SISTER’S TRIP 2012, 2 MORE DAYS!!!

If you’ve been reading our blog for a while, you know that every spring, I take a trip with my sisters to Mexico. It is the one time every year that I can really, truly relax and not take care of ANYONE but ME!!!

Here are our rules:

• No husbands
• No kids
• No makeup
• No diets
• No exercise

It’s heaven!

One thing I may not have mentioned is that every year we buy t-shirts and wear them on the last day and on the airplane home. It started as a joke with the shirts saying “Mom Likes Me Best,” but we got such a huge response from people, we decided to do it every year.

So here is our list of shirts that we have worn:

• Mom Likes Me Best
• What Happens With The Sisters Stays With The Sisters
• Who Needs a Therapist, I Have My Sister
• I’m The Sane Sister
• 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3 (this one was really funny after we dropped #1 off in Dallas and only #2 and #3 were left!)

And this year’s:

• NOT Mom’s Favorite (Hmmm, a little different from our first year!)

We’re looking forward to wearing it, but not too soon, since that means we’re on our way home! So you won’t hear from me next week while I’m basking in the sun. Jealous?

Karen

NO-NO’S ON THE BEACH!!!

I just got back from spending a week on the beach, and now that my eyes have stopped bleeding, I’d like to pass along a few suggestions for what I’d like to NOT see anymore. Please.

• Speedos. Men, unless you are an Olympic swimmer, you should not wear a Speedo. Especially if you are an overweight, elderly, hairy man. And doubly especially if you are an overweight, elderly, hairy man JOGGING.
• Bikinis. Women, just because you CAN wear one, doesn’t mean you SHOULD wear one. Enough said.
• Shaving. Really? Does your leg hair grow so fast that you need to shave your legs in the middle of the day? On the beach? At least go back to the privacy of your own room to do this.
• Jellyfish. Do NOT push the dead jellyfish back into the ocean. I don’t know if they can still sting someone, but just in case they can, leave dead jellyfish where they are. (Whoops, those were MY kids doing that! Never mind, I’m sure that’s okay!)
• Kids. Why am I more concerned about your kids drowning than you are? WATCH YOUR TODDLERS, PEOPLE!!!
• Smoking. Okay, I get it, you’re out in the open, you think it’s your right to smoke, blah, blah blah. Just try to be considerate please. Oh, and by the way, burying your cigarette butts in the sand is LITTERING. The beach is not one big ashtray. Please pick up your butts and throw them away.

So those were the highlights of my Spring Break vacation. Really, the family and I had a wonderful time, relaxing on the beach and playing in the (very cold) ocean. Some day we’ll live closer and I can put up a sign with all my rules. How do you think that will go over?

Karen

RAIN? SUN? SNOW? OH, WHATEVER!

Yep, I’m writing today because tomorrow at this time I’ll be on a plane for SISTER’S TRIP 2011! (Am I excited? Maybe just a little!) But I’m not going to post about the trip today, because I’m sure I’ll have a bunch to tell you when I get back.

Today, I need to propose this question to you: How can 4 weather websites have 4 different forecasts? (Okay, maybe this is about the trip a little, but it really goes beyond that.) With all of the technology these days, shouldn’t it be fairly easy to predict the weather? Yes, I understand that weather patterns change, and Mother Nature can surprise us all, but up until 2 days ago, we weren’t even sure if we were going to Mexico because the forecast kept changing. Rain on 3 days, then 2 then 3 then 1, and so on. Now, sunny all days. (Whew!)

But here’s the thing. If they are going to be wrong, shouldn’t they ALL be consistently wrong? I mean, shouldn’t ALL the meteorologists be seeing the SAME things on the SAME computers? We were watching FOUR different websites and they were all saying VERY DIFFERENT things. I just don’t get it. Are there any meteorologists out there who can help me out with this?

Okay, I’m done with my rantings! All I know now is that I need to finish packing, get my spray tan (so I don’t blind the others folks on the beach) and get on that plane at 6:00 tomorrow morning! Then it’s just me, my sista’s and a Bahama Mama in my hand. Adios!!!

