Prescription for Quiet

I don't like to use OMGosh, so I won't ...but what a couple days we've had!

On Friday, we were going in all directions.  I had an appointment at the new Premier Dermatology and spa (ahh-mazing decor..very beachy with silver!) for some treatment (we already had the talk, so I won't go there.  Second verse, same as the first!), and I got a new piece of furniture delivered!  Just beautiful.  I'll try to take a picture. ; )  It's the one I showed you a picture of back in early June I think?  Love it.  Very big though..I totally visualized inaccurately!  And now?  I need other new furniture..it's a cascading effect. : )


This weekend in Missouri and Arkansas it's Tax-Free Weekend on school supplies, clothes, and computers.  I was really going to skip out, but yesterday around noon...I decided I really should take advantage. ; )  A girl can't miss a sale.  We loaded up in the van, and went to Branson!  It's only a couple hours away, and it gave the stores a chance to thin out (along with the sizes..but that's another story).  Ches and the boys went to the movies, and Mary Claire and I went to shop!  We went so quickly through the stores.  (and I called my sweet friend, Dina, and we got to see her too!)  We got some new clothes for the kids, some shoes, and me a jacket (super cute with a neck ruffle..you'd have to see it!)

I've been so worn out-can't imagine why-and now I've lost my voice.  I was supposed to teach Children's Liturgy in church, but I had to tell the priest I couldn't talk. (and I couldn't talk to tell him.  Irony.)  I was really hoping to trade days with someone, but no one emailed me back! : (  I guess three hours before is not enough.  I wish I'd known yesterday that my voice was about to vanish.  The hardest?  Not being able to freak out when Ethan was using his bean-y napkin to wipe his face, to be able to talk at lunch, or explain things.  Apparently I talk a l-o-t...I'm really missing it!

And the next worst thing?  I went to the store to buy some Advil Cold and Sinus (since it clears up drainage after you forgot your Zyrtec for a few days..), and Get This.  You can't buy it without a prescription now!  That Sux.  I hate that we have all these meth makers that have ruined everyday life for the rest of us.  Now it requires a trip to your doctor, an extra copay, and my valuable time.  Pfffftth.

Glad I can type about it since I can't rail on about it aloud!!  Haha!

Vera Bradley Winner!

And the winner is...AMY! : )  Congratulations, Amy from Three-Thirty-Three!

You have won the Vera Bradley Clip Zip ID in Imperial Toile! : )  Woohoo!

Would you like the Leaf one or the Floral one?  Your choice.  The other side is a clear pocket for ID or business card. : )  Hope you enjoy!

I don't have much to write...I'm home, tired, and stayed busy today.  I had laundry, Clay had a doctor's appointment, we restocked with groceries, the kids swam, and I got a nap.  I'm getting ready for a blog facelift (I've been on the waiting list..), so I'm excited.  I know they will do a great job! : )

Feeding the Mouth Parts

L-o-n-g driving day..or it seemed that way! : )

We drove from Pigeon Forge to Memphis, Tennessee.  We stayed last night in Germantown-on the Tennessee side.  It's a beautiful little city (and has shopping, heehee!).  I swear my husband is trying to get in good with me.

Yesterday morning (in Pigeon Forge), we were in Outlet Land (even Champion and Under Armour-we don't have those at home!) (and since we lost our Nautica-I went there too!).  Anyway-I discovered the kids were out of clothes, as in..they'd worn them all.  Unless they were going to wear their beach cover up shirts (with choice of red Arkansas or red Phillies), and I'd have to do laundry.

He said we should buy them some clothes. : )  This is always good, but I'm a sale girl.  I have coupons for my coupons-I plan with online discounts (this coming weekend is Sales Tax Free!), and it's a total game for me.  I got my coupon book (since I'm a lifetime member), and went in the first store.  I didn't want to do big shopping since our van had NO extra room, and our driver insists on a clear back window. : )  You usually have to spend at least $75 to get the first level of discount (other than store rewards), so I didn't do as well as I'd liked.  I did score $25 in Gymbucks though! : )

We just love the lobster tank : )

Check out those tail flippers!

..and he had a little claw broken off one of his smaller legs.

We also played around at Red Lobster with the very black and blue lobsters.  We examined their mouth parts, claws, little secondary claws, touched their eyes (I promise we disinfected!), and did you know they have bristles like a whale and teeth-they appear to have three mouth parts! (not googling..still tired!) They also have to be "burped" before they go back in the water!  Apparently the air in their tummies can kill them.  You hold up their big claws, kinda shake them up and down (and they flail and splash water a-l-l over you!), then you drop them back in.  And..he didn't die.  (He crawled to the window to give us the evil eye us for having him out so long!)

Anyway, I continued and we got the kids some tennis shoes, and the boys some shirts.  By lunchtime (we couldn't have been there more than an hour...maybe an hour and a half?), we left and ate in the car to make up the time.

..We've had this awful trouble with Mary Claire's blood sugar for the past two days.  I'd already set her basal up to 200% of normal, and was checking and correcting every hour, but we weren't getting anywhere.  We are talking units of insulin at a time..not tenths of units.  I was starting to get panicky.  I'd just changed her site the day before, so I was assuming it was good?  But yesterday, somewhere along Interstate 40, I changed her again.  I was so worried-it was my last full insulin pen.  It had to work, or I was going to get desperate.

