Gone Again

While riding in the back of a Dodge Caravan yesterday, with my parents sitting up front.  Poppy flipping through radio stations and singing along with the oldies, Mumsey passing out snacks with AAA maps spread out on the dash and her lap……for just a bit I felt like I had traveled back in time.  I was 18 again, may 19, driving to Florida…the only thing different from those trips so many years ago…..those children also in the back seat calling me mommy.

The kiddos and I are on a little vacation with Mums and Pops. This time to Florida, we decided to just skip right to the beach and that giant, famous racetrack they have here in Daytona, since they were the highlights of our trip last time.

So far, we have enjoyed the large pool, they gigantic tree – Mattie is being a jungle child and spent a large chunk of time this afternoon climbing in it – and mom and I have been to the local wal-mart supercenter to hunt and gather provisions.  We also did a hefty amount of sleeping today because riding in a car for 11 hours doing nothing really wears a person out.

Something that has made our trip even more exciting, Brandon and I have switched our cellular service and I don’t want to be negative, but I will say that I am not a big fan of the current condition of my call quality…..when I actually have service. Which has not been very often. And Internet? I have no idea if it will ever happen again so that is why I’m writing this right now. It might be a week before you hear from me again.

And one last thing, we here in Florida would like to wish two of our Memphis framily members – Olivia and Uncle Mr. Adam a very happy 1st ( Olivia) and 30th (Adam) birthdays. We hate that we missed the festivities, but love you both and wish you a very happy birthday and year to come.

Finds

So I think I have stumbled across a few things that could either be really good or really bad.  Right at this moment, they are under control but I have this suspicious feeling that everything could go south very quickly.  It’s probably a very good thing that the kids and I are loading up with Mumsey and Poppy to head to Florida in a few short days.  I am hoping that being on the beach will deter me from online shopping.  One can only hope……

These discoveries, as dangerous as they might be, are too good not to share though.

The first is Zulilly.

I know many of you readers are probably let down by this revelation because you have probably been a subscriber to this particular site for a while.  I too have been, but I typically just deleted my daily deals emails.  That is until yesterday.  And what I found was delightful.  I am a big fan of using reusable snack and sandwich keepers for my kids lunch.  I have not bought Ziploc bags since Mattie finished kindergarten and for some reason, I am proud of that.  Anyway, with adding an additional kid to my lunch preparing agenda, which meant doubling my sandwich keeper stock – I have been looking around for a deal.  I think also I am trying to focus on the positives of Reese going to school and retail therapy seems to help.  For less than $25, I purchased 12 sandwich/ snack bags.  That’s less than $2 a bag and I won’t have to buy them again all year.  Maybe not even until Lila enters the school picture…..which I refuse to discuss.

Today on Zulily, I found an adorable wooden, pretend blender for $19.00 (that retails for $49).  It’s not exactly something my children are in dire need of, but who doesn’t want a darling wooden toy blender for the low price of $19.99?

So #1 – Zulily…I think you’ll like it a lot.

And number 2 find…..you might want to sit down for this……..I was looking around on eBay today for a particular Lego action figure that has gone missing from our house.  Rather than purchase the entire set (again) I thought I  might see first if just the little guy was available.  Turns out that not only are the individual people readily accessible, but you can buy used (clean – it actually says that in the listing Clean, run through the dishwasher, etc) lots of miscellaneous Legos.  You can buy them even by the pound and they are wayyyyyy cheap.  I came across a 10lb lot for $60!  If you aren’t familiar with Lego prices these days, well let’s just say investing in Lego stock would be a very positive financial choice for you.  Random sets of 100-150 pieces are only $15.00!  I am so excited by this new discovery!!!!! Especially since my children have finally realized that they can build whatever they want with their blocks rather than only constructing the specific sets using the instructions that came with those sets.  Since playing with Uncle Matt’s and Daddy and Uncle Kris’s collections, the kids seem to have a new-found appreciation for random Lego pieces.  Not only that, but I happen to know that Reese’s future kindergarten class does not have a satisfactory Lego collection and this just might make my boy stay there….if I send him to the first day of school with his weight in tiny, plastic bricks to share with his new friends.

So those are my two finds.  I realize now, after typing this, that only about 3 of you might find this exciting in the least….but I just had to share.

One last thing, this picture is just too cute to stay on my phone where no one else can see it.

I am thinking I need to make a little book for myself with a catchy title – full of pictures of my tiny girls and their tiny sandals.

