HATS OFF TO WORKING MOMS!

I have a new job. It’s a wonderful job, and I love being back in sales (really, really love it!). But if I THOUGHT I had a problem with time management before I started working, now I KNOW I have a problem.

How do working moms do it? And I’m not even working full-time! Yet I feel like I’m failing miserably at juggling my work schedule and my family time and everything else I need to do. Oh, and forget about working out at the gym. I have NOT figured out how to fit that in yet. I mean, I barely have time to get my nails done. (C’mon, I HAVE priorities!!!)

So I’m working on this. I’ll figure it out eventually, I’m sure. And if not, I’ll end up either being the worst mom, the worst wife or the worst employee. But hopefully not all three!

So here’s to my renewed respect to Melissa and all the other working moms out there. I’d give you a high five, but my nails look awful!

Karen

WE’RE MOVING TO FLORIDA!!!

Yep, it’s my hubby’s dream to live in Florida, so we’re gonna do it. Not for a while yet, but in the summer of 2014, we’re packing up and leaving St. Louis. It hasn’t been an easy decision for me. After all, I’ve lived in the Lou (as Melissa calls it) my entire life. Everything I know is here. But he’s been working on me for years now, chipping away at my resolve, until I finally cracked.

Then, last weekend, we went down there. By ourselves. No kids. And I might add here that even though the boys will be 12 in a few weeks, this is the very first time we’ve gone away together, without them, since they’ve been born. The Very. First. Time. Did we miss them. Um, no, not really! (Do I feel like a bad mom? Um, no, not really!)

But I digress. So we went down there, in the middle of winter, and people were ON THE BEACH!!! That pretty much made up my mind that living in Florida is a GOOD thing!

The first thing we did was look at the schools to try to figure out where to start looking at houses. We’re moving to the Tampa/Clearwater area, and I’m pretty sure we’ve narrowed it down to Palm Harbor. (Does anyone out there live in that area who can give me any insight? I’d appreciate it!) Then we looked at some homes just to get an idea. Hmmm, no basements. That’s going to be an adjustment.

But the homes were beautiful, the schools were huge and clean (even the lockers were outside, can you believe it!), the weather is amazing. What’s not to love about Florida?

Oh, I know. Melissa’s not there.

 

Karen

What To Say and NOT To Say When A Spouse Dies.

A lot of us have been there. A friend loses a spouse and we  want to say the right thing, but we stumble over our words and don’t quite know what to say to make her feel better. Will ANYTHING we say make her feel better, we wonder. Perhaps not at the moment, but there’s a lot of things that will make her feel worse, I assure you!

My sister’s friend lost her husband the other day. He was only 42, the exact age of my first husband when he passed away. It brought up some memories for me, including the things that well-meaning people said to me. Yep, there are some doosies!

What NOT To Say:

1. You’ll marry again soon. Really? REALLY? This woman just lost the love of her life and you’re already thinking about marrying her off again? NUMBER ONE WORST THING TO SAY!!!

2. Thank goodness you had time to say good-bye (if it was a long illness) or Thank goodness he went quickly and didn’t suffer (if it was sudden). Either way, he’s gone. There isn’t enough time in the world to say that last “Good-bye” or “I love you” and if it was sudden, there are so many things left unsaid. BAD, BAD, BAD!

3. You’re so young, you have a whole life in front of you (if she’s young) or You were so lucky to have had so many years with him (if she’s older and had been married for many years). If she hadn’t been married very long, she’s mourning the loss of their dreams and their future together. She can’t imagine a future without him. If she’s older, she’s mourning the loss of all those memories with him and still, she can’t imagine the rest of her years without him.

Those are the 3 worst things to say. (Believe me, I could go on and on!)

What to say (and do):

1. Talk about him. Bring him up whenever you can and it’s appropriate. Tell funny stories about him. Make her smile, remembering the good times with him. I can’t stress this enough. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BRING UP HIS NAME. It will not make her sad.

