Fancy Schmancy

Tonight we had the opportunity to eat at a very nice resteraunt here in Pennsylvania. Matt gets gift card rewards with his coorperate credit card one of the cards was for a resteraunt that normally we would not just go to.

Matt had wanted to go Saturday night but we had been out and about all day and were hot and sweaty and when I saw the vallet parking sign (it was optional but it was still there) I was like no way not in my jean shorts and tshirt. He has been there twice before on business and said it would be fine but I was like no way. Tonight we were all in our decent clothes and hadn't been out in the hot and sunny weather so off we went.

The food was wonderful BEYOND wonderful.

A wonderful change from the normal places that we go.

An excellent place for the kids to use their nice table manners and try new foods.

There was tons of leftovers that they nicely boxed up for us.

The waiter eventually warmed up but at first it was like okay is this guy going to act like a snot who is better than everyone who would dare dine at the resteraunt.

The majority of the italian dishes were a mystery to me, as I had no clue what they would be.

Braden got antsy with no crayons or kids menus to entertain, but he didn't get to antsy till the end. Toward the end he was half laying down half not.

Of course it wasnt so fancy considering that when I crossed my legs under the table my knee encountered old bubble gum stuck under the table....ewww....good thing I had on capri pants and not shorts I used one of my portable shout wipes and got it off.

But all in all a nice experience and a definte step up from McDonalds!!

Too many one ways

The kids and I dropped Matt at work. The plan was to head to the zoo, but it was raining so decided to go to downtown Philadelphia to go to the Children's museum.

I found the museum with little trouble, but finding a parking place was MUCH harder. Our rental for this week is a Chevy Trailblazer, which is a very nice vehicle, but oh boy trying to parallel park on a busy street..NOT FUN.

Took about 40 minutes to find a parking garage ($9.00 for parking...YIKES) then walked to the museum.

The kids had fun and the rain had let up so we decided to head to the zoo. I think I have now went up and down everystreet in Philadelphia. Luckily the kids were great while I was lost for an hour. Someone would say take a left well that would be a one way to the right only. We finally found our way, after seeing lots of sites such as china town and more.

Luckily we finally made it back to the hotel and hopefully I will be staying away from one way streets for the rest of this trip.

31

It's official I am in my 30's not just 30 not 29 but in my 30's. Turned 31 today. It was a great birthday.

We are in Pennsylvania for a week so for my birthday we took the kids to Hershey Amusement Park. It was so much fun. The kids and Matt gave me my presents first thing this morning and then we headed to the Park. Braden is going to be my ride partner. Brittney was all brave until we got there, not Braden the higher the better, the faster the better. It was fun.

After the park we met a fellow mom that I have been chatting with on one of the moms groups I belong too. That was fun too, and Brittney had to tell the waitress it was my birthday so I got Happy Birthday sang to me.

Back to the hotel to find my sweet thoughtful hubby had arranged for roses in the room. Wow what a surprise.

Planning on taking the kids to the zoo tommorow while Matt works!

Well since it is past 9 pm and with my age advancing I better head to bed!

In Pennsylvania

Home for 9 days from Arizona and now we are gone again.

This is a much different trip, for one it is not medically related so that is nice. Braden is excited no doctors for a week.

I was a little nervous to fly but it really didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. We drove to Dallas on Thursday and flew to Pennsylvania on Friday. After being in Arizona for 5 weeks it makes Pennsylvania seem more closed in and cluttery. Definetly a lot more graffitti and things on the roadways here.

We got in late Friday but still managed to go to Ephrata (we lived there when Brittney was a baby before moving back to Oklahoma). Brittney got to see the house she lived in when she was a baby. Matt and I got to see how much the town had grown. There were talks of them building a WalMart when we left but actually seeing it in the small town (lots of Amish and Menonite) it was weird.

Today we rode the ducks this was a fun experience. Got to see the historic sites and the kids got to have fun so it was a win win situation. We left there went to a small flea market not much at it but the kids did find a few pokemon things so they were happy. Went to Bennigans for dinner we dont have one near us and it had been forever since I had eaten a Monte Cristo so had that. Walked the huge King of Prussia mall, and then late milkshakes at Ruby's diner. All in all a full day.

