Ann Again...and again

If it's Monday then it's time to share with Robin of Cinnamon and Honey and her Monday's Muse. She wants you to share something that's currently meaningful... a song, a video, a poem, a book, a movie, a person... or anything that's gotten into your head and you can't get rid of. If it's important, she want to know all about it! Guess where I am? :-> Sand between my toes, gorgeous sky, clean sea air. It feels so wonderful to breathe again. Please visit Robin at Cinnamon and Honey and share your Monday's Muse

I did it! I survived Back-To-School shoe shopping with my girls. (We return Sept. 8th) Geez! With my oldest I wonder if she would rather pull a " Nell " and just go live in the forest. She absolutely HATES shoe shopping. Me? I don't mind so much. And you know what else I don't mind? A Virtual Girls Night Out! Get Your BLOG Over Here! To join the Virtual GNO blog-hopping fun, check out this VGNO post then sign the MckLinky guest book with your name/blog link. Visit fellow bloggers that have signed in. (We've been hanging out with each other for over a year now! Isn't that something?) The Virtual GNO has some of the best blogger's around. Go blog-hopping! Time For Some Tunes! Simon Cowell said this guy had the "best audition ever". Well, ok. I know he's seen more auditions than I have. I will say, I like him! And this song fits for my dear blog friends :-> Danyl Johnson " With A Little Help From My Friends " X Facto

While in our tiny NYC apartment our new kittens were always finding new places to get cozy. There was the shoe rack , and then there was the umbrella basket . Here's where I found Maddy when I was about to grab my bag to go to work. I was so tempted to take her with me! To visit others taking part in A Thousand Words Thursday visit Jen's Cheaper Than Therapy .

I've been trying to get myself into better shape. I don't want my girls to think that it's all about being "skinny", so I tell them 'I'm working to become stronger'. But losing weight is part of my goal, of course. On our families recent trip (see Altitude Adjustment ) I quickly noticed that we were in a different place. A place where cars use a LOT of gasoline, a place where having a Housekeeper is a given, a place where a monthly trip for a "touch-up" is probably not unheard of. (Not that I'm against any of these things - except the cars- it's just... it's not my norm.) Nowhere did I feel more out of place than at the pool. I was seeing women with children, but I was finding it hard to believe that these woman carried anything other than a tennis racket or a Birkin Bag. Hmmm... "That's OK Ann', I kept telling myself 'You look just fine. You're stronger than you were 5 months ago. Keep going.' Wh

If it's Monday then it's time to share with Robin of Cinnamon and Honey and her Monday Muse. She wants you to share something that's currently meaningful... a song, a video, a poem, a book, a movie, a person... or anything that's gotten into your head and you can't get rid of. If it's important, she want to know all about it! Next week my husband, girls and I will join my mom and sister at the glorious Oregon coast. We stay in a very tall house that we have dubbed "Our castle on a cloud". (It's tall so the top floor has a view of the ocean. Pictures to come!) When we gather together there's always laughs... I can't wait for our trip.

I know that some families have already started the school year but we're just getting started on our family summer vacation. (School starts Sept. 8th). I do love having time with my family but, honestly, I'm ready for a "vacation" from our family vacation. Virtual Girls Night Out anyone?! :-> Get Your BLOG Over Here! To join the Virtual GNO blog-hopping fun, check out this VGNO post then sign the MckLinky guest book with your name/blog link. Visit fellow bloggers that have signed in. (We've been hanging out with each other for over a year now! Isn't that something?) The Virtual GNO has some of the best blogger's around. Go blog-hopping! Time To Dance! Go-Go's "Vacation" The Go-gos Vacation by Celtiemama Oh man! I loved The Go-Go's. I wanted to be the drummer (I can't drum, oh well). Time For A Cocktail! Vacation Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz. Light Rum 1/3 oz. Sweet & Sour Mix Fill with 7-UP Splash of Rose's Lime Juice Splash

I have entered the land of the Rover and the Hummer. The zone of the Escalade and Acadia. My family and I are at Black Butte Ranch in Central Oregon and it's a whole other world than ours. The women are fit and the children are well behaved. We stick out like a sore thumb. Our weathered minivan makes a left on Ponderosa Lane and curves down Partridge Foot Ave. with our dashboard Buddha to light the way. I have the Buddha as a marker because, you see, where we come from, the minivan is the common car, not a "price-of-a-home-on-wheels". But here, there is no mistaking our van in this parking lot. I can't wait to see what this trip has in store. My girls have spent too many days together and it's showing. Maybe they will learn by osmosis how to get along in public, like all of these seemingly well mannered children at this resort. Um... I doubt it. When is the first day of school again?

