He's Gone, Again....

It's harder this time around. I am alone with the girls this time around. My entire family is out of town right now, parents in Chicago, brother in Mexico. It's just harder this time. Before I had Judy here to keep my mind busy and the first two months I went non-stop from activity to activity. It also doesn't help that it's winter right now and I haven't been going out as much before he arrived.

His visit was wonderful, but far too short and went by far too fast. We had barely a day to sit and do nothing. We had two family portrait sessions in two weeks. Three family dinners in two weeks. One dinner out alone,a dinner out with my family, and a dinner out with just his family. We also had Christmas Eve dinner at my parents house and Christmas dinner here at our house. Both dinners were delicious. The girls received way too many presents from everyone. We had Lilly's play to go to and Kale spent a day volunteering at the school. We had a morning of baking with the kids, Meme, and Judy. The women went out shopping the morning after Christmas. Kale took the girls to the movies twice they saw Bolt and The Tale of Despereaux. It was a busy busy two weeks but it was a happy two weeks.

Thankfully Delilah and Sophia are better. Delilah hated her meds and they had to be force fed to her or hidden in food. FUN! She has also not regained her appetite as of yet. Hopefully she will get it back soon.


I leave you with our second family photo shoot:

Kale, David, and Judy

In-Laws David and Judy

Delilah didn't want to hold still but sat still when we sat her on the sled.

Sophia and her silly smile.

Aidan's sillier smile.

Lilly

This isn't the best one of the four of them, but it's the funniest.

Four generations of Kale's family. His Dad David and his grandma Margaret aka Nanny.

Is it too much to ask?

I am looking for a nice hotel in Nashville, TN. All I want is a nice hotel with a big bathtub, it doesn't even have to be jacuzzi, although that would be a plus. I don't want to spend a fortune though.

I am just doing research for when Kale comes home for good. He will have most of June off and when we go visit his parents we plan on taking a night or two and going off to be alone. We want to either go to Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, or Memphis, that way we are close but far enough away. Since he has been gone we have realized how much we really need our time alone, without the kids.

I just wish all of the hotels would post pictures of their bathrooms. If I wanted a standard size tub I would stay home. I am sure eventually I will find what I am looking for, but it's been a little frustrating.

A little something to look forward to, I hope....

I asked Kale to look into what it will take for me to visit him during the second half of his tour. Probably around our anniversary in Feb. It is a big one, like I said it's the big TEN. If I get to go then it will be the first "vacation" we will have taken alone since Lilly was born.

This is what we know so far:

1) I have to have a passport. That's $100 right there. I have "fixed" not having to pay for that ourselves by telling my parents that I want it for Christmas. Even if I don't get to go it will still be good for 10+ years I think.

2) I have to fly from here to Jacksonville and take the shuttle to the Navy base where I will fly on a military plane into Guantanamo Bay. We have to pay for both flights. So far the flight from here to JAX is looking to be about $140, not too bad. We don't know how much the other flight is yet, he is looking into it.

3) The flights from the base are always early in the morning, so I will have to fly into JAX and rent a hotel room for a night. I am not really comfortable going to a hotel by myself, I haven't travelled alone since I was 18 and more adventurous.

4) When I get to Cuba I can't stay in his room, so we will have to stay in guest lodging while I am there. That's okay though, there is more privacy there then in his house. Plus his room only has a twin bed and we haven't slept in a twin bed together since we were dating. I think we both take up a little more room than we used to. :P

5) Judy has already said she would come take care of the kids for us. :) I knew she would, but it's nice she offered when I mentioned going to visit Kale.

6) On the way back I should be okay to catch a flight out of JAX after arriving at the Base and taking the shuttle to the airport. That's the way we set up Kale's ticket for Christmas so he has as much time home as possible.

I am excited at the prospect of visiting him and being alone for our anniversary for the first time in 10 years. He's excited so his second half won't feel as long as the first half. I just hope the military plane ticket isn't pricey, that could put a crimp in our plans.

I Hope She Starts Sleeping Soon!

Delilah is teething again, which means sleep is not continuous for me through the night. That coupled with me watching the Olympics all night long, makes for a tired mommy. Before I was going to bed around 10:30pm so I wasn't so tired, but the past few nights I have been up past midnight. Someday she will sleep through the night.......I hope.