2. Let her cry. And cry and cry and cry.

3. Don’t ask what you can do for her, just DO IT. Bring her dinner. Tell her you’re going to the grocery store or discount store when you’re on your way and ask her what she needs. Pick up her kids and take them out for a couple of hours. You get the idea.

4. Do not abandon her. Don’t be there for the first month or so then figure she’s okay, because that’s what others will do. Be there for as long as she needs you. It could be years. Don’t leave her…please.

Those are the main points. This doesn’t only apply to somebody losing a spouse obviously, so use it as you wish.

And if you are in the situation and you can’t remember what I’ve told you and you think that you might be on the verge of saying something inappropriate, STOP! Close your mouth, hug your friend and don’t say a word. That always works!

Karen

PARENT OR CHILD?

When did our parents become our children? How is it we find ourselves talking to them as though we are the parent and we know what’s best for them?

Sadly, this is the situation many of us are finding ourselves in. We don’t want it. We never asked for it. But here we are. And we’re suddenly making life decisions for our parents that we don’t want to make.

Who among us wants to see our parents as weak, child-like individuals? We want to remember them as the strong people we looked up to, even feared sometimes. Back when we were kids, we didn’t even think about talking back to our mom or dad, or punishment would be quick and severe. The words “Just wait until your dad comes home from work” would send us crying to our rooms in anticipation.

But now, we see our parents needing us as we once needed them. They need us to make the decisions for them that they cannot. To know what’s best for them, while preserving their dignity.

It’s hard for us and it’s hard for them. It sometimes can seem like an impossible situation. But we do the best we can. There are many, many resources out there: websites, groups, books, companies, etc. One just needs to look; the help is there.

(I often post articles about this very subject on our Facebook page if you want to “like” it!)

Here’s to being the parent and the child. It’s not easy, I know.

Karen

I’M BACK ON THE WAGON!

So between the holidays and out of town guests and quitting my job at Weight Watchers, I’ve been a bit, well, not just falling off the wagon, but underneath it and run over. Several times.

But I’m back on it. I’ve brushed myself off, put my work-out clothes back on, downloaded the WW app on my new phone and purged my kitchen of everything I could without my family killing me. I’m back, baby!

Here’s what I’ve learned, with a little help from an article written by David Kirchhoff, President and CEO of Weight Watchers.

1. We make over 200 food decisions per day. And those of us trying to eat healthy probably make way more than that. This can be overwhelming, so keeping a food diary makes me more mindful of what I’m eating. I’m not always great at it, but I do my best!

2. If I deprive myself of what I really, really want, I’ll never succeed. That doesn’t mean I can eat an entire package of Oreo cookies, but it does mean I can have one or two.

3.  Whatever I eat, I own it. Period.

4.  I don’t surround myself with my “trigger foods.” I try to manage my environment as much as I can, given I have a husband and two growing boys in the house with me.

5.  I try to have a plan as much as I can when it comes to meals and snacks. If I “wing it,” I’m setting myself up for failure.

6.  Routines work. Yes, they can be boring sometimes, but they help me stay in control.

There you have it! Even though I’m not a Weight Watchers leader anymore, I’m still a Lifetime Member, and right now I need them more than ever! But whether you go to WW, another diet place, or just want to eat healthier, I applaud you. And don’t let those New Year’s Resolutions drift off by mid-February. This is your life, take control!!!

Karen

 

(UNHEALTHY) HOLIDAY EATING TIPS!

This is technically a guest post, although she doesn’t know that she’s posting. My sister, Margee, sent this to me the other day. I’m telling you this so that you don’t think that I, a Weight Watchers advocate, would pass along this advice. Let me say that again: THESE ARE NOT MY EATING TIPS!!! Nevertheless, they made me laugh, and right now, we can all use as many laughs as possible, so here is Margee’s guide for Holiday Eating:

10 diet tips to get through the holiday season:

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it’s rare. In fact, it’s even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can’t find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Happy Holidays – and happy eating!

