Family Vacation~ The Kid Perspective

We just came back from a week at the beach. It was our first "real" family vacation. The first one that didn't include staying with Grammy and Grandpa. The first one that lasted an entire week. We rented (with another family) a house in Nags Head. The weather was beautiful the entire time and allowed us to spend time at the beach as well as visit other attractions like shopping on Roanoke Island and visiting the Aquarium. We ended the trip with the purchase of Hermit Crabs for each kid and then stopped at Grave Digger for monster truck rides on the way home. Here's some images from our First Family Vacation...

Playing in the big waves at the beach

Haulin' Miss Kaitlyn around at The Sound (very few waves and very shallow water)

A chair big enough for all of us.

Dancing (and Ice Cream) at Big Al's

Relaxing in the jacuzzi tub.

Playing "mermaid" at The Sound. "It's Sasha, Queen of the Mermaids." She's the one with the pink tail.

Petting and Alligator at the Aquarium.

The big Sea turtle came over to say 'Hi."

Touching "Patrick" in the touch tank.

The big Shark came to say "hi" too.

It wouldn't be the end of vacation without Fireworks

Want a Good Laugh? Want it at My Expense?

It's very healthy to laugh. Even if it's at our own expense. Yesterday was one of those ROTFL at myself days and thanks to Facebook I was able to make several of my friends laugh too. I'm sure it was very therapeutic for everyone. Here's what happened.

I decided to get my haircut. I am a creature of habit and when I get a new cut (which is about once a year) I wear it down for approximately 2 weeks and then it goes into a ponytail...until I get it cut again. I decided to be BOLD. I decided to go short. Too short for a ponytail. My neighbor and I looked through pics online and I decided on this one...


Yes. I know I'm no Katie Holmes,but I thought this haircut was super chic. I wasn't sure if I could pull it off but that didn't stop me from taking the picture to the hair dresser and asking. She said "I think if we put in some layers and leave it a little longer you could pull it off. She has more neck than you do". Actually, I have more neck. But it's of the wider variety causing it to look shorter. Just saying. I let her make the decision and went for it.

I'm not really attached to hair. Never have been. I've never sulked over a bad cut. My theory is, "It's hair. It'll grow back." So I let her start chopping.

In true SNAG (Social Network Attention Grabbing,) I just made that up so give me credit if you steal it, okay?)) Fashion, I posted the fact that I was getting my haircut on Facebook and everyone demanded pics. When I got home I took some pictures and decided to post this one...

Several people liked and commented. I've been trying to get a new avatar for FOREVER and haven't liked any of the pics I took so I find it ironic that I liked 75% of the ones I took with this new cut. Coincidence? Anyway. I kept going back to read all the comments causing me to see the pic over and over. At one point I realized that I looked like someone. Then I realized who it was and just started laughing. I posted my new thought... "Damn. Now that I look closer I think I resemble Dora in this one:(" Was I wrong?

So everyone got a super big laugh. Just like you are laughing now. One friend even sent me a new Dora ringtone, Thanks Rikki, and my daughter (4) decided when her grandparents came to pick her up for church to make a huge introduction as I walked her out the door. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present...(arms open wide)...DORA." It made me giggle.

So happy I can provide laughter to my friends. I'm now tucking it behind my ears...

No more Dora hair...until I woke up this morning.

Did I make you laugh? Pay It Forward. How many people can you make laugh today? That's your mission...if you choose to accept:)

Bacon Salad Wrap

Here's my latest creation. I had some left over salad (salad mix, red onion and tomato) and had made bacon for the kids for breakfast.

1 Italian Flat bread
Salad mix (of your choosing)
4 slices of bacon
2 oz of pepperjack cheese cut into small cubes
2 tbsp Lite Ranch dressing

It was SOOOO good. Enjoy!

I love that my kids sticks up for me while burying himself

Summer is winding down. The kids (mine and the neighbor girl) have all spent too much time together. They are no longer friends, respecting each others feelings, they are like 3 siblings with all the bickering and power struggles. All day. Every day. I believe I've told them all this. While telling them the constant bickering is grating on my last nerve hasn't stopped them one. bit. I can, at least, take some satisfaction in knowing my words have been heard. Here's a conversation between Handsome (age 7) and Hubster yesterday morning.

Handsome and his sister are bickering because he is trying to play his DS and she is sitting too close, causing him to get distracted and die. He moves, she moves closer. He moves again. She moves again. The bickering continues throughout. Hubster steps in and asks why they can't just get along...

