Home sweet home

After arriving on Wed and having the realtor get into a car accident while coming to show us homes, we rested up and started on Thursday bright and early. I had a #1, #2,#3 and #4 picked out from her website. She showed me #1 and I fell in love with it. I saw #2 just for the heck of it, but told her no need to see anything else. #1 was going to be it. There is just a feeling you get when you walk into a home that you know it.

I remembered when I moved back to Hood, I saw a house on post that I got a horrible feeling from it, I turned it down and rented off post. Last house I rented, I got the feeling that wasn't the house for us, I ignored it and rented anyways. For 365 days I felt out of place. Never again so listen to your feelings. This also is also for sale so I would have no problems buying this house if we have to stay here longer.

Anyways, 20000 phone calls later, we are all approved, go tour preschools, check out the hotel, set up utilities sign hundreds of forms and get keys. This will be home for the next year.





Its a 3/2 1 car garage with gorgeous red Sausalito floors. The kitchen is big enough, the backyard is plenty, there is an amazing deep tub that I will be spending a lot of time in and this house just gives us a great feeling.

On Saturday we moved in. We got lucky that we are in need of a new microwave anyways, so I went out and bought one to have something to cook in while we wait for the gas to get turned on. Also my parents and I hate sleeping in air mattresses, so what I have done is I get a really good deep mattress pad for our bed, during the year we use it to make our mattress more comfy, when my parents come in to visit, we take it out, throw in some sheets and they sleep in it. They do the exact same thing at their house for us and everyone is happy.

I was due for a new one, so I got a nice 6' one, some new sheets and pillows because you can't ever have enough of that, and we got a place to sleep. We got the microwave to cook, the plates and utensils I was smart enough to pack came in handy, just had to pick up an extra pan, we got our laptops to catch up on our favorite tv shows and the portable dvd player of the car has a cable hook up. We got our cables turned on saturday and now the kids got cartoons.

Everything worked out perfectly and we are comfortable while waiting for our movers. My only complain is we have no hot water. We didn't realize it until we went to take a shower that when you have gas, that also controls hot water which means for cold showers. Asides from the heart stopping moment, we have survived.

Thank you so much for all the prayers and all the time you guys have heard me whining over the past couple days on the site, here and on fb. We still have one major hurdle to go through which is for my stuff to arrive and I promise I will share the hell these movers have put us through, but all in all, this insane, crazy, hectic move has gone off pretty smoothly and I am very happy for that.

Much love A

Racking up the miles...

We are not car trip virgins. We have drove from S Florida all the way up to Killeen, Texas, then to Fayetteville, NC, then back to S. Florida, then up to PA twice, to Virginia and many places in between, so when the hubby found out we were going to Ft Bliss, El Paso, Texas, we decided to drive and save a good chunk of change instead of shipping the car, flying and then renting a car.

Well we did it, after 1900 miles we arrived safe and sound. We left S Florida at noon on monday, (were to supposed to leave earlier, if it wasn't for my parents to deal with my dou-chebag movers we would have left later but that is a tale for another day when my stuff has finally been delivered), and I worried very much if this was the way our trip was to start how would it end?? but I learned a good lesson before it was all over!

First lets not get ahead of ourselves, the trip was good. The portable dvd player that only comes in the car for long road trips was a lifesaver just like it was on previous trips. I don't have a fixed dvd player in the car, it turns children into zombies in my opinion, but for long road trips, zombies is exactly what I am going for. Zone in to disney's latest creation and let us navigate this mess.
Also I knew we were going to be guests in at least 2 different hotels, before we arrived at our final hotel for a good 4-5 days so I packed accordingly. I separated 1 bag with extra clothes for the drive in case someone got sick, 2 small bags with pjs and change of clothes for the hotel and the rest in our suitcase. We stopped for the night, grabbed 1 of the small bags, the bathroom bags and voila. We were set. It was so easy dh complimented me hundreds of times (previous trips he had to drag in 3 suitcases every hotel stop we made), also I filled little ziplock bags with snacks, put some extra juice cups, and other kind of snacks in a bin and kept it by the children's feet. Anyone wanted a snack I handed them a ziplock bag, at the gas station stops we grabbed some ice from vending machines for the sip cups and our cups, poured the juice or the soda. Also I bought ds 1 new game for his mobigo, Juju got one annoying talking toy, and 2 brand new movies. It was by far the easiest trip ever. Longest but easiest. I have become a pro at this and for the girl that only wants stability, I don't know where that leaves me.

