Everything You Really Need To Know About Cedar Point I Learned On Monday

On Monday I ventured down to Cedar Point for the first time in 11 years. Tom backed out at the last minute because he was too afraid of riding the big rides and screaming like a little girl citing back problems so it ended up being just me and my sisters going. I had a ton of fun (and I think Ann and Lori did,too). The trip brought back a lot of memories from past visits with the youth group and school. So I thought it might be fun to share with you the top ten most important things I learned from my day at "America's Roller Coast":

1. At 29, I am too old to ride the intense, fast rides.
2. skin is "in"~ and if you happen to have piercings and a tattoo (or four) then you get bonus points for showing them off.
3. the chemical reaction made when golden blonde highlites and sunscreen combine is not a desirable one. Unless, of course, you wanted orange~y streaks through your hair.
4. when I put "BigSexyHair" root pump spray mousse in my hair to make it big and "sexy" and then did 2 drenching water rides, a handful of roller coasters and fair rides, and went thru a downpour or 2, my hair was not Big and Sexy. Rather, it looked as if I was going for the homeless, matted dog look.
5. when the rain starts, EVERYONE goes to Disaster Transport.
6. one should not drink Starbucks coffee and then attempt to ride the Raptor 2 hours later.
7. even though it costs almost $45 dollars for 1 FunDay ticket, you still have to pay $10 to park. (yes, they do take Visa).
8. the smell of fairway food is amazing. Always has been, always will be. Someone should bottle it.
9. If you were to rate people's favorite rides by the intensity and the number of times they screamed then the Sky Hawk was by far my favorite ride.
10. I am too old to ride the intense fast rides. Something my stomach and my head tried to tell me numerous times. Apparently my brain did not get this memo.

I had a wonderful time, thanks for a great day, girls!

Double Pool Dippin'

Today was one of those amazing and fantastic days. You know the kind? The ones where almost everything goes right and there's so much to look forward to you're almost giddy. Yeah, that kind of day!

• I had fun emails from great people in my inbox.
• I got Tim Horton's to go for myself, my kiddos, SIL, and her sweeties for a playdate in the park.
• the playdate went well. We pulled into the park at exactly 10am. I felt like I deserved a mommy raise for that but settled for high fives all around. No major catastrophes on the playground, lots of Tim Bits to keep the kids' sugar high running strong.
• a new razor in the shower to get my legs "pool ready".
• a pool date with one of my bestest girls and her kids. Sunshine and warm water. Contraband crackers and frozen blueberries to snack on.
• a second 2 hour & 45 minute swim session because my kids were sooo good. Sooo why not?
• 2 very brave kids 1 brave little girl and her scaredy cat big brother (who sent brave little sister down first) conquering the big, blue slide.
• my littlest mermaid continually jumping completely under water~ head and all~ only to come up gasping for air and wanting to do it again (and again, and again, ....)!
• silence on the ride home as my kids devoured their McD's dinners. All plans to cook dinner at home went down the pool drain when hunger pains overrode the ability to think rationally and practically.
• all 3 kids tucked in and asleep by 9:30.
• best $12 (pool admission) I've spent in a long time.

Keri and Andrew's Wedding~ July 5th

I've known Keri and her family since I started babysitting for them over the summer of '96. I came to meet her parents looking for a summer job to help pay for the "new" car I had just bought. Four years later, my "munchkins" arrived at my wedding decked out in their finest to serve as my ring bearer, flowers girls, and junior bridesmaid. Last month Tom and I celebrated Keri's special day with her and the family. It's crazy how fast time goes by and how grown~up these "kids" are now. Three beautiful ladies and 1 super handsome dude! ;)

Shellby, me, and Melanie

yum! cake!

This is a beautiful picture of the bride! Myself? Yeah, my dress makes me look like I'm pregnant :P

First dance: so sweet!

More Good Stuff

New Pics... FINALLY!!!