Tommorow I turn 31, and I will do it at Hershey Amusement park. Looking forward to that, both kids are saying they are going to ride their first roller coaster we shall see how that goes.

I have been very impressed with our hotel here so far the Hampton Inn very nice even have complimentary dinners on Mon-Wed, which we didn't know about till checking in. They have the breakfast every morning, and it was a good breakfast this morning.

More from PA tommorow, if I can remember to write....with getting older!

1974

1974

I found this on blogthings.com and thought it was neat, since I turn 31 Sunday.

You can see what happened the year you were born to http://www.blogthings.com/yearborn.html

In 1974Gerald Ford becomes president of the US

Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run to beat Babe Ruth's record

Impeachment hearings are opened against President Nixon by the House Judiciary Committee

President Nixon resigns

President Gerald Ford issues an unconditional pardon to ex-President Nixon for all federal crimes

Muhammad Ali knocks out George Foreman in the eighth round to regain the heavyweight crown in Zaire

Heiress Patty Hearst is kidnapped by and eventually joins the Symbionese Liberation Army

Dungeons & Dragons officially releasedPeople magazine is published for the first time

Kate Moss, Alyson Hannigan, Penelope Cruz, Alanis Morissette, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ryan Seacrest are born

Oakland Athletics win the World Series

Miami Dolphins win Superbowl VIII

Philadelphia Flyers win the Stanley Cup

Blazing Saddles is the top grossing film

All the President's Men by Bernstein and Woodward is published

"Killing Me Softly With His Song" wins Grammy for song of the year

Tears streaming

Even though it was Fathers day we decided to get the yard work done. We live in a culdesac and the dogs stay in the fence (1 Chihauhua, 2 that are 1/2 Chihuahua and 1/2 minerature rat terrier). Today they got out and ran while we were mowing. Brittney came around where I was in the front yard looking for Rascal, but I told her that he would come back in a minute he always did.

Well tragedy struck, a lady in a corner lot has one of those wide spaced fences. For some reason little Rascal got in there and the big dog mauled it to death. Oh it was awful. Rascal is Brittney's dog and she love love loved him.

The lady whose home it happened at didn't come to the door, so Matt had to get a stick and go get Rascal's body out of the back yard. The big dog didn't bother him. I dont think it meant to hurt Rascal. But of course a 7 year old doesnt understand that. Our neighbor from across the street was talking to me in the yard when it happened. Her and her daughter care for our dogs when we aren't home and they were both crying. Brittney was crying and talking about Rascal in heaven with my grandfather who passed away 2 years ago. Which got me to boohooing. Matt was doing fine till Brittney started in about Epa Harlen playing with Rascal in heaven and how much she was going to miss Rascal all the while crying. So then Matt got started too.

Been a sad day here. We buried Rascal beneth the shade of a tree in our backyard and I am going to take Brittney to pick out a rose bush or something pretty to plant too.

It is so hard to see her crying and so upset. She is so soft hearted anyway and then this it was just awful, you just want to protect your kid and then this and it was just such a terrible accident. So the tears were streaming from us, the neighbors, even Boots (Rascal's brother and Braden's dog) and Pheobe (the momma dog and my dog) have been laying on each side of Brittney this evening, like they know and want to be there for her.

We had a church program as well tonight and Brittney didn't want to go sing but I talked her into it. She said she would sing to Rascal in heaven. Well during one of the songs she cut her eyes toward the ceiling, no one else knew what she was doing but I did she was singing to Rascal. The tears were flowing from me watching that.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to my dad who is great, but a BIG Happy Fathers Day to dear hubby!

Braden colored him a pic, and Brittney wrote him 2 poems all by herself (really cute). I got him two of what I just call "Matt movies"....they are shoot them up Steven Segal movies. His birthday was last week so Father's day was slimmer! The kids also did him a coupon book. Matt loves to watch the news the kids of course scream in agony when it comes on. One of the coupons was for him to be able to watch the news for 30 minutes. Braden promptly informed him that he could only use that coupon 1 time and he had to use it in the bedroom.