My complains are minor. The highway mess that is Houston and San Antonio and getting through those city centers ages me a couple years, fog, and dh just discovering Adele after being overseas for 1 year and not being able to get enough. I know I know I introduced him to her, but he played Rolling in the Deep 500 times. Oh well!

One thing I do want to mention is something that I think its extremely important and I hope anyone that is PCsing or moving to Bliss will see this.
You see ever since we found out about this assignment, I have been online non stop researching, searching, and searching some more. I have read pretty darn near everything there is to read about this area and not once has anyone mentioned what I nicknamed the "Danger Zone". I am going to talk about in hopes of someone seeing this and actually saving a life.

Right outside of San Antonio, about 10 miles outside, on highway 10-West, pretty much the one you will take, if you are coming from the east, there is absolutely nothing. When I mean nothing I mean nothing. I am not exaggerating. Its almost 560 miles from the outside of San Antonio to El Paso, 2 lanes going West 2 lanes going east. For the whole time there is vast empty land, and the most boring scenery ever. There is hardly any towers, so cellphone is sketchy, no cops around, not even a hospital sign. You are going through and around the mountains so its about 30-50% elevation and curvy and windy. The speed limits is 80 for cars and 70 for trucks. Gas stations are very few and far between and no street lights at all.

After we got out of San Antonio, we all had to pee, I started looking for a gas station. After driving almost 50 miles and not finding one we all peed on the side of the road. No joke. Not even a cow to make us embarrassed. It took us another 20 miles to find a gas station then something like 100 miles to find another. In that 560 mile stretch there is 2 little towns and you guessed it nothing else. Cue in the scary music and you got the settings of a horror film. There weren't even birds flying around, no cactus. Only crows and dead skunks on the side of the road. I know, I know, you are wondering how could I have gotten so lucky ;)

Our saving grace is that we only left FLl at noon, so therefore we only made it to before San Antonio by the 2nd night and slept. Early in the morning rested and in good weather, is when we braved this Danger Zone. If we had left early more than likely by the afternoon the 2nd day we would have entered this Danger Zone and we would have said "Oh lets just drive and get there" and it would have been fatal. No joke. I would never want to be caught in this area at night or in bad weather and I feel its absolutely important to share that with people. I got lucky , I hope others are smart about it.

After arriving I went straight to the house I had selected to see first, on the way to me the realtor got into a car accident. She is okay, her car is fine, but she rescheduled for tomorrow. I just wanted to cry. I had everything set up and something gets thrown in my way, then I remembered my luck of my movers arriving late and pretty much saving my life, so I decided to drive by dh's work just to make sure what I figured out online about the house being close to it is actually correct. It is and I am amazing. I seriously can find my way out of hell with a laptop and a cellphone :)

We then went to Walmart to buy some groceries because days of eating out is taking a toll, checked into our hotel, got everyone fed and bathed and happy. Our noses are dry as heck and we are jet legged. This is 2 hours behind what we were used to, but we will make it.

1st impressions..well that drive through the Danger Zone scared the crap out of me, but after getting here I am feeling okay. Its crowded, there is every kind of shop you can possibly imagine, I drive 5 minutes a Starbucks is there. There seems to be a lot to do but its odd. It seems like someone drew a circle in the middle of nowhere land and decided to add everything, totally odd.

The kids love that we are right by the airport. Seeing the jet planes go up and coming in for a landing is amazing. In the upcoming days , I will have a better grasp on things and can share more.

