Friday Daydreamin':

Yay!! It's Friday! And this momma is ready to Daydream!! LInk up your favorite vacation photos with R We There Yet Mom's Friday Daydreamin'!!

While in NYC 2 weeks ago, we had the opportunity to visit the 9/11 Memorial, one week after it opened.  It was incredibly breathtaking.  It was moving.  It was hopeful & optimistic.

The 2 footprints of the buildings are encased with these beautiful tributes - every person who perished that day is inscribed on them.

I doubted myself, adding this picture to my "daydream", yet I was so incredibly proud after I left the site, that I wanted to share that with all of you.  As sad as it is to be at the site where all of these incredibly brave men & women were lost, you can't help but feel proud of this incredible tribute to them.  It is a reminder that we should never forget what happened on that day in September, 10 years ago.  

Join the linky party - post your favorite vacation pictures for everyone to see and link up.  Then grab a cup of coffee and start day dreamin away!

10 Things to Smile About in September

Last month, I participated in Emmymom's Ten Things to Smile About and loved the forum it gave us to reflect on the past month.  I had a hard time in August narrowing down my list to 10 and the same happened this month.  Yet another reminder of how very blessed I am to have so many wonderful things to smile about in one month!

My Top 10 Things To Smile About in September:

1. Soccer!  It has begun!!
This year Sis is playing on a Select team
which means more practices and more travel but we love it.......

2. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks.....
Remember my hubby's obsession with Liverpool football?
 I thought I had scored by finding these haught Liverpool kicks.
no.

 3. Moscow Mules with my sweet cousin
This yummy drink that hubby & I discovered last Spring was a top fav at the hotel bar in NYC.
Now the drink isn't what makes me smile...it's the company!

 4. Hello! Broadway!!!
Love me some Musicals - we saw 2 while in NYC this month.
BOM is pretty controversial, but I have never laughed so hard at a show before......

 5. Hello Mr. Lowe!
Guess who was watching the Book of Mormon with us?
AND happened to brush my shoulder?
AND winked at me when I asked to take his pic???
Wouldn't that make YOU smile??

 6. Why did we got to NYC?  To say farewell!
One highlight of our trip was to attend a charity event for the ending of a legendary soap opera, All My Children.  There is so much to tell about this event - it will come in a few days.
In the meantime, meeting this sweet actress in person made me smile (10 points for whoever knows her!)
Aww, who am I kidding....it was all the CRAZIES at this event that made me smile (more to come)

7. Shit my Mom Said...
These 2 sisters (my Mom &my Aunt) make me smile.
After spend ing 5 days in NYC with them, I have  a book to write about all the crazy things they did or said (again, more to come)!!

8. Love me some trains momma!
We put a patio in (finally) and my little man is so happy to sit and watch the trains go by behind our house.  They are not constant, but on this particular day, we had a few - so he was out there soaking it up, waving away at the engineers, and even got a few bells & horns back!
Whoo-Whoo!! 

 9. Yes, I do let them write on the walls.
While painting Brody's room, I had to paint over this little gem he scribed a few years ago.....
made me smile....

10. Italian food.
Good Italian food from Little Italy.
Twice in one weekend.
Yum!

Despite the crazy, busy pace of September, it was a fantastic month! And I love looking back at all the little things that made me smile!

The Obsession Begins....

Bubba & I had a Mom and Me outing last week.  

We saw that big, blue train.  You know - that guy called Thomas that every kid is obsessed with??

Bubba's older brother was obsessed with it too.  And back in 2006, we took him & Sissy to meet Thomas.

Bubba is a little younger than his Sis & Brother were, but he was still excited none the  less to get to ride on Thomas.

He waited patiently in line to board the train.  Sat down in his seat and immediately peered out the window!  It was as if he knew what was going on all along.

ugh.

Isn't it enough to make your heart melt?

He was so excited to watch the world move by at such a fast pace.

Ironically, so were his sister & brother when they rode on Thomas too!

