Beach Trip: Day 1 (Saturday)

Computer problem fixed, apparently I needed a new memory card and what's on my old one will have to be taken off when I get home.

We woke up yesterday morning, unfortunately earlier than we wanted but when you have two adults and two, 2 year olds in a room that's sort of hard to do. We got on the road about 10 and all things went pretty good until we literally saw two dogs, in the middle of the median of the highway, having um, relations. Guess I can't blame them as traffic was at a standstill due to a major accident and apparently they were just trying to make the best of a bad situation. I'm now pissed that I wasn't smart enough to get my phone out and take a picture because it was classic, and something I'm sure to never see again.

Right about 3, we rolled over the bridge to this...(of course it was low tide and therefore not the most pleasant of smells but we could have cared less, there was sand, water, and we were happy)




And the kids were sooo excited to FINALLY be here.





We on the other hand, STOKED...yes I look horrible.



Too many dollars at the store, more food than we will ever need...





but with these waiting for us, it's all worth it.




**Disclaimer. No children will be neglected or harmed on this trip. Just two adult women who need and deserve to have a good time.

Mad!!

We're here in our hotel, halfway to our final destination. Overall so far the first day was okay. The kiddos slept for about 2 1/2 which was grand, but now it's 11:30 and they are WIDE AWAKE. Bouncing on the beds, running around...you get the idea. I'm just happy that they are playing so well together as they always do but I'm sure that will eventually change. I'm sitting here trying to download pics from the day and my memory card is BAD and it won't download. So I'm probably going to breakdown and buy a new one on the way tomorrow...had some really cute ones so hopefully I can still get them on here.

Until tomorrow!

Hodge Podge

This is a quick one, as I'm frantically trying to get my shit in order because I AM LEAVING FOR THE BEACH TOMORROW!! Did I say that out loud, because I can't remember a time when I have been so excited. It's just me, Ava, my best friend and her little boy who is 2 months older than Ava. We are leaving the men at home and having what we are calling our "last hurrah" before major changes take place. For her it's the change to a gluten free lifestyle, for me it looks like I'm going to be eating cardboard and sawdust for a while (as I sit here and finish off my cheese fries, good start so far).

I went to a new family Dr. last week just for a check up and blood work, and this was written on my report that I received yesterday "your cholesterol is dangerously high, we need to discuss treatment ASAP." So I went back in today and we agreed for me to TRY a low fat, low cholesterol diet with lots of exercise and will re-evaluate in 2 months, but he also told me with the levels that I have it looks like even if I can lower them, it will only be a band aid affect and therefore won't be effective in the long run. I'm a little overweight, but I don't eat THAT unhealthy and we both agree that since both my parents have a history of heart disease this appears to be something genetic. I'm thankful that I've been able to get enough medical history from my birth parents because that is going to be a big help as we determing my next plan of action.

I went to orientation for Ava's Parent's Day Out tonight, and because she went last year, I was expecting things to be the same. Not at all. This year she is in an older class, they do not nap, they gear their day more towards a pre-school type attitude, and there are 12 kids in a class instead of 8. Just another thing to make me realize just how quickly she is growing up.

And the last random thought, guess who decided to show up today after being absent for 4 1/2 months. Aunt Flow. Seriously??? Could it have come at a worse time??? I think not.

I'm going to try to post every day. Did you see that?? I said EVERY DAY while I am at the beach, but of course that depends on whether or not we can steal Internet from someone. I am hoping to come home totally refreshed, and in a sense, ready to start over

First Haircut

I've waited as long as I could to cut my precious girl's hair. We went to Coo.kie Cut.ters because I knew that they would be able to distract her, or attempt to distract her with a movie as long as possible. The picture quality is horrible because I had to use my cell phone camera, and I had to resize them really small to get them to load, but hopefully you get the idea.

Here she is as they were getting started:

Still not sure what's going on:

You can't tell here but she really didn't like the smock, even though we kept telling her it was a pretty dress. She eventually won and pulled it off.