The most awesome news is dh, who is a bobble head, posted yesterday for the first time ever in his FB that we were coming here. Well two friends from his old Hood unit, and 1 from his Bragg unit are here. How crazy is that?? and I could have totally picked their brain for stuff. Oh well. Dh called them and they filled us in on how crowded this place this, how common car accidents are, how there is so much to do, how it snows hard here, there is no rain ever but then there is something called monsoon season. Can I run back home now???

Tonight I am feeling bummed out that I have to learn how to get around, get lost, get lost some more, heck there is a lot of streets not showing up on the GPS, get a house, get settled, do all the crappy things a housewife have to do, but I am content this is a very varied placed. I hear Spanish everywhere, this is such a cultural mesh and I love it.

Hopefully things will go smoother tomorrow, no more roadblocks and I will learn to bloom, until then I am going to try to figure out why my nose is so dry and what the heck I need to make it better and how to get used to seeing mountains after being in flatland for so long.


* Dh and I joked so much about this scenery. All you had to do is attach these pictures one next to the other to make it 560 miles and you can feel and see exactly what we saw in this Danger Zone.





** SO please if you have the luck or despair (whichever way you want to see) of getting this assignment, sleep in San Antonio and attack this area early in the morning and pray for good weather.
Much love A

Say whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat????

Last Thursday night during ds's birthday party dh got a phone call. It was his boss letting him know they are trying to place him in Ft Bragg. My smile grew. I have wanted to go back to Ft Bragg for a long time. Ever since we left. I had picked out a school, a house to buy, I had made plans, God was finally listening.

20 minutes later she called back and told him it might be Ft Bliss. I started to worry. Texas is the last place in the world I want to go back to and this is worse than Ft hood. This is west Texas more west coast. I don't like the west coast. I am an east coast type of gal. No no worries. I have spent hours praying to God. Everything was going to be okay, God listens.

Friday while at the water park dh got the final phone call. You are going to Bliss or back to Afghanistan. No choice, Bliss is understaffed, we need you. You are moving.

My world starts to tumble, I start to hyperventilate. No way this is not possible. For a year they been telling us Virginia, then Bragg, then Hawaii, then UK, then Georgia, then Bragg and now Bliss. They will change their mind. I wont stress. I am going to enjoy this water park, I am going to see the whales and I am not going to think about it.

Sunday driving home we got the final phone call. Bliss it is for sure and it will be soon. You wont have to go back to Afghanistan to clear. Tears, arguments, reminders to look on the bright side, more exchanged words, hurtful words, reminds that is only a year, a husband excited that this is a promotion, no more deployments, only 365 days. Its doable, please wifey follow me. More pleas, more argument, more tears, enough tears to fill a river, fear of passing up this opportunity with the way the job market it is, reminders of Texas sucking, more argument, hours later we reached a conclusion. We would take this position for 1 year, I will follow him, not happy and dragging my feet but I will. I don't think there was any questions about it, but somehow it was necessary to get everything out.

Monday morning another phone call. I am starting to hate the phone it is only bringing bad news. Oh sorry let me rephrase: news that are necessary for me to stick my head in my ass in order to find the bright side. Fucking bright. Don't anyone open their mouths to tell me about bright side. Sure I want my husband home and not in the sandbox, sure its better but its not a fucking bright side moving to Texas. Yeah my husband is alive and we are happy and healthy, I get that, but moving to Texas will never be a bright side. It will be the lesser of two evils, but it will still royally suck. YEah I will try to make the best of it, but bloom?? Yeah shove it.

Anyways, rant over, the monday phone call informed us he will have to report on Oct 15th and start working Oct 17. That is 15 days away. Are you fucking kidding me?? Oh and that they wont pay for our move. It will be on our dime and also he wont go back to Afghan so that means all your equipment that you left there because we couldn't give you an answer before, yeahh that thousand dollar equipment that has to be turned in..it will be shipped from Afghan in your own dime.

Head spinning, no more tears left I hoped in the computer and started to research and set everything up. Moving quotes, car transporting quotes, plane tickets, hotels, rental cars, turning rental in, finding new rental, $$$'s signs rolling around we got everything se then we didn't then we did.