A Public Thank You

Yesterday was a rainy day.  The natives get restless on rainy days and sometimes watching the weather report the night before can cause a mama not to sleep so well….because she knows what’s in store for her.  Monday had also been a rainy day.  Rainy days can be good is A) there is school that you can send your child to or 2) you are prepared with some sort of Mary Poppins bag.  I keep searching the internet in the evenings for such a bag, but alas, there doesn’t seem to be one available quite yet.

But as anxious as kids on a rainy day in the middle of summer vacation when the novelty of everything has worn off, may have made me….my day instead went something like this:

There have been hours of Lego play and my kids have actually worked together to create things…..except Lila…..Lila is a lone wolf and works well with nobody at this point.

We used our 3 months free membership to The Pink Palace to see their new robotic bug and live tarantula display.

That’s one big bug

I think this makes Reese Mattie’s prey

Mama stumbled across an incredible shoe sale at Cottontails in the Laurelwood shopping center (for all you Memphis residents who may be reading this) and may have stocked up on TOMs.  These are not all for me, I would like to say, but you can guess what I will be giving as gifts to all my summer baby friends having birthdays in the next few weeks.  We also learned about a great summer reading program at the bookstore next door to Cottontails….and for the record, I would like to say that the bookstore was our original destination….not the children’s boutique, because taking your kids shopping is not a pleasant rainy day experience.

Mattie sorted out all of our plastic dining wear by color

She will be doing out closets and pantry today

And when the rain finally let up for the evening, we had some prime fire fly hunting time.

Dropped one

And to our neighbors on the left, the Reece’s, your yard seems to be a popular hangout for the brightest fire flies.  We apologize for running through your side yard, but no worries, we stayed out of the flower beds.  Thank you for letting us  have your share of the lightning bugs, as well as our own.

The neighbor’s children seem past the fire fly age…I hope our taking theirs is okay

Then about an hour before bedtime, we packed up towels and jammies and headed to the pool for a bedtime swim.  This is something the kids look forward to all year-long.  Getting the pool all to themselves in the moonlight, swimming hard for an hour and then showering and right into jammies there in the locker rooms of the JCC.  I should probably take our bedtime stories with us and just do worship there, too.

And for this pleasant summer day, I owe a big thanks to my husband (this is the happy father’s day and anniversary plug that I have neglected to blog about.) I could write and tell you what a caring father you are to our children.  How you make them each feel special and loved in their own individual way.  How you add a whole different mindset to parenting that I would never come up with on my own and I am thankful that we don’t always mirror each others perspectives on everything.  But what I am most appreciative of, most grateful for is that you provide for us in a way that allows me to have these days everyday.  I have enjoyed an eternal summer since Reese was born in 2008.  Though the kids may leave the pool behind and head back to their “jobs”.  I never do.

I’m looking rather giddy here, he does that to me.

Some might say that the work of a stay-at-home mom is a job, and I suppose they are right.  But let’s be honest here, I chose this.  I chose to have each of my 3 children and though they wear me ragged at times and I am definitely working harder than I ever did at one of my paying, employee positions…..this is not a job or a career.  This is my bliss though and the only thing I really wanted to do as a grown-up, and every day, my husband grants me that wish of getting to be right here in the thick of it.  They are wild children, crazy sometimes and even mean.  But they are wonderfully entertaining and darling and the kindest, purest little hearts I have ever had the joy of meeting.  And every morning I get to be right there to start their days.  And every night, mine is the last voice they hear and the last kiss on their cheeks.

Father’s Day BB gun opening

More than the sparkly ring on my left hand or the pretty house that I live in.  Better than any card he could write in or buy from Hallmark – the best gift my B has given to me, is my life here at home with these kiddos.  And one of the ways that makes him a wonderful father is that he does what he can for them and then for me, to help me be the best mama that I can be for them.

Father’s Day frozen yogurt eating

Thank you Love for everything.  We love you dearly and hope we make you half as happy as you do us.

A Father’s Day stroll through Home Depot

My Guy

* I would like to add that staying at home is my bliss, but certainly not everyone’s.  By no means do I mean that every woman’s happy spot is at home and that any man who does not provide for that is not holding up his end.  Every life choice is a personal one and ever person flourishes in a unique environment.  This just happens to me mine and  I am thankful that my husband helps to make it possible for me to be here.

