy Sunday, y'all.

Photo Story Friday: busy little bee

busy little bee, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

This week I have had my camera out and ready to use. We are still in OH with all the cousins. So you never know when one of them might be doing something worthy of a "Kodak moment"<----I still say that, even though I haven't used film in years.

Anyhow, we were all outside after dinner. Since it is still getting dark so late, I try to wear them out with a little sunshine in the evening. The kids were playing semi-nicely when I noticed a bee dive bombing me. Or I thought it was dive bombing me at least. I was standing by the pond where this big flowering bush? tree? is. This bee was the fattest little thing I have ever seen. I seriously wondered how it could even get off the ground with his little rotund body, But he would fly from flower to flower, go deep inside the petals, and go on about his business. Since I am severely allergic to bees, I kept my distance and used the zoom. Then I realized he wasn't really dive bombing me, he was just busy trying to collect as much pollen as he could. Where do they put it anyway? I'll have to ask Claudia, she's a bee keeper. I would train the lens on the flower he would bury himself.......as soon as he emerged I would take the pic. This was was my favorite, even though I ran screaming like a little girl. When I looked in the viewfinder, he looked like something from one of those freaking bee movies from way back when!

black-take 2

black-take 2, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Day two of the color challenge Anna of Anna Carson Photography is doing. Of all the shots I took, this one is my favorite. I love the color of the pool and the sparkling water!

We went to the pool this afternoon. Of course three fourths of my bathing suits are black. As well as most of my flip flops. You seriously didn't think I was posting a pic of me in a bathing suit. Yeah, not happening here.

I love to do 'feet in the air' shots.

My sister-in-law M even offered up her black swimsuit and white thighs...prepare to be blinded by the white...oops, the light. Go ahead, go get your sunglasses. I will wait....

Were you blinded by the light?

Happy Thursday!

Project Black.....take one

Hot stone massage, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Anna of Anna Carson Photography is doing another color challenge..... black.

I was so excited to see these were the stones for my hot stone massage I had this afternoon. I quickly snapped a few with Will's little camera I keep in my purse. Since I was so relaxed and almost asleep, I hoped at least one would turn out!

Also, they had these had blown glass balls suspended on thin string in the windows. It was so cool looking. I thought it would be a perfect window treatment for my orange bathroom. I am so going to do this!

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

birthday month traits....

I copied this from fleur-de-lisa months ago and had it in draft. I am still in my birthday month, so I thought it appropriate. I made the words bold that I thought described me. This was scary how accurate it was!
PS, less than twelve until my massage. I am so excited!


Birth Month Traits:

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with.

Secretive. (not really,)
Difficult to fathom and to be understood(don't think so).
Quiet unless excited or tensed. (I don't think quiet has ever been used to describe me!)
Takes pride in oneself.
Has reputation. (of what? I guess everyone does have a reputation.)
Easily consoled. (ugh, not really...and don't even try hugging me unless I have had a couple!)
Honest.
Concerned about people’s feelings.
Tactful.
Friendly.
Approachable.
Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. ( I don't think so.)
Moody and easily hurt.( I do think I am moody, but not easily hurt)
Witty and sparkly.
Not revengeful.
Forgiving but never forgets.
Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things.
Guides others physically and mentally.
Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving.
Treats others equally.
Strong sense of sympathy.
Wary and sharp.
Judges people through observations.
Hardworking.
No difficulties in studying.
Loves to be alone.
Always broods about the past and the old friends. (moved way too many times to do that)
Likes to be quiet. (if so, only because it can be loud with two under five!)
Homely person. ( not me)
Waits for friends. (if I did that, we would move and I still wouldn't have any friends.)
Never looks for friends. (again, I move way too much to not look!)
Not aggressive unless provoked.
Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. (ha)
Loves to be loved.
Easily hurt but takes long to recover. (okay, this one might be true too)

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Manic Monday.....

Manic Monday brought to us by the talented Fleur-de-Lisa.





What do you do when you are feeling very sad or depressed? cry, then sleep, sleep alot. But that is hard to so with two preschoolers.


Who was your first crush? A boy named Alan...in seventh grade. He had that long shaggy hair like Scott Baio. Man, I thought he was the shiznit.....turns out later on in junior high he became a stoner. I was too busy being good to even think about that!


If given a chance to skip work for a day (without repercussions), how would you spend the entire day? sleep in, have a spa day or go shopping without the kids, have a foo foo lunch somewhere where you can order wine at noon.....I have lots of ideas!



Speaking of a spa day, I got a gift certificate to this spa for my birthday last week. In less than 48 hours I will be getting a hot stone massage.

Just because, I like this orange color, here is a flower from me to you. PS, I am thinking of painting the downstairs bathroom orange! Anyone ever seen an orange bathroom?