Moving truck will be here on monday morning to load everything we packed on our own, they will be done by noon, friend will clean my house, mom will turn in the keys to the landlord on tuesday because monday afternoon we will be on the road. With 2 kids to drive 1900 plus miles to arrive in El Paso, Texas, before the moving truck, to find a decent place to live, to sign for such place, to grab keys and have it ready for the moving truck.

I want to cry but I have no tears, I have drank enough wine to last me a lifetime in the past couple days, I need a valium, a hug and some energy.

The good thing is so far so good. Its wednesday and 90% of my house is packed. My husband has been running around like crazy grabbing boxes, taking things to goodwill, doing this doing that. That means me muah packed 90% of this house alone in 2 days. My sanity has gone out of the window. I have gotten in touch with a realtor that will meet me and show me the properties I preselected, I got a hotel booked, I now need to finish separating clothes for the trip, and paperwork.

In terms of God, I don't know what to think. He knew Texas is the last place I wanted to go yet he is sending me there?? Either we are on different wave lengths or He knows something I don't know and I need, but I have learned a valuable lesson. Never ever ever tell God you don't want to go somewhere because more than likely He will send you there just to mess with your head ;)

If everything works, 1 week from now we will arrive in El Paso to start a new chapter and I promise if I have any sanity left, I will try to find the bright side. either under a cactus or at the bottom of a bottle of whiskey.


Love A

Let's do this thing...

Once you haven't a real vacation that doesn't involve visiting family in 9 years, only one is not enough, you need two and considering not every year I throw huge birthday parties for my children, this year my son was due for a big celebration. Instead of spending hundreds on a birthday party, we did cupcakes at school, a cake for family, only one kick ass gift, and decided to take them on a trip. In comes our second vacation. Family tagged along which is fine by me, but we didn't go to visit anyone and that is what I was in need off.

Early friday morning we packed up and drove 3 hours north to Sea World in Orlando. We stayed at Coco Key Resort. I had never heard of this hotel before but while booking online our sea world trip, I saw it as a option and researched it. OMG this place is amazing. I will stay there from now on anytime I go up to Orlando. It's right on International Drive and if you are familiar with Orlando/Kissime, this is the place where everything is. You got Disney, Sea World, Aquatica, Discovery Cove, Wet n Wild, and every restaurant and attractions like Go Carts, Medieval Time dinner, Pirate dinner, bungee jumping you name it. Its right around there and this hotel is smacked dab in the middle less than 1 mile from Sea World. The amazing this about this place is that its not expensive at all.

I don't like talking about money and how much I paid for things, but I am going to just to give you guys an idea. For the hotel to check in on Friday and check out Sunday, 3 Sea World tickets and the food plan it was all $382. Just in tickets it would have cost us $201 if we bought at the door (Adults $82 each, Children 3-9 $32 and JU Free) plus we got an all day dining pass. So the Hotel was about $190 for 3 days so around $63 a night. That to me was amazing. Sure you can get side of the road hotel for $29.99 and usually I don't care. They are all the same but not this. There is a covered area with a kiddie pool that doesn't go deeper than 3feet with all kinds of slides, water toys and etc. Then there is another pool with slide for older kids that goes 5ft. Then there is a huge area with just slides and buckets and guns then there is 3 major slides for the bigger kids, then there is a bar with decent pina coladas, a huge acarde, and a big area that sells either hot dogs and burgers or pizza or you can get the sit down buffet. For kids this place is the place to go. You get to play in the water park all day if you got a room and if not you can pay the daily rate and play in the water park. We played in this water park from the time we checked in at 11am until 6pm. The kids had an amazing time. It truly was wonderful and the rooms are very nice too. All the amenities you could possibly want.
So if you ever going up to Disney or the area stay there. Your kids will love you.


