Trend Trendier Trendiest

I've been awed recently by the overwhelming response to things, and seeing things trending on social media.

I admit - I've got Tw.itter, Ins.tagram, and FB accounts in my real-life moniker.  I admit to populating them at random (I really ought to work harder at that, I suppose), but I totally don't get the whole trending thing...just because someone else says I should look at what's going on with a celebrity or diet or color doesn't mean I'm going to hop on over and start Goo.gling the bejeebers out of it.  I liken it to lemmings (now, go Goo.gle lemmings so you get it.  I'll wait for you.)


Good, now that you get it, you can understand my fear and trepidation for our future.

That said, I just followed a link (cough, cough) that Ordinary Sarah posted on FB to a sarcastic poke at an apparently trending fashion idea.  The blog post to which she linked was funny, because an at-home homeschooling mom wrote it, and it was real and honest.  I, therefore, had to follow that link to the original blog from which she took her inspiration...

Here it is, I'm intrigued, curiosity is piqued, and, darn it, I want to go do this RIGHT NOW! (yes, the shouty capitals were necessary).

The author of the inspiration blog is a 5'10" (at least), leggy lady, with a body of which Giselle would be jealous.  She's either not married, married with no children, OR, married with children and an au pair.  Regardless, I am totally in awe of the simplicity she's brought into her life.

She has created, but is not the original creator of, a Capsule Wardrobe.  She went through her entire wardrobe, kept only the pieces she loved and wore again and again and again, and culled the rest, either eliminating that which she didn't love, or packing away the items about which she couldn't make a decision.  She gave herself a total number of pieces to include tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, footwear.  She doesn't count swimwear, pajamas/loungewear, accessories, or undergarments.  She has seriously, for the last 6 months at least, lived with 37 pieces of clothing in her wardrobe.  And she's put together some seriously amazing outfits that fit her personality, her lifestyle, her budget...

Guys, I'm ridiculously jealous of this.

I chalk it up to reading Jen Hatmaker's The 7 Experience, all about simplifying and cutting back...and to realizing that I've had the same stacks of turtlenecks in my closet for 6 years and they look no worse for the wear.  Or that I've honest-to-goodness got a CU sweatshirt Preacher Man bought me for my 8th birthday.  Yes, you read that right.  8th birthday people...I've got a sweatshirt in my closet that is older than my relationship with everyone that reads this blog, older than the majority of my friendships, and older than my Doc Ma.rtens...

Today, I'm writing this while at the bookstore (ahem) working.  And I'm already planning on when I'm doing this!  I'm going to take a morning when Littlest is at school, or perhaps a night while BB is in India, and am truly, honestly going to do this.  here are her steps:

1 - EMPTY YOUR CLOSET AND DRESSER.  Seriously empty it, and lay it all out on your bed.
2 - Sort it into 4 piles:

• LOVE IT, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT
• Undecided - those pieces you just can't figure out whether or not you love.  You like the color, but it fits weird, or it fits great, but that shade of purple just isn't quite right.  Those kinds of things...
• Don't love it.  The pieces that are hanging about your house because they just don't ever get worn, but you paid for them so you can't justify getting rid of it.
• Seasonal 

3 - Assess what's left. Decide how many pieces you need to get through the period between laundry, accommodate for events that require dressing up/down from your usual, and determine how many tops, bottoms, dresses, shoes and outerwear you'll need for those occasions.  Her magic number is 37.  That works for her and her lifestyle.  Yours may be less, it may be more.  The idea is to simplify and downsize.  Fill in where needed (if all your jeans are holey and splattered, it's time to invest in new ones that will be for the days you're NOT wanting to look like a bad '80's video).

Here are her rules to make this work:

1. Pare down your wardrobe to your magic number (try 37 pieces and see what happens!)
2. Wear ONLY those pieces for 90 days (by season), mixing and matching with your accessories
3. Don't go shopping AT ALL during those 90 days until...
4. 2 weeks before the end of the current season, when you'll PLAN and PURCHASE pieces for the next 90 day season.
5. Buy what you need to make the next 90 days work for you.  But remember, less is more.

I'm so overwhelmed by all the stuff that is occupying space in my house, in my mind, in my dreams...seriously...BB and I have so much stuff in our house.  Things we haven't unpacked from the summer we married and moved into our home.  Things that BB has from college, packed up when he left his house near campus, and took his job in Sa.n J.ose and then moved to Color.ado.  I have things which have been passed onto me by my sister-in-law, my mother, our grandparents...and they are sitting in my basement, or my closet, or shoved under/next to/on top of stuff.  We have papers, books, furniture, "artwork", supplies...