Thanks Margee!

Karen

DOGS V. CATS

Most people are either Dog People or Cat People. I am a Dog Person, although I also have a cat. Her name is Sophie. I did not want her. Actually, neither did my husband. But we found her under a bush when she was only a few weeks old, and she was so dang cute, we all fell in love with her. Then she grew up into a cat, and that pretty much ended the love affair. Now we all just pretty much tolerate one another.

Here are Sophie and Bismark:

See the size difference? Guess who’s afraid of who? Ha! Yep, my 100 pound dog is terrified of my (maybe) 12 pound cat. If she’s laying in a doorway, or on the steps, he’ll just stand there and wait for her to move rather than go around her. If she’s drinking water, he’ll wait until she’s done. But I can tell she deliberately takes her time, just to annoy him.

This video beautifully illustrates the difference between cats and dogs. It’s hilarious!

Hope you enjoyed that as much as I did!

Oh, and by the way, I do love Sophie, just in a different, cat-like way!

Karen

ADULTS CAN BE SUCH CHILDREN

It amazes me how childish some adults can be, and what poor examples they set for their own kids at times. I’ll tell you what happened this past weekend.

My (11 year old) sons and I were at Target on Saturday. I was checking out while they were waiting for me by the door. Apparently, Adam was standing a little too closely to the electronic door, so when a man and his 2 daughters tried to walk through them, the door didn’t slide open right away. So what does the man do? He turns to Adam and says something to the effect of, “Thanks for messing the doors up, Jerk.”

JERK. A grown man called my 11 year old son a JERK because he unknowing stood too close to the door and kept it from opening correctly. He called my son a JERK in front of his 2 school-aged daughters. This is the example he wants to set for them? Because in my book, this man is one thing: a BULLY.

Did it make him feel like a big man to intimidate and scare a child? Because that’s all it succeeded in doing. Oh, I guess it got him to move away from the door as well. Good job, Mr. Bully.

All I can say is he’s lucky I didn’t hear him say this to my child. In the heat of the moment I’m not sure exactly what I would have said to him, but I’m sure it wouldn’t have been pretty. And I’m sure there would have been a lecture in there somewhere about setting a better example for his daughters. But I know this: It would have been something that my boys would have been proud of!

Karen

Honey Boo WHAT???

So we’re flipping through channels the other night (and the fact that we have over 1000 channels and still there is nothing to watch is an entirely different post!) and we come across the show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME?

Have you ever seen this? What am I missing? Because I REALLY don’t get it. If this little girl is supposed to be a “beauty queen,” then I should think about entering my son, because he could do better than her in ALL categories: poise, talent AND looks!

Okay, I really hate to be snarky here, but this must be a joke, right? The episode I watched (or as much of it that we could stomach before we just had to switch to another, equally stupid but less disturbing, reality show) was about one of her sisters, a teenager mind you, having her own baby. Yes, we’re watching a show about a child, with no boyfriend that I could see, having a child. There was no lesson to be learned here, no Dr. Phil moment, no motherly advice about how wrong it was. (Although there was a brief moment where Mom asked Daughter about how much pain she was in and said something like, “See what a bad idea this was?” Uh huh.) And throughout it all, Alana (aka “Honey Boo Boo”) is whining that she wants to see the baby (double thumbs and all!) and how excited she is. It was like a big party!

So back to Honey Boo Boo. First of all, what’s with the name? In fact, they ALL have weird nick names. Secondly, being in pageants is expensive, so how do they afford this? Have you seen their house? (Sorry, getting snarky again. But maybe they could put some of that money towards cleaning up their house and getting parenting and nutrition classes to clean up their family. Just sayin…)

And now Rosie O’Donnell wants to renovate Honey Boo Boo’s home for her. I have nothing to add to that. I’m stunned.

