Summer Begins!

1.  Memorial Day weekend always kicks off the summer for us.  Our tradition is to head to Keuka Lake to spend time with family and to camp at the state park.  This year was no exception.  We headed up Friday around 4 and got in around 10.  We had three relatively good nights of sleep and spent the days at the cottage with family.  Today we had a very long drive back through construction traffic and didn't get home til about 8.  The girls are finally tucked away for the night and I'm hitting the tub.

2.  Grace started a different dose of her medicine on Saturday and it was amazingly effective!  We had a really calm weekend.  She sees her Dr again this week and then Rich will come with us next week.  I'm feeling really good about her!

3.  Lola's birthday party is next Sunday.  Eek!  I'm hoping my cleaning ladies can come on Friday to help me get ready.  I'll be unpacking, doing laundry and cleaning out the camper and truck all while trying to get the party preparations done.  Here's hoping for another amazing weather weekend!  Oh, I am taking a little break out tomorrow for a massage!  Tomorrow is Lola's last day of school.  I can't believe it!  Grace still has three more weeks.

Hope

1.  I feel a real sense of hope tonight after meeting with Grace and her new doctor.  It was a good experience for her and I feel like we have someone that has "our back."  Ahhh.

2.  After the doctor appointment I took advantage of having a sitter and went out to dinner with a friend.  It's so nice to have a friend who tells it like it is.  Ahh.  I'm feeling much better today than yesterday, as you can tell!

3.  I spent a good portion of the morning getting the Airstream cleaned up.  I packed up the car with the cushions and bedding and drove it out back to load up.  Rich is out of town and it's a lot for me to get done, but will get done by the time we hit the road.  I'm sorry that I've missed most of my workouts this week, but wouldn't have had time to do the packing otherwise.  Or, wouldn't have had time to take advantage of the killer Boden sale!  I finally ordered after loving their catalog for so long.  They offered me 25% off plus free shipping and returns.  I ordered a bunch for me and some for the kids.  I have very little in my closet and need some new stuff.  Packing for the weekend was tough as I don't even have t-shirts!  Grace is asleep and I'm hoping for another good night.

Boo Hoo

1.  OK, I did get a little emotional watching AI tonight.  It was Simon's farewell show and it just won't be the same without him.  Paula was embarrassing.  I liked some of the collaborations.  I was rooting for Crystal at the end, but do like Lee.  Don't know if I'll let myself get sucked into another season.

2.  Tonight was a bit depressing on several levels.  I went to Grace's new school orientation.  And, as was the case last week at her school concert, I barely knew anyone.  I've found it difficult to meet other parents as she doesn't do play dates and there aren't many other opportunities to meet other families.  I did sit with a friend, but she was talking with someone else.  Later she sent me a sweet email, which boosted my spirits.  Next year I plan to be more active in the PTO and also the Newcomer's Club.  I happen to be feeling particularly isolated right now and don't like it.

3.  Today I was able to get the electrician over.  He wasn't able to fix our problem.  I was able to get the landscapers to come to get a major project done.  Turns out there are multiple problems that need to be addressed.  He and the arborist are working together to get our property back under control.  I do hope I'm feeling more optimistic tomorrow.  We all got an amazing night of sleep last night, but now Grace is still up at almost 11.  Ugh!

New Friend

1.  I'm delighted to say that I've met a new friend!  She and I met for coffee today and we had a really nice conversation.  It was fun to talk to someone so real!  This set the mood for a good day! 

2.  Next I headed to the gym for yoga.  I'm still amazed at how difficult this is and how it's going to take me a long time to get it right.  I then got a shower and left my hair to dry naturally.  I haven't done this in a long time and now remember why.  I look like a poodle tonight!

3.  I got two doses of reality tonight.  AI with Lee and Crystal.  I think it's going to be Crystal after her stellar performances tonight.  I watched the Bachelor last season and then had to tune in to see Ali become the Bachelorette.  Why, oh why, do I get sucked in to these stupid shows?  I'll tell you why!  Life is draining and stressful and it's a way to escape for a short time.  Thankfully I have a DVR so I can zip through the commercials and other stuff I don't want to see and can watch it in much less time.  How's that for rationalization?!

Brutal Night

1.  Last night was ghastly.  Grace fell asleep and then was up within the hour and didn't fall back to sleep til 5 am.  She slept three hours and then I took her to school.  She wasn't able to swim for the third week in a row because she was just too tired when she got there.  I explained our situation to the person that heads up the swimming and she was nice enough to give us a credit for the unused classes.  Can you believe Grace is still awake now at 10:15 pm?!  I don't know how her little body can keep going.  It was all I could do today to get up and clean up her massive mess and then get her to school and Lola to her gym class.  Then later we went to friends' for a play date and then to swimming.  I did take on the ambitious job of cleaning out the craft cabinet.  That was spurred by not being able to find Grace's project that is due Friday.  Neither of us have no idea where it could be.  I was happy to find some lost library books, though.

