Awww....to be a man!

Here I come beach!!!!

Wow!  I had forgotten how much work it is to go on vacation!  At least it is if you are a woman!!!!  For a woman....her list is something like this:  Do laundry, do shopping, clean house, do yard work, water plants, make sure pets are taken care of, make sure house/pet sitter is taken care of, pack....and I'm leaving off a lot of little items that have to be taken care of as well.  Now for a man.....his list is something like this.....throw clothes on bed for wife to pack, fill car or truck up with gas, go to bed early.  And when you return from vacation, a woman's list is something like this.....help unload car or truck, unpack, do laundry, do shopping, clean house, do yard work, water plants, make sure pets are taken care of and some more of those little items that have to be taken care of.  And again, a man's list is something like this.....help wife unload car or truck, go to bed early because of exhaustion.  

I have a long list of things that I want need to get accomplished before we leave but I'm pretty sure only about a third will get crossed off of my list!  I always have such good intentions but then other things get in the way.....like hair appointments, other distractions!  Oh well, what gets done, gets done and what doesn't....doesn't!  

I did get my errands crossed off of my list this morning....Walmart, bank, Starbucks!  I will need to make another trip to Walmart I'm sure before we leave.  I've also been able to cross off getting all of my trash and recycling ready for the pick up tomorrow!  I have more things in my recycling bin than I have in my trash bin!  That is a good thing though!  I am throwing out some food out of the pantry/freezer/refrigerator.  I don't want our house/pet sitter getting food poisoning while we are out of town!  I need to throw out some more things out of the freezer I think.

I need to go do my Spanish lesson for today!  I don't know why but every time that I try to learn a new language, I forget how to speak English!  I don't know what the problem is but it really messes with my brain!  

Adios!
GiGi

Missing this little angel!  This picture was taken on Craig's sailboat and Chloe was Captain Hook!  She loved playing on the boat and I am looking forward to when she is older and we can take her out sailing for real!!!!  I think she is really into pirates right now.  BJ took her shopping yesterday and she bought a Jack pirate play set....it had a sword, bandanna, a pouch of gold coins, and hand held telescope.  She and BJ were supposed to go to a company outing and go swimming but BJ's truck started acting up (this after it had just been in the shop) so he was afraid to travel very far with it especially with Chloe so he had one disappointed little girl on his hands.  She was looking forward to swimming!  He took her to get some ice cream and then they made a trip to Toys R Us so it was all good!  He is such a good daddy!  I am so proud of him.  I skyped with her last night and she was showing me her new toy and wanted me to come over to her house and play with her.  I wish I could have! She hasn't really figured out yet that I live 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours away depending upon traffic.  She kept telling me to hurry, hurry, hurry!  She kept saying that I could bring Pop-Pop, Olive and Allie but Olive and Allie couldn't eat any of her candy!  I guess she thought if I could bring those three, I could come to her house!  

We have a lot going on for the next several weeks.  Kids are packing and getting ready for their move to Kansas City probably in a couple of weeks.  We have a beach vacation planned and also taking Chloe and BJ to Kansas City for a little mini vacation.  Apparently KC has an awesome aquarium, zoo and huge, huge shopping center!  Am excited to explore KC with Chloe!  The kids will be moved up there so we will get to explore the city with them as well.  And you can't have vacation without lots of preparation and work!  Have cleaning, laundry, yard work to do.....want to prepare some snacks for the road trips, make sure house sitter/dog sitter has food to eat, HAVE to get that hair appointment in.....can't be seen on the beach with roots screaming for attention!  I mean, really, you have to have good hair on the beach!  Sand and surf and wind are enough of a challenge to looking good so need to do all we can pre-trip!!!!  And lists!  Got to make those lists!!!!  Lots and lots of lists!  Packing list, shopping list, to do list, list for house/dog sitter, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!

So I suppose that I should get busy, huh?  I have some Kohl's cash that I need to spend today so think I will get on that right away!  

Not sure when I will be able to post again!

