I Should Be Folding Laundry

it's. over.

Our vacation is over.

Are you happy now?

Just 800 more miles to drive and then we’ll be home. On Monday. And then we still have to finish our fence. Apparently, the fourth of July is this week, how did that happen?

We did have a fantastic vacation, I mean, wow. Great company, amazing house, fabulous weather, (well, except the last two days) and very good food. It’s hard to believe we have been gone for so very long. I have to say I have never been on such a long vacation before and I do believe I’ll be doing it again. And again. And again.

We are driving through Raleigh-Durham right now as I type and we’ve had more excitement in the past 40 minutes on the ride home than we did on the entire 2 ½ days here. We had decided at the last minute to get off for dinner right at 6:15 p.m. Brian spotted a Sonic and knowing his wife’s greasy tot-loving taste buds, he suggested we stop there. The service was very fast and good. We got back on the expressway when we pulled over for two very fast state troopers. It was then I said to Brian “oh great, there’s probably a car accident.” That was an understatement, after stopping in solid traffic, we were passed by a fire truck and two additional police cars and they were making everyone turn around. It was like a mass exodus off of the road, it was freaky and dangerous and what was worse is that we were in Raleigh-Durham. Where we have never been before. Good times. I had said to Brian, “you know, if we had just kept on driving and not stopped at Sonic, we wouldn’t be sitting here in traffic, then again, if we hadn’t gotten off, would we have been in what appeared to be a tragic accident?”

Luckily Brian had his trusty old Crackberry with him and found our way back to the expressway, only to get on and miss our exit .2 miles later. We turned around, got on to the correct exit and went about our merry way, only to be trailed by another speeding trooper we was pulling over a car going faster than Brian. Which is odd, because Brian is usually the faster driver.

We should be stopping at about 9:00 p.m. for the night and then heading to

Louisville

tomorrow night.

I had planned on reading an entire book on vacation, but could never get into it as the kids were near the pool n’ all, so therefore I was distracted. But I’m reading it now, in the car. Well not right now, I’m blogging.

Then again, I had planned to eat fairly healthy and well, that didn't happen either. whatever.

Back to the hills and curves of West Virginia tomorrow.

Rainy

Everyday this week, at this very time, we have been either in the pool or a few feet away from it.  But not today, because it's storming and that SUUUUUCKS.  dawg.

The only nice thing about it is that both of my darling, energetic children are in bed right now, which is very relaxing for me, therefore, I blog.  And drink coffee and try not to eat oatmeal creme pies and ice cream and chips ahoy.  oh, the chips ahoy.

We head home tomorrow which does not make me happy, I'm we are very bummed, I really am enjoying this vacation life.  A little too much, it's not just the house, the sun, the pool, the food, the shopping.  It's the lack of schedules.  The lack of crap to do all of the time.  I realized I am so tired of always having an agenda, it seems I always have something to do, every single hour of the day, and I'm tired of it.  Vacation life suits me, therefore, I need to try to make my life a little bit more like vacation life, because you only live once, you know?

We head home tomorrow and we'll drive for two nights and get home on Monday.  We have been gone for one week today.  Ariel is terribly bummed that we are leaving, she loooooves the pool and the beach house.  She's basically a beach bum, who tans amazingly.  Unlike her Mother, who glows in the dark.  Racecar, on the other hand, pretty much wants to go home, cause you know, that's where his train table and the rest of his cars are and well, his heart is with those cars.

Alright, time to sign off as my laptop battery is about to die and I can hear Ariel stirring...will check back soon, from a hotel, perhaps.  You know, a hotel away from the ocean and the sound and the word island.  And pool. 

gah.

P.S.  Being the good mother, I tried to upload a picture of Ariel, as well.  However, Typepad is being a total b*tch and won't let me.  Too bad, it was a cute picture.

Vacation and Twinkies

For some reason I thought I would have soooo much time to blog since I'm vacation.  Whatever.  I had it all wrong.  I completely under estimated the amount of energy it took to lay by the pool and chase the kids around this 4000 square foot beach house, up and down three flights of stairs.  Also, playing games, eating and drinking???  That's tiring, too!  I go to bed at night, intending to blog and read blogs and what not and I wake up the next morning and I'm all like "what the heck happened? who are you?  Where am I?  Where's my nachos?"  Now that is tired.

BUT, I wanted to take a few minutes before steak and cheesecake to share one of my favorite low fat dessert recipes.  And if you'd like more low fat dessert recipes or you'd like to share one, go here.  Okay? 

