Explain this to me….Labor Day…No work…yet cleaning the house. How is that right?

I escaped to Indiana this week. On Monday I flew out to see Mamacita and all of her magical creatures and buttons. At least HB is convinced of that. She has a singing button bathroom, a cute little neighbor girl, and a magical turtle that gives prizes whenever Mr. Turtle deems.
In her bathroom it is like a child’s wonderland. A little creepy when the gargoyle’s eyes open as you sit a top her throne and starts singing away. The sun on the wall sings a different tune as well as the moon. Then there is the case of the molting bird. It sings a merry tune of “Zippidy Doo Da” while it proceeds to lose its paint. It is kind of old. Of course that one was HB’s favorite.
Mr. Turtle had a mind of his own. He is a wooden turtle with a shell that you can take off. Inside there seems to appear a treat. HB found money and “clips” as he called them. Today he is wearing his clips. They are dinosaur pins. He loved them. He also shared them with the little girl next door. Actually, he shared most of what he had with the little girl next door. He is just kind of like that.
We enjoyed White Castle hamburgers per my request. I have not had one since my childhood. We also visited Steak and Shake, another blast from my past revisited. She let us sleep in until the sun was high and we had to run about to get the fun accomplished.
We visited a beautiful pioneer village, which is right up HB’s alley. He loves hands on history. He did not care must for listening to the older gentleman describe how to mill corn, but the moment the wheel started he was into it in a big way. We also got a visit from “Rocky” the raccoon. He came pretty close to us just seeing if we would feed him.
I enjoyed the nights after HB we to bed and Mamacita and I would be dueling computers right next to each other. There are few friends that you can sit next to without saying a word and there’s never an awkward moment.
I truly relaxed and enjoyed myself. I know HB did as well. Then reality struck and we flew to Chicago for a memorial service for my dear college roommate that had breast cancer. After that we flew back home and back to reality.
It was such a nice break. It felt like I was in France and enjoying the countryside.
Thank you lovely Mamacita for a wonderful visit. We miss you already. XXOO

Before we left for Europe the kids received a gift and what a fantastic gift is was. It was 6 test tube experiements in a rack. WHAT A BLAST!
I decided that we would do 1 experiment a day. It was a fun and interactive activity to do with the kids. The instant snow was the biggest hit of the group. So much so that HG decided to take some with her to Europe to share with her “cousins”.
In Finland the little girls watched in awe as their big cousin created something that they normally had every winter. It took their breath away. In France the kids party came to a halt as the children looked on and experienced the fun of learning through the international language of play.
Today I finally got around to signing up for the “Experiment of the week”. I am looking forward to seeing what is in store for us next!
If you are interested in signing up for fun Science experiments that you can do with your kiddos then click HERE It’s fun fun fun…and even more fun in a test tube.
Thank you Steve.

We have spent this summer traveling and today is no different. Honestly, I can’t wait. I didn’t sleep last night that’s how much I can’t wait. We head out today to go see Mamacita!!
The packing was done last night (which is not like me at all) and the bording passes have been printed. I can’t believe that after two years of wanting to have a visit that it is going to happen.
I am sure I will have a story or two about the fun HB and I will have, but for now I have to get dressed and headed to the airport.
Too-da-loo for today.

There’s nothing sweeter than a little boy that gets a gift certificate for his birthday and decides to buy something less so that he can get something for his sister. (his sister is not even in town to ask for this) This little boy lost most of his toys in our flood.
*sniff He just fills my heart with happiness.

Dear HH,
I know that you might actually read my blog today to see if I really posted something cool and loving about our anniversary. See…I am!
We’ve been together now 20 years but married 14.
14 years ago all chaos broke loose at high noon.
At high noon the sound of horse hooves filled the air. The chatter of little girls and big girls getting out of a buggy. The doors to the chapel on the mountain opened up and I saw you. I know you saw me. For a split second I could see that you were reconsidering our decision to face the audience. There were only 200 people. Yet I could see you sweat knowing that you would have to talk in front of everyone.
As the “Cathedral March” rang out from the piano I stepped from being a single woman to joining my life with yours. Then…the unity candle went out. All I could think of was that I was hoping it wasn’t an omen. Then I tried to “flick the bic” and caught my nail on fire. The smell of acrylic nails filled the air as we finally got that boot of a candle lit.
We had a casual wedding that was just right. I had been dreaming my whole life of my wedding and when push came to shove we were just downright poor and could not afford to do that dream wedding. What we did do was so much more. The simple elegant wedding where the people still talk about the food was one of the best days of my life. It was that because I was starting on an adventure of a lifetime with you.
We have seen wonderful times and hard times. But through it all I still like you. Strange now that after all of these years I have always known that I love you but liking you was sometimes hard. That is one of the harsh realities that comes with life. But look at where we have come to now.
In our wildest dreams I know we did not dream about our little home so filled with love. Nor do I think that we thought about how wonderfully cool it was going to be being a parent. Our Bugsy and Mac have sure made our life complete…and hectic.
Simply said…I love you. Thank you for the last 14 years give or take a few months here and there. It has been an adventure…and a blessing.
Love,
Me

How do you say “see you later” to your little girl that is going on her first away vacation with a friend’s family? She’s only going for a few weeks but my heart is so so heavy knowing that she is away. I keep trying to consentrate on the positive that she is having a good time but I know that these are growing pains for me. She is enjoying her life while I wait by the phone to hear from her. I wait by the computer so that she will chat with me for a moment. She’s only 11. It is not time to let her go yet. She has plenty of time to be away when she’s older. Pretty soon she may not even want me around but for now I savor every moment.
Is this what my dear friends that have grown children feel like? If so I don’t know that I will survive the pushing out of the nest.