Special Events That Took Place On June 23rd

Because history is important, let’s take a look at some memorable, maybe even life-changing events that took place on this day in years past:

* 930- A.D. The world’s oldest parliament, the Icelandic Parliament, is established

* 1724 – Russia and Turkey sign Treaty of Constantinople

* 1776  – The final draft of the Declaration of Independence is submitted to the Continental Congress

* 1784 – The first US Balloon flight

* 1888  – Frederick Douglas is the first African-American nominated for president

* 1927 – Lou Gehrig hits 3 home runs in 11-4 victory over the Red Sox

* 1951 – The most expensive U.S. hailstorm happened in Kansas

* 1970 – Chubby Checker was arrested for marijuana possession

* 1979 – The Charlie Daniels Band released, “The Devil went down to Georgia”

* 1980 – David Letterman Show debuts

* 1989 – The movie “Batman” premieres…..that one is eerie

* 2002 – I became Kaylee Baughman when I married this hottie

 

Happy 12 years to us!

Things In My Pocket

I still feel like I need to explain my absence in writing.  I know I said that I was on vacation, and I most definitely was.  The sleeping in alone was enough to be considered a luxury, but there was the beach and $7.00 milksahkes (for real, there is a coffee shop in San Luis Obispo that charges $7 for a milkshake.  They are amazing, but still….it seems a little excessive, don’t ya think?)  – and kettle corn and getting to see all the family on Brandon’s side…..donkey feeding and all you can ride zip lining in the backyard.  It was a wonderful vacation.

Me and my girl, my first girl, on a visit to the beach where we saw a pod of otters, picked up sand dollars like they were dandelions and ended it all with a trip to get pink cake.

Cousins

Taking my zip line turn

Visiting with the feral beach squirrels

Our little Kashirsky flock

He is still so tiny, but looks like such a big boy these days!

It’s not a visit to Nana’s without a visit to the shell store

Reese did all sorts of weird tricks

Loving her Nana time

They look civil together, and I actually caught the moment.

We need more of these all over the place

Beach trip number 1

But the real reason that I haven’t posted anything sooner is this:

It’s hard to type when the keyboard has been removed from the laptop…..as well as the insides.

And this is rather random, but I completely forgot to share with you a fun little picture from my fascinating plane ride.

I like to call it, “Things I find in my pocket”

That would be my license, an almond, Lila’s first pair of wings, Reese’s tooth and a lego batman head

Reese lost his tooth while swimming around in the jacuzzi right after we arrived at Nana’s.  I put it in my pocket so I wouldn’t lose it and then he and I both completely forgot about it.  I am still debating on whether or not we should mess with the whole Tooth Fairy charade because he seems to have moved on.

 

The Truth Comes Out

We went on a little trip to California.  I didn’t tell you all, my readers, that I was going anywhere because I am trying to practice homeowner safety and not inform the public when we are out-of-town.  My husband didn’t have the same idea though and while we were at the airport, hadn’t even left our little town yet, he took and posted a picture of the kids watching the sunrise from the airport concourse  – on instagram.  I figure most of my readers probably knew that we were on vacation, because they are either A) my parents or 2) realized it when they got an e-mail from me because that’s when I seem to get caught up on my personal correspondence.  But just in case, and if I have a few stranger readers (hello to you and thanks for reading!) I thought I would stay on the safe side.

I will share some of the fun and happiness that we had while in California visiting Nana and Grandad.  But for now, I am just going to share with you some of my random thoughts during the last leg of my trip back to the land of Dixie.  After spending that long on a plane, with Lila, I probably started to lose it a little bit.

* Did you know that the price of People magazine has gone up to $4.99?  With tax and everything, that makes it now $5.25!  I bought an apple juice and a magazine and it was almost $10.00.

* To delete all of the photos on my camera (because they had already been transferred to the computer, of course) it took 13 minutes.

*For some reason, See’s Candies are all half price at the Salt Lake City airport….but as far as I can tell, nowhere else.  At least not in San Jose or Minneapolis.  So if you get the chance to go to Salt Lake City………

* Also, Costco has a wonderful trail mix without raisins.  I love a good trail mix, but I’ll be really honest here – I am that person who picks out the raisins and puts them back in the bag.  This was like finding a $20 in my coat pocket that I had completely forgotten about.

* And while we are on the subject of Costco, when we first moved into this house there was a roll of toilet paper still in each bathroom.  Thoughtful, I know.  And I feel like I may have mentioned this before, but it was the most wonderful toilet paper ever and I have been looking around for it ever since.  I even considered asking our realtor to ask the previous homeowners’ realtor if they could tell us what brand of tp they preferred.

But that would be weird.

