Monday Madness...

Nope. No madness here today. Just the sound of the waves. So in light of that, Karen and I will be taking a break for the next two weeks. We may return early, but honestly, I KNOW what we are like after vacation. HA!

Hope you are having a fabulous few weeks. Looking forward to writing for you when we return!

Yours, enjoying every well-earned moment of the ocean,

Melissa

Friday FUN!!!!

Yes, my Dear Readers, the time has come! The annual trek to the ocean. Love, love LOOOOOOVE this day! Z1 was determined to pack his own clothing this year, God love that little boy! For a week's worth of travel, he brought me one duffle bag with 7 pairs of shorts, 7 shirts, and his Jack (stuffed dragon). Apparently underwear, a toothbrush and deodorant were deemed unnecessary. Gotta love kids.

Z2, on the other hand, is determined to let me do all of the packing and then complain about what is and is not in the suitcase once we get there. Can anyone say EARLY TEEN DRAMA QUEEN? She's only 8. We're taking a step back and going on lock down over this. Mama's had enough of the mouth this summer. No, she's not a bad child, she just likes to know why and argue every single point. To put it mildly, she has worn me out. I'm gonna have to come up with a plan or she is going to wear me down before we get to age 10. Any suggestions? Melissa B (YES! There is another Melissa B! I'm really not talking to myself... this time, anyway. :) .... I know you have some creative ones.... I'd love to hear them!

The only thing I know is that by the time you are reading this, I will be en route, with tears of relief dried upon my cheeks. (It happens every time. My goal this year is to be at peace by the time we leave. While making that goal is a lovely thing, I know myself. Tears come as a release. It's just who I am).

I'm looking forward to washing off some things from this past year in the ocean. I'm looking forward to being still. I'm looking forward to cleaning out my mind for a bit and not bringing it back with me!

And I promise, I'll bring back some fun stories. :)

Yours, waiting for the waves,

Melissa

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY OLDIES STATION?

The other day I was driving my husband’s car, and he had taken his Sirius radio out of there (I don’t ask questions), so I had to listen to “regular” radio. It’s been a while, so I had to really rack my brain to try to remember the stations that I used to listen to. After hearing commercials on a couple of stations, I switched to the “Oldies” station, but was pleasantly surprised to hear music that I grew up with. Oh fun, I thought to myself, they’ve changed their format!

After several songs, the DJ came on with announcements, and lo and behold, they were STILL the Oldies station. WH…WH…WHAT??? How can that be? These are not OLDIES! These are not the songs my parents grew up with. These are MY songs that I grew up with! How can you POSSIBLY call them OLDIES?

I was outraged! How dare they call MY music OLDIES! It wasn’t that long ago. It was the ‘70s and ‘80s, not the ‘50s and ‘60s. It was only a a couple of decades ago. Wait, right? What year is this?

Oh, never mind.

Karen

Monday Madness... And the hits keep comin'!!!

Monday, Monday.... It's been a busy weekend. The Hub's sister and kids were in this weekend, so we've spent a lot of time with them, which is always fun. Saturday morning, however, was a mad dash to get the house cleaned before they got here. As they used to run their own cleaning service, I'm just a little on the "HOLYCOWtheyaregoingtothinkIcan'tkeepacleanhouse!!!!" side. Just a little bit. The Hubs asked what he could do to help. I promptly put him to work. He even came back a time or two and said,"What's next?"

Floored. I was absolutely floored. Where is The Hubs and what have you done with him? Bring him back? Uhm.... let me get back to you on that. ;)

He cleaned the entire basement (it's finished) and even cleaned the carpets! He cleaned the kitchen (Rays of sunshine from the heavens splitting the clouds I tell you!) while I was helping Z2 clean out her room. Yes, clean OUT. Three store bags of trash and a laundry basket later (She's a bit of a keeper. I, on the other hand, am a purger. We're working on that.) I emerge. I finish the upstairs and The Hubs and I finish the main floor together in record time.

