From Cows to Tides

We’re on our way now. We are driving to Branson. Not only did I not make it to Bible study, we barely made it out of the house by 11! We rushed around doing all the last minute things that come with travel. It’s interesting that the minute you are driving away from the house, your mind begins a mental checklist that somehow doesn’t work while you are scatterbrained and rushing. It’s an odd process. I wish we could “practice” driving away the day before, just to get it right.

List of things we went back for (and set off the alarm in the process):
Ethan’s blankie (Kiki) and pillow
Ethan back-up pacifiers (Didi)
New crayons (3 boxes)
More baby wipes
Pull-ups for nights/naps
Mary Claire’s bow for today
Ches and Ethan’s bike helmets (for riding at the beach)

Our current list of forgotten items:
Sippy cup for Ethan
The monogrammed cup I was making for Rita! (Arghhh! at myself, Ches politely *zipped* his lips and refrained from judgment, as I do enough to myself for both of us)

I grabbed all the stuff to take, and was busy packing my (mighty cute floral/green gingham with leather handles that my mom got me a few birthdays ago) behemoth carry-on for the first 30 minutes of our car ride. We just ran out of time. I bought fun snacks for the plane, brought the kids’ new toys, crayons, coloring books, play-doh, new card games, and now there isn’t much room in there for good stuff like my cutesy iPod, my backup sunglasses and watch, and new summery Southern Living!

We’re getting closer to the new airport we are trying out-Branson, Missouri. I’ll let you know how it ranks. I’m hoping well. We are really counting on a good lunch there before we take off. There’s a Dave’s BBQ there, and it’s our plan. Ches is still on edge (as usual on any trip). He obsesses about the car ride (#1 reason I’m really glad we are flying-44 hours of driving within 2.5 weeks is not my idea of vacation), about making it to the airport, about the weather for flying, about making it to our gate, whether the flight will leave on time, about us making our connection, about us getting our luggage, and the traffic when we get there. I think he must’ve missed a few too many planes in his lifetime (although I do remember the time our flight got cancelled from LA to Atlanta, the time we got returned to Atlanta when Clay was a baby and the runway lights at XNA weren’t working, the time his flight from Atlanta to XNA was cancelled due to ice…) I guess I’ll zip my lips on this one.

Too Much Info About My Tanning Philosophy:
I have a theory. When you are tanning, are you going for an awesome no-lines tan, or do you want a realistic tan? I go for realistic. I wear a swimsuit, and vary them each time. If I wear one swimsuit to tan, and then another to swim, I’ll have really bad tan lines, and get a burn on my unexposed flesh (geez, what I’m trying to prevent!). So, I rotate. It might mean there are light areas, strap marks, but I like it. When you can see the light spots, you can tell I have a tan.

Other bit of info: It totally dries your skin out!! Don’t forget to moisturize! : )

I’m SO sad about the sippy cup. I’ll have to get a new one, and it won’t be all cute and monogrammed. Sadness at uncuteness. : ( But you’d be proud of my growth: his paci clips totally won’t match his clothes! I was in a hurry!

Ok, more TMI:
We turned left onto Hwy. 65 (behind a cow trailer), and then the road narrowed (due to lovely construction), and we were trapped behind him, and the cows were literally scared shitless. The back one got squished to the back rail by all the other cows, and he started pottying (try to spell that one) all out the back, and it was dripping/splashing onto the front of my van! There can’t be a grosser thing to be behind! I was waving and yelling for Ches to get over, and there was nowhere to go, so then I had to yell to back up! He continued the pee/poop repeatedly every time the driver gassed it. All I can say is Watch Out for Cow Trailers. Can you even imagine what the front of my car will be like after a week of baking in the sun? (Since Of Course we can’t go by the carwash on the way to the airport.)

An Update! ...
We are here now! We flew into ACY (Atlantic City, NJ). We've ordered pizza, eaten, and we are now trying to get the kids to go to sleep. We know (due to too much experience) that it's always hard the first night. We'll make it. We've talked to Rita, and we are meeting them at Ocean City tomorrow for a day of swimming (weather permitting!) and dinner at her beach house at 6. A great day ahead! Say a prayer for weather, safety (as tides are high, :but I'm holding on, I wanna be your number one: ... entire lyrics here to drive you crazy for the next two days!), and that Ethan will either get a nap, or be okay without one.

ps-I've seen no cow trailers in New Jersey.

We miss you already! : ) Behave yourselves.

Helpers Shall Be Bribed (Unofficially)

Enough groceries to feed an army (well, a small one). I got to grocery shop-AlOnE! heehee : ) It was so fun, but surprisingly, took just as long as it takes with three small kids attached to the cart. Hmm.. how did that happen?

I'm now thinking JDRF. Not panicking, just HaVe to get working on my letter to send out. I have to finish the t-shirt design (or be able to tell the designer what to do), reserve a time slot the week before for printing, and umm.. I'll be gone till the week after next. So, time's a wastin'. Why, oh why, haven't I had any volunteers for the shirt design? Some help would be awesome! : ) Hint, hint. Shall I pay for ideas? Host a design contest?
Ps-Mom, I need the letter you wrote! Can you type it, and email a copy? Pretty Please?
Would anyone like to make mailing labels, fold letters, stuff envelopes, or HeLp in general? I Love helpers! : ) And most of all, can you WALK with us?? Register by following the link at the upper right corner of this blog (just click on the words Register To Walk With Us!). We need all the people we can get at Mary Claire's annual Great-Day(only day it's fun?)-to-Have-Diabetes-Party!

