I *MIGHT* need a 10-step program for overpacking...

This weekend is my annual girls' weekend.
Here's what I have packed in my bag (now mind you, this is for 3 days)

• 5 pairs of shorts with tops to match
• 3 sun dresses
• 1 pair of pajamas
• a dozen pairs of underwear (Don't ask... I don't know why I would need this many...)
• a swim suit
• 3 pairs of shoes 
• a light sweater

I know. I know. It's ridiculous...

But I can't help it.

I hate being unprepared...

...and I don't know for sure what we are doing so I have to plan for the every occasion.

I also packed a book, DVDs, and my laptop.

(Yes... we are planning on doing things.  Yes, I am planning on seeing and visiting with the girls...Don't ask me why I would think I would need these things of distraction.)

So... does anyone know of a 10-step program??  Because I think admitting you have a problem is always the first step.

Update on the A/C

So... about $500, three HVAC companies(4 service calls), and a week later and my a/c is fixed.
*knock on wood* *fingers crossed* etc. etc.

The last company (who just so happens repairs things for my school) found that it was NOT the capacitor (yes, I did pay for a new one a week ago) and it was NOT the breaker (yes, I did pay for a new one less than a week ago) and it was NOT my wiring. (Thank goodness I did NOT have to pay for that!!)

It was a bad fan motor...
a bad fan motor that would stop the fan from running... which would not be pulling energy from the capacitor... which would heat up the wiring... which would trip my breaker.

You see... the other 2 companies were at my house and gone in less than a half an hour.  The fixed what they thought had to be the problem... even though they BOTH admitted to the fact that they really couldn't find the source.

And, yes, I did have to pay for that "service".

Thankfully the last guy actually listened to me when I told him that it would run for about an hour before it flipped the breaker. He did all of his diagnostic checks like the other 2 had... but then he sat and waited. He told me he wouldn't charge me extra for the time because he wanted to solve the problem.

So he sat... in 100+ weather... waiting.... and it paid off.
The fan stopped... the capacitor was still going.
He jumped up and pulled the breaker. (before I would need a new capacitor again.)

I'm thankful that it's fixed.
I'm thankful I found someone who actually took the time to find the problem.
I just wish that could have happened a week (and about $400) ago

Top ten reasons you know your A/C is NOT working

10. The temperature between your house and your garage does not change... in fact, it might be cooler in the garage.

9. The junk mail (that normally get immediately thrown away) is saved because those magazines make good hand-held fans.

8. The COLD shower that you took made you feel muggy ...on top of hotter.

7. The 3 boxes of popsicles you bought less than a week ago (that would normally last you over a month) are already gone.

6. You open the fridge (not because you are hungry - you're TOO hot for that) but for a little relief.

5. You have been to the gas station, the store, and the bank just to hang out and enjoy their air conditioning... and because they are close in case the repairman says he is on his way.

4. You have convinced yourself that the fan blowing 90 degree air at you is "refreshing:".

3. Your children lay on the couch saying that they can't do anything because it's too hot... but you know that's exactly what they would be doing if the a/c was on.

2. The sweat running down the back of your leg is more of a stream than a drip.

1. You're not sure if your delirium is from the heat... or lack of food (cause you're too hot to eat)... or if you have always been this crazy... but your not willing to question it because you're just SO dang hot!!

I can't sleep

My children sleep.
I wish I could... but I can't.

I tell myself that the heat is bearable... and I'm sure it is ...because I have made it the last few nights without the air conditioning.  
Those nights it was just me. 
Just me laying in bed listening to the sounds of the night.
Just me being "exposed"... 


But tonight... with my children sleeping soundly in our somewhat cooler basement... I can't sleep.


Because even though we live in a safe neighborhood... 
and crime is not heard of... 
I can't sleep... because every single window and door is open... welcoming in the cooler night air... 
but the only thing that is standing between us and the outside is a screen door without a latch.


...and for some reason... the thought of this makes it to where I can't sleep.

Running off the cliff

Here I am... home after 10 days of vacation.
... and I'm bored.

I know. I know.

Life isn't always fun and games. (Trust me I arrived home to NO air conditioning)

But I'm having a hard time adjusting back to "real" life.

I got home and the boys went straight to my R's house (my ex) and I have done nothing but make sure they were entertained for the last 10 days...

Which, in turn, made sure *I* was entertained...

It's like running down a hill and ending up running off the cliff.
It was fun ...until it wasn't.

I know I shouldn't complain.
A lot of people don't get to take an awesome 10 day vacation.
So... I'll climb back up that cliff I am hanging onto and quit complaining.


PS- Some of you might be like "Whoa... how did I miss all of the vacation action?!" Well... I was busy writing the posts while they were happening, but didn't get to post them until I got home.  So go check out what we did while we were having fun, visit day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Driving is driving me crazy

Driving makes me a little crazy...
I think airplanes were invented because of people like me.

