North Carolina

We had a blast on our short but sweet trip to North Carolina to see Bryan, Laurie, Ian and Chase. We had a fabulous thanksgiving dinner (thanks Angelle and Laurie), Laurie and I got a steal on sheets at Kohls at 4 am, and the boys got to go paintballing while we took the kids to Monkey Joes. Then we spent a whole day in the mountains - BBQ lunch at a little restaurant, a tour of the Linville Caverns and a couple of trails to the Linville waterfalls. We had a slightly frozen but wonderful time. Pictoral evidence to follow:

The kids on thanksgiving day

The North Carolina Maddexes in the caverns:

On the trail...

to this incredible view

The kids and I with two waterfalls in the background.

Leaving on a jet plane...

Okay not really - we're actually leaving in a minivan but it just does not have the same ring too or the catchy little tune you will now be singing all day!

We leave in about 4 hours...see you Sunday!

:-(

Accountability sucks. But it keeps it real. My 21 days has to start over next Sunday - I managed to get the flu this past week which knocked me out for 3 whole days and then I had to play catch up on work stuff, ebay orders, PTA stuff and my house. And I would start over today but really - we are going to be in a car for 12 hours in 2 days - whats the chance of me waking up at 4:00 am to run? Nil! So I went to the gym today but the 21 days will have to be an after thanksgiving resolution.

Just so ya know.

Proud Mommy Moment

Tristan's class made little wall hanging things for Thanksgiving. It had a little poem, a cute little leaf border and then a place where they filled in the sentence "This Thanksgiving I am especially thankful for __________" and then they drew a picture below it.

Tristan wrote (by which I mean copied what his teacher wrote for him) his sister! Yay for brotherly love!

Tropical Christmas & Flannel PJS

I have given up my MN heritage to deem myself a true Floridian. I wear sweaters in temperatures I used to think represented short season being just around the corner, I turn my heater on when I would have opened all the windows in the past, and I never plug my car in!

So in honor of that I present my Two Cute Boutique's latest - a tropical Christmas skirt set and the warm flannel jammies I think we need even though we probably don't!

To check out the auctions go to TwoCuteBoutique! Lots more pjs coming in the next 2 weeks too.

Dr.Seuss Book

It was one of those days...I had a PTA meeting, fall festival meeting, Tori's Turkey Trot, dubbing ceremony, etc. So of course last night I wake up with a nasty migraine and have a miserable night.

This morning rolls around and I drag myself out of bed...get the kids ready...more medicine and a quick prayer that things will turn around.

Then I take the truck, our little pickup truck to pick up 9 bales of hay. What a terrible idea that was. The guy comes out to help me wearing dress clothes, tries to pick it up like a box (by hugging it) and has no muscle power to get it up into the truck. So now I load the 9 bales of hay practically on my own, using the strings to lift it like the good little farm girl I am.

Whew! One project done, they are tied in and I am on the road only to find I did not think to bring a tarp so there is hay flying everywhere, cars are getting out of my way, people walking on the street are flapping their hands in front of them. Oy!

I finally make it to Toris school, watch the turkey trot, make it through the first meeting and half way through the second one I realize my migraine is back and I am going to throw up. So I excuse myself and come back, then proceed to spill my coffee on the principal's shoe. Gotta go back and get paper towels, clean it up. Finally I am done...I have to go home and get more meds and sleep for a few.

So I am sore, covered in hay, sick of elementary schools, embarassed to high heaven and I call my dear husband for sympathy who says..."Sometimes when you tell me stories about your day its more like your reading me a Dr.Suess story." Just the thing to make me feel better...

Glad the day is over.

Six Things

I've been tagged by Rhiannon.

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.

B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.

C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

1. Todd and I celebrated 6 months of dating each other AFTER our wedding date...he is one of the few things in my life I did not overanalyze and plan to a tee and it worked out to be one of the best things as we are getting ready to celebrate 8 years this winter. Maybe I should stop thinking so hard...

2. I share a birthday with my little brother and despite that growing up I whined about sharing parties, etc...I am so thankful for it. It gives us a great excuse to always spend it together.

3. I grew up planning to not have kids. My mom was fabulous - the perfect stay home mom and I wanted a career and did not feel like I could be a good enough mom and have that. Then God sent me Tori (another one of those unplanned, unanalyzed things) and changed my whole world. I am so thankful he did.

4. I have worked the most diverse jobs ever - photographer, long distance help line, ice cream scooper, bakery assistant, magazine sales, activities director for seniors, seamstress and case manager/social worker. I still sew which you can check out here and I do case management/social work at a local hospital currently.

5. I could only eat out at Los Mexicanos and Cody's Roadhouse and never see another restaurant again and be totally ok with that.