Handsome: Now you know how Mom feels.
Hubster: What? What do you mean by that?
Handsome: (Silence. He's busy with his DS)
Hubster: (from the other room)What did you mean by that?
Handsome: (still quiet. Not paying attention to the voice in the other room)
Hubster: (louder this time) Handsome!
Handsome: What!
Hubster: What did you mean by that?
Handsome: What did I mean by what?
Hubster: What you said.
Handsome: What did I say. I have no idea what you're talking about.
Hubster: That now I know how mom feels.
Handsome: Oh. you were complaining about our bickering and fighting.
Hubster: Right.
Handsome: Now you know how Mom feels. She has to listen to it all day long.

I had to walk away.

I'm a Loser, Baby

Seriously...NOT. As a blogger we feel validated by comments. I currently have NONE. Not a single comment anywhere on this blog. People send me e-mails when they see their comments haven't been approved so I thought I should explain. I'm trying out Disqus on advice from my peeps at Tribal Blogs. They promise me that all my comments will return in "hours". I'm trying to get clarification on hours (2-3 or 48) for my own piece of mind but rest assured all your wittiness will be back and the new system will allow chat more and get better acquainted. Hold on to your pants. Now I'll be looking for a new layout and header. Anyone?

It'll be Fall Soon. You know what that means?

Yesterday was one of those days.



The kind where I really wished it was time for the kids to go (back) to school. It was a long day. There was a BIG jello mess, water flooding out of the sink all over the floor, and general kid-chaos all day long. Thankfully, I have a really great neighbor who came over to drink wine with me and help me de-stress. Thanks Kathy.



So, with the mention of kids heading back to school, buying school supplies and getting ready for my absolute favorite season, Fall, I must mention that we also get pretty excited about Halloween.

In the past, I've gotten the kids Halloween costumes weeks in advance only to have them nearly worn out when the big day comes. They love to dress up. Puddin Pop has all her ballet dresses that she wears around the house and to her friends house to play, and Handsome used to be okay with his Spiderman costume, but now he's into Star Wars, and Spidey has no place there. When we were offered the opportunity to review a costume from Costume Supercenter, I grabbed Handsome and went directly to their Star Wars Costumes. They have everything! People I don't even recognize (I only made it through Empire Strikes Back), and costumes for all the Clone Wars characters too. Handsome had a really hard time choosing. He finally decided on this...

The lightsaber didn't come with it. We already have 3 of those. I ordered it a little big since I don't see this phase ending anytime soon. The minute it arrived he put it on. He wore it the entire day. Princess Leia cam down from her house and the Star Wars Adventures ensued. Lots of lightsaber battles and giggling kids. What's more fun than that?

The costume is 3 parts. The upper robe, the pants with faux boots (they have a strap to keep them on his shoes) and the belt. Handsome's only complaint was that the top part of the robe wouldn't stay closed as much as he would have liked. It's because I ordered it big and I promised him we would get some velcro so he can close it up close to his neck. It was obviously comfortable enough to wear all day. I think he would have slept in it if we had let him. I like that there's no mask (that always gets too hot) and that he already has the accessories to go with it. It can be worn with nothing under it, which is good because Halloween is usually 80 degree weather for us. It would also work with clothes underneath. Very versatile.

If you have a Star Wars fan, I would definitely suggest this Luke Skywalker costume for kids. If your fan is a little older, it comes in adult sizes too. Right now you can get 15% off of any purchase over $25 by using the code 15off25 at checkout. With tons of costumes to choose from, in all sizes, now might be the time to purchase one for every member of the family. Every year I say I'm going to dress up...This may be THE year.

I was sent the above costume to review from costumesupercenter.com. I was not paid to say nice things. The opinions are mine and Handsome's.

Sluggish

Crap. That's how I'm feeling today. It started early evening yesterday. I felt so tired I made a pot of coffee just to be able to get dinner on the table. I usually only drink coffee in the morning. When Hubster got home I went straight to bed. The coffee, however, prevented me from sleeping. I just laid there. My body was so tired I didn't want to move. No TV, no reading. I just laid there with my eyes closed wishing for sleep to come. It was close to 11pm before I actually fell asleep and the first kid came in at 4am looking for someone to snuggle with. The other started yelling for me at 6:20.