It was so great to see him take it all in.  I just want to know what's going on in that tiny little head.



After the ride, we "met" Thomas and took some great pictures.  We also saw Sir Topham Hat, colored some pictures, and played with trains.


The weather was beautiful, there was a breeze to the air.  For the most part, Bubba loved every minute of it.  It was such a fun, fun day.

And when we got home, he immediately drug out all the trains (thankfully, Brody was not ready to get rid of them before Bubba came along).

Now I just have to convince Brody that using a Thomas shower curtain in the bathroom that you share with your 2 year old brother isn't that bad.....

right???

Talk To Us Tuesday: Quack

I'm tired.

It's all the swimming I'm doing to keep afloat.  Ya know the old description of a duck that paddles furiously underwater to keep everything on top looking smooth and calm?

That's me lately.

and I'm tired.

And what better forum to complain share how I am feeling that a Talk To Us Tuesday with my sweet friends, Shawn & Impulsive??

For the past few weeks, I have been so so busy.  PTA committees, communications, and meetings keep me busy.  Starting a new business with Thirty-One keeps me busy.  Attempting to generate traffic to my other blog keeps me busy (and that is HARD y'all! You have to LIVE on the Twitter to keep up).  Redecorating 3 kids rooms keeps me busy.  Having dinner on the table each night by 5 keeps me busy.  Girl Scouts fall products.  Cub Scouts popcorn.  Running.  Bloggin here for fun.  Where does my family fit in?

I create the above busyness.  I recognize that.  I volunteered to be the PTA President.  I decided to become a consultant for Thirty-One.  To maintain 4 blogs.  To decorate those rooms.

I keep telling myself that "as soon as I catch up",  I'll feel better.  But I never really feel like I can catch up. My to-do list gets longer each week.

I was analyzing it this week.  As a SAHM, why don't I relax a little?  Play with Bubba.  Peruse all my cookbooks, lovingly thinking of what amazing meals I can make my family. Watch some tv.

Because I can't.  It is not in my make-up.   I don't feel productive unless I can look back on my day and say, that I accomplished XYZ.  Argh!  Who made my "make-up" anyway?

The problem is, the pace I am running life at leaves me with very little time to spend with my family.  No playtime with Bubba.  No laughing time with Sis after school.  No talks with Brody about chameleons and water towers.

This weekend, while painting his room, Brody hung around and we had a good talk.  I told him how much I enjoyed it and I'm sorry we don't talk more.  He said, "that's ok - I know you are super busy on your computer." GULP

yeah.  stellar mom moment for me.

So, confession is off my chest.  now what?  Do I give something up or learn to prioritize better?

This past week, I took a break from the twitter, the face book, and my beloved blogs.  Did I feel more relaxed?  not really - I just found different things to fill my time with.   So I can't say that not blogging is a solution.  I enjoy it too much.

I really feel that I need to start my to-do lists with more important "time-fillers", like these:

Take Bubba to the Park

Play Wii with Brody

Read with Sis

Read to Bubba

Have a date with my hubby (huh? what's that?)

Swing with Brody

Take Sis to the library

Cause those are the important ways to spend my time.  Folding laundry, cleaning house, editing pictures, hanging out on the twitter, and blogging (yes, my beloved blogging) can all wait. 

My family can't.  

Happy Friday Y'all!  I am in the Big Apple right now - having a wonderful girls weekend......

BUT.  That doesn't stop me from posting my Favorite vacation pic of the week.  See, I'm cool like that - don't want to desert R We There Yet Mom's favorite Friday Linky party!!  (plus, scheduling posts is easy-peasy!!)

So, while I'm in New York, I will be dreamin' about my favorite time of year there....Christmas!!

I have been privileged enough to take 3 very fun trips to NYC during the Christmas Season.  I love the city all dressed up in lights, Christmas Cheer, and snow!! We have seen the Rockette's fun show (a few times), looked at all the amazing Christmas windows, and even shopped at Macy's!!

It is the BEST time to go to New York - everyone is filled with Christmas Cheer!! 