Since I've been working more and more, it's gotten harder to clean the entire house in one day. After all, who wants to work 40 hours a week and spend an entire Saturday really cleaning up after three other people and a dog? Can I get a witness?

So after he's taking a break with Z1, I come in from the kitchen and say to him,"Hey- thanks a lot for just digging in with no complaints and really helping out. That meant a lot to me. I really appreciate it. The house just feels so clean and I didn't have to spend my entire weekend to get it that way. I'm looking forward to actually getting to relax with you and the family."

He replies,"Yeeeeeah... Wouldn't it be great if the house was ALWAYS this clean?!"

Stunned, yet only for a SPLIT second, (And mind you, before MY brain to mouth filter kicked in), I looked at him, turned on my heel and as I was walking away said,""Yeah. Maybe if you'd get up off your (-ahem!-) butt EVERY Saturday and help it would be."

Mama's tired. And she ain't playin' no mo. Right about that moment, a news program came on with a special report on how married couples feel about the division of chores.

Not. Even. Kidding.

You can't tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor or great comedic timing.

Yours, counting the days to vacation!!!!

Melissa

Friday Funny- Again- Did you HEAR what you just said??!?

It's Friday morning. That usually means a low key morning during the summer, one of the few days we get that. I truly enjoy Friday mornings. So I'm having a little time to myself in the other room and The Hubs calls out,"Hey Honey! Cee Lo is on The Today Show!"

I love Cee Lo. His song,"Forget You" (clean version- hey! Don't judge me!) is one of the funnest, emotionally purest songs I have heard in a long time. I mean, he really gets down to the heart of the matter and says it exactly how he feels. And it's a great funk groove.

So I come into the living room and look at the TV. Cee Lo's talking and I look at The hubs and say,"Check it out. All of the band members are women!" (They were of course, beautiful, skinny and glammed up).

Without even a pause for THOUGHT... danger Will Robinson-USE YOUR MOUTH FILTER!!!!- The Hubs replies,"Yeah, but do you think they can really play?"

Seriously? Did you really just say that? Are you implying you can't be pretty AND play an instrument? Better watch your mouth there sir, 'cause I KNOW I can play. So what you sayin'?!?!?!?

I looked at him and said," I KNOW you did NOT just say that," and walked out.

Clearly, there is a need for some serious ministry and revelation in the B Household! ;)

(To be fair, he did recant after he saw them actually playing).

Yours, still slightly dumbfounded, even after all these years,

Melissa

SUMMER’S ALMOST OVER???

How can this be? Less than a month until school starts, and we haven’t even started our “Things to do this summer” list! And one of the weeks left of summer will be spent on vacation and another of those weeks will be spent with relatives in town. Then WHAM! they’re back in school and nothing will have gotten done!

CRAP!!!

Maybe I should have paid more attention to the kids when they kept asking when we were going to do all that stuff on the list. Instead I turned over to the other side so my tan would be even and said, “Soon, I promise, soon!”

BAD MOM!!!

BAD, BAD, BAD MOM!!!

There is one complete week after vacation and before school starts. I wonder how much I can squeeze into that week?

Karen

Monday Madness- I.WAS.THERE!!!!

Dear Readers,

I know this has absolutely NOTHING to do with kids or parenting or caregiving other than the fact that I'm SO grateful for my sister who took care of my two minions while I.WAS. THERE! Because paying a sitter for last night's once-in-a-lifetime event would have cost an arm, a leg and a good two pints of blood.

Last night The Hubs and I finally celebrated our Christmas present to each other.

WE. SAW. U2.

Floor seats.

Six feet from Bono, Larry, Adam AND The Edge.

This is going to take me a very, very , very long time to process because frankly, my feet have not hit the ground yet.

Anyone else seen the 360 tour? Would love to hear what you thought!

Yours, still singing Elevation,

Melissa