GiGi

 

 

What's up doc?!  It has been a long time since I've posted on my blog!  I really need to keep updated on here so that I can remember all of the fun that I've been having.  Like.....Austin moving back home and renting a UHaul trailer and moving him in the rain!  Or...Ryan and Melissa moving back home and receiving 6 boxes via FedEx and trying to figure out how to make their bedroom accommodate all of their stuff!  Didn't do too well on that one.....still a work in progress!  But all in all.....I have loved having them back home and am treasuring every single day because I know that this is just a 'stopping off' place for 6 weeks and when August 1st is here....we will be loading up all of those boxes, etc. into UHaul trailers and moving them to Kansas City.  I'm not sure how I will deal with them all leaving at once.  On one hand, Ryan and Melissa will be closer this time....instead of Portland, Oregon....Kansas City but Austin will be farther away....instead of Rogers.....Kansas City.  I'm excited for them.  I think Kansas City will be a really fun city for them to live and experience all that Kansas City has to offer!  BUT.....they have to promise to NEVER abandon their Cardinal loyalty and become Royal fans!  Should that happen....well, I just cannot even begin to imagine the consequences!  I just know that it will not be pretty!

Craig flew to NYC this morning.  Was supposed to leave at 6:20 a.m. but American Airlines called during the night to let him know that his flight was going to be delayed until 9 this morning.  We heard his cell phone ring but he didn't answer it (he never does and my thought is if someone is calling in the middle of the night.....it needs to be answered but that is just my thought)!  So...his alarm went off at 3:30 a.m. and at that point he retrieved his message about the flight so crawled back to bed.  We were able to sleep until 7 a.m.!  He said that his flight was crazy....the last hour was very rough and the plane dropped several times!  Hoping the rest of his trip goes better!  

Had breakfast with Mom and Dad this morning.  Had to catch up on their trip to McCook, Nebraska.  Oh to be a fly on that trip!  Imagine Dad on a road trip with Mom and her two sisters!!!!  I remember when I did that road trip two years ago.....the stories that I came back with and the tears from all of the laughing!  I'm glad that they had such a good visit with their oldest sister, Helen.  They said that they sang a lot of old songs and danced!  How awesome is that?!  

I need to water this evening.....lawn guy came and fertilized so will put sprinkler on back lawn this evening and do the front lawn tomorrow.  Would be nice to get a rain shower!  I also need to trim a holly bush and my trumpet vine out back this evening too.  Cardinal game isn't on till 9 o'clock so will need to stay busy so I can stay awake!  May be a good idea to take a little nap before I tackle the watering and trimming.  Yeah, definitely sounds like a plan!

Blessings,
GiGi

Good bye 2012

 
Happy New Year!  One of my new year resolutions is to be a better blogger!  I want to better document things happening in my life because even though I think that I will never forget something.....I do! 