Join up for Friday Daydreamin' and tell us about your favorite vacation picture.  It's the easiest post you'll ever do on a Friday!!  Help make this meme a success!!!

On My Way....

I'm going here today:

 and it has something to do with this:

any guesses??

follow me on the twitter to hear all about it......

Happy Birthday Matthew!!

Today begins my honey's last year in the 30's.  I have been privileged enough to have know this wonderful man for 17 of those 39.  He has brought me so much joy in my life.  I honestly couldn't image life without him.

I love him for so many different reasons....so many different ways.  He warms my heart every time I think about  him...

 coaching his girl....

 encouraging me to train & run a half-marathon...

 fitting right in with my family...

 overwhelmed with our kids' madness...

 playing along with the funny Christmas present from my Grandparents....

this was a joke, right?

 loving his pizza....

 hamming it up (and making fun of me) with his sister....

 dancing along with "Just Dance"....

the one and only time!

 helping Sis with her Science Fair Experiments...

 or taking her to a dance...

 hiking with the kids...

 teaching Brody how to shoot...

 crossing one off his 'bucket list'...

at the Master's!!

 wearing dorky ear ware to help his son 'find a gator'...

digging in the sand with the kids...

 or racing with them...

 walking his mom down the aisle....

(tearjerker)

 being a part of an incredible family....

Can you see him being the life of the party?

or just playing around with his kids in the pool....

 he's my hot hubby...

 and we are so blessed to have him!

Happy Birthday Matt!!

My Girl Wants A Cell Phone!

This post brought to you by TracFone. All opinions are 100% mine.

My little girl is growing up.  And as much as I have fought it, she wants a cell phone.  "Everyone in my grade practically has one but me!"  gasp. I know....

Who am I kidding?  Every kid in America is growing up with a cell phone in their hand.  She already knows how to use mine, sometimes better than I do!  As she gets busier and more involved, it becomes easier to keep in touch with us if she has one.  

I have spent a few weeks researching what options are out there for kids.  I want reliability, but most importantly, affordability too.  Matt & I both have smart phones, but I just don't think my child needs to have a $300 phone in her hand with complete access to the internet.  So we picked out this simple phone with So many features that she loves, like these:

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TracFone is the perfect option! TracFone is the least expensive way to own a cell phone these days.

Sissy picked out a simple phone "perfect for texting" and I picked out a GREAT plan - one that doesn't lock me into a contract.  I can pay as I go or sign up for a low cost monthly plan.  There are no activation fees or cancelation fees.  

TracFone seems to be the best option to start my young one out - I can limit the amount of time she gets to talk or text each month.  She doesn't need to have unlimited access, so a low minutes plan that I can pay as I go is perfect. 

Take a look at these Real TracFone customers:

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Gosh, now that she has a cell phone, what's next?  Dropping her off at the mall?  A Driver's License?  College??? Let's hope they are all as easy as buying a cell phone was! 

2 on Tuesday: Island Time

Whew- 2 posts in one day? That is asking a lot.  But another friend, Miss Andrea of My Chihuahua Bites hosts a quick a fun question every Tuesday and I like to play along.
This week, on 2 on Tuesday, Andrea asked us, "If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 2 items would you bring with you?"
It would be very hard to just pick 2.  BUT.  I play by the rules (Calling you out Andrea & IA!!).  So I am going to assume that I wasn't "accidently" stranded.  That I possibly "planned" the whole thing.  Did you happen to read my previous post on Talk to us Tuesday about my 2 year old driving me mad????
So when I get "dropped" off, I will have 2 things in hand with me:
My Kindle.  And it's fully loaded with all the books I have been wanting to read but have not have time to do so (remember, I planned this desertion.....)

An endless supply of my Skinny Margarita.  The one I make myself....not filled with nasty preservatives.   YUM.

Oh any on my deserted island, there will already be an amazing cabana with a pillow-top lounge chair, a fan, and a cabana boy to make me my margaritas.
That's not asking too much, right?