The dear, dear, fantastic Robin at Cinnamon and Honey has a new meme "Monday's Muse". She wants us to share something that's currently meaningful to us... a song, a video, a poem, a book. Rob and I saw Colin Hay (a.k.a. Men At Work , 80's fame) last week and he was terrific. Here's one of our favorite songs from Colin Hay. Colin Hay " Waiting For My Real Life To Begin " This song brings me to tears. I'm sure my age plays a part in my reaction. I still have a dreamy side to me, the things that I still want to do, but I haven't done them. For what ever reason... time constraints, where I'm at in this stage of my life, fear. Most likely it's fear. Geez I hate it! Caroline from The Zen In You shared with me this explanation: "F.E.A.R. F alse E vidence A ppearing R eal". Oh yeah baby, that speaks to me. Time to move on from fear. Time for strength. Please visit Robin at Cinnamon and Honey and share your Monday Mus

I don't know what's going on with me lately but I've been reminiscing. Maybe it's the Back-to-School season, maybe my Gingko Biloba is finally kicking in and my memory is improving, I don't know. What I do know is that I'm in the mood for a Virtual Girls Night Out! Get Your BLOG Over Here! To join the Virtual GNO blog-hopping fun, check out this VGNO post then sign the MckLinky guest book with your name/blog link. Visit fellow bloggers that have signed in. (We've been hanging out with each other for over a year now! Isn't that something?) It's a party so at a party you mingle, right? The Virtual GNO has some of the best blogger's around. Go blog-hopping! I want everyone to connect. That's what it's all about. Time To Jump ! R.E.M. " Radio Free Europe " Soundtrack of my life. Ah... good times Time For A Cocktail ! My first legal drink was a Tequila Sunrise. I thought I was so fancy! Tequila Sunrise Ingredients: 2 ounc

Driving past a park yesterday my oldest said "Ugh. Don't remind me." 'What?' I said. 'What do you mean?' "That PARK!" She growled. Wha'??? OOooohhhh. THAT park. I remember... While returning home one late afternoon a 7 year old Katie looked out the window of our car and saw a very inviting park. "Please Mom! Ple-e-e-ase can we go to the park?" It seemed like a fine idea to me so I made a right and parked the car. It didn't take long for Katie to get herself into a situation. You see Katie has always been tall for her age and she isn't always cool with it, especially not at 7 years old. So while I was playing with my little 4 year old Lily, Katie was trying to fit herself into a toddler swing. A small, rubber-bucket-with-leg-holes-too-little-for-a-7-year-old toddler swing. I hear "Mom! Help! I can't get my legs out!!!" I turn to see my girl trying desperately to lift herself from the rubber di

I thought I could do it. I thought I could take all the children of the neighborhood, and their friends too, and give them a fun, safe place to be this summer. It turns out that takes more inner strength than I possess. At least day-after-day. I was able to get away for 2 whole nights last weekend. I had play-dates/sleep-overs arranged for both our girls, and our dog too. While away I received calls about behavior, along with "what should I do?" queries. Hmmm... I wasn't feeling so "away" anymore. When I returned home I found my home filled with not only my husband and our girls, but 3 neighbor kids and a niece that needed a home for 3 nights. Hmmm... One by one they greeted me with a hug. In my heart I knew this was a wonderful greeting but, in my head, I was screaming " Get OUT !!!" I put on a plastic smile and headed to my bedroom. Mommy needs a time out. I couldn't believe how I felt. I was mad at myself. How could I be upset with t

This week has flown by. I was actually able to be away for 2 nights but trying to coordinate child-care and dog care kind of took the fun out of it. Too much stress! You know what I'm in the mood for? A Virtual Girls Night Out! New to the Virtual GNO? Welcome! This party has some of the best bloggers around! The original Virtual Girls Night Out is a blog-hopping party that I started last summer. I turned to my blog friends when I couldn't find a sitter that would allow me to actually get out of the house. Instead I'm "virtually out" with all of you! Get Your BLOG Over Here! To join the blog-hopping fun, check out this VGNO post then sign the MckLinky guest book with your name/blog link. Visit fellow bloggers that have signed in. It's a party so at a party you mingle, right? Go blog-hopping! I want everyone to connect. That's what it's all about. Well, I have to say I am so sad, so bummed, that John Hughes passed away yesterday. Only 59! Damn!

**************************************************************** When returning home from work we never knew where we would find our little kitties Maddy and Phoebe. In part 2 of my series "Maddy and Phoebe Get Cozy" I found a sleeping kitty in the umbrella basket. ( See part one click here .) To visit others taking part in A Thousand Words Thursday visit Jen's Cheaper Than Therapy .

Do you think I'll lose points if I start serving this punch to the kiddies? ;-> (See previous post ) Hopefully when you're reading this I'm not rocking in the corner and mumbling to the voices in my head. *Thanks Audra for sending me this card :->

We interrupt this life to have a bit of a nervous breakdown. Too many kids. NO respect. Weeks on end, it's getting to me. Dropping off, not asking if it's OK. Out of town for 2 days and receive calls about my children. Can't someone else 'take care', like I have 'taken care' for them?!? Returning from a trip to find someone is staying for days. Again, not asking if it's OK. Filthy house. I'm losin' it.