I had the best Christmas ever!  All of my children were home and also spent the holiday with my Mom, Dad and Albie!  Could not have been more perfect!  Melissa had flown in earlier in the week so she was here as well and wherever Melissa is....you can be sure that there will be laughter and fun!  Ryan flew in from Portland on the 20th.  His only request was that Allie come to the airport with me to pick him up so......she did!  I even put a little Christmas bow in her hair which she was a good sport about!  It was if she knew that she was doing it for Ryan because as soon as we were home and he had seen her.....she was determined to get that bow out!  It was so good to see Ryan again.  He and Melissa left on July 1st so it had been a LONG time for this mama!!!! Friday the 21st, we took Ryan, Melissa, Austin and my parents to Cherokee Casino. Ryan and Austin came home winners!!! It was really awesome because out of anyone in that casino, I can honestly say that I think those two needed that money more than anyone else! While there, BJ called to tell us that he and Chloe decided to come up a day earlier and would be home about the time that we would be home! We ran out of that casino so fast! Usually takes a while to get Dad and Craig out of there but when they found out Chloe was on her way.....they nearly knocked us down getting out of that place! Albie came down Saturday so we opened our presents then. Chloe was so fun this year! She totally loved opening the gifts and spending time with each gift before moving on to another one! We had her help pass out gifts and she then helped everyone open their gifts and was so excited about that even! We did try to have Santa come for a visit but that didn't work out as well as we had planned. It didn't work out as well as our worst nightmare even! She was terrified of him! Oh well....maybe next year! Sunday evening we took Chloe down to the town square where she could ride a horse drawn Princess carriage! Oh my goodness! She loved that!!!! She had the best time walking along the rock wall and seeing the ponies. I'm sure it was a night that she will remember and a night that we will remember through her eyes! BJ and Chloe left Monday afternoon. They were predicting snow for Tuesday so to be safe, they decided to head home a day earlier. Which was probably a good idea because I started with a fever Monday night and had fever, chills, body aches. Tuesday was Ryan's flight home but due to weather in other parts of the midwest, his flight was cancelled so we ended up turning around and bringing him back home. He was able to fly out the next afternoon. I was able to spend an extra day with him but unfortunately still had fever, body aches and chills so pretty much ended up sleeping a lot. Thursday I drove Melissa to the airport. My nest was empty once again and I was not happy about it! I think not feeling well just made me feel sadder! I had the fever, chills, body aches for a week so guess it was the flu and it took another week to get my strength back to normal. Note to self....get flu shot next year! I am thankful though that no one else came down with my flu so for that, I am very very grateful! I usually take down all of my Christmas decorations on New Year's Day but that just didn't happen this year. With not feeling well, it took me several days to get everything taken down and packed away. I still have a few odds and ends gathered on my dining room table that need to be packed away but that won't take long so not sure why I haven't done that yet! Mom and I started walking at the Mall yesterday. Our plan is to walk Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Wednesdays are so busy for me with Adoration that I didn't want to have the whole day tied up without accomplishing anything. And Fridays....just want to leave that day open to get ready for the weekend! I think if we do three days a week....that is a good start!
 

Well, I suppose these dust bunnies will not leave on their own so I guess I need to tackle that to do list!

GiGi

Past due!

Wow! I really need to keep up with this blog!  I know that I 'think' that I will remember everything that happens but I also 'know' that I won't and that is why I started this blog in the first place!  More of a personal journal than anything else. 

October was an extremely busy month!  Went with Mom and Dad to Branson to spend a couple of days with my aunt and uncle from Prim, Arkansas.  The weather was terrible......rainy and chilly but that didn't stop us from shopping and having a good time!  We went up on a Thursday morning.  We didn't do much Thursday other than catching up on visiting and we did watch the Cardinals baseball game.  Friday morning we hit the shops.  We went to Tangier Outlet Mall.  It was raining pretty hard but we were able to still shop and didn't melt when we got wet!  We ate at our favorite place for lunch.....Panera Bread.  Had a bowl of potato soup and with the chilly rainy day, it was so yummy!  Ruth introduced us to the neatest shop.....Mulberry something or other!  Oh my word!  So many neat things and yummy dips!  My new favorite shop for sure!  We weren't able to watch the baseball game Friday night.  Dad just cannot stand the stress....makes his heart hurt.  Craig kept texting to let me know the score.  We were so far behind that we decided to just go to bed and get a good night's sleep!  Well, the Cardinals came back and tied the game!  We hurried up and turned on the tv and were able to watch them win the game!  What an awesome come-back!!!!  Then we were so excited and hyped up that we had trouble going back to sleep!!!!

We were able to keep our favorite little houseguest last week....we met BJ and Chloe in Clarksville on Thursday and got to keep Chloe till Sunday morning!  We had so much fun with her!  I am so in love with that little girl!  She is always smiling and gives the best hugs!!!!  I am always so lonesome when she leaves....I usually leave her toys out for a few days just to ease the lonesomeness! 

This week Mom and I went BACK up to Branson and spent a couple of nights with Albie.  Carol drove down from St. Louis.  And of course, there was not a shortage of laughter!  It is amazing how we can just laugh and laugh and each time we get together, we say that 'this' was the best peep time ever!  It is so good to just get together with my peeps and not worry about anything but having fun!  Whether we stay in and just sit around and talk or if we go out and do some shopping....we ALWAYS end up laughing till our tummies hurt and tears run down our faces!  I am truly blessed with some amazing women in my life who give me unconditional love and support and make me laugh!

