What a Week!

This lil’ getaway has done me a world of good.  I have had a wonderful time reconnecting with my oldest (in every sense of the word, LOL!) and dearest friend, Karen.  We have stayed up late sharing secrets and solving all of the problems in the world.  We have also made many, many friends here and I hope we can come back to this beautiful place again.  I love the beach!

Karen ate some fried food at this beachside snack shack in a bikini.  I am not sure what part of that is the bravest, but you go, girl!

I am glad Karen was here with me because I have been forced to face some hard truths this week.  While I am perfect, and my marriage is perfect, Röbert is not perfect.  He is cheap and can be selfish.  He does not spend enough time with our beautiful children.  He is not wealthy. He prefers mountains to the beach and he makes me do yucky stuff like canoeing.   He is terrible at buying jewelry for the woman he loves. He does not own a second home.  He has no understanding about why cheap shoes are terrible and no one should own any.

I know that it will be an absolutely devastating blow to him, but when I return home this afternoon I am going to let him know that I would like to try to live separately for the time being.  He can stay in the rental condo and I will continue to live in our beautiful home while he figures out how to become a better, more generous, wealthier person.  And while he is at it, I am sure he will enjoy getting to spend much more time with the kiddos.

So while my lil’ vacay in paradise is ending, it is also a new beginning for me.  And this new beginning is one that I am very excited about!

Wish me luck, because I am about to soar!

Summer’s End

Labor Day is always a bit melancholy for me.  Sure, I am super excited for the crisp fall air, and the pumpkin flavored coffee, but I am going to miss my lazy summer schedule where I don’t have to be home to meet the bus at any particular time.

To honor the true meaning of the holiday, I never do a lick of work on Labor Day.  All of those union organizers of yore, who lost their lives fighting for the most basic of human rights, would be proud to know that the hardest working mommy in America lets it all go on this one day and relaxes for 24 hours.  Today I decided it was time for a lil’ mommy and me for my beloved lil’ angle, Starling.  We got up early and packed a picnic basket with celery and tomato water for a fun-filled day at the beach.

Hurry up Mommy! I am ready to go.

I left a long honey-do for my hubs and his lil’ helpers.  Got to get that lawn in shape before fall!

Starling and I spent several hours on the beach and then snuck over to the pier where they have the cutest water park.  We hadn’t managed to get there all summer so I was glad that she was able to catch the last day.  Merlin will be upset if he hears but, oh well, it was just us girls today.

I am heading home in a few minutes.  I hope Röbby came up with something fun to grill on the barbecue tonight after he cleaned out the garage!

Summer’s End

Only two more days until Starling and Merlin are back at school.  Thank goodness I have no kindergarteners this year, what with all of that staggered half-day start nonsense.  Throw them right into the proverbial pond and see who floats, is what I say.  I am hoping that Cari and I can at least do something about that this year.  Or before Hummus starts anyway.

The kids wanted a last day at the beach, so I was happy to bring them.  Hummus is still a bit banged up, but really seemed to believe in the healing power of salt water on his wounds.  He cried a lil’, but he will be fine in the end.  Röbby had to stay home to do the yard work and install a few light fixtures.  He just loves doing around the house.

After some PB&J’s for lunch, Hummus fell into another one of the epic naps he has been taking for the last few days.  I was able to get a sweet picture of Starling, Merlin and me without old bumbly-legs and his unsavory looking wounds.

I think it is fine to leave two big kids like this alone for just a second while I run over to the outlets.

We came home with three happy kids and 2 new purses, a wristlet and cashmere wrap sweater.  Another great family outing with Lah Lee and her lil’ darlings.

I wonder if I could get away with dropping them off to “help” their teachers for just an hour or two tomorrow?  It is worth a try!

 

A Beachy Surprise

This morning, as he was leaving for an agitility show with Beefy, Röbert mentioned that Ty had called the other day and offered to take Merlin hiking with him today.  What a relief!  Merlin has been talking about some sort of invention he wanted to work on and I am pretty sure he expected me to take him to the hobby shop for a few items this morning.  My worst nightmare.  I ran out while the kids were still asleep, and grabbed some bread and preserves and butter so i could have a lil’ breakfast snack ready for Ty when he arrived.  Men!  He ate it right up!  Merlin was thrilled, I was thrilled and Ty looked pretty pleased to see his lil’ buddy again too.  They were heading over to pick up the twins and the chubby girl with glasses too.  Poor Ty.

Merlin completely forgot about the stupid invention when he heard about Ty’s plans. Thank goodness!

