Holy Moses, What a Vacation! (Thank God It's Over)

"No man needs a vacation so much as the man who just had one. ~Elbert Hubbard"

Well, I think that I will never blog about another vacation......ever. Maybe only the ones that don't involve extended family members. Oy.

We did manage to have some fun in between the more, um, interesting family interactions that occured. The waterpark was a hit with all of us (yes, even me) without a doubt! There were slides for all levels of daring, hot tubs for both adults and those with children, and a lazy river to float around in an innertube. That last thing was my favorite.....wish I had one of those in the backyard!

It was very nice to see friends of Hubby's, I'll call them J&J, that have wlecomed me right into their group. We laughed and gabbed about all of our mutual interests, saw a movie, and generally had a fun and relaxed time together. Y'all, they were such a blessing. Speaking of blessings, they've recently found out that they will be parents in the spring! Yay! I can't wait to put a baby box together to send them.

So now I've got to get back into our routines.....including one of mine which is to read what's goin' on in your lives! I'm off to take a gander at your blogs to find out what I've missed ~ right after I tackle the laundry, put everything away that we lugged out, catch up on yard work and....well, you get the idea!

Just Stuff....

I remember picking up a Calvin & Hobbes book at a book fair event in my middle school library. I flipped through, not expecting to find anything especially amusing and was caught by the humor and antics of the little boy and his tiger. I think the name of the book was Scientific Progress goes "Boink!".

I'd forgotten all about that book (by Bill Watterson) and it's characters until recently. My husband mentioned a fellow marine who had a really nice hardback collection of the comic strip series and I remembered how much fun I had reading those quirky and sometimes wry comics. Now that I think about it, Calvin and Hobbes remind me a bit of what my Hubby was prob'ly like when he was a little boy.......and still is!

So I'm taking a break from the Summer Vacation series (for what it's worth) and sharing a few funny strips that I've found on my random internet searches. I hope you enjoy them........and if you don't, visit Joanna or my cuz for a chuckle or two. I have it on good authority that they're funny ladies! (And I mean that in the best way possible!)

Vacation Chronicles.....

This is pathetic. I've only been away from home for a few days and I'm already homesick! I miss my bed that's all on one level, having a say in what we do, being surrounded by people who get my sense of humor and aren't obsessed with how fat someone is or has become.............*eye-rolling* Yep. I told ya' it was pathetic.

I can hear my Mom in my head telling me to just "go with the flow". Does my mom know me, or what? Going with the flow is not a concept that comes easily to me in certain situations. My in-laws are very fun, kind people........though sometimes their brand of kindness leaves you feelin' a bit like you've been hit with a mac truck only to be flattened by a steam-roller. In short, you're gonna take it and like it. ~Thanks?~

Anyway, we're all enjoying the cooler weather and the chance to do some outdoor activities without the possiblity of heat stroke. In fact, I think we're all heading up to a water park on Monday. Yeah, you heard me - I'm gonna be in a bathing suit in front of people who are weight obsessed. Pray for me, y'all!!

The Bubs, who has been begging for a dog for months, is having fun with the dogs that are here. They're cocker spaniels and he's already asking if we can take one home. I overheard him talking to the dog, Cubby, the other day asking it if it would like to come home with us. He was soooo cute as he told Cubby he could sleep on his bed at night and that he could have all the food he wanted! That boy is a hoot! He's still not getting a dog, though. Sorry kiddo.

Comin' to ya' from the In-Law's livingroom......

Okay, I've finally been able to connect to the internet here! I had some technical difficulties happen that prevented me from posting like I wanted to. Long story, short.......how come the simplest things take the longest to figure out/fix? *sigh*

And moving right along..........

Our little detour to the zoo (on the way up to mom-in-law's house) turned out to be loads of fun. The weather was delightfully cool compared to the triple-digit temps we had just come from. I think that helped us enjoy our explorations rather than focus on how hot and miserable we were! The entire zoo/aquarium was impressive. From the foliage that surrounded us everywhere we went, to the up close and personal exhibits that invited you to touch the animals - it was amazing. There was even a play area for him to enjoy with climbing nets and slides. I was concerned that most of the day would be spent walking, pointing and trying to keep our active 5 yo entertained. Instead, he was actively engaged for most of the day and we were all able to enjoy ourselves.

We got rained out in the end, but that was just fine with us since we were wrapping things up anyway. The rain was a blessing to my way of thinkin'. We had a physical, tangible reason to give the Bubs as to why we had to leave. It's not easy to argue when your being drenched in cold rain! Hubby made it especially fun for him by running with him to the car. Bubs laughed the whole way! I, of course, was the sensible one and used my handy umbrella while walking sedately behind. Howevah, I'm still tryin' to figure out how I ended up getting drenched and my guys barely got wet.......The Hubs would say "cause they're cool like that"!

Here are some pics of our adventures so far~

A Moment with My Father

Have you ever had a moment when the realness of God and what He's continually doing for you kinda smacks you in the face? Personally, I love it when that happens. I need those kinds of moments to keep me focused and centered in the middle of this crazy life.