Yesterday, Craig took off from work and we early voted and then headed to the lake to sail.  It was absolutely beautiful!  Sun was shining.....air felt warm.....so peaceful and quiet out there.  We saw a deer swim ACROSS the lake!  It was amazing!  And it was not a short distance at all!  I was so afraid that she would get tired and drown but she just kept on swimming!  It was definitely an awesome sight!

We are enjoying the sunshine today with grilling out some steaks, cabbage, potatoes.  I fixed a yummy broccoli/cheese/bacon salad and baked some chocolate chip cookies.  Have Texas Toast to fix when it is time and then we shall stuff ourselves!

With love,
GiGi

Crazy Monday!

Poor Allie's tummy was growling all morning. It was so loud. I thought she was just hungry but when her little paws hit the floor....she wasn't interested in her food at all. She just wanted to go outside first thing. Her normal routine is to eat, THEN go outside, come in and get her treat and dingo bone. This morning she skipped her breakfast and just went outside. After coming in, she didn't even want her treat or dingo bone. Was glad that she had vet appt. this morning. We got there a little early and found out that her ear infection is gone.....she still has some 'stuff' in her ear but it isn't infected so they think if I just put ear wash in her ear once a week and the ear drops once a week....it will dissolve and clear out. Think we will be doing the wash and drops for lifetime to keep her ear infections from coming back. Her tummy was growling while we were at the vets but they thought it was just nerves. She was acting okay so thought once we got home she would eat and be okay. She just doesn't have an appetite today. Maybe she is just exhausted from the busy weekend and I think her tummy is bothering her. She may have eaten too many of 'Chloe's treats' over the weekend too.

Neighbor's mom came over this morning as I was getting ready to get into the shower. She had accidentally locked herself and her little grandson out of the house with the baby inside! She was hoping that I had a spare key for Teresa's house but I didn't. She called her daughter who luckily teaches at the elementary school 5 minutes away. She said that Sarah has been sick with runny nose and cough so she was babysitting for her grandkids. She had just put Sarah to sleep and she was in her little swing. Otherwise I think we would have just broken a window!

Am missing Chloe today. She brings so much laughter and love into our home and hearts! She just says the funniest things! She is so entertaining......I wish that she lived closer! It had been 4 weeks since we had seen the little sweetheart which is the longest we have gone without her since she was born! That was WAY too long!

See that precious little face!? I love every single minute I get with that little girl and it is so lonesome here when she goes home.

Allie is snoring on her little dog pillow so hopefully when she wakes up she will be feeling a lot better and will feel like eating something. For Allie to NOT eat.....is MAJOR!

Blessings,
GiGi

A Mama's heart......

Well, my heart is heavy......I know that it shouldn't be......I KNOW that kids grow up and they are SUPPOSED to leave home and be on their own in every way but I didn't KNOW that sometimes that means leaving home and going so far away! I think it is easier for the person LEAVING than it is for the person left behind. I think maybe because the person leaving is going somewhere new and making new memories. The person left behind is left with ONLY memories......and an emptiness. My family has always been close by....maybe not in the same city or even the same state but always within a half day's drive! Now Ryan is moving 652.59 miles away......mapquest says that is a 10 hour drive from MY HOUSE! I keep telling myself that it could be worse.....he could be moving to California or New York City......and he will be staying with a friend while he is job hunting and once he finds a job....Melissa will join him.....but it still makes my heart feel sad. I need to put on my big girl panties and I need to be excited for him! He worked so hard to get his degree and now it is time for his degree to work for HIM! This is what is supposed to happen I know.......but.....I still think of him as this:

And it seems like just yesterday that he was pretending to go to work doing this:

BUT in reality....he has grown into this:

A young man who has fallen in love with his niece and who will someday be a wonderful daddy to his own children. I can just see a little boy with Ryan's freckles and dimples and love of life!

Okay....maybe a little wine to go with my whining?! Let's see if that helps!

Love,

GiGi