Final product and an official certificate of her "bravery" as they call it. I'm shedding a tear now as I look at her first lock of hair...

Update on my pal...

Meant to write earlier but things around here have been beyond nutty.

My friends procedure went well last week. They went in thinking she was only getting a colonoscopy but because of the inability to hold down food they also did an endoscopy. She's a hoot but seeing her come out of sedation exceeded my expectations! Upon initial examination he said things looked good. Nothing of concern in the colon, but he diagnosed her with Ga.stritis in the stomach. He took biopsies of everything, hooked her up with a prescription for the stomach problems and we left.

Today she got the call that she has a severe form of the Ga.stritis and Ce.liac Disease. She now has to go Gluten Free...which in her diet makes up about 80% of what she eats...so she's pissed off and I can't even go and offer her a beer for condolences.

Anyhoo thought I'd update. I'm off to attempt to play tennis (am currently in the process of drinking a beer as it seems to make it a tad more appealing to go). Hopefully my tennis skirt from last year's go with this still fits...doubtful but one can hope.

Thanks for all the good thoughts on her...now she's really going to be skinny enough for me throw her to the other side of the beach!

3 in 2 days...what is wrong with me?

This is a serious one, and not one for people with weak stomachs. I'm again asking for more prayers to come my way. I'm taking my best friend for an emergency colonoscopy in the morning. This girl has been my best friend since we were 6 and I am really worried that there is something terribly wrong with her.

3 months ago she started suffering from what they thought were symptoms of I.BS (irrita.ble .bowel syndrome). She has been under tremendous amounts of stress for some time now, and we all thought it had finally caught up with her. She's about to go through a nasty, nasty divorce, she has 3 children, and together, they have gone through significant financial troubles. The poop problems that I had from my virus a few weeks ago pale in comparison to what she faces (poop wise) in a single given day. She's not a big girl by any standards and she's lost a significant amount of weight. I tease her and tell her that when we go to the beach she's going to have to sit a good 100 yards from me, but it's not a laughing matter anymore. Just last week she started vomiting everything that she ate. She doesn't feel bad, she doesn't even have any warning when it happens. She can be there talking to you and she will lean over and puke. She says she doesn't even feel nauseaus, it just literally happens. Sometimes it's immediately after, sometimes it's hours. Her deck and driveway look like the parking lot of a fraternity party.

She was scheduled to have on in September, but with these latest developments they are fitting her in for an emergency procedure. She has a family history of colon cancer and other colon related diseases, so we are praying that this really is just stress related. Either way I hope that they can quickly get her an answer and get her on the road to recovery.

This girl is like my sister, in fact even though I think we look NOTHING alike, we have been told on many occassions that we must be sisters. We act ridiculously childish and stupid together, often gathering looks from people who must think that we are crazy. I watched her first born come into the world, she watched mine. That in itself carries a very significant bond. She has not always had an easy time with things in her life, but with everything that she has gone through she remains the most positive person that I know. Just a few months ago she fell down her stairs and broke both of her feet. She is just the poster child for bad luck.

Thinking happy thoughts for you A...

Umm..

This "popped" up in my mulch today and it just sort of made me giggle...apparently these days it doesn't take much.

He's getting old!

Today's Matthew's birthday. I probably shouldn't post how old he is but I'm gonna anyway because I like to rub it in. He's one away from the big 4-0 so this time next year I'll be planning a killer bash.

Here is Ava singing Happy Birthday to him on the phone this morning, she got super bashful and quiet and she did better in person but it's too cute not to post. And yes I sound like a retard. I HATE my voice.

Happy Birthday baby!

Disturbed

I came across this photo tonight while bored on the net...and unless she's just a total freak of nature (which just might happen to one married to T.om C.ruise), there is no way that this belly is legit. It supposedly was taken in April 2006 right before she had Su.ri but come one, that is foolin nobody. I'd give anything to take a peek at the pillow/belly under that shirt.

If you DID look like this when you were 9 months pregnant, I will pay you paparazzi money for the excusive rights to your pics.