I booked Sophia's Build A Bear party this morning. I plan on having 7 children there (with Lilly, Aidan, and Sophia included) so it should be a fun, albeit pricey party. But I won't have to buy party favors, plan games, or clean up, to me that is worth the $150+ it will cost. K fixed her birthday dress for me, thankfully. I have seen it in pictures on Abby and it looks 100% better. I just received the bows I ordered for her and Delilah to match their dresses, they are so very cute.

Other than Sophia's party we will do small (HA! Like having all of us together is small.) family party with cake, ice cream, and presents on their actual birthdays. Judy is coming out again to celebrate their birthdays with us. We are also going camping Labor Day weekend. I haven't been since Aidan was a baby. I rented a cabin for Judy, the girls, and I, I am hoping Judy will help foot that bill since I only did it for her. I just realized we leave in two weeks for that trip! I am so not mentally prepared for it yet. Then the weekend after that is my cousins wedding, which I am only invited to the reception. I am glad Judy will be here to watch the girls, the reception starts at 7pm, too late for them. The circus is coming to town that week too, but I am not sure I will have the money for that too, even though I love going.

The first week of school has gone pretty smoothly. Even though this morning I shut my alarm off and woke up with only 20mins to get out the door. Aidan and I went rounds on the second most complained about article of clothing she has, pants. They were "too tight" which her pants always are when she is grumpy. I told her I didn't have time for her games this morning and she quit complaining. No problems with Aidan at school as of yet. I was a little worried, but as usual I worried for no reason.

We will do a little shopping this weekend, we have coupons :P But not too much because I need to save my money for the trip. Hopefully everyone else has a good weekend.

Wordless Wednesday

These are from our trip to Branson and they are all out of order. I didn't feel like fixing them :P

Nonnie and Delilah at Table Rock Lake Dam

Green and Aidan at Table Rock Lake Dam

Sophia looking at the trout at the fish hatchery @ Table Rock Lake

Pa and the girls feeding the fish @ the hatchery

Nadja and Delilah in the conservation learning room while we waited for them to feed the fish

Lilly swimming at the hotel pool

Delilah and Nonnie, she loves the water

Green "helping" Aidan who didn't want/need his help

Checking out how high Table Rock Lake is, to put it in perspective, these are the steps to take you down to the beach, which is underwater

The girls at the Dam

The Dixie Stampede, cameras aren't allowed at the show

This is where we ate dinner on the way to Branson, it's Lambert's Cafe "Home of the Throwed Rolls" and those rolls are thrown at you and they are delicious

Looking at the show horse @ the Dixie Stampede

Marion and Delilah @ the fish hatchery

Nonnie and Sophia in the pool

Nonnie and Delilah waiting for me to arrive so we could leave for Branson.

It's so unlike me to be late, but I hate to wait to see if my aunt could watch Kuddle the dog.

I had forgotten to ask her and I was panicked because I didn't know what I would do with him if she couldn't/wouldn't watch him and she was at work so it took me forever to get ahold of her.

I finally did and she was able to pick him up after work. By the time I got to my parents house my dad was already there and even Jason and Rosy were waiting for me. I thought I was safe since they are always late but of course they have to be on time the one time I am late.

Catching flies on the way

Knocked out

My dad catching flies outside the Dixie Stampede. We were there 45mins early so he took a nap.

Aidan in the pool

I am not leaving the house for a week!

Well that's not exactly true. I have to go out on Wednesday to take Lilly to the endocrinologist and before I drop the van off to be fixed (finally) I need to get Kale's car detailed. I let my mom use it last week and I was appalled at the filthiness of it. I won't even describe it to you, it might make your stomach turn. I won't drive it in it's current state and since I A) Don't have the time, B) the energy, and C) I didn't make the mess to start with I won't be cleaning it myself. Other than those two things I am going to avoid leaving my house until Sunday when I take Lilly to camp.

I have many, many pictures to share of the last few days. In addition to K's visit (which was wonderful, but far too short) we also spent the weekend in Branson, MO. So I have pictures from the 4th of July and Branson to share. Then I should be done overloading you all with pictures for awhile. Tonight I am too tired to post about either, so I will leave you with this oldtime photo I had done in Branson of the girls. This was the best out of 10 tries, it was 8pm at night when we had it done last night. The girls had already been drug out shopping all morning, then to the Dixie Stampede for dinner, swimming, and had a shower so I think this was a successful picture.