Sea World was great. The Blue Horizons show with the dolphins and the aerialist and the Shamu show was very enjoyable. The roller coasters were kick ass. Tyler only got to ride in one. There is also a huge kid area with all kinds of rides for kids. The attractions were great. Dolphins, manatees, penguins, polar bears, sting rays, crocodiles, and etc. Also because of halloween the kids could get bags and trick or treat. Added bonus. Ju enjoyed but Tyler had the time of his life. I think its a vacation he will remember for a long long time. I am not a fan of taking kids to Disney this young, while there is something that caters to them, a lot of rides they cant ride, but this was perfect option. Also at this time of the year its hot but not nasty hot, so we lucked out.
Its a lot of walking but a lot of fun. It was our first time there and we will be going back many many more times.

The only thing I regret is buying the dining pass. I did it in Atlantis and regret it, and regret it this one too. The places are not marked where you can eat, and its not that much cheaper anyways so as a tip don't buy the dining pass, just eat wherever you want when you get there, that way it gives you more freedom. That is my only complain oh and the fact my husband did not agree to me bringing a penguin, dolphin or whale home. Party Pooper!!!

Anything else was better than I could have imagined and I highly recommend it.


View from our room. I told you this hotel was awesome










Much love
A

Happy birthday Bug....

5 years ago you made me a mother. It has been a great ride since then. Your birth gave me purpose, gave me joy, and taught me so many lessons. I am a better person because of you. You took the pain of my mistakes in stride. You are so attentive, and funny. You notice everything and never let me forget anything. You are my guard dog.

Your smile light up my days, your sweetness is heart melting. Thank you so much for bringing me breakfast in bed yesterday. You heard it was sweet and you wanted to do it for me. I am sure you will grow up into such a great man and make some woman just as proud and happy as you make me.











We love you so much and thank you for giving us the pleasure to call you our son

Daddy, mommy and Juju.

Grabbing life by the horns

Remember this post , well I wasn't kidding. I am tired of waiting until I am skinnier to have the perfect life, I am going to live the perfect life right now while some things are still imperfect.

I have amazing children, great family and a wonderful husband. I am going to live life and enjoy and going Parasailing was just the right thing. I have wanted to do it for a very long time but let the fear of looking like a fat ass stopped me. Not anymore. My groupon had a special for over half off, I booked without thinking twice and today we went to do it.

It was an amazing experience. I was scared shitless not going to lie, but I got over my fears, didn't puke, got nauseous, backed out or even screamed that loud. To be able to share that with my husband was a truly gift and I just regret waiting so long to do it.

I highly recommend it. Its very freeing and gave me a whole new perspective on my life. 800 feet up in the air has a way to clear your head like you wouldn't believe it.


He is always so cool and relaxed. Perfect balance to my insanity



Scared shitless face :)



Going up and up


See how high


They took us all the way up then brought us back down to touch the water than back up again




Love A

It's vacation time ;)

After the amazing emotional homecoming on thursday, friday started with a bang. I slept until 9:30 am and got woken up with breakfast in bed that included pumpkin spice latte. Yep husband is home and its time for me to relax and enjoy it. My husband is pretty good, he will wake up with the kids, take them to school, change diapers like the best of mothers around and he does it with a smile, the kids really enjoy spending time with him. He is funny so everything is more exciting unlike grumpy ol mom. Hey I spent 1 year with them 24/7, I welcome the break and the bonding time they get together.

We ate some yummy lunch, went shopping for some clothes that had absolutely no holes, sand or that horrible Afghanistan smell. That afternoon we packed everyone up and headed to my parents for some bbq. By 7pm we gave everyone lots of kisses, and said goodbye. We hoped and prayed the kids were going to be okay and that his mom was going to get along with my parents. We came home and had a good old time, then got up at 5am. and headed out to the airport. It was a small plane and after many prayers, some tears, lots of turbulence and a husband with a hand that is white as snow from me squeezing we arrived in paradise aka Paradise island, Bahamas more specifically Atlantis.

