"A Wink and a Smile"

Can really get to you EVEN after you wake up. Two nights ago I had an all night labor that was so incredibly VIVID. I actually felt very tired the next morning. Then last night, it felt like the longest confession at Church. I can't do too much about the labor, but ... Today I did count down the hours before I could attend reconciliation at our Church. I don't think I really had a lot that ached at my heart, but maybe it was just "time". It was one of my better confessions. I guess I had it all rehearsed ;) I feel better. It really is a GREAT FEELING! Wonder what I will dream about tonight?????

We've made a pretty big decision recently. Our plan come August is to get rid of our DirecTV and the many channels that we have. Our family life is super busy and most of the time any of the television watched is just fluff. I wouldn't mind so much, but with a DVR we can watch hour after hour of fluff. I could get rid of the DVR, but then I probably wouldn't approve of many of the things the girls watch. We (the husband and I) have been playing a little "trick" on our girls by hiding some of the viewable channels that they like to watch. Most notably ... Disney 1 and 2, Nick, Cartoon Network, and a few others. The first day we just got rid of a few channels (Disney) and I noticed the next day, my girls found the "other" channels (Nick)and started watching SpongeBob over and over. When Nickelodeon was removed, I noticed a whole new channel that they liked and it wasn't a "kid" channel. While I was gone for a few hours yesterday...

Maybe that is normal after coming back from vacation and spending just a little too much money. $ Sprinklers need fixing $$ Need dirt and sod to correct the oh so very sad looking front and back yard $$$ Just got an invoice for the swim dues that have accumulated over the last 2 months $$$$ Ceiling needs a little fixing after daughter #1 flooded the family room $$$$$ The seals on about 6 windows have blown in my house (warranty? I hope) Forget summer vacation. I NEED A JOB!

circa '01 circa '03 circa '04 circa '06 I loved when I could get them all to wear matching bathing suits. Unfortunately the almost 13 year old doesn't look as cute in a bathing suit that a 3 year old would wear. Times change ... children grow ... sigh! *I just love the top photo of my 2nd daughter. Her little cheeks sticking out of her suit. That "super swimmer" today does not resemble that chubby little body anymore.

MAY '08 Pictures have now made it home! Now I just need to organize them. More to come ...

All 500 or so of them. When you take that many, you need to put them somewhere.   So where are they? On the husband's laptop (his work computer that is NOT at home).  I never not have access to my pictures after a vacation. I guess I could blog with words, but pictures always tell my story better ... waaaahhhhhhhhh! Here is the very short and thoroughly boring explanation for my blogging disappearance.   My husband and I piled our bunch of 5 minnies into our gas guzzling car driving through 6 states.  We made our stay in Florida where we visited Grandma G at her lovely beach house.  My 2 sisters (and their family) came.  There we did a small memorial for the one year anniversary of my Dad's passing ... it was lovely.  After a few days there, we loaded up the car once again and headed to the world's happiest place -DISNEY.  Grandma G, Aunt H, Uncle C, and cousin G came along.  Nice trip with lots of memories.  Some so memorable that I could probably make an entire blog about...