Watkins Mill and House

Waiting for our tour to start

Sophia with Lucy the doll, the girls took turns keeping her for the tour guide

Uncle Jason was not as enthralled as some of us to be there

Sophia wanted to pet their chickens

The house, unfortunately we were in such a hurry during our tour of the mill I didn't get a picture of it

Side view of the house, it still doesn't have indoor plumbing or electricity and every Saturday the volunteers make and eat a meal using the outdoor kitchen without electricity

The ice house, it was interesting to find out how they stored ice without electricity

The staff grows their own garden and use the food to have their weekly feast

Grandpa chatting up one of the tour guides

Watkins Mill is located in Lawson, MO. It used to be a farm owned by the Watkins family, now it is a historical site and a state park. When I was a child my family camped at the state park and toured Watkins Mill and House. I knew my mil would love it and I was right. Now I have to take her and my fil back when Kale gets back from Cuba, so she can poke through as slowly as she desires. We did have to rush and we only saw 3/4 of the mill tour, but we had to be back for the Euro Cup soccer game. Germany was playing Spain after all and we have two Germans visiting.

Swimming at the State Park

Update: For anyone who subscribes, I apologize. I realized I published this the same day as Wordless Wednesday, after I had published WW. So I republished it for today.






So I did something I haven't done in years, since before my children were born, well at least I haven't done it unless I was pregnant. I went swimming, in a swimming suit. Courtesy of K who sent me her old suit. It took a lot for me to get over my weight issues enough to put the thing on and play with my girls, but I did it. I did it because my fil alone couldn't have watched the three bigger girls in the pool by himself. My mil went "swimming" but the water was too cold and she wouldn't go in any deeper than her ankles, wuss. The first day they had fun but since my girls don't swim and are scared of water for some unknown reason. I loved to swim, still do. I was a master at swimming as a child, my kids can't pass level one lessons. They have a fear of the water that is foreign to me.

The second day we went swimming we brought rings and a boat. They loved it, were so brave. By the end all three were jumping off the edge holding onto the rings. The same girls the day before were staying where they could touch and didn't dare let us take them in deeper. It was amazing and wonderful a perfect day. Until....

Judy and I were sitting on the stairs chatting as the girls were playing. She turns to me and after sizing me up says "When we get home I will have to sit on your feet and make you do sit ups. You need to firm up your tummy." I honestly didn't know what to do or say, I wanted to cry or yell. Instead I said "Wow, I guess I know I will never be wearing this suit out in public again." To which she replied "Oh, well your not the biggest girl here."

Later that night I relayed the story via messenger to Kale, I couldn't tell him when he called she was in the room. He was very upset with her. I nearly cried typing it to him. Then this morning I called my mom while Judy was in the store and told her. I burst into tears as I told her, she couldn't believe she would say that to me. Honestly, I know I am fat. Personally when I see myself naked I am disgusted. But those are my issues and I try not to bitch about it. Because honestly all I need is more will power. My problem is I am an emotional eater, I eat when I am sad or angry. So this month? I have eaten like a pig and not felt like doing much about it. I gained most of my weight when we lived in MA. I wish for the days before we moved there, when I thought I was fat. I so was not fat. Heavy, husky, fluffy but not fat. Now? I am fat. I avoid full length mirrors if possible. The worst part for me is my face is fat. I never had that until a few years back. I am going to try and work on my weight this year. But you never know.

In a nut shell, she ruined a perfectly happy day for me. Well, part of it. At least the pictures are going to bring back happy memories and in time I will forget what she said.

Hidden Hollow: We should have left it hidden

Sophia likes to be a big girl

Delilah spent 30 minutes in the baby swing

She loved every minute of it

Lilly and Grammie swung together

This was part of the "petting zoo" the kids we put in the rabbit hutch to pet the bunnies

Only one baby bunny would let them touch it

Sophia didn't want to get out, she was chasing all the rabbits

The lone bunny they could pet

Happy Girl

I was impressed Aidan would do this

Sophia had fun

Although the children had fun, we will not return to Hidden Hollow. Judy and I went exploring to find it, she had read about it before and seen commercials. We paid $20 essentially to play on a playground and pet some rabbits. Not worth the money. They do have a mini golf course and a swimming hole, but we didn't bring stuff to swim in and didn't have time for mini golf. The place was filthy and the people who ran the place were, to put it politely, colorful.

We head home tomorrow morning. I am scheduling a few posts ahead of time, but they will be mainly pictures. Hope everyone has a good week.