I’m all for seeing how a family less fortunate lives, and how they manage to keep it all together and make ends meet, etc. But I feel like if that’s the show, then help the family get ahead in a productive way. Don’t just put them out there for the world to laugh at. And I’m pretty sure that when people aren’t gaping with their jaws on the floor, that’s what they’re doing – laughing.

I think I’ll switch the channel now!

Karen

 

 

Truths For Mature Humans

A little humor for your day…

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
15. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay. 
16. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
17. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?
18. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
19. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
20. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
21. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974.That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.

 

Karen

The Decision Whether To Medicate Your Child

We all have an opinion about this topic. Well, most of us do anyway. On the one hand, ADHD is probably over diagnosed and therefore many children are needlessly medicated. On the other hand, if medication can help a child function better in school and in life, why keep that help away from him or her?

One of my very favorite bloggers, Dawn Meehan, wrote a really great post about this subject. She gives her personal experience, as a mother of 6 kids, then 10 pieces of advice to consider when making this decision. I found it very insightful, so I wanted to pass it along to you all. Enjoy!

ADHD: To Medicate or Not to Medicate? How You Can Decide
By Dawn Damalas Meehan

Just remember, whatever you decide will be right for you. Don’t let others influence your decision. And as Dawn points out, nothing is forever. If you decide to change your mind, that’s okay, too!

Karen

THE BEST PART OF MAKING CUPCAKES!

My kids don’t know how to lick a bowl clean. Apparently I never taught them. But isn’t something like that just in their DNA? That’s not learned behavior, that’s instinct.

This is a picture of me at about age 7. Even at this age, making cupcakes, I KNEW that when it came time to lick the bowl, there would not be a speck of batter left. My mom could put that bowl away without washing it and nobody would know the difference! (Don’t worry, she wouldn’t do that, but still…she could!)

But today, the unthinkable happened. I made cupcakes for my friend and neighbor for her birthday and asked one of my sons if he wanted to lick the bowl. He jumped at the chance, of course. (Oh, and I don’t want to hear any lectures on how I’m not supposed to let them eat batter because of salmonella. I’ve been eating it for years and I’m fine!) He used a spoon, then he went to using his fingers, and then…oh, it’s too horrible to say.

HE PUT IT IN THE SINK BEFORE ALL THE BATTER WAS GONE!!!

I was so stunned, I couldn’t even move to go stop him. Why didn’t he go to the last step and use the spatula? Have I been remiss in my motherly duties and failed to teach him the proper techniques of bowl licking? (But again I ask, aren’t these lessons just KNOWN? Must they be TAUGHT?)

I don’t know if I’m more sad that he failed or more sad that I could have had that last finger-full of batter!

Karen

THE SURPRISE TO BEAT ALL SURPRISES!!!

I know a woman named Gayle who told me an amazing story the other day, and she said I could share it with you. I love this story. It warms my heart.

Gayle has a great group of friends. In the world of “haves” and “have-nots,” her friends are “haves” and while Gayle is far from being a “have-not,” she doesn’t have as much as her friends. I haven’t known Gayle long, but I can guess that this didn’t mean squat to either her or to her friends!

A couple of weeks ago Gayle and her family went on a long overdue and much needed vacation. While they were gone, 40 of her closest friends invaded her home and did a TOTAL MAKE-OVER. I’m not talking about just cleaning it up. They bought all new furniture, painted all the rooms, cleaned it top to bottom, organized everything and decorated it like a professional had been hired. Then they waited until almost midnight when the family got home to yell “SURPRISE!!!!!” as they came in from their vacation.

Can you imagine??????

Here’s the thing: not only was Gayle amazed at how much work went into remaking her home, and not only was she completely floored by the love she felt from her friends that they would go to the effort and expense to do all of this for her and her family, but she’s come out of this a changed woman.

She’s realized that these 40 people think she’s pretty special, so she must be! All of this love and support has given her confidence and strength she didn’t realize she had. She’s walking taller, smiling bigger and feeling GREAT about herself. And who wouldn’t? She’s feeling the arms of 40 people around her every minute of every day. That’s gotta lift a person up!