But the other day while spending some time in the Costco restrooms, I made a wonderful discovery.  At least in the San Luis Obispo Costco restrooms, they use the same, wonderful, toilet paper!  I plan to do some research here in Memphis and see if they use the same kind and then I will get up my nerve to ask someone wearing one of the little Costco vests where I too, can obtain some of that fabulous tp.

* I am the only person I know who doesn’t enjoy playing at least one game on their phone.  So instead, I watched old episodes of Cheers across the aisle along with the man sitting catty cornered from me.  I am glad he was watching on an iPad rather than his phone.

* And because I must have at least one picture, this is the person sitting next to me.

Either she really loves this book (it accompanies her everywhere), or it’s just taking her a long time to get through it.  It is a bit heartier literature than my $4.99 People magazine.

Back Seat Chats With Preschoolers

I had the privilege of riding in the back seat with two little men, ages 4 and 5, just the other day.  These gentlemen chatted non-stop for our entire drive and it was probably the funniest conversation I’ve ever heard, if you can call two people spouting out whatever thoughts come to their minds….very stream of consciousness…a conversation.

Little cuties

Some of the highlights from this exchange:

Cole to Reese:“What do you call your mom?”

Reese: “mom”

Cole: “yeah…me, too.”

Rock Throwing….cause that’s what boys do

Cole to Reese: “Do you have a girlfriend?  I have 5”

Reese to Cole: “No, I don’t want to get married.”

Cole to Reese: “Why not, don’t you like your sister?”

Reese to Cole: “Not really, she’s not nice and we already have the same last name.”

Cole to Reese: “I have 5 girlfriends”

Reese to Cole: “I’m not getting married…..”

Me to Reese: “Why not Reesie?”

Reese: “Because I don’t want to do the sex.”

Crickets, Shame, Fear, Shock!!!!!!!!! What in the world had my child just said?  Had this just been he and I (and Cole) in the car, that would have been enough.  But my in-laws, God……..were all in the car with us and I felt like my child had just admitted to a horrible crime.  Mattie sneaks racy Disney Channel shows and has seen her share of Walton’s and Little House on the Prairie episodes where they confront mature subject manner….but Reese?!!!!!!!!!!!

After the world around me quite spinning, I decided I should probably ask the boy exactly what he knew about the Sex that was had when people got married.  I asked the boy and then cringed waiting for his answer, totally unprepared for my 5-year-old to explain the birds and the bees to me.  Up until this moment, I was pretty sure that my son was still under the impression that I became pregnant because I forgot to brush my teeth one night before I went to bed.

I braced myself for the horror……

“What exactly is The Sex?” I repeated quietly, trying to sound very nonchalant.

“I hear it in songs….it’s that romantic stuff like being pretty and dancing.”

I finally exhaled after what felt like 3 days.

The boy was still just that, a little boy, and for the moment, all was right in my world once again.

Their conversation continued……

Uncle Kris to Cole: “How many girlfriends do you have again?

Cole: “18 girlfriends!” They are apparently reproducing by the second.

The rest of us: ” How do you get a girlfriend, Uncle Kris doesn’t have one?”

Reese: “You could give her flowers.”

Cole: “Or just kiss her,” to which Reese replied, “Online, Buzzfeed says it’s okay to double dip as long as it’s your own sauce.”

Talkin’ Legos and which is better, boogers or ear wax…seriously, that was a subject discussed

I have no idea what that has to do with getting a girlfriend or if there is some sort of subliminal meaning there that we adults didn’t get.  Either way, it will be interesting to see how these little guys’ love-lives play out considering their unique and individual relationship views

 

Lazy Weekends

We went to the zoo this past weekend.  I take the children to the zoo quite frequently, but their father accompanied us this time so it was the best trip EVER!  Apparently, my children are under the impression that if their dad hasn’t gone with us lately, then he hasn’t ever been at all.  They were so excited to show him the animals and I was just happy to have him around.  It’s amazing how much easier parenting can be when you have both parents…….and I am awfully fond of the man, so I rather enjoy his company anyway. One of our first stops was to visit the cats, where we saw this guy taking a sabbath nap.

Cool cat just chillin’ on a log

This guy also cracked me up.

His father bought him this shirt….I don’t think they think I dress him cool enough

Nothing says swagger like having your shirt tucked into your underoos.