I have started preparing for the trip: snacks for the plane rides, toys, coloring books, and cards for the trip, new books, working on planning clothes, new swimmy floaties (inner tubes/rings), sand toys, cameras, etc. Everyone is getting excited, so I need to get packing! I have Bunco the Tuesday night before and Bible study the morning of (if I'm not horribly behind by then!), so Early Packing would pay huge dividends.

New News: You can buy CoFFiNs online. Here. For only $1199. Just FYI.

Newer News: Tanning not so bad *thanks for the link, Mom!* Avoiding sunlight exposure can be just as bad (causes vitamin D insufficiency, and may cause breast and prostate cancer, or TYPE I DIABETES)! Ok, so he doesn't promote tanning, per se, but he does think you need sun. So my naps in the afternoon? Not helping my cancer risk, so I'm upping my every other day-ish needs for sunlight. Real or Recreated.

Newest News: Walter Cronkite has passed away. One of the most trusted television newscasters. He's in my top lineup with Peter Jennings and Dan Rather. I remember him from childhood. And we didn't watch tons of news. May he rest in peace, and may his name be remembered fondly. And that's the way it is.

Are babies contagious?

Confessions continue. Clay has requested to go to confession a couple of times. We say we'll take him, then totally forget! Well, he told Ches of his big thing, and Clay feels an ounce better, but we still keep forgetting to take him! I know it's important to him and I have to make it a priority. Now, he's just come in to 'fess up again. He (in his teary, strained voice) just told me the Breathe Right strips don't really help him breathe better. They did the first night, but not anymore. So (since I'm a little busy/preoccupied), I asked if he was even wearing them all night (yes). He wanted to know what he could try next (like I know) (besides a little Benadryl nightcap). When I didn't have a new answer, he took off, all cleansed of "sin".

Clay wants a response to a note he wrote me a couple days ago (remember the scotch tape?). He really had written me, and wanted to know if he could have his Lionel (both birthday and Christmas) train early!!! Please? he wrote and drew a picture of a boy with Bambi-eyes. I'll post the pix of the note, it makes me laugh. He wanted me NOT to respond, but to write a response. He was very specific. I guess hoping I'd think on it longer than to just say, "No!"

Laundry is calling my name again. I'm playing Hide-and-Seek. If it doesn't find me, I don't have to play!

And just ask if in the crazy of my non-voice if I've had time to call Medtronic. So, that cute little bill is calling me too. I have half a voice today (rejoice!), so maybe I can call tomorrow. I keep forgetting until after their business hours!

So, today I've few moments to catch up with a great friend, Bible Study with all the pregnant girls and two moms with new babies (is it in the water?), and a wonderful afternoon sewing with Kendra! : ) I got so much done! I finished the pants for the first flower dress. They have three words (Mary Claire chose): flowers, polka dots, and unicorns written on them. Then I added a polka dot fabric ruffle to the bottom of the legs, and a big 3D flower to the back of one leg. It turned out better than I thought it would! I have the Paris ones to complete. I made them out of size 7 jeans, so I ReAlLy hope she can wear them till spring! I'd hate for all that work to be for naught.

So, I went back to my doctor, and got an antibiotic. He scolded me for the sunburn on my back (since I tanned last night for like, 11 minutes-which I'll explain in a minute). I told him we could not talk about it (for One, he shouldn't have been looking, for Two, it's none of his beeswax). Hopefully, the cocktail of meds will begin to work their magic, and I'll be shouting with the best of 'em!

Ok, so I tanned. Confession? maybe. It was wonderful, those few minutes alone in the sun with my iPod. Ahh, like the good ol' days. I dropped Ches and the kids at the park nearby, then headed for the (artificial) sun. I reviewed my account, the advantages of lotions (and which ones..), then headed off to grab some rays. I lotioned up with my brozer with tingle (forgot to wipe between my fingers), and pushed the button to start it up! Laid down, and. Forgot. the. fancy. goggle/glasses. I peeked my head out the door, and looked for Nice Helpful Girl. Nowhere to be seen. I called for her (missing my sunshine!), and nothing. I grabbed the towel, ran for the counter, and swooped some goggles, and ran back in to my room (2nd door away!). Thank sweet Jesus (really.) that no one was anywhere to be seen (or better yet, to see me!). I wasn't all Bare, but still. Embarrassing. Oh the things you forget. Anyway, we reviewed when I came out. I'd forgotten to wipe out between my fingers (see above), and now I had brown cobwebs between my fingers. Very uncool. She said to rub them with my towel after I took a shower. Yeah, that didn't work. So, I learned a lesson. The hard way. You can bet it won't happen again! : )

Poll:
I'm making dinner for a family that just had a baby (rejoice! Another!), and I love Potato and Corn Chowder. I found tons of recipes for Summer Corn Chowder (using the In Season Corn along with red bell peppers). What do you think? We do live in modern housing with air-conditioning, but is it too hot for a yummy comfort soup (for a new-again mom)? Recommendations? Come around to my way of thinking? Indulge me? Convince me?

*If you read this blog, and do NoT reply, you may consider yourself fined $5 payable to JDRF in the next 24 hours. : ) Thanks and leave some great comments! : )