Matt is a great father, and sometimes just watching him interact makes me get all tingly.

So, Happy Fathers Day Sweetheart!

A little young

Brittney spent the night with my parents last night. Mom and dad brought her home this morning. Mom asked whose last name is Chronister. I said Dillon (boy in Brittney's class that she calls her boyfriend). Mom said well she asked your dad and I what we thought about the name "Brittney Chronister".

Today was Dillon's birthday party, his mom had to reschedule it because we were out of town on his actual birthday and Dillon refused to go if Brittney wasn't there.

We get to the skating rink today and Dillon's mom tells me he has a surprise for Brittney. He bought it with his own money. Brittney got her first piece of gold jewelry form a boy today. It is a princess necklace and Dillon said it is because Brittney is his princess.

I said this is cute now but I am really dreading the teens if it is already like this when they are just 7!

I am going to save the box too and put it up in Brittney's keepsakes with a note about what was in it and who gave it to her. But I think Matt and I just got a glimpse of our future with Brittney and boys and I dont think either of us like it!

If one more person says...

We were in Arizona for 5 weeks with 5 hour doctors appointments with Braden, come home to a mess, then start the week with me teaching vacation bible school in the mornings and going directly to basketball camp in the afternoons, followed by Braden's speech therapy.

With the above information people can honestly assume that yes I am tired. Why do they keep having to point out how tired I look? That just makes me feel more tired and like wow I must look really bad for them to point it out.

This week it seems at least 5 people a day say "you look like you are tired"...or "you must be exhausted because you really look it".

So apparently I obviously look pretty bad this week. Yes I am tired, I am trying to catch up from being gone for 5 weeks, get my paralegal work done that has piled up and up, organize things to leave home again next Friday for another week away, teach bible school, take the kids to camp, and just general things. As if that isn't enough now I get to hear about how bad I look.

I am like yes I know I apparently look like crap and look tired, because I am, but just comment on my hair that I tried to fix even though I was tired or the 2 pounds I have lost or even better the cool shoes I bought on clearance for the best bargain price ever!

Quiz...How Old Do You Act?

How Old Do You Act?

This quiz was on blog things. I took it and it is pretty close....actually so I guess that means I act my age. Since I have the number 29 maybe I can just keep it through my birthday in a few weeks that is suppose to be 31.

My number was 29

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

http://www.blogthings.com/whatagequiz/

Extremely busy

Finally getting settled in from the 5 weeks away still more to do but it is starting to get there.

This week is going to be extremely busy, I am teaching vacation bible school this week it is from 8:30 am to 11:30 and then at noon will be taking the kids to basketball camp and it runs from 12:00 to 3:00. Add in speech for Braden at 4:00 each day, and 2 doctor appointments for him as well. Babysitting for a friend of mine 3 days this week, not that I will be sitting much I will be taking her daughter to vbs and camp as well and only be at the house about 2 hours. Also going to be trying to catch up on paralegal work for teh 3 attorneys that I freelance for...5 weeks of mail to go thru as well...ugh getting tired thinking about it.

My kids are excited for the week to see their friends. I am excited to see my friends too! Now if I could just wave a magic wand and get everything organized back in it's place and get meals prepared for the week, and so on and so on then it would be perfect. Since no magic wand seems to be available guess it will just be an extremely busy week.

Home Again...Sort Of

What a trip what a trip.

We ended up leaving Arizona about noon on Thursday. Thinking we will be home Friday evening instead of Saturday and could rest.

Well this plan didn't last...

First off...van trouble...going to have to do a fuel injection thing this week with it. Up hills, down
hills, hitting gas it was cutting out. So Arrggghhhh on that.

Second we make it home finally about 4pm Friday...Our neighbors that were so great with watching our house and all had told us that our cats had gotten fleas. Well when we are home we vacumn every day and bath t dogs and cats often and so on and so forth well 5 weeks away we came home to an infestation it was AWFUL we had to take the kids immediately back outside call my parents. My mom who grew up in the country said no way will just bombs and stuff get rid of them (our neighbors had already tried this too for us). So we left the van packed, got it to mom and dads and stayed the night there and met the exterminator at 10 we had to mow and all of that so he could treat inside the house and out. Now we are back in the house. Kids are still at mom and dads. Braden cant come into this until it is all settled vacumed cleaned and so on.