Note to my dearest A

If someday by chance you should happen to read this just know that you are loved beyond my explanation. I know that there are times when I am hard on you. I am sorry. It is only because I see so much potential in you. You have a gift and you are a gift.
I am having a hard time thinking that you are old enough to be in this new phase of life. I know that I must adapt, but you know me…change is difficult.
So my sweet Bugs, should you ever read this crazy rambling of a blog just know that I am merely a human being. I make mistakes just the same, I feel so much but sometimes have a hard time expressing and a heap more.

Your biggest fan,
Mommy

I’ve had a few requests to post pictures from our trip. So I finally got the picture uploader (thank you Genuine and Shylah) that allows pictures. I just first wanted to show updated pictures of the kiddos. HG is on the right. The other is Genuine Niece. Where has the time gone?

They are growing like weeds! The middle picture is of HG and HB when he was about 1 and she was about 6. *sniff

This is a current picture of HB now that he’s lost two teeth. He was very proud of losing that tooth.
So there you have it….the kids growing up.

The phone rang. I woke up thinking I was dreaming. Yes it really was the phone. I looked at the clock. It read 3:27 am. YIPES. “This can’t be good” was my exact thought.
“Hi…it’s mom.”
“um…Hi mom. What’s up? Is dad ok?” Not really wanting to know the answer I listened with squinty eyes. For some reason it seems to lessen the blow. “Your house flooded. It’s under quite a bit of water. Everything downstairs and 1/2 of the upstairs is destroyed.” That moment of silence felt like fifty years. “It’s only materialistic stuff. Just grab the pictures, my wedding dress and the rest can be replaced.”
This was about day 9 in our trip. After that it was a little hard to consentrate. We just decided to let it ride and enjoy our time. And we did.
We arrived back in town to sleep in yet another hotel. 3 days after arrival I was looking at the grill of a semi truck going about 40-45 miles per hour. I found myself yelling words that I do not usually use. “DUDE, SERIOUSLY!!! I HAVE A GREEN LIGHT??!! WHAT THE WORLD DUDE???!!” I personally have not used the word, “Dude” since I was 12. I felt my life flash before my eyes. And then I saw my daughter’s life flash before my face. I had both of my children in the car with me. “Oh God please keep them safe!” was my pleading as I hit the semi head on for us. It all happened so fast. As we hit I heard HG scream, “Mommy I AM HURT! HELP ME HELP ME MOMMY I AM HURT BAD.” I still hear that even 12 days later in my dreams. I wake up in a cold sweat and look over in the passenger’s seat and see HG. The terror in her eyes I can’t get rid of the images. I heard nothing from HB which is unusual. I went back to check to see if HB was ok. He would not speak. His eyes were wide in fear. I looked over at HG and see that I accidentally threw my arm out to break her from hitting the dash. I punched her in the head. My heart lunged as I saw that she was bleeding and absolutely unconsolable. The lady that was behind me stopped and called 911 and issued her statement. She proceeded to tell the driver of the semi off as he approached to find out if we were ok. He of course would not admit that he had turned in front of oncoming traffic.
I turned around and saw HG’s eyes and noticed that she was starting to go into panic. I called 911. They came as fast as they could and took her away. I refused to let her go without me but also knew I had to deal with HB. The 911 operator called my parents and let them know we had been in an accident. She didn’t say if we were ok. The person on the phone also told my mother that only 2 were found in the car. My mother started to panic. They raced over and stayed with HB as I went with HG in the ambulance.
After all of these things that have happened we have not had a moment to return calls, update on our trip, or return emails. We hope that right now we can call on you for prayers. We are all “ok” sort of. This has been a lesson in what is really important. No house, no car yet we still have each other. We have enough…we are blessed beyond measure.

PICTURES HERE OF THE CAR VIA KAREN

*started this post on 8-8

We are coming to the backside of our trip. Well, not the backside but the portion in which we start looking at the bank account and think of how many packets of Top Ramon that will buy. We leave for Rome today. After that it is Paris and then Brussels and then home.
I have always found it interesting that there is a universal language of play in every culture. Everywhere we have gone the children have had either a child there to play with or they makes friends with some random stranger’s child on the beach to silently make sand castles or exchange a few lessons in English and whatever language the other child happens to speak. We have encountered so many languages that we have a hard time remembering which language we are attempting to try to understand. When we go to Paris, HG will be going to the last day of school with our lovely Paris family’s daughter. (did you catch that?) She will be clueless somewhat in French.
We have discovered another universal language on this trip. The children were sitting watching cartoons in Greek and happy as clams to have something to watch when the character on the TV burped. This being done HB started into a fit of giggles and snorts. So apparently gas is another universal language. Or is it that little boys language needs only a few words with a lot of sound effects? Chickens may say, “Cock a doodle doo!” in the states but they say something completely different in every country we have been in. Cars though…they make the same obnoxious loud screeching sound in any language.
We are off to see how the Italians live life. Deb, I will make sure to take lots of pictures. XXOO Talk to you all soon.