We are major water park enthusiastic. We have gone to Schlitterbahn in Texas, we had done The Rapids in Florida and many more small ones along the way, ever since I saw the first Atlantis commercial some 6 years ago, I added that to the bucket list and this past weekend we got to experience it.
We haven't taken a vacation that doesn't involve visiting family in 9 years, we were totally overdue for it. Well this place didn't disappoint. Its amazing, caters to everyones need, the customer service is superb. We played the casinos, we got our hotel room upgraded, met so many people, and found out the pina coladas were to die for. $9 a pop but worth every drop.
We indulged, we relaxed, we rode every single ride, some twice and went around the lazy river some 7 times. We didn't think about anything except each other and our love. Our 9th wedding anniversary is next month, and while in the grand scheme of things 9 years is nothing, to us is huge, so we wanted to celebrate that. We were great together and had such a good time.
Atlantis was the place to do it and I couldn't have asked for a better vacation. Everything was truly perfection. With my insane habit to know everything I spent over 5 hrs in the computer right before I booked reading reviews from others that have gone. That helped us really have a good time. I knew where to eat, where to avoid, what to see, at around what times, I learned so much and I will later on make a post just about Atlantis. Its expensive, extremely expensive, but there is ways around the money bleeding and if this cheap ass is telling you its worth it, believe it. I have no regret about any of the money we spent because it was well spent. If you ever want to relax and enjoy, I will highly recommend going there, its the vacation of a lifetime.

I will leave you with some pictures and later one I will write a Atlantis 101.

In front of the royal towers. Gosh we walked so much. This place is huge but so pretty


View from our hotel room. Can you tell how happy I am??


Inside the aquarium playing around


One of the rides, you go down 12 stories with a float, then it drops you into the shark tanks. You go by very slowly just admiring the hungry sharks that are only a glass away from you


So much in love :)


We spent a lot of time around this lazy river. Its not really lazy because it has waves and drops and takes you up a conveyor belt that takes you all the way up to one of the towers that has 4 adrenaline rush rides.



Dh took this picture. That is my shoulder and his leg. He is so jealous I tan and he just burns..lol



Inside the royal towers lobby. Everything is so pretty and no detail is overlooked


By the dig. The humungous aquarium they have with all kinds of species.


Riding up the conveyor belt that takes you to the top of the towers so you can go down the slides. Its a beautiful view up there


One of the slides that was over 7 stories high, dropped you in this underground pool with aquariums all around:





Can you tell how much he drank and enjoyed himself??



Yep that is the hubby coming down the leap of faith. Don't think I didn't go down. I did twice, but no one looks good in that angle so no pictures from me going down.



Inside the royal towers lobby






I have thousands more pictures but later on, when I do the Atlantis 101 post, I will post some more.


Much love
A

Homecoming

On Tuesday I picked up my mil from the airport. Together we went crazy with anxiety and butterflies. We ran around cleaning and doing last minute details. I stayed up until late on Wednesday just to make my husband's beloved german chocolate cupcakes, and I also prepped everything so that I would have it ready to make his requested meal : Orange chicken. The children were bouncing off the wall, the excitement was palpable.

Thursday morning everyone woke up extremely early, we ran around like crazies, and got to the airport about 2 hours too early. It was all good. My parents met us there and we waited and waited and waited. We saw his flight land, and when he came through the gates I felt the butterflies. Homecoming was just as amazing as I remembered. I wore a dress like I said I was going to and he loved it. He hasn't seen me in one in 10 years so it was a nice surprised. We are just over the moon to have him home. Still don't know if its for good or temporary, but none of that matters. He is here and we are going to enjoy every second of it.

German chocolate cupcakes. I outdid myself. They came out absolutely amazing asides from the fact I burned my mouth with the coconut. If you would like to make some they came from HERE
The only changes I made is I swiped applesauce instead of oil, toasted the coconut, and used only half the amout of pecans it called for.

Waiting sucks..



Still waiting




Finally Together



First hugs rocks :)



Love A

Just what I was in need of...

I have been on a funk of all times. I had visions of being a size 6 by homecoming and because I am nowhere near that and homecoming is fast approaching, that has put me in a funk.