Here’s to you, Gayle!

 

Karen

I’m HOW old???

Remember when we were kids and we thought 40 was old? And 50 was ancient? Forget about 60 and beyond. That’s just close to death’s door, right? Um, NO, not anymore!

Last week I turned f-f-fifty. Ugh, I can’t even say it. But although it SOUNDS old, it somehow doesn’t LOOK old. At least not on me or anyone I know around my age. Maybe I’m just kidding myself, but I swear 50 used to look older.

So even though I HATE the thought of being half a century old, I feel great, I look pretty darn good (according to my hubby) and I have a whole lot to be thankful for at this point in my life. What more could I want?

So take back that stinkin’ AARP card…I’m not ready for you yet!

Karen

My 50 SHADES Review…

I’m not even going to ask who has read the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, I’ll ask who HASN’T read it! Virtually everyone I know has either read it or it’s on their “to-read” list.

I read the first book and started the second before I finally just gave up. I really couldn’t take it anymore. I can’t decide which is worse: the story line, the improbability of anything remotely happening like this to a girl like that, the horrible writing…oh, the list is endless!

Yes, it was hot, I’ll give it that. But even that wore off after the first dozen or so times they had sex. I mean, really? A 22 (or was she 21?) year old virgin who has explosive, multiple orgasms, practically from just looking at this man, and can have sex multiple times a day and is willing to try just about anything. Uh huh.

And the phrases that the author uses over and over again are hilarious! I’ve tried to look at somebody from underneath my eyelashes and let me tell you, it does NOT work. Go ahead, try it! And what’s with calling each other Mr. and Miss? It got really old really fast. Not cute, just annoying! And can the author please call their hair “messy” instead of the term that she uses after sex? (Can’t type it here!)

Okay, so getting back to the sex and hotness part of it. Yes, that was great. For a while. But then, not so much. As my sister puts it, if they’re happy, they have sex. If they’re mad, they have sex. If they’re bored, they have sex. Etc, etc, etc! Maybe it’s just me, but I thought it just lost it after a while.

So, about a third of the way through the second book, I was done. I guess I’ll never know how it ends. Hmmm, I think I can live with that!

Karen

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

Today is the 4th of July and we celebrate our independence. Every year my husband calls his British friend and laughs! But that doesn’t mean we take our freedom for granted. We know how important it is.

This year, it’s going to seem a bit strange. I don’t know about where all of you are, but here in St. Louis, with the exception of the Riverfront, all of the other fireworks displays have been called off due to heat and no rain in the area. And although we’ve never really been allowed to set off our own fireworks in the county, they are really going to crack down this year. Plus, it would just be irresponsible of us to set any off.

But my dog will be happy! And speaking of dogs, please make sure to keep your pets cool in this heat.

So whatever you do today, remember to celebrate our freedom, stay safe and stay cool!

Karen

THINGS HAPPEN IN 3’s, RIGHT?

This has NOT been a good week for me, but as long as things really do happen in 3’s (should there be an apostrophe there?), I should be okay now!

I’ll start first with Saturday night at a restaurant. We are being led to our table when I happen to find, as only I can, a very small spot of water on the floor. Yep, DOWN I went! Not very graceful, I’m sure! And yep, I’m still sore from that fall! (How is it that kids can fall all day long and jump right back up without even thinking about it? I fall and actually sat there a while thinking “Wow, I fell. Hmmm. That’s weird! Oh, and OW!)

Oh, and to add insult to injury, when I stood up (finally), I look to see who I fell in front of, and there were friends of my parents! Ugh!

Then, on Monday, I’m driving down the highway with my kids and the semi in front of us ran over something that flew up and hit our windshield. Hard. In the slow motion, watching it, knowing I could do nothing about it, it looked like a piece of drywall or something similar. Luckily it didn’t shatter the glass. But it still scared the you-know-what out of all of us!