So hopefully by tommorow we will all be settled at home.

I had to get a computer break in though, I was having withdrawels...haha...now I will get back to my brushing of cats, washing of all linens and all that fun stuff.

Still with all above still good to get back home....even if it wasnt quit what we wanted to come home to.

Not as young as I used to be

Looming close to my 31st birthday and I have to say this evening I feel it.

It could have something to do with climbing up ladders, through tunnels, going over bridges and down slides. My hubby and I played like kids with the kids. We went to a place here in Arizona called Makutus Island. http://www.makutusisland.com/

It was set up very neat so that the parents and kids could all climb and have fun. There were some arcade games but they werent the center theme of the place, the main feature was the huge climbing, slides and fun area. I have to say I wore out first, but Matt wasn't far behind me.

This evening I am feeling the sore muscles, and am recalling the Toby Keith song that talks about him not being as good as he used to be.

Playstation mania spreads

My hubby is a playstation addict, and both my kids love it. Me I dont see the point or the attraction. They can have a blast jumping around while they are playing, I like watching them but am not one to get involved in a game.

I am going to blame it on boredom of being in Arizona for the 4th week....but now I am so hooked.

It started out innocent I swear I was just trying to open up some multiplayer games for the kids. See they got Frogger adventure so they could play together but the multiplayer games have to be opened by playing the 1 player storyboard. So I had to help them out. Of course I have no idea how many multiplayer games have opened up because I am too addicted to playing the game to stop and check.

I never thought I would get caught up in it but I am. I doubt it will last once we get back home but for now I am having fun telling my kids "in a minute" and "let me get through this level".

4 Walls

When we first arrived in Arizona for Braden's 5 week treatment plan the hotel room was small but okay. After 2 1/2 weeks I swears the walls are shrinking in on us.

I love my hubby and kids dearly, but 24/7 is getting too me. I am grateful that Matt's job allows him to work basically anywhere high speed internet is. But, I am either taking the kids out of the hotel so he can work without having to hush us while he is on a conference call, or I am taking Braden to clinic, or all of us are getting out in the evening. Basically 24/7 togetherness. I love parts of it but I am not afraid to admit I need some ME time.

Matt would watch them and let me run to look around a store or something but being so far from home I am not 100% comfortable off by myself. Silly but I feel better exploring even if it is just the kids with me rather than me by myself. The kids and I are having fun when it isn't clinic days, and this whole thing has brought Matt and I closer in ways, but still these 4 walls are really starting to get to me.

A lot of it is I am homesick I want my house, my friends, my dog and the ability to say hey I am running so and so be back in an hour, or even the ability to go into the bedroom and SHUT the door (something I can't do here) and just be with me.

Tooth Fairy Part Two

As I posted before my husband had forgot to put the money under my daughters pillow and she woke up in tears.

Well...Yesterday my son lost his first tooth. Which makes me feel all kinds of things because my kids are growing up too fast. Anyway, he lost his tooth so I put it in an envelope with a nice letter to the tooth fairy to please leave the tooth so that I could put it in his scrapbook. My kids are amazed that the tooth fairy will read my notes and leave the teeth for me to save. They think mom is so cool for that..lol.

I fall asleep much faster than anyone else especially since being here in Arizona in the hotel. Well last night I told hubby this is your chance to redeem yourself I put the $3.00 folded up in the side of my purse and he was going to put it under Braden's pillow. I said dont forget...I was met with "I wont forget" and "I know I know" when being reminded...so off to sleep I went.

I wake up to "Mommy the tooth fairy forgot me"...AHHH NOT AGAIN...I gave my hubby a punch in the side and got up to weave my tale of getting up and going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and seeing money laying on the island. I then went on about since it was a fold out couch I bet the tooth fairy couldnt get over there very good and that is why the tooth fairy left the money on the counter. I moved my purse (while slipping the money out of the side pocket without being seen) and was like here it is I knew I saw it when I got up last night.