People, I have a 1300 square foot basement.  THIRTEEN HUNDRED!!!!! in this space, my kids are crammed into a corner for their play area, and the rest is literally full of STUFF we NEVER use...

I've decided that I'm starting with my wardrobe, and am going to make some charitable organization VERY HAPPY with donations of good clothing that I just simply don't love.

I realize that I'm mostly an at-home mom, but now that the kids are bigger, and I'm more involved at school, and am back to working outside my home, I need more than just jeans and athletic t-shirts.  But I can't justify spending money on clothing when I've a closet full of perfectly wearable items.

If I can pare down my closet, then I can pare down paperwork, and boxes, and books, and games, and puzzles, and decorations...

And if I can pare down the material possessions, then I can pare down the mental clutter, which will free me for so much more...

Now, to make it through the days until I can implement this plan...

A Story

From the time I was little, I remember being more interested in making up the backstory for my toys, than actually playing with them.  Once, I had a friend over Friday after school for a sleepover, and the rare occurrence of them staying both nights of the weekend with us, as her folks were out of town for a rare couples getaway...and we literally spent the entire span of Friday evening from the end of school until bedtime making up the names and lives of the Bar.bies with which we were going to play...In High School, while my friends were going to football parties, and deciding which boys they liked best, I was wandering the halls with my textbooks in front of me, a novel perched on top, turning pages one-handed in the passing periods between classes, and wondering which of the Little Women I identified with most...and even today, when I'm at home on a day "off", the call of my stack of books, or the siren song of my n.ook reader seem undefeatable.  When I'm ill, or when BB is gone, I devour books like a starving man...

I recently read, over on the Unknown Housewife, that it's coming up on being NaNoWriMo, and she's participating...she put in her post that every one of has a story inside, or something like that, and it just resonated with me.

I've toyed with the idea of writing.  Drafted countless plotlines and developed characters in my head.

I've always identified with Anne, Emily, and Jo, more than any others I've read of...the thought of being a writer scares the pants off me, but I cannot avoid it.

SO, as I'm doing my Fall Nesting through the month of October, it will not be as much for the preparation for winter and my family so much as it is about getting things done so I won't feel guilty for writing during November.

50,000 words.  Any words I want.  Any genre I choose...

I'm praying that the story that spills forth will be worthy of someone else reading it...

Moments When I Just Want to Scream

I've been struggling a bit of late...I can feel the pull for change in my life.  The question is, change in what?  How?  To what?  Wait...that's questions, isn't it?

Needless to say, I've been feeling a bit out of sorts, wondering if this part-time working Mom gig is for me or not.  The kids are short-tempered, irritable, whiny, smart-mouthed, and just downright driving me mad with their behavior of late.  I questioned Captain as to his opinion on the source of his change from my sweet boy, and his answer just took the wind out of my sails...he snuggled his tall body, folded up, into my lap, and tucked his head under my chin, and said quietly "It's because you're not home when we need you anymore."

As I fought back tears, I asked what he meant, and again, his answer shocked me.  Not because of the content, but because he sounded so mature in what he said.  He told me that since I've started working at the bookstore, all I do is work.  Even when I'm home, I'm barking out orders that things get done, and we never have fun anymore. When he needs me to help him, or he just wants to sit and read to me, I'm never there, or I tell him I'm too busy.

I've been praying since then.  For wisdom, for guidance, for peace and contentment with where we are as a family right now.  BB and I made some decisions last Fall, and this Spring, and as a result, I'm here - still working...

I had to sit down and write out what my week looks like.  In a nutshell, here's the breakdown:

Bookstore job, including travel time:  27 hours away from home
Mom-ffeur (which I wouldn't give up!): 5-7 hours in the car with my kids each week
Housework (food, laundry, cleaning): 30 hours each week
Time with Kids: 2 hours each week during movie night
Time with BB: 6 hours each week, counting movie night

Now, I understand that the kids are a little older, we're involved in more things outside of school and Church.  I don't mind that - I enjoy going to the pool to watch the kids during swim class.  I enjoy volunteering at school for an hour or so each week.  I love that they're doing AWANA and are memorizing Scripture and seeing other Godly people in action each week...