But all cool points are lost when you tuck your shirt into your underoos and they stick out above your shorts

Having Brandon with us also means that the kids got to see the komodo dragons.  In the past, I have been known to send the kids in alone at one end and tell them that I would be waiting at the other side.  They would have 30 seconds to quickly pass through the exhibit and then I would find a zoo keeper to go in after them.  I have veered away from this method because of the higher crowds, the animals being outside and closer to the entrance/ exits, and because my children have started fighting with each other and this leads to losing track of time and a rather anxious mom.  Another method I have been known to use, is just walking in with my eyes closed or looking intently at the wall while having the boy guide me.  But frankly, I don’t trust these children anymore.  I do not believe for a moment that they would be honest with me about whether or not it was safe to open my eyes.  At this point in their lives, I think they would find it absolutely hilarious to terrify their mother.

So thankfully, they had their father to join them on their romp through the giant lizards.

The roaming red shoes

This is her new pose, really subtle isn’t it?

Climbing into the otter display….probably not something they should have been doing

Lila and I playing in the mist

Very taken with the mist machine!

There were also 3 different weddings being set up in various parts of the zoo.  The zoo is definitely a delightful place, and there is certainly a feeling of fun and a little bit of whimsy…..but unless I had some back history with the arctic , I’m not really sure that I personally would pick the zoo and having polar bears swimming about as a backdrop for my nuptials.  It does make for a good story though and probably some unique pictures.  The folks having their wedding with the bear exhibit in the background I really am perplexed about though because their chairs were set up right up to the fence.  Where were the bride and groom going to be?  And the bears had been put away for the event so the back ground was really just am empty, grassy, rocky enclosure.  I have a lot of questions regarding that event.

I can see Mattie wanting to be married at the zoo and I will have to eat these words.

My husband is making an effort to take photos with me in them so our kids will know I was around.

 

A Week Went By…..OOPS

So I wasn’t  very good at posting during my vacation to my parents.  It all seemed to be going well,until my parents had to go back to work and I was back to watching my own children all day long.  I did want to share an example of me once again trying to take cute “church clothes” pictures of my children.

Mattie could look at the camera, but Lila and Reese seem very upset by the Tootsie photobomb

Mattie isn’t terrible, but Lila needs to be a bit more lady-like and Reese is about to turn into The Hulk

I should probably just stop trying.

We arrived back home on Thursday evening.  I was absolutely exhausted from driving in the rain and trying to drive my suv like a boat as I sailed it through the standing water on the Arkansas highway system.  I guess those boat driving skill learned from Uncle Ken finally came in handy.  As much as my body wanted to just go immediately to bed, it was only 7:30 and my kids had napped in the car, so that was clearly not going to happen.  Instead, I decided to start sorting laundry…..

That activity lead to another and before I knew it, I had caught a 2nd and 3rd wind.  I think it had something to do with the fun new show I found on HGTV…..anyway, that first load of laundry ended up going into the dryer and then being folded and before I knew it, I had moved on from HGTV to infomercial and only had one load of towels left.

It was also 4:30 in the morning.

But let me tell you, I learned so much valuable information from those infomercials!  There is an amazing makeup line out there called Sheer Cover, that can cover absolutely any unsightly skin flaw you might have.  People with huge full-face birthmarks or burns looked like models, then would use a damp washcloth to remove their light, breathable and none-pore clogging mineral makeup showing this horrible, disfiguring scar that had been completely hidden.  I too could have incredible, flawless skin for only $29.95 (plus shipping and handling) along with the brush sets, mascara and lip/blush/ and shadow kit.  Let me tell you, if I had had any clue where my wallet was at that unearthly hour, I would have definitely purchased it.  I’m still sort of kicking myself for not taking advantage of that deal of a lifetime.

And who knew that I have been slowly killing myself by not drinking my fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.  There is this special blender that is definitely  NOT a blender, not a juicer and not of this world that can pulverize ANYTHING capturing all the nutrients that my body needs to live to be 400.  As well as to cure any and all kinds of cancer and will make my hair grow in a way that I have never deemed possible.  I know, crazy, right?

We should all be receiving this life-changing products immediately upon being born!  I have no idea why we aren’t required to have them.  And why are they only telling us about their powers in the middle of the night?

After my late night of laundry and discovery, I then began my day at 7:30.  I spent much of Friday feeling like I might pass out or vomit, maybe even both.  My kids wanted so badly to go to the pool and never in my life have I been so thankful for rain.  It wasn’t so much that I didn’t want to take the kids to the pool, it was more a matter of me being afraid that I would fall asleep while I was there and they  might drown.

Safety first, that is the motto I live by.