I wasn't looking to have that kind of moment this morning (shame on me), but I'm so very glad it happened. I was reading over the liturgy for tomorrow's service in order to pick out some appropriate music for our group to sing. The music and worship planner that I have comes with hymn and contemporary song suggestions that I glance at occasionally to get ideas when I'm stumped.......other times I, frankly, completely ignore them. Not that I'm thumbing my nose at what they have listed, I just like to stay open to whatever the Lord is leading us as a group to sing. I had the first two songs down pretty quickly, but the anthem was beginning to give me fits. So, I glanced over at the song suggestions and "My Tribute" by Andrae Crouch leapt out at me. Okay. I'm down with that....what's not to like about Andrae? As I sat there looking over the music for it, this song that I've heard many times before, the words caught my attention like they never really had before. Oh. OH.

How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me-
things so undeserved, yet You gave to prove Your love for me? The voices
of a million angels could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever
hope to be, I owe it all to Thee.

The world around me faded away and I was alone with my precious Heavenly Father. As fast as the flow of tears down my face, so was the flow of praise that filled my heart and mind and made its way to His ears. I was instantly enveloped in a feeling of love so intense that it was almost as tangible as being wrapped in loving arms. Then and there, the things that had been weighing so heavily on my mind and heart faded away before the certainty of my Saviour's love.

To God be the glory. To God be the glory. To God be
the glory for the things he has done. With His blood he has saved
me; With His pow'r He has raised me. To God be the glory for
the things he has done.

Just let me live my life; Let it be pleasing, Lord, to
Thee. And should I gain any praise, let it go to Calvary.

So on the eve of Father's Day, I had a moment with my Father. Have you had one of those lately? I hope you have, Shug.

Bling, B'day Confusion, and Emotional Roller Coaster Rides

Y'all, I just got some bloggy bling from Joanna over at Bugs In My Teeth! She sent the bling my way 'cause she said I "know how to do southern sass". Thanks a bunch, Shug. I've enjoyed getting to know you through your hilarious posts and our emails. I look forward to more fun, sass and shared hilarity, m'dear!

In other news......I'm having trouble with the Hubby's birthday. Presents were no problem to figure out (the latest seasons of his fave tv shows) and I got a definite answer on the cake (ice cream cake from DQ or Cold Stone Creamery) but the man won't give me one more hint about what he wants. Bless his heart, he's so adamant that nobody go out of their way to do anything for him that he's tight-lipped about his B'day wants. So, I guess we'll just go out to eat with a couple friends tomorrow to celebrate. We'll do something with family on Sunday after we visit Mom in the hospital........Oh, yeah. She's in the hospital again. With the same infection that keeps happening every time she goes to get chemo. To say she is frustrated doesn't even begin to cover how she's feeling. We're all right there with her. Please add her to your prayer list, y'all. If she's not able to complete her chemo, it's leaving her open to a return of the cancer.

So in the midst of celebration we're all caught up in a mix of different emotions. Life goes that way sometimes and I know that God will see us through.....just like he has in everything else that we've gone through ('cause He's cool like that). Life is worth celebrating no matter what's going on in our lives that may be distracting (or distressing) ~ and that sharing some laughter and smiles is even more neccessary in those times. I think that's why I've had to learn to treasure those little everyday occasions - the Bubs's laughter, my Hubby's delightfully wicked sense of humor, Mom's forthright sassiness, shared laughter and talks with Dad, Aunt D's unabashed delight in her two nephews and the pleasure of friends (some of whom I've met through bloggydom)- those are my treasures and the things that help get me through.

Summer Vacation....Prep, Packin' and Mem'ries

Alrighty, my lovely readers, I decided I would attempt to blog my way through our family's summer vacation/trip this year. Thus the fun graphic on my left sidebar....and somewhere in this post if things work like they should. The entries may be just a paragraph or two with lots of pics or just pics alone. Who knows? So I'm starting out where every trip does - prep and packing.....and this year, moaning about the ridiculous price of gas that mysteriously seems to go up right when everyone's going to be traveling! Um, sorry. I lost my head there for a second. I'm okay now.........no, really.

We're not heading anywhere exotic or jaw-dropping but we're going to see the Hubs's family and some of his friends (a few of which have become mine, too) that we haven't seen for a year or so. Hubby's lookin' forward to getting away from the base, havin' fun with the Bubs at a zoo we're going to, and chillin' with his loved ones. I'm excited for us to get away and have some fun......hopefully without any unforeseen "oopsies" popping up. You know what I'm talking about, right? Taking a wrong turn, running out of gas in the middle of a wicked traffic jam with no gas station in sight, someone getting sick or hurt, losing money..........and the list goes on, unfortunately 'cause the possibilities are endless! Murphy's Law and all that jazz. Thankfully, I'm great at making plans while the Hubs is great at following through with them and keeping a level head when something (or someone, ahem) spazzes out of control.