What I don't love is that things are so broken up that I don't have a routine anymore...

And I'm really feeling that this whole working outside the home as an employee is just not something that I'm supposed to be doing.  I spent 7 1/2 years at home after Captain was born.  I was there, for them, with them, and able to do things with them, not just for them...Now, I can't seem to find my groove with all the things I'm supposed to do, and all the things I think I'm supposed to do...

I read a blog this morning about 3 fads that are killing our joy.  I struggle, as do most of us, with all of them, but I have to add one more thing with which I struggle: I compare myself to the Proverbs 31 woman.  All. The. Time!

It's made worse when I visit an amazing blog, the author of which is a contributing editor to a Christian publication, has contributed chapters to books, a guest writer at a second magazine, has time not just to craft, but to craft these amazingly gorgeous creations.  Her latest post?  Her son went to homecoming, and she handmade the corsage for his date.  They took the obligatory photos, and off the kids went to the event.  They came back to their place afterwards, and she surprised them with framed prints from the one-hour place nearby...along with hand-crafted scrapbook items...and a handmade, themed feast of snacks...

And as I gazed around the bookstore (because it's DEAD QUIET here during the weekdays), at the work I'd done this morning for someone else - the dust-free shelves, the clean carpet and floor, the spotless counters, the nicely organized supplies and displays - at the stretch of days that now faced my, with NOTHING to do to fill the time, my mind immediately snapped to my house which looks as though someone shaved a whole pack of dogs, tossed 3 or 4 dozen cats in the mix, and added crunched up cereal, crackers, dried rice, and stirred in 14 socks, 3 pairs of underpants, and 9 shoes...and I broke down and cried...right there behind the stacks of cups, next to the espresso machine boasting about my pride in which brand of coffee we brew...I cried.

I'm weary.  I'm worn.  I'm broken.  My heart is not here in this little store that offers such a ministry and need to our community.  My heart is not in the relationships I'm building with the office staff and ministers.  My heart is. Not. Here.

Princess was sick yesterday morning - she hadn't eaten quite enough Sunday, and as a result had a horrible hungry tummy that was upset enough to wake her up at 4 am.  She was curled up on the bathroom floor, screaming and crying.  We finally got her to eat and drink. and she settled down enough to sleep for a few more hours.  But she was drained yesterday...she was pale, and had giant black circles under her beautiful eyes.  My immediate reaction was to let her sleep and I'd take her to school later in the morning...BB held firm, saying she'd be ok.  And while I know he was worried (he sent 19 text messages from 7:50 until I got to school to do my volunteer hours, making sure he hadn't missed a phone call about her), he was able to go off to work, do his job, and know that she'd be with me if she had to come home from school...and all I could think was that she needed me, that I should be keeping her home and snuggling and loving on her, and spending time with her yesterday, and instead, she was at school.  And while she was just fine, if a little less her normal self, the idea of her needing me and my not being there just about did me in...

I ask you to pray for me - pray for BB and I to know when the right time is for me to quit this job.  We've financially committed ourselves to some things, and my salary is what's paying for them.  We can't undo that commitment.  We can't cut out enough things in other areas to cover the gap left if I leave now.  Pray for me to clearly hear God's voice, not what I want to hear.  Pray for me to be able to balance it all, and still remain the Mom and wife I'm called to be.  Mostly, pray for my kids - for their hearts to know that even if I'm not there, I'm still loving them.  For their minds to comprehend that sometimes we make decisions that seem to have negative results, but that God will work things out for good.  For their behavior - that they'll see that when I'm there, I'm really there and that they'll be secure in the knowledge that they're loved and cared for in all aspects...

What Will You Choose?

I'm finding, more and more, as I age, as my children reach new areas of development, as I interact with more and more people during my weekdays, that it is far too easy to choose convenience and ease and comfort...

The other day, while BB was away on business, the kids and I had 3 days of wonderfulness - everyone was cooperative, willing, cheerful, joyful, helpful.  We were early to places, had fun together reading, playing games, visiting the museum, enjoying special treats of meals.  Then we had 2 days of not-quite-as-wonderful as school started and the older kids had a little trouble settling into the routine and not taking their exhaustion and anxiety out upon each other.  We still had fun, just not nearly as much.  We had one truly awful day wherein I felt as though I did nothing but scream, degrade and belittle my children and every other person with whom I came into contact.