I have spent the whole week whining to dh and sobbing. I have regretted booking a vacation to Atlantis (no matter that I have wanted to go there since they opened) and instead debating changing to Antarctica so layers would hide my jelly. Instead of being excited about homecoming I have been feeling dread. Stupid fears about my husband being disappointment in me. In my heart I know that is stupid because I weigh the same thing I did when we got married, dh loves me for me and thinks I am gorgeous. He is a catch I know ;).

Well, its just been a personal struggle this past week, until I read what the amazing Nikki at Sanctimomious wrote :http://sanctimomious.blogspot.com/ .

I had tears streaming down my face. Gosh how stupid have I been. I am going on vacation with my husband to a place that I been dying to go for a long time to celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary, sans kid. Our first real vacation since our honeymoon. I am healthy, he is healthy and we are celebrating our love. What is the matter with me?? Only excitement should be felt not stupid insecurities.

Well, this whole feeling snowballed and I decided I need to love my body until I either love it or convince dh to allow me to have the gastric sleeve surgery in Mexico ;), until then I am going to get busy living. I am not going to let weight issues bother me or hold me back from doing anything I want to do.

I went out today and bought a dress for homecoming and one to wear on vacation. Asides from wearing a dress when I was invited to a wedding or in a wedding, I haven't worn a dress in 10+ years. This week all that will change because I will wear not only once but twice.

Also for the past couple days my groupon has been offering parasailing for 2 for a cheap cheap price. I have wanted to parasail since I was in hs but never had the courage because well I am fat and thought I was going to look stupid. I have looked at this groupon for 3 days and didn't have the guts. 3 am last night I woke up, grabbed my phone in a hurry and filled with fear that the deal wouldn't be there anymore. Thank God it was. I pressed buy and now in about 3 weeks, I am going to go parasailing. I am going to accomplish another dream. How awesome is that?? Will anyone laugh at me? Probably, but I wont care, because I will be 120 feet up in the air, holding the hand of my other half and having the time of my life.

Love A

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

I am not the healthiest person around, by a long shot, but I try. We visit chick fil-A often, my son loves some golden arches, there have been many times where I consumed frozen yogurt for dinner, and we won't even touch on my wine consumption.

At other time, I make extremely healthy meals, everything I try to cook tends to be homemade, I have tried to steer clear of the processed stuff (not completely) but compared to a year or 2 ago, its a lot. Step by step we will get there.

Well for an almost 5 year old (OMG I can't believe he will be 5 before the end of this month, someone pour me pour me a wine shot of whiskey ) that is not good. You see my son eats breakfast twice. I only found that out last week. Every student that arrives on time gets fed breakfast. I was under the impression they asked the kids if they had breakfast and if they did, they wouldn't give them another. Nope. So ever since finding out he eats breakfast at school, I have limited his breakfast at home. Instead of 2 or 3 muffins, he will get 1. Instead of 2 waffles he will only get 1 and so forth. Today he had 1 of those banana muffins I made 2 days ago and I dropped him off.

When I picked him up he was mad. Oh so mad. He let me know. He let me know that this morning they had colorful cereal. The little circles and they had all kinds of colors like a rainbow, not those boring gray ones I have given him before, but the truly colorful ones. So pretty it made his milk look like a rainbow and why have I never bought him those. and how all his friends were laughing and calling him crazy because he never had those before.Why why???

Uh....how do you explain processed food and food coloring is bad for a kid?? YOu don't. I explained to him its not good for you, he didn't buy it. I told him that mommy doesn't eat that so therefore I don't have the habit to buying it. That didn't help either, he said the first thing he will ask daddy when daddy gets home is to buy those instead of the peanut butter chocolate ones daddy likes.

And yes ladies and gentleman, my almost 5 year old has never had fruit loops before. Oh the shame. He will definitely need therapy.

So see, damned if I try to feed him healthy, damned if I don't and get critiziced. Oh finding this balance without denying my child anything is proving to difficult.

Where is that wine again???

love A