So, here you go.  The dessert is MOCK TWINKIES.  The taste is DELICIOUS.  I promise.

two points, friends.  Two points.  Here's the recipe, I'll check back soon.  or not.  P.S.  I miss you and I love you.

Serves - 24
Points - 2

1 pkg. Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Flavor cake mix
12 ounces diet lemon-lime soda
2 large egg whites
1 cup Cool Whip Free

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large bowl, combine cake mix, diet soda and 2 egg whites; beat for 2 minutes until well mixed.

Line two 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners. Fill each liner 2/3 full with cake batter. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Once cupcakes are completely cool, fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the Cool Whip Free. Insert tip into center of each cupcake and fill with Cool Whip. Refrigerate.

Nutrition Information:
98 Cal., 2 g. fat, 0 g. fiber

Somewhere with Rocky Raccoon

We are in West Virginia as I begin writing this post. I have never been to West Virginia; it’s very hilly and curvy, versus Indiana, which is flat and straight. Very flat. Very straight. And West Virginia is very hilly and very curvy. Did I mention that? Because it’s not really good for my heart to sit in the car while Brian literally drives 80 mph around the mountains while eating a fruit & yogurt parfait. 

Last night we stayed in Louisville at my sister’s house. It was fun and we drank a lot and today I’m tired. Plus, I still have my cold, as do Ariel and Racecar. Ariel and Racecar also do not sleep in the car. Have I mentioned that? They stopped sleeping in cars about 3 years ago. Luckily, the DVD player is keeping them busy. The DVD player with headphones. I don’t think I could stand a seventy hour road trip while listening to Max and Ruby or Cailou. I’m not sure why the children are so captivated by these characters, but they are and at this point in my trip, that makes me very, very happy. Instead, I have heard “are we still driving? and “where are we going?” and “is this our vacation?” six bazillion times.

I will never move to West Virginia. Too many hills, too many curves.

We stopped awhile back to go potty. I actually had to run out of the car ahead of Brian and the kids because my bladder was so full, urine was seeping from my pores. The gas station/restaurant/pizza parlor/convenience store had stairs to climb in order to get into the gas station/restaurant/pizza parlor/convenience store, I was about to climb the stairs when I noticed that someone had vomited right at the foot of the stairs. It was nice. I wanted to yell and warn Brian but I couldn’t because the pee situation I had going on. When I came out of the gas station/restaurant/pizza parlor/convenience store Brian was outside the door, standing there. Ariel had dropped her flip flop below the stairs. Next to the vomit. Brian went to get it and when he came out from underneath the stairs a woman was standing their, looking at Brian sympathetically, assuming he was the one who had vomited.

We still have a few hours left of driving today, the kids are yawning and fighting the z’s that are trying to enter their tired little bodies. I learned how to play Soduko (suduko? soduku?) to try to keep my mind off of how Brian drives. I am incapable of sleeping in the car, too, I guess we know where the kids get it from.

So many hills and curves.

A-ha! We are now in Virginia. Certainly it will flatten out in Virginia, right?

I'll send you a postcard, okay?

Should you need me, this is where I will be.

Isn't she beautiful?  We are renting this eight bedroom beach house in North Carolina with Brian's side of the family.  It has an elevator, which means I can be the ULTIMATE IN LAZY, which I plan to be. 

But not until Sunday.

Until then, I'll try to catch some wi-fi and check in with you.  Because I love you, that's why.

Supposedly this house has wireless internet, however, if you don't hear from me, do not call the police, I just can't get on-line.

hugs & kisses

Almost on the road

It's only fitting for me to feel like I am getting a cold just before leaving vacation, right?  Because what would a vacation be if I didn't have a sinus infection or vomit and poop while I'm there.  I'm mean, if that didn't happen, how boring! 

And yes, I am feeling like I am getting a cold, which is such great news I can hardly contain myself.  It doesn't help that three nights ago I slept for 2 hours and then last night I laid in bed thinking about everything I had to do for our seventy hour road trip, so like an idiot, I laid there awake until 2:30 in the morning.  Then the FedEx rang my doorbell at 8:00 a.m.

Poor guy, I almost shoved the five boxes he delivered us his.........

So, now I'm tired and sick and TOTALLY stressing about this trip.  For whatever reason, I hadn't really thought too much about preparing for this vacation.  For one, I was too busy with work and two, we have vacationed before, so I guess I thought this was the same, no big deal.  Except it's not.  Our last trip, we flew, this trip, we are driving.  Our last trip, we stayed for four nights.  This trip, we are gone for 10 nights.  Our last trip, I weighed less and looked okay in a bathing suit.  This trip...well, don't ask.  I said don't ask.