Weekly Winners, July 6-12, 2008

It has been way too long since I participated in this. Thanks to Lotus at sarcastic mom for hosting this fun way to see all those extra pics that I didn't blog about this week.

About Time

Yummy-licious

The Finale

Learnin' to Love the Blur
Sassy Livi
Paint my Chair Red & Call Me Elizabeth Arden
What is THAT?

These are taken from our trip to the Columbus Zoo and my Dirty Little Secret date with Husband. It is great to get back into the swing of things!

Happy Sunday, y'all!

I Had A Dirty Little Secret

Dirty Little Secret, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

This evening Husband and I had a date at The Short Story Brasserie ....from their own website:

This brasserie brings a world of flavor and culinary adventure to you in the same spirit that Hemingway brought the sight, sounds and flavors of the world to his readers.

This restrauant is definitly in our top five meals EVER eaten. It is housed above their wine store called The Wine Cache....those who know me 'for reals' will know why I thought this was a very good sign to a great evening! The restrauant is very small with maybe nine tables with great decor...(ps, they used the same colors as in my home, so I was smitten with the decor!) There were some poppy prints that I loved! Now for the good stuff.....

Like any good story, it started with a Prelude......Aperitifs Classique: Both Husband and I had a Lillet Blanc, a little drink made with wine with a fruit liquor served with an orange twist. I am not a big mixed drink gal, but this was to die for! I was seriously loving it. Yeah, off to a great start for the evening.

Next the Introduction: American Artisan Crafted Cheese Plate. Aged cheddar, a creamy goat, a crumbly blue, and one other one that was seared before serving. Wine and cheese...I think I had that for dinner several times while Husband was deployed!

Part II - Hot Small Plates: I had Warm Chèvre & Tomato Tart, Basil Oil...so very flaky!!

Husband had Fricassee of Maine Lobster with Wild Mushroom &Herb Gnocchi.

Part III - The Large Plates : I had salmon with a seared foie gras. It was my first time to have foie gras. It had a very interesting texture, but it was amazing with the salmon and the pinot noir I was drinking.

The Dénouement…I had a Dirty Little Secret. A plate of fresh berries and chocolate filled truffles, as well as a hand dipped strawberry. I normally only have dessert if restaurants have creme brule (which Husband had) ....but who can resist a dirty little secret.

So, if you are anywhere in central OH, it is about thirty minutes east of Columbus. It has only opened this week, but we will definitely eat here again when we are in town to see the in-laws. It was great fun getting dressed up and going on a date!

PS, I felt like a food critic doing an article for a restaurant review snapping pics of my plates!

Photo Story Friday: Did I get your goat?

Photo Story Friday: Did I get your goat?, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

For my first attempt at Photo Story Friday.....I got your goat: a goat with the biggest underbite I have ever seen.

We took the kids to the Columbus Zoo in the in-laws RV....the big a$$ RV that get like two miles to the gallon. But the kids really wanted to go in the "bus". We figured out a way to get in the four car seats we needed, so off we went.....it was a zoo getting to the zoo. But we made it.

7 adults: grandma, grandpa, Aunt M, Uncle A, Great Aunt J, me and Husband

4 kids: Will, Livi, cousin E, and cousin S

3 strollers

lots of chaos, but lots of fun!

BUT the kicker of the whole thing....I have so many great fun shots of the zoo. When I saw this buck toothed goat, I knew I had some good quality blog material! Oh yeah, I am not showing off the cute kids on bronze sculptures....the large manatees, cool wild animals. Oh no, just for your viewing pleasure...the goat with an underbite. I know my underbites, I have a French Bulldog .

Yeah, it doesn't take much to amuse me.

ice cream ......

ice cream ......, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

(this was taken last summer in TX)

This week Husband's aunt is down here to visit....(Yes, while we are visiting as well.) After dinner she offered to take the whole fam damily downtown to a quaint little ice cream shop. My favorite part was it was cool enough we could sit outside!

The kids thoroughly enjoyed ice cream in a cone! I usually make them eat it in a bowl...but hey, you only live once. Plus it gave the excuse to grab theirs and lick it!

On the way home, both kids were bouncing off the walls in the back seat. Livi is still in a 5 point harness carseat, so she is fairly well restrained....but you can't really restrain her mouth! Will is in a booster, so he was practically doing the twist back there.

After about the 26th time telling them to stop and sit still, Will blurts out, "You, you ,....you gave me too much sugar!"

Truth hurts, bubba!

Finally the big day.....my name is tommie and I am 40

Happy birthday to me...

I don't know what I thought 40 would be like...I don't feel 40. I don't look 40. Though I do notice a bit more gray, a few more 'cracks' (as Will called them) around my forehead where I scrunch it. Midlife is not at all what I imagined way back when I thought 40 was OLD. I guess two kids under five will keep you young.