BB came home, the kids were still cranky.  We spent the weekend running, getting in "quality time".  Monday morning, BB and I both rousted ourselves out of bed, worked out together, and we were only 5 minutes late leaving the house for school.  I had a hugely productive day on some things which I'd been putting off for months...I felt good - things were done, I was organized and prepared, the kids were unwilling, but cooperated anyway...yesterday was a little better, but I was, quite frankly, physically and mentally spent at the end of my 9.5 hours away from the house.  I came home to find BB and the older kids already eating dinner - but only half of dinner, as he'd either failed to see and read the note I'd left, OR he'd decided to just ignore it.  He complained about what was for dinner, how it'd been prepared.  Then the kids picked it up, complaining about how they'd wanted something different and better.  They didn't do their chores until I asked them multiple times, and then they were done with lousy attitudes and not completely or well.

I, for the record, am a perfectionist.  I'd rather not do something at all, than to do it less then perfectly.  I'm working on this...HOWEVER, I do not expect perfection from my children.  I do expect full effort and concentration as we learn new things, be they academic or not.  I do expect them to complete a task fully - not partially.  I expect them to give it their best effort and to do it as well as they can.

As we awoke this morning, the kids were tired, dragging themselves slowly out of bed, getting dressed at what seemed a snail's pace, loitering over eating their breakfast...

I, in my frustration, laid some heavy burdens on their little shoulders.  While I didn't come right out and tell them they were failures and it was their fault (they're 8 and 6 1/2) that I was frustrated and angry, that was the message that was clearly conveyed.

I don't want to be a parent that threatens my children and bribes them to choose the right.  If you clean your room, you can have ice cream.  Get good grades and I'll pay you.  If you don't get in here right now and clean up, I'm throwing these toys away.  I have always wanted to be a parent that is able to say "this is right.  It may not be easy, fun or desirable, but it is right.  We will, therefore, choose it.  That is all."  and then have that happen.  I realize that's not life.

I had a spiritual Gibbs moment as I was walking into the Church with Littlest One to drop her at school and get myself to work.

She gave me a hug, looked at me with her little turned up nose and freckles, big blue eyes serious, and said "Mama - please don't stop loving us because we were bad" then trotted off to school, happy as a clam, as though nothing was wrong.

I firmly believe God spoke through my 4 year old this morning...

God doesn't stop loving me because I choose to sin.  God doesn't stop loving us when we turn away from Jesus.  He extends His grace and mercy time and time and time again...He could easily employ His righteous anger and choose to seek vengeance against me...but He doesn't.  He loves me, He gives me chance after chance after chance...

And I realized this morning, that it's up to me.  I can't force my kids to be kind and loving or do what they're supposed to do.  But I can choose to gently, firmly, and consistently guide them in their lives.

Will it be easy, fun, comforting, the fastest way to do things?  Nope...but that's ok.

I'm going to choose right, because it's right.  I'm going to choose to love, because I'm loved by God.  I'm going to choose to be the person God wants me to be, because to do less is throwing the gift of His Son in His face...

What are you choosing today?

Gotta Go Back...Back to School Again...

Yes...I just quoted a line from Grease 2...hee hee...

Alright, it's been quite a long while since I last posted something...it's been a crazy summer (and yes, in my head, I just drew cartoon characters and John Cusack was narrating).

My kiddos are now all officially into the 2014-15 school year.  For the record, I detest the fact that we start school in the middle of August and still don't get out until the week of Memorial Day...and please, don't try to tell my all the why's and wherefore's behind it...I just don't like it.

This year, Captain is a 3rd grader and is already quite the expert on our school: where to go, the best route from the cafeteria to the playground, which scooters in PE are the best to use...He's a little nervous as this will be his first year of standardized test participation.  I'm not certain why his teacher felt the need to explain and mention this little tidbit on the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL...but she did, and my sweet little guy was sick to his stomach over the idea of representing his school in such a manner.  He's excited becuase this year...this year he gets (drumroll, please!) a PLANNER!!!!!!  He actually brought it home yesterday and was so proud to show me how he wrote down his homework, and had already scrawled his name and phone number in the appropriate location.  His assignments:  "Read 30 mintes" and "Get planner sind"...While the English geek in me is cringing over his spelling and pitifully poor handwriting, the Mama in me is doing a fist pump about the fact that he decided his weekly goal was to actually read "at least 45 minutes each day"...we chatted about using it for things at home, and our extracurricular activities such as AWANA and swimming classes, notes about other things and how this is a great tool to use now, while he's only needing to track a few things, rather than waiting until he's in High School or beyond.  We also talked about the fact that this Planner is his responsibility.  Not mine, not BB's - his.  If he doesn't write down all the homework assignments, he won't get credit, which will mean bad grades, and struggling to keep up with his class.  He is also already working ahead - his "All About Me" bag was assigned last Friday, due this coming Friday.  He turned it in yesterday.  It's hard to believe my sweet little smiley, snuggly, precious baby boy for whom we waited and prayed and cried so long is such a little man...but I'm proud of his abilities and the way he's already tuning into his gifts and abilities and honing them - God is working in this little boy, and I pray that BB and I will be able to guide him along the path and that he'll be an amazing man of God...