Finally, Tuesday morning my husband woke me up at 4:15 in excruciating pain with what we diagnosed (thank you, internet, for making us all as smart as doctors) as kidney stones. Go to the hospital or wait for the doctor to open up? He finally decided to wait (good for me because I had to be at work at 8:45, um, not that I was thinking about myself). Once the stone started to move, he actually felt a bit better.

So my question is this: Does his kidney stone thing count as his first thing or can it count as my third thing? Because I’ve had about enough this week!

Karen

 

BRACES ARE GOING TO BREAK ME!

Forget college, braces are going to put me in the poorhouse! Having twins is NOT all it’s cracked up to be when it comes to expenses. Apparently they are both ready for braces. Now. Have you priced them lately? I’m told that we’re “lucky” because they should only need them for around 15 months each, so we’re getting a bit of a discount. But we’re still looking at OVER $10,000 for the two of them. I may be dating myself here, but my braces cost $1600. (And yes, I’m sure, because my father told me this many, many times!)

Oh, but I’m in luck. If I pay all at once, I get a 5% discount. Or if I pay by credit card, I get a 2.5% discount. (Which would be really stupid because I obviously pay more that 2.5% finance charge on my credit card, but whatever. I’m sure somebody will fall for that one.)

You know, having an overbite isn’t the worst thing in the world, is it? Fine, you know I’ll get my boys braces, but the cost is just ridiculous.

At least braces are “cooler” now than they were in my day. I guess that’s why they cost so much more, right?

Karen

5th GRADE GRADUATION. HUH?

When did “graduating” from 5th grade become such a big deal? In my day, we went to grade school through 6th grade, Junior High until 9th grade, then High School until 12th grade. Now it’s Elementary School through 5th grade, Middle School through 8th grade, then finish off with High School. Okay, that’s fine. But we had no celebrations until we actually graduated. You know, High School. 12th grade. On to college or work or whatever. Adulthood.

My kids are completing 5th grade this year and you’d think they were at the end of their schooling, what with the huge deal we’re making over this! Don’t get me wrong, I’m a little teary-eyed over the fact that they’re going to Middle School next year and they’re not my little babies anymore. But all this celebrating is just a little over the top if you ask me. Which obviously nobody did!

We have things going on for the entire next week for our kiddos: a memory book with a page that everyone filled out with questions and pictures (do NOT volunteer for this – believe me on this one!), a CD with pictures set to music, a musical and a half day celebration with a pizza party, just to name a few. (But for some odd reason, our school actually doesn’t have a graduation ceremony, although other elementary schools in our district do, so I don’t know what’s up with that.)

So I just want to know, why didn’t I get anything like this when I was growing up? I feel very deprived!

Karen

BACK TO REALITY…

Yep, I’m back from The Sister’s Trip 2012, and it was AMAZING!!! Probably our best one yet! We went for 5 nights this time instead of 4, which was most likely the main factor for making this one the best. (I never told my husband we extended it a night, I just told him when I’d be back and waited to see if he noticed. He never did! Men…they’re so observant!!!)

We stayed at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso, the Most. Amazing. Resort. Ever! They upgraded us to beachfront rooms, which were SO CLOSE to the beach you wouldn’t believe it. (Mindy said it was spitting distance. I don’t know where she learned how to spit, but no way could I spit that far!) Each building has it’s own concierge and butler, who did ANYTHING and EVERYTHING for us. On our last night, somehow they knew when we were coming back to our rooms, and they had bubble baths waiting for us with candles lit and rose petals resting on the bubbles. ROSE PETALS!!! I wanted to bring Luis home with me!

Anyway, we sisters had a bit of bad news right before we left, so being together was exactly what we needed. Everything else was just icing on the cake for us. (Lots and lots of icing!)

We’re already counting down the days until The Sister’s Trip 2013!

Karen