6. My very least thing to do everyday is pick out what I am going to wear. I decide everyday how much I hate everything in my closet, even if I just bought it and loved it in the store.

So those are my 6 things...if you have not done this already...I tag you!

21 days....

is how long it takes to form a habit according to research. If you do something for 21 days straight it becomes a part of your life, schedule, etc...so in my goal to lose weight and complete that race in a decent time I am trying to form a habit...granted I am going on vacation in the next 21 days so I'll let you know how it works out BUT for now...it is my goal to run 2 miles for 21 days straight.

What habit do you want to create? I challenge you to do it for the next 21 days!!!

The Zoo

We spent yesterday at Lowry Park Zoo, all 4 of us. Todd literally could not remember the last time he was there as its always been something the kids and I did on a weekday. Anyway we had fun, saw lots of animals including the new penguin exhibit and an elephant that gave us a small show drinking from the pond. Todd and the kids even checked out this new bat exhibit...I have bad childhood memories of bats, none for me thanks!

Both kids got cheap digital cameras yesterday from Papaw and Lolly (my parents) for their upcoming vacation. Good thing we tried them out early - the zoo according to a 5 yr old with a camera (Tori's malfunction completely, no pictures of the zoo but lots of our house later):

Evidence that focusing on people porses a challenge - this was a Kodak spot with Todd and a giant fake bat.

Racket stroke.

My kids are playing tennis on the back porch. This sentence has many things wrong with it to begin with but for now ignore that there is no net, giant glass windows, not nearly enough room and no actual tennis ball for that matter.

Tristan is repetitively back stroking with much gusto his little racket yelling "got it with my racket stroke, racket stroke, another racket stroke".

What does that mean? And better question where did he get it from?

Better late than never!

Tori and Tristan were a Bucs Football Player and Cheerleader for Halloween. The pictures are not so great but better than nothing. They had a great time...Tori is a marathoner and wants to not miss a single house. Tristan was done about half way to really being done but went along with Tori like a trooper. We went to a friends house for dinner, trick or treated in their neighborhood and then all went to DQ afterwards. Lots of fun!

This past Saturday Todd and I attended a fundraising gala for the Pinellas Pregnancy Center, they provide free pregnancy tests and all sorts of services for moms to be. They do ultrasounds, parenting classes, bible studies, and offer material help. When I had more free time I was a client advocate there. We had a great time with some friends, a delicious dinner at Innisbrook and we got to dress up and be just a couple for the whole night - it was really nice. Again not the best picture but hey this was after 5 hours out!

Dubbing...

I love the things they have parents take off work for. I can see it now...

"Sorry I can't work Tuesday because I have to go to the dubbing ceremony where my daugher becomes a lady of the court."

Yes you did read that right. Tori's gifted class will be having a dubbing ceremony Tuesday during school and they would like a parent to represent each child. They will then be knighted or dubbed a lady of the court. They are learning a dance, memorizing a poem and must wear a shirt/tie or dress.

I think we're getting a bit carried away with ths medieval times study.

Bon Jovi is back...

I was at work on Halloween night (from 11-7) and the crazies were spilling in one right after another. So a lady who I have already checked in to our psych ward 3 times comes through again...gotta love the frequent fliers...and once again she answers my favorite question with my favorite answer.

Me: Is there someone you want me to contact and let them know you'll be staying with us?

Her: Yes, Bon Jovi as usual please. He'll wonder what happened to me otherwise.

Should I ever end up in the hospital I think I'll have them call Matt Damon.

Accountability.

I am posting here because I need to be held accountable to more than just Todd.

I am like the Kool-Aid mom at Christmas (not Martha Stuart like some people I know) that does the cookies and the candies and the pies and the class parties and the adult parties and the egg nog and the go, go, go that leads to fast food - and I cannot gain another pound - or they will ask me to play the jolly old fellow himself!

So...I need a goal, I am a goal oriented person. So the first week of Dec I am running a 5K and my goal is 28 minutes...a little under 10 minutes per mile. There is one at the Spa on Dec 8th and one at the zoo on the 5th...have not decided which. It depends which one I can talk a friend into doing with me.

If you are in the Tampa Bay area or will be visiting then and are interested let me know, looking for a running buddy!

Accountability. Yep now I wrote it, posted it and people know I am doing it so I can't back out. So thanks for your help :-)

Hear Ye, Hear Ye...

Get our your calendars people this is important stuff. I lied, Christmas does NOT begin with black Friday it begins next week, next Thursday to be specific.

Why?

Because the red cups, gingerbread latte and peppermint lattes all return to Starbucks. So if you need me next Thursday morning, you know where to find me!