Karen

POST SPRING BREAK

Yes, Spring Break is over. Sigh. We had a great time in Florida, relaxing on the beach every day, eating too much, exercising too little (okay, not at all unless you count slow strolls along the beach) and just generally being lazy. Isn’t that what vacations are all about?

And then, home. Yes, home to piles of laundry, an empty refrigerator and SNOW! Yes, snow. In March. Gotta love St. Louis! So today, I’m reliving my vacation with photos just. for. you! (Okay, really for me, but I’m using you, my faithful readers as my excuse!)

Enjoy!

                

A little kite flying…

         

                 

And a little sand castle building…

   

The sand castle, or Mayan Village, actually even got much bigger than this, but eventually somebody felt compelled to run through it one night and destroy it. Too bad, it lasted almost 5 days! And yes, Dad helped (read: did most of the work)!!!

Okay, I’m feeling better about being home now (even though it snowed AGAIN last night). Thanks for letting me share my vacation photos with you today!

Karen

TRYING TO WRITE A BLOG, BUT…

Hi! Karen here! I usually don’t blog on Tuesdays, but I traded days with Melissa since I’m leaving on my Sister’s Trip tomorrow and won’t be able to do my usual Wednesday blog. So I’m sitting here, wondering what to blog about but all I can think is that I’M GOING TO MEXICO TOMORROW WITH MY SISTERS!!!!!!

Whew, sorry! Lost my head there for a minute! Okay, I’m concentrating now. I have a bunch of topics I could write about, but for some reason I just can’t get my mind on it. WOO HOO!!! 24 HOURS AND WE’LL BE ON THE PLANE ON OUR WAY TO SUN, SAND AND PARADISE!!!!! Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry for that outburst. Back to work.

How about an article on how a nanny can make your life easier for you? SO YOU CAN GO TO MEXICO WITH YOUR SISTERS!!!!! No, no, Karen, pull it together! Okay, maybe a weight loss update? FORGET THAT… I’M SIPPING PINA COLADAS AND EATING NACHOS ON THE BEACH BY TOMORROW AFTERNOON!!!!!

Oh, forget it! How about if I just tell you all about it when I get back?

Karen

Psssst! Did I mention I’m leaving for Mexico tomorrow on my annual Sister’s Trip? :)

7 MORE DAYS TILL PARADISE!

For those of you who were not reading this blog last year at this time, you don’t know this, but every year since my dad passed away, my sisters and I have been taking a trip together to Mexico. This will be our 4th year. No kids, no husbands, no responsibilities, nothing but sand, sun and sisters!

I love my family (I’m required to say that!) but it is, by far, the most glorious, relaxing time I spend all year long. Here is our daily schedule:

• Wake up in our separate rooms.
• Have room service deliver breakfast (did I mention we’re in separate rooms?)
• Meet at the beach.
• Read/talk/laugh until we’re hot.
• Take a dip in the ocean until we’re cool.
• Repeat last 2 steps until lunchtime.
• Keep repeating those 2 steps until dinnertime.
• Return to our rooms (still separate!) to shower, relax some more, call home (maybe).
• Meet for dinner.
• Maybe find an after dinner activity, but usually not.
• Return to (separate) rooms and relax even more, until we drift off to a peaceful sleep.
• Repeat entire process for several more days.

Seriously, doesn’t that sound like heaven to you? We stay in separate rooms for a couple of reasons. First of all, we all need time ALONE, which we rarely get at home. But also, we’d probably end up killing each other if we stayed in the same room!

My sisters and I are best, best friends, and we love, love each other. But we know our limits with each other! We’re pretty sure that 4 nights is the maximum amount of time for our vacation (although when it’s time to go home, we’re always tempted to try another night!) and we know ABSOLUTELY we cannot share a room!

I highly recommend a Sister’s Trip, or Brother’s Trip or even a Friend’s Trip for everyone. Pick your favorite people and plan an annual event. You’ll thank me!

Karen