I attribute this sluggish feeling to my lack of exercise. Is that possible? I was doing really well with EA Active's 30 day challenge until Handsome got Super Mario Galaxy 2. Wii time was then spent either watching him and the neighbor kid play or helping him. It's been more than two weeks and I think my body is telling me to get back to it. My head says it's a good idea, the rest of me doesn't even have the energy to get the disc out of the box.

How do you overcome these feelings of sluggishness?

Totally Random and Not Jealous at ALL

So it's Tuesday once again. Not really. It's Monday night, but I want to go to Water Country tomorrow so I'm posting tonight. What? You know you all do it. I've just figured out how to be organized enough to do it. It's Random. It's fun. All the cool kids are doing it and I'm joining in...again. Go link up at The Un Mom and find lots more cool, fun, random posts by cool kids like me.




First, I have to mention my lack of envy to all the Blogher participants. I'm sure you all rock and had a great time but...I've been a member for 2 years and I still have never spent the time to figure out the site. Sorry. It seems complicated. I'm not stupid, I just don't get it. Twittermoms, I get. Mom Central, Mom Select, Izea, Facebook, Twitter...I get all those too. I've never been able to figure out what I'm supposed to do at "Blogher" and so I just leave it alone. The Conference sounds great but since I don't participate in the site I don't feel worthy. Now. I did miss a TOTALLY RAD conference this weekend that I am very sad about. Over at Tribal Blogs they had a "Screw Blogher, We've Got Cheese in a Can (Tribal Blogs Virtual Convention)". I was too busy cleaning out my refrigerator on Saturday after having no power on Friday and missed the whole thing. I only have my looks-like-new fridge to console me.



Another blogger, who's name I won't mention but instead will call her Mrs. Bologna, had posted all last week about being an ambassador for a cruise line. I won't mention which one since they didn't invite me. She appeared to be having fun and even posted a "look how cute my kids are" pic with the boys in their floating suits, by the pool, on the big boat. Well, Mrs. Bologna, look at my cute kids... totally happy sitting on the couch... at home.

.

You've got nothing on us and just ignore any "envy" comments I may have posted on your facebook wall.

The girls and I are trying to pick a Virginia Wine Festival to attend in early October. A little mini get away. We're just having a problem deciding which one. Anyone have any suggestions? Hubster asked if it was just for "the girls". I said it was. He now says he might like to go to some wine/food tastings. He doesn't like wine or gourmet cooking so I should take it as a compliment that he just really wants to be with me. I just can't fathom spending the money for someone who won't totally enjoy it. Does that make me a bad wife?

Okay. I'm out.

My Theory on Dressing Kids

I have a theory. Not yet proven in our household but one I would like to put out there for debate. In involves kids dressing themselves.

My theory is this...

I would rather let my kids dress him/herself with clothes they feel comfortable in and can "own" than put them in something I think they should wear that they voice an opinion on being uncomfortable in. Here's why.

If my kid puts on his furry winter socks in stripes of green, red and beige with blue shorts and a t-shirt (this really happened) in 90 degree weather, because he insists the socks are cool, and heads off to school, why should I stop him? We suggested he wear white socks or sandals and backed off when he insisted he wanted to wear these socks. Should we have stopped him?

Hubster would prefer our 7 year old go to school with pressed pants/shorts with a shirt (tucked in), and a belt. Handsome prefers his shirt untucked...like every other kid in his class. Should we make him wear his shirt tucked in?

My take is this...

I would rather have my kids wear something they are comfortable wearing. If, by chance, they get ridiculed by classmates, which could happen in either of these situations, I would rather have my kids feel that they are in control of the situation. Handsome could make a mental note not to wear the furry socks with shorts in summer time if it had been a problem. It wasn't. He wore them proudly and showed them off and was happy with the giggles he got from his classmates.

On the other side, you have a child who not only gets picked on for their clothing but ends up with a feeling of helplessness, knowing that it's their parents who chose how they dress and therefore they have no control over it.

What's your policy?

At what age do you let your kids pick out their own clothes? Where do you draw the line?

Wordless Wednesday ~Concert in the Park

Grilled Chicken Wrap

I've been creating different wraps this summer to enjoy for lunch of with a glass of wine for dinner. This is one I enjoyed while the family was away at Vacation Bible School.

1 (Lite Italian Herb) Flatbread

2 leaves of Romaine

2 Slices Red Onion

3 Slices tomato

2 Slices of Provolone

4 oz Grilled chicken (grilled at home, not the store bought stuff)

1 tbsp Greek Vinaigrette