Since we wouldn’t be stuck with Merlin all day, I decided to take the other two to the beach with me.  They both seemed a lil’ congested on the way over, so I put the teensiest bit of benadryl in their water bottles to help them out.  They sure were tired out from all our fun yesterday I guess.  They both slept the day away.  They lay in the lil’ beach tent and I was able to surf and paddleboard and read my magazines.  What a glorious day!

The water is perfect and so is my tan. Come on in!

I rushed home and made a homemade looking dinner for everyone.  Röbby asked Hummus and Starling what they had done all day and they had no idea.  LOL!  We went to the beach, sillies!

Just for fun, I enetered Hummus in a “cutest kid” contest yesterday.  If you want to vote for him, here is a link.  I think he is the cutest kid in the universe, of course.

http://www.thecutekid.com/photo-contests/20150815/cute-kid-photos-1439670288

Another Day at the Beach

This morning Cari and I got up bright and early to drop off all of the kiddos with her former sister-in-law for the day.  She seemed surprised to see my three, but I am sure she ended up enjoying them, everyone does.  Cari and I have tans to attend to!

This summer Mitch is staying at the beach condo he usually rents out for the summer and he has the big cottage that was Karen’s pride and joy rented out to a group of young people for the whole summer.  Cari found these kids through her volunteer work at the local soup kitchen and they are doing what is known as a “share”.  I have no idea what that means, but I am sure they will take wonderful care of Karen’s dream home.

He looked so cute in front of his 4000 SF beachfront condo.

Mitch was already outside on the hammock when we got there.  He had mixed up a big batch of vodka and diet tonics for us and we had a wonderful morning frolicking in the surf.  I was so glad I didn’t have to keep track of my littles all day.  They are forever wandering away and forgetting to remind me to reapply sunscreen, so the beach is just better without children.

After lunch, Mitch and Cari went for a romantic walk and I lay down on the hammock for a little snooze.  When I woke up who should I see but our newly engaged lovebirds.  They were walking down the beach towards me, but I guess they didn’t see me because they headed back the other way after I waved them over.  I must say that the body language between them was not good at all.  Renata was leaning towards Ty, but he was leaning away and had his body turned from her too.  There must be trouble in paradise already.

The poor man looks like he wants to be rescued!

I really wanted to talk to Ty, but I hadn’t seen him at all since the engagement announcement. I guess he was trying to enjoy a lil’ beach vacay and got stuck with the old ball and chain, poor guy.

Summer Excitement

Last summer my family did not manage to get away for a vacation like I wanted.  Röbert claims it was because of my spending blahbety blah blah blah.  How  could my spending prevent us from going away?  I only buy necessary things like food and shoes and gym memberships and Röbert is always buying fancy suits for the office and expensive stuff for the cars, like repairs and gas.  He even bought sports equipment for the ridiculous mountain hiking things he does!

Anyway, we have been talking about this summer and Röbert agreed that we could go away to someplace “modest” for a week in July.  So I am thinking of either a lake or the beach.

At first he suggested camping but I said no to that. Can you imagine being stuck all the way out in the woods?

For a minute I thought that glamping might be a nice compromise.  It would make me seem hip and flexible and some of the glamping resorts seem fun.

It looks so cute! I think they might have turndown service and champagne.

But then I read something about composting toilets.  Is that even a thing?  I don’t know what that means and I do not want to find out!

So, I am thinking this place looks nice, also a compromise because it is on a lake, not a beautiful white sand beach.  Röbert could do his thing with the kids and I could relax for a change.

It is large, but I need a lot of space for my stuff and relaxing.

I also like this place and it is also a compromise and modest because it is not oceanfront, which I prefer.  I am all about being reasonable and hearing what Röbert has to say here.

The kiddos would love the pool and I am sure Röbert would enjoy surfing etc.

So now I have a decision to make!  I can’t wait for our lil’ modest vacation. Where should we go?

 

 

Stay Away from Drugs!

This morning I took a lil’ drive over to the beach, to run along the boardwalk for a bit of a change of scenery.  You will never believe who I ran into (or maybe you will, I seem to see him everywhere).  It was Ty, on one of those stand up paddle boards.  I don’t think he spotted me, although I called and waved to him from the beach.  He seemed lost in thought.

Just paddling away. He looked like he had something on his mind.