Princess is a 1st grader...gone all day, every day.  She gets to eat lunch at school (a huge deal, mind you), and is already the recipient of a Citizenship Superstar award - earned because she helped clean up a mess she didn't make.  She did, however, mention that she was "bored-ed" on the 2nd day of school because she thought that 1st grade meant learning.  Not learning rules.  Just learning...My fierce competitor, my compassionate, creative, gorgeous Daddy's girl makes my heart melt...she's protective and imaginative.  She's also wicked smart.  I pray her teacher (a 2nd year teacher and a new mom) will be able to provide enough opportunities for her to be a hands-on helper and challenge her academically.  I also pray this darling girl will retain her compassion and love of helping others, and continue to exhibit selflessness and generosity as she grows into the woman God is calling her to be.

And Littlest One...who is definitely NOT little anymore...started Pre-K this morning.  3 days each week wherein she'll be learning to read and cut and draw and glue...she was so excited to see her teacher this morning I don't think she even knew I'd left.  It tugged at my heart a little bit - that moment of seeing your kids as the independent, competent people you desire them to be is awesome...until you realize that they're only 4!  She's my sassy, energetic, determined, daring, funny, dramatic baby girl.  I eagerly await the day she sees her abilities and talents and channels them into what she's passionate about, not just what her older siblings love.  She's also the one I know will bring the most challenges to me - she IS me...and I pray that I'll be able to use the experiences I had to help her grow into her own - that she'll be open to the wisdom I have, and will see how alike we are and allow that to help her, not hinder her.

This Thursday will be my first morning without ANY kids since June 2006.  Right now, it is a heady thought - 3 hours with no one asking for anything or demanding my attention.  3 hours of uninterrupted time to do anything I want...but then I realize that I'll be alone for 3 hours each week...3 entire hours.  180 minutes.  By myself...and it's daunting and depressing.

It's funny how this year, I feel as though I'm going back to school - getting a small opportunity to relearn myself.  To get to delve into who I am, now that I'm almost a decade into the role of Mother, almost 15 years into the role of Wife...to have time to accomplish things that may or may not have any direct benefit to the appearance of myself, my house, or my family.  That may or may not be completely selfish...That may or may not be practical, or efficient, or even wise...

Baseball: More Than the Great American Pasttime

I am still not quite certain where this blog will lead, but I'm attempting to write a bit more deeply, not just rambling interludes and glimpses (I almost typed blimps there...hmmm) into my life.  This, obviously, is dependent upon just how much time for reflection I have and how well my recall works...

Alas, this past week, has again flown by...but on the upside, we're one week closer to a "real" summer vacation of running through sprinklers, lighting a fire in the fire pit, making s'mores and enjoying the gorgeous Colorado summer evenings...

Right now, we're in the thick of baseball season (ok, technically it is tee-ball for Princess), and BB is the head coach for both teams.  I'm sure I've already told you that, but, apparently, my recall is lousy today.  This means I'm spending as many minutes as I can being "productive" around the house, so I can prepare the kids for practices and games - loading water bottles with ice cubes and water, tossing healthy snacks into the cooler bag, sunscreen application, bug repellent atop that, and then verifying the presence of equipment and uniforms...phew!

BB being head coach really means that I'm head administrator for the teams...he runs practice and truly teaches the kids the skills and rules to play the Great American Pasttime, but I'm the one who makes sure schedules are issued, reminders are sent, parents know about games and snacks and then, during the games, I herd the players - making sure they follow the line-up, drink water, have their gear etc. etc ad nauseum...