I look back at my teen years: always being the good girl, getting good grades, making it into OU. In my twenties, I was still the people pleaser. Now I was just pleasing my principal and fellow teachers. It took me a year or two to learn to say "NO" to various things I was volunteered to do.

I got married when I was 30. We moved from Oklahoma to Alaska, leaving everything I had ever known. Thank goodness for the good friends we made there. I also had two babies in two years. Now that will make life interesting. It was then that I finally learned to stop trying to please everybody. I also figured out I might not ever fit back into those pre-baby clothes. My body is definitely curvier in places it didn't used to be curvy. But I can find and wear clothes that fit my body and look good. Clinton and Stacy (from What Not to Wear) are fountains of info! A good under garment (as Stacy and Clinton would say) is not something to skimp.

So, slowly, over the past years I have learned to realize while I might not be perfect, I am alright and I have some great bras!


Here’s what I want you to do for my birthday. Send someone an e-mail and tell them how much you appreciate them, or love them. Do it right now. Then tell me about it in the comments. That’s what I want. It’s my birthday so you have to do it.

Surprise, surprise, surprise

I am not big on surprises. Being the planner that I am, well, surprises just don't fit into my well thought out plans. Yesterday Husband wanted to go to Easton to do some shopping and let the kids play in the sprinkle areas. I must have eaten something funky on the 4th because my tummy was a bit queasy. I promptly told him I really wasn't in the mood to drive 40 minutes to take the kids to run around in some water fountain just because I needed some of my Bobbi Brown makeup. He tempted me with shopping at Nordstroms and my old best friend, Ann Taylor Loft. I did need a couple of things so I gobbled some tummy meds and off we went after lunchtime.

I scored some super sales at GapKids. I was able to buy one, get one half off of my favorite flip flops. Best of all, the Bobbi Brown sales girl didn't have my tinted sunscreen makeup in stock, so she gave me the sample one she had just opened that morning for FREE! I had told her it was almost my 40th birthday. She kept saying, "You really don't look 40!" All I could say was thank you.

We finally headed home around 3:45.....Husband takes the kids the long way on this super windy road with mongo hills. He is whipping around the curves in my mom-wagon like its some race car. We pull up into the driveway and I notice his sister's cars amongst others...some even parked on the street. What the??

We walk around back to the porch area....every old family friend of Husbands I know is there. Sister-in-law M and J, along with my mother-in-law pulled off a surprise 40th birthday party. I was quite surprised. They made this board with random pics through the past years....yes, even those scary prom pics were on the board. Everyone signed it with a silver pen.

They had all of my favorite foods: sushi, my Greek pasta salad , beef tenderloin, beer butt chicken, and chocolate chocolate chip cake (made into muffins) with whipped cream cheese frosting.

We capped the night off with sparklers....remember I think all fireworks are for me!

I was genuinely thankful to be surrounded my Husband's lifelong friends. It was a great surprise, even if I didn't plan on it!

Happy fourth, y'all

We have had a great start to the fourth of July. There was a great little fair downtown in Husband's hometown. The kids had a great time riding roller coasters and ferris wheels. I couldn't resist a funnel cake. Dang, what is it about some fried batter sprinkled with some powdered sugar? Gets me every time.

We MADE the kids nap last night since the fireworks didn't start until 10PM. My sister-in-law M lives downtown so we parked at her house. That saved tons of frustration of trying to find a parking spot and get out of downtown! Though no one told me we were walking out to BFE. I have a little tiny blister where my flip flops were rubbing. Who gets a blister from flip flops?

I have to note: Will took most of these. I had the camera on a tripod. All he had to do was push the button, but still.....his were much better than mine!

Happy fourth, y'all.

Is swinging a good thing?

First things first.....hell to the no, I am NOT pregnant. I might be semi-crazy from this move, but I am not insane! There was a time a couple of weeks ago my tatas were super sore. I started doing some backwards math counting in my head. I wondered if I would have to give up my fun XC70. Because there is no room for another car seat in the back. But alas all is well. I must have just overworked my muscles a bit. Whew hoo, I love my car!

Though I do have a fairly significant birthday in exactly one week. Yes, the big four-O is beatin' at the door. I have some great thoughts about it. But I will save that for next week. So, pass on all that baby wishing to someone else!

The kids swang (is swang a word? swing, swang, swung?? that looks funny) in these swings all day long.....

and I do mean all day long. Will would have curled up with a pillow and a blanket if we would have let him!

I tried the rope swing one, it just made me nauseous.

Time is flying by here. It certainly doesn't feel like we have been here a week already. I even had time to go get a pedi today with my mother-in-law. I don't know what is it about freshly pedi'd feet, but I always feel so good afterwards!