I mean... sure I love to see the countryside as much as the next person.
Just look at this Texas landscape... who couldn't love that?
With the puffy clouds and the blue skies...

 But what I am seeing is that long stretch of road... and children sleeping...

 ...and children...ummm... I think he is watching a movie (and covering his head because the sun was in his eyes... but I can't be for sure.)

and then, of course, they swap places.

It just makes me more than a little stir crazy to be home
Have I mentioned how *I* was the "sleeper" as a kid??
No, well... don't worry... I stayed awake. I mean... just look at those clouds... who would want to miss those??

Friendship is like wetting your pants... Everyone can see it, but only YOU can feel the true warmth

We pulled out Tuesday morning to head north of Dallas.

One of my college friends, Suzanne, lives there.

Man, how I have missed her!!

Originally we were going to spend the night and head on the next day, but once I was in Texas, I was like, "Heck no. I haven't seen this woman for 4 years!"

That's right... four years!
How in the world has four years passed without us seeing each other?
Oh yeah... it's this little thing we like to call life.

So, we arrived Tuesday afternoon and stayed till Thursday morning... wish we could have stayed longer... but there's that pesky little thing called life that was calling us back home.

Suz and I have a friendship that is one of those that it doesn't matter that it has been four years... we pick back up like it was yesterday that we saw each other.

We talked... and talked... and talked some more.
(We might have stayed up way past Suzanne's bedtime... and we might have partaken in a yummy new vodka that she introduced to me - Smirnoff Whipped Cream... but all of that is just speculation.)

image courtesy of Smirnoff.com

But then the next day, I did what any good friend would do...
I helped Suzanne re-arrange her house.

And she repaid me by letting me sit on her kitchen table eating homemade ice cream while she gave me a pedicure. Yeah... cause she's awesome like that!

It's ALL about eating

So... here we've made it to Monday...and we're leaving Houston tomorrow.

So... as a good mom, how do we spend the day??

Laundry ... and eating.

First thing on the eating docket... The Farmer's Market.

It was amazing!!

The boys were sad we didn't buy one of these... but where to put it?  They were HUGE!!

Then we had lunch... Pei Wei is a restaurant that we don't have at home... and I love.

The boys love it too!

Love that they give "chopstick buddies"

 Caught Sam with his mouth full!!

Then we went and packed the car... and had a going away dinner.

They didn't have a table big enough for all of us... so the hostess ask if it would be okay for the boys to sit in recliners and watch tv while they enjoyed their dinner.
I would have been a bad mom had I said no... mainly because the boys didn't even wait for me to answer the hostess. :)

We're going to the zoo... zoo... How about you... you?

Another sunny day and we head outside.

Today's destination? The zoo.

Sam made me sing the song that is in the title.

We have sung it since he was little.

Kinda makes me sad... not sure how much longer he will ask me to sing it...

But today... today was sung in a happy tone... with happy voices because we had sunny skies.

My little monkeys

 We went to the reptile house.
I get it that a lot of people don't care for it...
but me... I mean, how could you not love these little faces??

And then there were the meerkats... I love them... and so do my boys.

I mean... how cute are they??

We then headed to the African Forest...

 ...and I got a little artistic.

We finally were experiencing the Texas heat...

...a couple of ice cream cones later and a trip under a few shade trees

  ...and we were back to all smiles.

Then we met this cute guy.

 He even gave us kisses through the window.

We're been to the zoo... zoo.  How about you... you?
Sigh. I love that song...

Wrestling with gators... and no, I'm not talking about my children.

It managed to rain every day from the time we arrived in Houston.

One of the places that I had promised the boys was to go to a gator farm... yet, it rained... and rained... and rained some more.

So the one morning that we woke up and it wasn't raining we decided to head toward Beaumont.
(It rained on our way there... but we won't talk about that)

We arrived... and the boys were so excited!!

 They had watched this guy many times on River Monsters.

We found out that due to flooding most of the gators had escaped the day before... thankfully they were back in their pens by the time we arrived.

 Colby having a bit of fun with a gator. (Don't worry... this one was fake... all the others though completely real!!)

Yep. this one is a real one... and yes, he looked like he wanted to eat us for dinner.

... and then he called his buddies.

 So... what did we agree to do?? Catch one...

and sit on him... He is telling me, "Whatever you do... don't let go!!"

 "Oh!" I think was my response.

The boys were excited to meet Gary Saurage.

As we left there, the skies were still blue... so we headed towards the beach.

But before we got there... we (unfortunately) came across gator road kill. Something I never thought I would see.

We hadn't planned for the beach, so I told the boys to hike up their shorts and to wade.

Despite my best efforts... the boys did NOT stay dry. (surprise, surprise)

Sam fell in... so I rung out his shirt and gave them the go ahead.

Which made them VERY happy!!

As we head back to Houston... the clouds began to roll in.