I truly love the game.  There's just something about sitting in the stands, soaking up the sun, or enjoying the dusk, hearing the soft whoosh of the ball as the pitcher hurls it to the batter.  The crack of the bat (or the "ping" in our case. stupid aluminum bats), the roar of the crowd...I never realized until the last 3 years, just how mental and strategic baseball is.  I used to hate it - it was boring...all they did was stand around and wait for the guy to hit a ball, and then attempt to stop the guys from scoring.  Bleh...Now that I can see the strategy behind telling your powerhouse hitter to truly take one for the team, and hit a sacrifice fly so his teammate can advance and/or score as opposed to hitting one for the books, it's a bit more thrilling.

I realize it's not the same rush as watching massive men crash headlong into one another in the attempt to run the distance of a football field, nor is is the same as watching hockey players, or even tennis players.  Truly, many of our athletic events don't truly do anything other than show the talents of a few...but to see those that have been gifted with agility, speed, endurance, strength...I enjoy it.

On a much different, yet somehow far bigger scale, I'm enjoying seeing my kids grow through athletics.

Captain is learning a lesson (albeit a difficult one) about perfection.  The equivalent of 3 seasons of tee-ball allowed him a false sense of skill as to batting.  Now that he's hitting something that isn't standing still, he's learning that he can't control everything, and that sometimes he's gonna knock one into the outfield, and other times he'll go down swinging.  Most importantly, he's learning that we get back out there and try again the next time, and that everyone misses occasionally.

Princess is learning that even with an inborn ability and being "good" at something doesn't always mean you'll be on top.  This lesson of life is teaching her that, just because you are consistently a high-achiever, doesn't mean there isn't someone on the defense that's also a high-achiever that's going to catch your ball and use it against you.

And yes, I could wax poetic with sports analogies all day long...but I won't.

The biggest things I see happening is BB being shown just how gifted he is!  Half of our players on Captain's team were with us last year.  Of the other half, 2 stayed a level down, 1 isn't playing at all, and 3 moved out of our League area.  We have 7 of our 13 kids back because BB was such a great teacher and coach, that the parents have entrusted their kids to him again.  They keep telling me how impressed they are with his ability to not only teach them about baseball, but respect, teamwork, courtesy, hard work...BB doesn't see these things about himself and keeps saying how surprised he is that people ask to be on our team...

I'm watching my kids, all 27 of the players - nervous about their swings, whether or not they'll run fast enough to stay on base, will they attempt to catch a ball, and once they actually have the ball, will they remember where to throw the ball to make the play - and seeing how, in just 5 short weeks, they've gone from squirrely, rambunctious kids to some pretty darn good ball players.

I leave with this floating through my head, from someone, somewhere in my life, "Wherever you set the bar, those expectations we have for people?  That's where they'll operate."

The Aftermath

We made it!  The Great Adventure 2014 was epic!  Really!!!!!!!!!!

It was a lot of work getting things ready, lining up a house-sitter to care for the dog, cats, fish, indoor plants, yard and veggie garden, cancelling mail and paper, suspending milk delivery, making sure EVERYONE knew where we were going to be and how they could get hold of us should an emergency arise.

We had shoe box sized plastic containers for many things - chargers and occasionally used electronic devices (including the nifty little walkie-talkies BB and I bought our first season camping with a trailer. Oh, I'm sorry "2-way handheld radios" is the correct term for my younger readers - also known as "push to talk" devices) and all the charging cables and rechargeable batteries, one for travel games in case of inclement weather relegating us to the hotel room.  We had one large one with sleeping bags and an air mattress in case there weren't enough beds at night for the kids.  We had 3 suitcases (really, it was one large one, and 2 "carry-on" size bags), a cooler, 2 medium sized crates of "dry goods" (napkins, disposable silverware, plates, pretzels, crackers, dried fruit and the like, PLUS 2 king sized pillows, and a backpack for each of us with "toys" and "books".

Our vehicle was FULL...

We started out EARLY Saturday morning and made amazingly good time from our house to our hotel in Las Vegas...so good that we were checked in, settled in, and eating dinner at this AMAZING Mexican place by 5:30 that night...

