Today I’m getting ready to embark on yet another road trip with the children.

This means that I have approximately 8 million things to do between now and then.

Because, as every mother knows, vacations are not calm or relaxing when you’re the boss.

I mean, before you can even START to think about what to do when you get there, you have to make sure that people have enough underwear, which invariably leads to no less than three loads of laundry.

And then once you have all the clothes and toiletries packed for the kids, and maybe even the husband, then you have to remember if you even have a swimsuit that you can maybe try to squeeze into.

Of course, we have to think about food. How long will you be in the car before you arrive at your destination? Are there rest stops along that way? If I leave at 2 in the morning, do I think people will sleep in the car? And where am I going to put all the snacks so that I can reach them and so that they can’t get into them in a 3 foot space?

And you always have to plan on at least one person throwing up… because if you DON’T plan on it, and you foolishly assume that everyone is big enough to tell you when they’re going to be sick, so that you can pull off the road and throw them out of the car to do their business, well, that’s the equivalent to kicking karma in the face. I mean, if you want your options to be either to drive through the desert with the windows down in the dead of summer, or to keep the windows up and the cool air in and smell the putrid contents of your child’s stomach for the next 2 days, then FINE, don’t plan on the vomit.

(totally your call there.)

And that up there? That doesn’t even begin to cover what you’re supposed to DO with your kids as you pound back one caffeinated beverage after another in the hopes that you will stay awake and alert the whole drive while simultaneously refereeing “I Spy” and answering the question “Are we there yet?” for the 87th time that hour in a calm and collected manner.

*I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I can*

I totally heart vacation guys.

 

At my mom’s house, in the hall between the kitchen and the living room, you will find Shoe Alley.

The reasoning is simple. Put your shoes in the right spot, and you’ll never lose them.

We lose shoes daily.

Actually, Daniel loses his shoes daily.

In fact, once, a few weeks ago, a left sandal was so lost, that I bought a pair of replacement sandals. Same size, style, and color.

Less than 24 hours later, the left sandal was found…  we now have 2 pairs of the exact same shoe.

Speaking of Daniel and his penchant for losing things, I finally replaced the missing Baby Chum-Chum.

What is a Baby Chum-Chum you wonder?

 

 

Oh nothing, just the little blue fellow that we sleep with every night, bring with us on the trampoline, and share our chair with at dinner.

We were quite miserable until I figured out exactly what Baby Chum-Chum’s real name was, where he was born, and if he had an identical twin brother. (ChungKee from Skelanimals in Blue… I heart you e-bay)

Just the same, if any of you find the original Baby Chum-Chum in your house, please let us know, because as I mentioned before, we have a penchant for losing things. 

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Don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a $50 Shopping Spree! 

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Some companies just LOVE bloggers, and CSN Stores is exactly that kind of company. Obviously, since they love us so much, they want to give YOU a chance to win $50 to any of their 200+ online stores.


CSN Stores has every thing you could imagine. From platform beds, to kitchen gadgets, and baby essentials, to handbags, CSN Stores has what you're looking for. (Seriously. I wanted a picnic table for my kids, I got it from them.)

1. Leave a comment on this post. 
2. Go to the CSN website, look around, then come back and tell me what your heart most desires (from them... not in general... unless you want to tell me your hearts sincerest desire... even though that's kinda weird... whatever, it's your entry.) 
3. Follow my blog. If you already follow me, you still get an entry, just leave a comment telling me you follow me. 
4. Submit it to whatever social media thing it is you do. Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon, etc. Then leave another comment. 

In the beginning, we thought it was food poisoning.

But when the people that live in this house started going down like flies, more than 24 hours after the dinner in question, we realized that we had a nasty case of the 24-hour flu.

People, I have not had the flu for at least 5 years, and I completely forgot how much it takes out of you.

The worst is over, and we have finally stopped expelling things from our bodies, and have moved on to the residual muscle ache part of things.

From this I have garnered two absolute truths:

1. Bras are seriously overrated
2. As is breathing

Luckily, mass consumption of Advil seems to dull the ache that is caused by inhaling and exhaling…

 

 

In other news, tomorrow is Girls Night Out! with me at Nielsen’s Frozen Custard, 6-9 pm. Be there. (just don’t hug me…. not because I’m contagious or anything… I’m just not a fan of touching other people…PERSONAL SPACE PEOPLE… I have issues.)

This morning, I was woken when my dad came into my room, tossed Taylor on my bed, and said, “Get dressed. The police are coming.”

APPARENTLY

Taylor tried to follow Meredith (the original) to work this morning, and instead ended up standing outside, in the middle of the road, all by herself, before anyone else in the house was even awake. My dad noticed her silky by the garage door, saw that the door was unlocked, and started looking for her in the house. When he couldn’t find her inside, he headed out, and found Taylor standing near a very nice woman, who had called the police.

All before 6 am.

Taylor knew she was busted, and wouldn’t look at the policemen, even when they tried to give her a sticker.

The boys were more than impressed, so we did the only thing we could think of….
 

And took a picture. 

The rest of the morning has been spent fortifying the outside doors with locks and chains.

I go back and forth and back and forth between my decision to put up any sort of follower gadget on my blog. Every now and then, I'll put it up for an hour or two, then be annoyed that it's there, and take it down.