Anyway....where was I? Oh, yeah. Packing and trip prep. I'm already beginning to tackle laundry and, to my Hubby's amusement, have already written out several different lists so I won't forget anything. As I'm doing all this I start to think back to family trips when I was a kid. Those trips were such a luxury for us. Not only for the money I knew it took to go on them, but to find time in our family schedule to get away. Back then we were all heavily involved with our church in addition to Mom working full time at our middle school's library and Dad working three jobs- teacher, accompiniast at the local Methodist church, and being the Music Director/Praise and Worship Leader at our, then, home church. Needless to say, we really needed those times away to chill out with one another. Later on, we started heading up to my Uncle R and Aunt C's house. Uncle R and Aunt C are Boondock Ramblings and Unfinished Person's parents. Yes, they really do live up in the boondocks but, oh, how peaceful and lovely they were to our family! It became an oasis of sorts for us. Especially, I think, for my parents. Yes, the prep for the trip and the trip itself were a lot of work but it was worth every second of it to just get up to that house in the valley and smell the air that was sweet with recently cut hay and grass. If I never thanked you then for letting us invade your home for a couple weeks every summer, I'm thanking you now Aunt C and Uncle R (and you, too, Cousins).

So, my lovely readers, do you have any fond family trip memories? And while I'm thinkin' about it, do y'all have any good travel tips to share with me? I'm listenin'! I love hearing what you all have to say........

"Forced Fun" that actually turned out to be fun........

I loathe going to the "forced fun" events that come with the territory when you're in the military. By forced fun, I mean that when an officer "invites" you and yours over to their house or out to eat, you go. No ifs, ands or buts about it, and you better have a life threatening or work-related reason for not showing up. Ugh. I hate standing around in a room full of people feeling out of place and not knowing the first thing to talk to anyone about. It makes me especially uncomfortable when people think, because I smile occasionally and act like I've been raised right by being mannerly ('cause I was, y'all), that I'm going to be the one that's outgoing and get the conversations started. As if!!

Well thank the precious Baby Jesus, it wasn't like that at the BBQ we just went to! The hostess was so friendly and relaxed that she immediately put me at ease. We ended up talking about everything under the sun in between our mommy duties and her hostess duties. Even Hubs commented on how well we got along. I actually had a good time which, believe me, NEVER happens. The Bubs had so much fun playing with the other kids that were there he didn't want to leave.

Sounds like someone I could be friends with, right? *sigh* They're moving in 6 days.

That's what it's like around here. Friendships are for a season......we loose touch because of relocations, and then eventually end up renewing aquaintances after a few years when everybody's back at the same place again.

As we were talking about her family's new duty station and the surrounding areas, I could tell she was excited and looking forward to the change. She wasn't even really fazed that she had to get a whole house ready for the movers in just under a week. She's my new hero, people! Moving with the military is an involved process. Part of what is required before a move is a house inventory. Every item in your house has to be enumerated and a weight guesstimate for each has to be included. The weight requirements are set by rank and you cannot go over. We would have to have a yard sale to end all yard sales to get rid of stuff in our house if we had to meet any weight requirements right now!

Well, I'm glad and a trifle relieved that we were able to have a good time, but a little sad that a potential friend is moving away so soon. I wish them well and look forward to possibly meeting up again down the road.

Confessions of a Bloggy Slacker

Alrighty. I admit it. I did a bad, bad thing *cue bad, bad Chris Isaac song*. My evenings have not been as devoted to jotting down bloggy blurbs since the hubs came home.

There. I said it.

I can't seem to get into any kind of routine when it comes to posting on here....you know, with any semblance of regularity. It's not that I don't have anything to write about. Oh, no! For once this here gal has bloggity ideas out the oodie (and, no, you don't wanna know what that is!)...just no time to post. Oi. I have, however, spent time flitting from fave blog to fave blog readin' up a storm the last few days when I can grab a second. By the way, the hubs still gets this bemused look on his face when I laugh out loud at some of the hilarities y'all post. Don't get me wrong, he's glad that I've found something I enjoy and even finds time to read what I've written (and likes it), but the whole concept has still got him befuddled.

Anyhoo~ To me, and I might be alone in this, the time to blog is in the evening after the day's work is done and I'm kicked back on the couch with recorded episodes of "Are You Being Served" on the telly, a glass of sweet tea at the ready and the Bubs asleep in his room. Y'all that is totally different now. I don't consider it a bad thing, just something else to get used to in a long line of blessed adjustments. -I say "blessed adjustments" 'cause the hubs could still be deployed, injured or worse. So all these adjustments that we're all goin' through "ain't nuttin' but a thang" as the hubs says!-

So, for now, bloggity blurbs will just hafta be jotted down whenevah and wherevah I can find a second to plop my tush down with my laptop and "I am unanimous in this". (Couldn't resist the Mrs. Slocombe quote from Are You Being Served) Do you subscibe to same theory of wherever/whenever or have you figured out how to eek out time from your schedule for blogging that's (anywhere near) regular? Are you a mornin' or an evenin' blurb jotter? I'm curious.......