BB was ill while we were in Vegas, and spent several hours sleeping in the van in the parking garage at the casino.  Yes, we went inside casinos in Las Vegas.  More than one.  More than once.  OK, let me clarify that...we went into the "shops" at the casinos and traipsed through tourist trap food courts to get to exciting things like The Adventuredome at Circus.Circus, and watched The F.all of At.lantis at Ce.asar's Palace.  The lights, the noise, the sheer size of the buildings, matched with the over the top decorating to keep with the themes had our kids enthralled...we drove the strip and saw the amazing sights and watched the fountains outside Bell.agio...and while I know that there are many many multitudes of things going on in Las Vegas of which I don't approve, nor in which participate, we had a BLAST!  I learned that there are plenty of things in Las Vegas that are not supported by or associated with casinos, gambling, liquor or scantily clad people to keep oneself occupied...We swam, we went to aquariums, we oohed and ahhed over the lights and glitz.

We drove to Bakersfield, where we celebrated my amazing niece.  She didn't just graduate early, she graduated early near the top of her class, WITH HONORS, AND was awarded scholarships to cover her first 2 years at Milligan College!  She's quite an amazing young lady...we were also entertained by my nephew's ability to ride a unicycle.  My brother actually constructed a unicycle park in their backyard so he and his friends could practice their tricks safely...

We drove from Bakersfield to Anaheim, wherein BB and I had a serious case of the butterflies that grew exponentially as we got closer to the sign that said Dis.ney.land Dr, certain that some young eye would catch sight of something with ears, or a castle turret and the secret would be out...miraculously (and a bit ironically), we were IN the hotel, checking in to our room, Capt with a map of Cal.if.ornia Ad.venture in hand, when the desk clerk asked if it was our first visit to the great DL before they caught on...but when they did...OH!!!!!  It was worth every second of every minute in which we agonized about how many days to stay, should we buy this option or that...truly priceless.

Captain was treated with banners, signs, balloons, a giant stuffed Mouse, special ears, an autograph book...the girls each got a smaller stuffed Mi.nnie and autograph books plus personalized ears...and we were in the DL by midafternoon....we rode rides, we picked up jaws from the ground repeatedly, we happily stood in line to meet characters...

We spent a glorious and full 4 days traipsing around, riding rides, meeting characters, enjoying the history and traditions, making friends of strangers in lines as we waited.

One of the best memories for me of the 4 days at DL were when Littlest One caught sight of S.now Wh.ite at dinner one evening.  She stood on her chair, arms outstretched, eyes lit up with glee, a huge grin on her face and squealed out "Mommyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!  SN.OW WH.ITE is HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!"  Her sheer passion and uninhibited joy at meeting someone she's only heard of was incredible.  I can only pray she keeps that joy and childlike attitude for the rest of her life...

The BEST memory is this:  we got to DL for our special Magic Hour (oh the treats you get when you stay at the DL hotels!!!!!), walked into Fantasyland at 8:15, and immediately went to the line to meet some characters, where we were told it was a 2 - 2 1/2 hour wait.  I got in line, and BB took the kids on rides (I suffer from some vertigo since the kids were born, so me and rides don't do so well together) and surprised them with a makeover session.  I'd been waiting, chatting with the families around me, and talking about how we'd all gotten there and our history with DL etc etc. when BB came up with the kids, and I teared up...They made Captain a knight, complete with shield, sword and groomed hair. They made the girls into Princesses...BB splurged and bought them each a dress and tiara, and they'd had their hair done, and some shimmery makeup applied.  Everything had been topped off with "Pixie dust" and they literally sparkled from head to toe...but they both looked so grown-up, so beautiful...it was a glimpse of the young ladies they really aren't far from being.  They all held themselves so differently, and all the times I parroted "be polite, be courteous, use a kind voice, say please, be respectful" were manifested in their behavior the rest of the time they wore their costumes...As if their physical appearance wasn't enough...I literally had dozens of people tell us the rest of the day that our kids were so beautiful and so well-behaved...this mama's heart was full, and I think I had a perpetual conversation of gratitude with God that day.

As if that wasn't enough, we spent an entire afternoon with my Aunt, Uncle, cousin and her kids.  I hadn't seen them in almost 20 years, yet my kids met my cousin's kids and they picked up where my cousins and I had left off - instant best friends, playing together.

Our time in Oregon at MILs was truly wonderful!  While it was crazy windy (Inkling, is it like that at your house or just right near the water?!?!), we had some amazing adventures to historic lighthourses, beautiful gardens, gorgeous wild shorelines, kite flying, special times with Great grandma...

I could seriously go on for HOURS about our trip...and I'll share more as the days go by.

Suffice it to say, that while there's no place like home, sometimes you have to leave home to truly appreciate what you have.