I am sure he is concerned about the downward spiral his friend Renata has taken in recent weeks.  Everybody at the gym was talking about the recent drug overdose that caused her to be taken away in an ambulance during the middle of the day.  I know most people who had been using her as their personal trainer had cancelled their sessions and the gym had to hire someone else to fill in.  Then, just a couple of days ago, my friend in the front office told me that they had received an anonymous call that Renata was sniffing something off a compact mirror in the bathroom.  When security asked to search her purse she refused and was escorted off the premises in tears.  I kind of wish I had been around to see that.  Gym drama!

I did happen by her apartment complex while walking Beefeater this afternoon, and it appears she is moving out.  No “boyfriend” around to help her, unfortunately, but her brother was there.  I guess she may be moving in with him and he lives about an hour away, or so I’ve heard.  It is neither here nor there to me.

It is too bad that she was so cruel to lil’ Hummus. I might feel bad for her if she was nicer.

Anywho, Cari and I are on our way out to kick off the summer at a pop-up tiki bar in town.  It should be loads of fun.  Have a happy one.

 

Lazy Summer Days Ahead

The last day at my children’s school is Tuesday, June 16.  Doesn’t that seem kind of early to everyone?  I just love, love, love spending time with my littles, but summer is a LOT of time with them, and I am just so busy.  I always end up running myself ragged trying to stitch together people to watch them so I can get to the gym and to my book club and to all my other important stuff.  Now that Karen is unavailable, I might really be in trouble.

Does anyone have year round school where they live?  Because that sounds absolutely fantastic to me. Maybe Cari could run for the school board in the next election so we could get us some year round school around here.

And speaking of book clubs, do you all have one of “those” members in your little group who always chooses some kind of “deep” read when it is their turn to choose the book?  Tiara seems like a nice enough person, but our book for June is the worst.  It is a crazy long one about a ship sinking approximately forever ago.  Who cares?  Didn’t Sopihie Kinsella write a book recently?  Anywho, I will not be reading that one.  Boring.  We might have to extinguish Tiara’s torch at the next tribal council.

So, in anticipation of all of the summer good times, Cari and I went to the beach this morning and took a couple of casual photos as we sunbathed on the beach.  No selfie-stick required, because “James” was kind enough to send a photographer with us.

This photo is cute. It was a spontaneous candid as I was just hangin’ out.

Kiddos in bed, wine in tumbler.

Happy Memorial Day

On Memorial Day it is important to remember the real meaning of the holiday; grilling, parades, America and the beach.  We are doing a little of all of that at my house!

This morning we went into town to watch our local Memorial Day parade.  Well three people watched the parade while two of us marched in it.

First came Merlin with his baseball team.  I wish they had nicer uniforms.  I need to get on that if he plays again next year.  He may be on the travel soccer team by then.

They weren’t going to let Merlin hold the banner until I stepped in. Some of those other kids can barely hold a bat, why should they be front and center?

Since I had to be at the parade anyway, I thought it would be fun to march in it.  I approached the staff at my gym about doing a lil’ promotion and they decided I was perfect advertising for them.  I wore a tiara and a sash that said “Ms. Bikini Bod 2015”  I passed out flyers for the gym as I walked along the street, and when I got tired of that I saw Margie sitting along the parade route, and gave her the rest to hand out.  She dropped the ball on the gala, she needs to help out somewhere!

Princess Bikini Bod is in the house, yo!

After the parade I sent Röbert over to the beach with the kiddos for some fun in the sun.  I simply have too much going on with the gala and a very special event on Wednesday to join them, plus it is a public beach.  Ick.

We usually go to a big party at the Sullivans for Memorial Day but we didn’t receive an invitation this year.  I really don’t think it is happening, so I have invited all of our friends and neighbors over here later.  Röbert will grill for everyone and I had a caterer whip up some salads and sides.  It should be fun.  I hope we don’t keep Karen up too late.  I think Mitch might stop by with the boys, who are home from school and staying with Karen until their internships start up.  Such nice kids, despite their upbringing.

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Saturday is Family Day

This morning Röbert was getting ready to go mountaining or biking mountains or some such, so I insisted that we needed to go to brunch and talk.  I think when I burst into tears (totally faked, one of my best girly moves) I scared him a little so he suggested that we go to the beach and walk for awhile.  Then I had to think of something that was so important to talk about that I would make him go out with me.  So anywhoo, I ended up telling him what a bitch Margie Harris was to me yesterday and how I had run the entire event and the other women were so mean to me.  I cried for real because, when I thought about it, it was really terrible to turn on the person who had run the program and get all the other women on your side.  Maybe they have never heard of a little thing called feminism, but I am sure they would have been all over me if I was a man, and they just resented me for being a strong, resilient woman.

I look totally hot here.