I am also down to my last alcohol pads.  I don't count when I pack for a trip-I just pack them in her supplies case as tightly as I can.  But we've never been gone this long!  I know I can buy some, so that's not scary.  It's her site I want to hold on.  I do have one more set for changing her site, thank goodness.  I'd have to use the bottoms of some insulin pens or reuse a cartridge though!  (Goes without saying..no hotel swimming till we get home!)

Today is our drive home.  We are going to the Pottery Barn and William Sonoma outlets (the originals!) in Memphis before we hit the road.  They always have some amazing deals I can't live without.  (Last time they had the pink and lavender chenille raised dot drapes for $14!) (I didn't get them..but want them now!)

I think we have five hours of drive time?  I never remember.  It will turn into seven or eight with all our bathroom and snack breaks.  I know, I know..they cause each other-it's a vicious cycle.  But when your child cries for a drink, you can't resist. : (

I have to tell you..I'm SO excited to be going home!  I miss my house, with room for us to all move around.  Rooms and beds for everyone.  My own laundry room.  (I know, weird, just go with it!)  ahh..home.  I'll have to remember how to cook!  Ok...we should plan to get home after dinner so I don't have to turn old food into a miracle in under an hour!

Hey there, it's Yogi Bear!

First things first!  I got all the pictures from DC “scrapbooked” on My Digital Studio!  I didn’t quite get them the way Amy had them, but I gave up-it was too hard to get the different sizes to fit together like puzzle pieces!  I have already scrapped most of the trip/pictures as we’ve been driving.  What else would I do as we drive? : )  Here are the DC (quickly put together!) pages:

Second...what a gorgeous drive today!  We left DC, and traveled down Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway towards Tennessee.  We took the scenic route..and paid fifteen dollars for it..I had no idea!  It is a national park (Shenandoah), so there is maintenance I guess.  I will say the roads were perfect, some newly paved.  And the views?  Amazing is not adequate!

I also learned a little about mountains. : )  When you stand near the top of Skyline Drive, you can see two mountain ridges-both part of the Appalachian Mountains.  To the west you can see the long, straight, parallel ridges of Massanutten Mountain.  To the south you see the ragged, jumbled Blue Ridge Mountains.  The geologic origins create the contrast!  The mountains of Shenandoah National Park contain some of North America’s oldest rock formations-and are home to more plant species that ALL of Europe, including 100 tree and more than 900 wildflower species!

Blue Ridge Mountains

Massanutten Mountain

**Ok, after a little research..I found out that the Massanutten Mountain is made of rock layers (think piled up deck of cards or wrinkled throw rug) that are folded downward in a “U” shape (called a syncline), which accounts for it’s double ridge shape.  And ..the ridges are capped with sandstone, which is resistant to weathering and erosion.  So they aren’t likely to weather anytime soon.  (csmres.jmu.edu/geollab).  So, they stay relatively flat, unlike the Blue Ridge Mountains which are older (the oldest mountains in the world!), and have been weathered much longer by the constant wind blowing across the exposed ridgetops, torrents of rain, freezing and thawing water in crevices, and chemical decomposition to reduce them from Sierra size (up to 14, 000 ft) to their current low profile (at an average of 3-4000 feet).  (from virtualblueridge.com)**  You are SO welcome for your geology lesson for today. : )

..We always rent Redbox movies while we are traveling.  It makes for a super-pleasant car ride!  Today, the kids were watching Yogi Bear (you’ll remember I didn’t love this movie) while we drove through the parkway and through Virginia.  It seemed campy/woodsy and apropos.  Well..guess what we drove by?  Jellystone National Park!  Seriously.  I couldn’t make this up.  The kids had asked me a few miles back if Jellystone was a real place-and I said, “No-it’s just a pretend park similar to Yellowstone National Park.”  Eating.  My.  Words.  Haha!  There are apparently lots of Jellystone National Parks (yes, we stopped to get more info and shop the store, which had CLeaN bathrooms!).  They are campsites plus pool, waterslides, parks, etc.  Very  nice!

I even got Mary Claire a patch for her brownie vest with Cindy Bear on it!  It seemed kinda scouty there. : )

I must give out a Cleanest Rest Stop Restroom Award.  We visited it today.  I’m never impressed with a rest stop (it’s usually only used in desperation!), but today-Bathroom Nirvana! : )   First, it was clean.  No tp on the floor, the trash can was recently emptied. There was no bad smell.  It had a clean window with bright light.  The stalls were white and clean (free of graffiti!).  The floor was clean, mirrors clean, toilets clean.  (I wouldn’t be surprised if it only opened a few days ago.)  Congratulations, Virginia Rest Area Mile 158 South on Interstate 81!  You deserve kudos!  I must contact Virginia now.

*PS-Yes, we come to Washington, DC, and single-handedly impacted our country.  The budget crisis is averted (debt ceiling raised)-we only had to be here for the weekend to impress our strong dissatisfaction with the unmeeting of the minds.  Now for it to pass congress.  You are welcome (I think..).

**Don’t forget to register for the contest!  Up for grabs: a Vera Bradley (Imperial Toile) Clip Zip ID Tag!  You have your choice of the two prints I picked up : )  Leave a comment with your name before Wednesday, August 3 at midnight! : )  (..it's not letting me add a picture!  I'm having internet trouble, so I'll try again tomorrow..I'm sleepy!  They are both chocolate brown with ivory, one is leaves, one is floral!)