So that appeased them and they are happy and still believing in the tooth fairy and my husband is so fired...I will either have to stay up or get up in the middle of the night from now on.

On another note regarding the tooth fairy I think $3.00 is VERY good for the tooth fairy but my daughter says we have a cheap tooth fairy. After asking other parents it looks like the prices range from $1.00 clear up to $45.00....I was like $45 for a tooth no way. So the tooth fairy did make the visit last night and my son is happy and so cute with his first missing tooth.

A cool find here in Arizona

Last time we were in Arizona we went to the Pheonix Zoo and we were not that impressed. It was priced high and just wasn't that great to us. Well this trip I had been searching the internet for fun inexpensive things to do and I found a site for a zoo about 30 minutes away that was called the World Wildlife Zoo. It was reasonable gate entry and free parking. I wasn't expecting much but I took the kids today.

It was the neatest Zoo I have been too. I was so impressed. The kids and I got there it wasn't crowded. They had the standard carousel and the kids did that first off. Then we headed to the exhibits they were so neat. It was a very interactive zoo. We rode the sky tram over the zoo exhibits. The train actually went through some of the exhibits. There was a boat ride that was way too hot to be on but still a neat experience. There was a show with reptiles and the coolest thing for the kids they got to feed giraffes. I took lots of pics of course I like zoos but have to say that most of the time I am like okay lets go, this time I was just going around like the kids saying "cool cool cool".

The thing about the zoo is it doesn't seem to be very widely advertised, I had really searched things before I found it. Thank goodness for the internet and the really cool find that led to a really fun time with the kids. Braden had not had a good day yesterday and needed something fun as did Brittney and we certainly had a fun away from clinic day.

Sneakin it in...

The most difficult part of having a 4 wall hotel room for 5 weeks in Arizona. Kids are in the foldout couch directly in front of our bed...so if they arent really good and asleep then there is no speacial "Mommy and Daddy time".

It is pretty bad. They seem to stay up late (I am not a night owl so I am usually crashing before or right when they do), they get up early (I am a morning person so love to sneak in that "Mommy and Daddy time" then.

This morning we did sneak in a little time for "Daddy"...HAHA. Just no fun for "Mommy".

I am determined to out last them soon and stay up late. That worked one night last week. I am not used to this I am used to putting them in their beds they watch a movie and fall out and we get our "Mommy and Daddy time". So if I am crankier than usual this will be my excuse...I am not getting near enough lovin time!

Getting caught up in Kim and Ron's lives

I remember watching Pretty Woman and movies that were rated above a PG.

Those days seem to be gone. Especially since we are in this hotel room for 5 weeks. One TV...I have no idea what is happening on the Bachelor, or Dog the Bounty Hunter since I dont want the kids watching those shows.

Back to watching movies rated above a PG....To watch those I have to stay up later than the kids and I just cant seem to keep my eyes open. Poor Matt I am falling out on him even before the kids are asleep. So instead of grown up movies I get to watch under PG movies.

The sad thing is I really get into some of these movies.

Braden purchased Racing Stripes with his birthday money and I just really liked the movie.

Tonights movie choice...Kim Possible "So the Drama"...pretty sad that I am getting all hooked on if Ron and Kim are going to get together or not.

Friends

Today was one of those days look at me wrong and you risked me breaking down into tears. I hate those days. I miss my friends, sounds childish but I have really good friends.

We have a little group of moms that are pretty close. We may not talk to each of them everyday but we all have kids the same age and have had them in the same classes since PreK.

With these moms I can have a good cry and it's left at that. Matt hates to see me upset so he tries to fix it well you cant fix this sometimes I just need to be a stress case so to speak.

I have my phone ringers set on costum rings (I was bored one day) anyway my friends are all Garth Brooks "Friends in Low Places" and sure enough to day when I was just having one of those moments here comes the ring. Thank goodness, I didnt cry and let it all at that time, because I wasnt in a place where I could do that. But even without saying it she knew and we talked and I felt better.

I am just really thankful for good friends. We tease each other and if you were around on some of our gab sessions you would wonder if we even liked each other with the insults traded, but I know that as we watch our kids grow together so will we, it feels good to know that I have them.