I Am Home.

Yep. I am back but I am not happy about it. I had a wonderful time and would like to stay forever.
Lovey has kennel cough. Bags are unpacked. I have a new vacation video for you.... ready?

Almost!!!!

Readying to leave... tomorrow is the big day. We embark on our Hawaiian adventure. I am excited but also a bit anxious about the 8 hour flight. 8 hours... well, it beats 15 to Russia any day of the week I suppose!

Today I have to take my froggies over to my brother Dan for safe keeping. I am delivering them to his office at work- which is also RB's place of business too. Lots of guys up there to feed my beloved frogs. I stocked up their pantry yesterday with lots of yummy crickets and meal worms (ack-gag). I think those guys might actually get a kick out of frog sitting.

Our old dog Lovey and Mr. Kitty are also going to be sat. They are being boarded at the vets office. They just got back from there for the 4th of July weekend adventure and I know they are not going to be happy about this. Lovey gives me the most pitiful eyes and then puts on her donkey act- refusing to move one inch without me going too. They have to drag her to the back with her looking back at me all pitiful like. Kitty goes into psycho mode. His eyes get huge and he looks like a wild cat- literally. He hunkers down in the back of his "pet taxi" and mews and mows with great disdain and horror. I feel terrible about it but at least I know they will be safe and sound when we return. Sad. I am such a guilt ridden fool.

Kan is ALL ABOUT asking... "We going to the beach Mama?" I tell him how many more days and he is exasperated every time. "Sheesh- can we just go already?" He relaxes as soon as he sees his bag getting packed... "Yep, theres my bag- I am definitely going!" Quite the little traveler! I fixed each boy up with a goodie bag for the plane. They have a few new toys stuffed in there, some gummie bears & jelly beans, cheese crackers, colors and new coloring books, Gameboys, books, and a pillow each. I have had to fight them off so as not to ruin the "new". Kan is stoked to have his own bag of goodies to drag through the airport. I hope it can get 'em through the flight. RB and I have taken to listening to Audiobooks. Our last three trips we listened diligently! Man, that is a blast! We have had a great time. I picked us several new ones and am excited to give 'em a listen. Now, lets just hope Kan will let us listen... He has Gameboy and a Leapster so I can hope, right?

My purse... Oh MY GOSH! My purse is huge and packed full of all sorts of Traci goodies too. I have Junior mints...my favorite, books, magazines, MP3 player, camera, along with the normal purse stuff. It weighs a frigging TON! GREAT. It is big enough I can possibly crawl in and nap. I might have to cram Kan in there and tote him through the airport... okay, only kidding.

Welp... Kan just got up and has begun his morning demands... Juice, TV, HUNGRRRRY!!!!! I guess it is time for me to get to work. AYE, AYE- CAPTAIN!

Next time we speak I will either be in Hawaii or back from. Bye til then!

Another story from my past....

We are busy packing and getting ready for our big family vacation trip. Every year the kids, my parents, and RB and I head out on a big adventure. This year will be my Dad's first trip to Hawaii, my Mom, RB and the kids second trip, and my third. We have rented a house on Oahu and are set for a big beach retreat in paradise. I can't wait. Between packing, cleaning, and pet maintenance I thought I would drop in here to say hello. Yesterday I got a blast from the past with some new comers to my myspace "friend" thingy. It has me thinking about school, my teen years, and life before parenting and marriage. So... I think just for entertainment we will have a flashback into my teen years. Let's go back to Nov. 1988~~~~~~~~~~

I am 15 years old, RB is just turning 16.... Randy got his drivers license today and we are all set for our first date. Randy is a tricky one. He is shy and quiet. Not like my usual boyfriend material. I normally date, uh, well... troublemakers? Is that a good term? Maybe. Bad boys. Randy is NOT a bad boy at all. He is a clean cut, good student, athlete, and "Good Boy" in every way. WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH THIS GUY? Well, I will tell yah, not much. He picked me up and met my parents. This was my actual first "date". While I had been in cars with boys, and even "out" with boys... I had never been formally asked on a date nor, picked up at the door like this. We were both pretty nervous- we had talked on the phone for hour upon hour but had not really had any face to face conversations. Awkward. Very awkward.

We piled into his little yellow S-10 pickup and off we went. I have no recollection of the conversation. If I did remember it it would probably be so goofy I would be embarrassed. Have you ever read a note or diary from your younger days? Isn't it just scary how ignorant and lame you were? And you thought you were cool?

I do remember stopping at our tiny little convenience store (Stop-n-Shop) to get some oil for that truck and then we made it to the next nearly non-existent town of Rosser... and that little yellow truck broke down. DAMN. Our date that was supposed to end up at a restaurant in Ennis just became I walk through Rosser in the dark. Huh. This is unexpected and a little more awkward but I made the best of it with some joking, laughing, flirting and a lot of no big deals... I do remember quite vividly sitting by Randy across from Kevin Crady's (Randy's best friend) dad while waiting for his parents to come pick us up. Even more AWKWARD!!!!! Dead silence. Just sitting there, not talking, looking at Kevin's dad. Huh, funny.

I vaguely remember being picked up in the biggest damn car I had ever seen in my life... 1976 Oldsmobile Regency. My first experience in meeting RB's dad- he was not very happy- and the night ended with no kiss, no dinner, just the thud of one HUGE car door. DANG!

Needless to say it was the end of that night but not the romance. Many more encounters and dates would follow.

My Dad, the mechanic, would spend many coming months with RB fixing that little yellow truck. RB would get that truck running, while never quite finding his inner mechanic, and we would make many a trip in that little un-air conditioned sucker. (Remember, this is Texas and hot is REALLY hot! Triple digits and humidity are our hallmark of summer!) That is the story of how Randy became a part of our family... my parents and my brother LOVED him dearly ever since, as did I. His parents did not fall in love with me so easily:-) go figure. I think I have grown on them, maybe.

It's been one heck of a long, winding road... get togethers, first kiss, first sex, breakups, get back togethers, get engaged-- call it off 1,2,3,4,5X... and now married 10 years, 2 rings and 3 boys later. Somehow, it seems we got it all right in the end. WOW...

Who'd of thunk it?

I hope you enjoyed this little meander down my memory lane. Did I tell you the story of our first kiss already????

Just a little something...

I have everything back on track. My house is running again. It is clean and the boys and all animals are happy. I have no more gotten things organized and running smoothly until we are headed out again. This time we are off to the lake for the 4th. We have a tradition of boating and fireworks. Every year we have the best time. I have the bags packed, the food is ready in a laundry basket, and we are now just awaiting the date.
I wondered into Walmart the other day... yeah I know- I said I wasn't shopping there any more. I was pissed off the second I laid eyes on the school supplies. Oh dammit- can't they just give us all a little tiny break before they start the dang next buying need. I swear the stores just constantly have to be on the next big sale. In winter we are tempted with swimsuits for the upcoming season... in summer- school supplies, fall- here comes Santa. OH MY GOSH! I feel like banning all shopping facilities. What if you actually want to buy your swimsuit in the summer? TOUGH LUCK! There is no variety, everything is picked over, and you can just forget ever finding the right size!!! SHEESH. Better ask Santa for your swimsuit.
The boys have just begun a war over what movie they will watch... I gotta go and play ref. See you guys again soon!