As promised, oh a month ago maybe, I finally have some new pictures to share. These shots are some of the first that Tom took with our new camera. These were all taken on the auto setting. Not exactly Nicole Barczak quality, but not too bad for a newbie;)

Struggling

• struggling to keep up on the house~ every time I accomplish 1 thing I turn around to see 2 more things that need to be done.
• struggling to get thru with the landscaping project~ I've planted some perennials out front but the sides of the house that are completely overgrown and I so desperately wanted to get done remain undone. And they may just stay that way.
• struggling to figure out my new camera~specifically the creative settings and getting the photos onto the computer to share thru the blog and facebook.
• struggling with the thought of my baby turning 3 this next month. I'm missing the snuggly, chubby cheeked babe that has been replaced with this lanky little girl with beautiful slightly curled blonde hair.
• struggling with my 4 year old's diva attitude. I actually told her today that when the police ask her why she's done something even when she knows it's wrong, she's still gonna go to jail when she replies "because I wanted to". Then we had a long discussion about what you can and can't do in jail. I think I finally got her attention when I told her you can't go shopping when you're in jail. Nothing like a bit of healthy fear to help keep her straight;)
• struggling with the fact that my oldest baby will be a 1st grader this fall, gone for whole days.
• struggling with the realization that it will be August at the end of the week. Only a month left of summer and not enough time or money to do everything I wanted to do with the kids.
• struggling with relationships. Relationships I desperately want, desperately need. But it's alot like gardening, let 'em go too long and the weeds take over and suffocate out all the good. Can I ever get them back to where they need to be?
• struggling to find the time to just be me~ to run, to scrapbook, to find a good book, to enjoy girl time.

Struggling, but moving forward.

Not Me Monday: Potty Mouth

• I most certainly did NOT catch myself calling the lady in the yellow Mustang who WOULD NOT LET ME OVER in traffic last Monday an a**hole. I definitely remembered my kids were in the van with me a little too late to stop myself, but you wouldn't have caught me pretend coughing/ choking to cover the swear escaping my lips.
• After that slip, I was definitely not thankful that my kids are total tv rats and were completely engrossed in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" at the time.
• when Tom saw Lexi smelling her finger the other nite and asked her what she was smelling, she did not reply in all complete seriousness "my ba~gina". No, she didn't!
• my mouth did NOT further get me in trouble when I absentmindedly replied "stick your head in doo doo" when Audrey started singing "nana nana boo boo" at the dinner table Thursday nite. My kids totally thought that uncool and I will definitely not hear that one again!

Because I'm A Blog Slacker

...and can't think of anything else to post, here's tonite's dinner menu:

• pasta shells with tuna salad
• tomatoes and cukes
• warm italian bread
• peach shortcake with whipped cream

Yum!!!=)

Stay Tuned

Before my husband left town with the kids on Friday I made a quick stop at Best Buy to pick up a new camera. (Can I just say "finally"!?!) The last few months of my kids' accomplishments and activities have been completely unrecorded as our other camera was broken over spring break (cement floors~even those of the finished variety~ are not really gentle on digital cameras.) Anyways, all of that to say that my blog will once again be complete with pictures very, very soon! I have promised myself that I will actually take time to "learn" this new camera so that I can get some really nice shots and I will try my best how to figure out how to get the pics off of the camera and onto the computer without husbandly assistance. So stay tuned! Vacay pics to come!

My Top 10 Bestest...

Memories From A Completely Kid and Husband~Free Weekend:

1. coffee and chat time with Micah and Lindsey
2. a real attempt to scrapbook~ no kids clamoring for sticky dots, scissors, and embellishments
3. a wonderful bridal shower for a wonderful, sweet bride~to~be
4. No "kiddie" alarm clocks at 8am
5. skipping the whole dreaded bedtime routine
6. a break from being "chef mommy"
7. shopping at Target~ no distractions, no time limits, no potty breaks
8. a clean house
9. a leisurely walk with Ed
10. the WHOLE bed to myself

Alas, every good thing must come to an end. But if I'm being really honest with myself, the house was a little too quiet, too clean (who am I kidding? a house can never be too clean!), and too empty. Can't wait to hug and kiss on my kiddos!!! (Not that I wouldn't welcome a break like this again!=)