To say I have been a frantic, stressing lunatic would be a little bit of an understatement.  There is too much to do to before we leave.  Yesterday, I created a "to do" list on Microsoft word, I printed it out and taped it to my refrigerator.  Let's just say it was long.  Let's just say there are items still not crossed out.

However, I did manage to slip away for a pedicure while my car was being tuned up.  While that was very nice and relaxing n' all, I realized I have became a toenail snob with my very own toenails.  Which is pretty funny considering I had my first pedicure just last August.  And now, God forbid my toenails grow and the new part is not painted. the horror.  It's just a summer thing, I'm sure.  Luckily, I have a husband who is very understanding.

Let's just see how understanding he'll be when I ask him to fold the pile of laundry sitting in the dryer.

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays, go here or here.

Alive and sorta kicking

The conference I have been working on is over.  Blood, blisters, sweat and tears have been put into this conference and it's over and I am SO FREAKIN' TIRED.  Monday night I slept for TWO hours, not a second longer and last night I slept for nine solid hours without waking up and although it was divine, my body is still tired.  My feet are swollen from wearing heels and my head hurts, but it's all okay because the conference was amazing, the people were outstanding and I've been receiving a regular paycheck.  Beautiful stuff.. 

I lost 2.4 pounds this week.  HOLLA! 

So now, I must focus my time on cleaning my house, doing laundry, FINISHING OUR FENCE that is not done, we still have panels to put up and Brian and I have to do it by ourselves (which to me is wildly hysterical...and sad) and we are leaving for a nine day vacation on Friday.  (add to to do list:  Clean car, get tires rotated & do not think about how much we will spend on gas, take Racecar to the doctor for nagging cough, do not think about the cost of doctor's appointment.  Also, do not think about what I will look like in a bathing suit.  All very important things.) 

Hey robbers, don't get too excited, I have a house sitter, oh yes I do!  (someone that can feed my fish and water my new grass that is slowly but surely growing)

So, with that, I'm hoping to blog more often, can you imagine?  And sit more often?  Can you even stand it?  Blogging and sitting?  Today, I drank my morning coffee from home, I never got into the car with my morning coffee today, the first time in ELEVEN days.   

Regarding my weight loss, I am concerned about how much I lost, it's not that I didn't eat, it's that I moved non-stop for seven days straight, so when we hop into a car for three days and then sit by a pool for seven days I'm not real sure how my weigh in will be on July 4th, but either way, I'll do my best AND enjoy my vacation.  It's about finding a balance.

See you SOON! 

Cottage Style Potatoes

Cottage style potatoes are very good. Lightly spray your frying pan with an olive oil cooking spray and spray butter, season with onion and garlic salt, salt and pepper and lay out your potatoes in your frying pan. Cover and cook for awhile. I also flip and lightly respray. One large potato is 3 points. You can dip them into low fatsour cream or ketchup. It's a great side for the potato lovers out there. 

For more low-fat side dishes, go here, okay?

It's hard work.

Father's Day is.  It is hard work.

I'm not saying father's don't deserve father's day, oh no, I don't feel that way for one second.  I love having this day dedicated to them, honoring all that they do for their family; work, play, love, laugh, this day is well deserved.  But making it so special is exhausting and it's not even here, yet. 

Father's Day is different than Mother's Day, there is no denying it.  For instance, when there is a Mother's Day get together.  I make the food.  I plan it, shop for it, make it and clean it up.  I still do laundry and I still clean.  And I'm still "in charge" of the chickens.  I am in no way complaining about my Mother's Day, because I LOVED my Mother's Day.  It was an amazing day. I'm just sayin'. 

Now for Father's Day, we moms still plan all the meals for the get togethers, clean and take care of the children, but it's also important to us to make sure they get to relax and do as they wish without having to help with the kids or help around the house, and THAT is what makes the day so tiring.  and to top that off, it would only be the icing on the cake for our husband for us to perform our "wifely duties."  You know, to make the day EXTRA special.   

So, I need to go to bed extra early to start off the days festivities.  Unfortunately, for Brian, he'll be working all day long putting our fence in, alongside his father in ninety degree weather.  So, I'll just shut my mouth now about how exhausting Father's Day is for me and do what I can to make it even better for Brian.

Oh and while shopping for a last minute Father's Day gift today, I realized I never told you about "The Dangerous Book for Boys" that was sent to me for review.  I feel terrible because I love this book and think it's a PERFECT Father's Day gift, Brian has even read through it and thinks it's such a great book to have, so, if you are shopping late, pick it up.  You won't regret it.