2.  I just booked the hotel for my OH weekend.  I decided to stay where my aunt and uncle are staying.  Hopefully my sister and her partner will stay with me.  Since we just stayed at a Choice Hotel I'll now have the opportunity to get the $50 Chili's gift card for staying two times by August.  So, not that I'm trying to make a profit on the weekend, glad that something positive can come out of it.  I'm really dreading it.  I'm not looking forward to going through all my mom's things.  Although, I do hope I can find some things to bring home as mementos.  I gave her a bracelet for Christmas and when I went to see the psychic she told me that my mom wanted me to have the bracelet-and to wear it!

3.  I'm praying for some sleep for all of us tonight.  Tomorrow I'm planning to meet a new friend for coffee and then go to my yoga class.  I hope this happens!  (I just figured out how to use spell check and won't have the yellow marks anymore!)

Old Sturbridge Village

1.  We've driven by the "brown sign" on the Mass Pike several times and always wondered what Old Sturbridge Village was-til now.  We are members of Mystic Seaport and can get a few bucks off to go to OSV, which isn't bad.  But, Lola's school had a silent auction for their yearly shindig and we were the only people to bid on the OSV tickets!  We got them for a very good price.  I had seen on their website that if you come for a day you can come in the next ten days for free.  So, I called them to ask if we'd get in free the next day, too, with our passes.  I wasn't trying to be greedy, but just trying to plan the weekend.  They were very nice and offered us the second day free without much begging.  When we got there, the woman at the counter knew about us and we weren't given a hard time.  The drive from our home was only 2 hours.  This could have been a day trip, but we decided to stay over Saturday night.  We stayed at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Sturbridge.  We read the reviews on Trip Advisor and weren't disappointed at all.  The place was very clean and nice.  They're right behind a gas station with a Subway and Dunkin Donuts and a Cracker Barrel.  The grounds are immaculate and while the furnishings aren't my taste, is still very nice for a night away from home.  Grace wasn't enjoying the car ride so we stopped at a rest area and kicked a soccer ball around.  Then we stopped at Tim Horton's for donuts and lemonade and then got some food at McDonald's.  Yes, this is foreshadowing for a very bad eating weekend for me.  I've been very good during the weeks and on weekends I've started letting loose a bit too much!  We ate in the car and then went directly to OSV.  We spent about 2.5 hours there the first day.  If you've been to Colonial Williamsburg it's along that vein-as well as similar to Mystic Seaport.  It's a gorgeous natural setting and there are costumed people walking around like back in the 1830's.  They have a boat ride, wagon ride and stage coach ride.  These all cost extra.  We did the boat ride as they were having a special $1/ride/person this weekend.  I could go on and on about this place, but suffice it to say it's a "must do" if you have kids and especially if you have kids that are interested in history.  We had the continental breakfast at the hotel and then went in for our second day.  We spent another few hours and then hit the Chinese buffet restaurant down the street on our way out of town.  Speaking of eating, we had Saturday night dinner at Picadilly.  This is a chain restaurant throughout MA.  We had a really good dinner.  It's extremely kid-friendly.  We may make a tradition out of this weekend!

2.  Grace had two really bad nights back to back this week.  Saturday we spent at OSV and then after dinner we went to the pool at the hotel.  We spent about an hour there and in the hot tub.  I guess I'll fess up and mention that we ate donuts for dessert.  I mentioned there was a D&D nearby.  Ugh!  I forgot to mention I also had my favorite apple fritter at Timmy's that morning!  I digress.  The point is that we all had an amazing night of sleep and slept til 8:30-9.  Ok, my sleep wasn't amazing because Lola's feet were constantly poking me somewhere on my body, but it was pretty darn good considering.  We got a suite at the hotel with two double beds and a pull-out sofa.  We thought we'd let Grace have the bed to herself to make sleeping as easy as possible for her.

3.  Tonight we got home and cooked out.  I'm happy to say that I took the propane tank to Stew's myself and got it filled.  $13.99 for a fill is an amazing price!  Don't pay more than that when you can go to Stew's!  I just ate the remains of my New York Super Fudge Chunk and now will try to abstain from all the junk til we go away next weekend!

To the Dump, to the Dump, to the Dump, Dump, Dump!

1.  That title is to be sang to the "Lone Ranger" theme.  Anyone remember that show?!  I took both girls with me to the dump today.  They were both really good about helping to sort all the recyclables.  I feel like taking our trash to the dump teaches all of us to use our resources more wisely and to recycle what we can.  Also, it just takes me back to dump runs with my dad when I was a kid.  Aww!

2.  Lola has had a cold this week.  I kept her home most of the day to just rest so we can go away for the weekend.  I skipped my workout, which was a bummer.  Grace got home early from school for a teacher in-service day.  She had a rough night last night and went into school late.  I can't wait to get this insomnia problem solved!  Praying for a good night tonight!  Too bad she's still awake at 11:22 pm!

3.  We had a sitter and went to Greenwich for dinner.  We ate at Asiana.  Frankly, I didn't love the dumplings, summer rolls or salad I had.  Rich liked both his rolls.  We then drove around Greenwich ogling large homes and ended up in NY.  We then drove back downtown Greenwich and walked around.  Of course, we ended up in the cute little crepes place called Meli-Melo.  Yum!  Tomorrow we're off to soccer and then off to Old Sturbridge Village for an overnight.