the holidays begin

So the holidays begin..........Thanksgiving this week, and Christmas will be here before we know it.  Got Brendan this weekend, won't have him at all for Thanksgiving...makes me thank a little more, for time with him.  Drove him back tonight, and had a nice talk with him.  Sometimes he's "talky", sometimes he's not.....enjoy spending time with him either way.

So, we'll have turkey, family, and love, and hopefully no drunken binges.........we'll see.  Giggles.
And right after that, let's get ready for Christmas!  Deposit is made on cabin, we're going on a vacation for Christmas!  So excited...

In the meantime, it's fall in west central Florida........some days beautiful, some days 80 degrees.  Hoping for sweatshirt weather on vacation.   Till then, keep it comfortable.  Parks, hanging out outside...the benefit of living here.  Woot.  ;)

boob job......not

In need, desperately, of an eyebrow wax (and lip, I'm not going to lie), I thought today, as I have many times, if I had the money, you would not find me getting a boob job or any other kind of job...not that I think it's a bad thing that people do.  Hey, if you can afford it and it's something you want, no judgement.  However, if I could pay somebody money to alter my beautiful body in any way, it would be this:  hair removal.

This whole part German thing, Eastern European, and all that implies, is getting a little old.  I've been having my eyebrows waxed for 22 years, and my lip for about 10.  Stephen tells me he can't see it.  I love him for saying so...but I can see it.  And let me backtrack just a little...I got my period last week.  I'm sure you love that I shared that information, but my segue is leading to the fact that at 38 years old I still get a couple of pimples when I get my period.  Now, I get pimples, have dealt with eyebrows & lip stuff for years, and now have a patch of whiskers.  Yes, whiskers.  Over it.  There are only a few, but really?

So, you won't find me getting a boob job, or Botox, or the newest trend in facial and body surgery.  You'll find me getting hair removal.

Donations would be LOVEd and accepted.

total eclipse

We were watching X-Factor, or one of those shows, last night, and one of the contestants sang "Total Eclipse of the Heart".  Rachel reminded me that I used to sing that to her when she was getting out of the bath.  We're talking like over 10 years ago...she's 16 now.  So, from 1 year old to probably 6 years old, I gave her baths, and I would sing that to her.  It made me stop, eyes open a little, and smile.  Yes, I did.  Turn around, bright eyes.....as I toweled her cute little butt.  Time it does fly.

Talked to Bug today about her regular license and driving to school......surreal to mommy.  All this while driving David to 6th grade and Chloe to 4th grade...and texting Brendan while he does his thing in New Port Richey with his mom, enjoying 10th grade.  

I look over at my husband sometimes, usually when he isn't looking, and am so happy with my life, with us, and our kids...they make us so happy and proud.  I look forward to our time together putzing around doing what we want, but sure am enjoying this time.  

double digits

Well, all of our kids are double digits...wow!  Rachel - 16.  Brendan - 15.  David - 11.  Chloe - 10.  Today.  Wow.  The time does fly...everybody tells you that, but it does...all our babies, getting so big.

Doing the "30 days of thanks" on facebook...really, we have so much to be thankful for that it would take more than 30 days to thank.  I've done well so far, I think...my husband and kids on day one...living in America day two...the movies day three...birthdays, Little Caesar's $5 pizzas, & Jonalynn's cake day four...but really, there's so much more.  So much.  I'm sure my month will be full of thanks before the end of November, and I'll have more to thank.

Had a blast this weekend celebrating Baby Girl's birthday...movies, sleepovers, and family birthday party.  Makes a mommy so happy, and I'm sure makes a Turner Clan so happy.

Thank you, Jesus.

brrrumm brrummm bruummbrumbrummmbrumbrrrum!

So little man joined the band at our middle school.  He picked percussion, passed the percussion test last week, and today we went to Roydon Music to rent a percussion kit for him, as well as the two books on the list.  Had to get the instrument and the books, and a name tag, according to the paperwork I brought with me from the middle school parent information band meeting a few nights ago.  Band is new to me - Rachel did chorus in elementary school & middle school, doesn't do it in high school...and Chloe is in chorus in elementary school this year.  Brendan has never participated in anything musical.  Band is new to me.  I don't play an instrument.  My husband played a horn, not sure which one, at his middle school and/or high school.  So I dragged him along with me, David, and Rachel to Roydon Music to figure it out.  Chloe was at her bff's house on play date.  Brendan is with his mom this weekend.

Turns out renting an instrument from now 'till May/June would cost us about $180.  They sold us a rental turn in for $220.  So we are now proud owners of a percussion kit, including snare drum.  Guess what I listened to for two hours after we purchased the kit?  Most of it was Daddy, not David.  But it's cool.

After that, went to Advanced Auto Store, is that the name?  The place where you buy auto parts yourself.  Taillight and blinker out on rear right side on van.  Stephen checked fuses, they're good, so he bought a bulb for it.  Then home to have lunch & watch Hallmark movies while Rachel cleaned her room to get ready to go to her bff's house for a party/sleepover.

Of course, Rachel wanted to drive.  Nope, didn't fix taillight yet.  Sorry, my beautiful daughter.  I get enough "turn your fucking blinker on" looks from drivers myself, not putting you in that position.  Hope to have it replaced tomorrow.  She gets to meet bff's boyfriend tonight.  She is THRILLED.   Hope she doesn't embarrass Kirsten TOO much.

Saw my bestie, got my Saturday hug from bestie (my bestie is Rachel's bff's mom), and headed to Publix.  My Saturdays are SO exciting.  Stephen not feeling well, so grabbed an easy dinner, came home, and now he's watching a Batman movie while I just tucked in little man & baby girl.  Will do cheese, sausage, & crackers in a few with him while we watch another movie.  Just couldn't get into this Batman movie.  Not sure why.  Probably because I self analyze and my brain works in overdrive constantly.  Can't just sit and enjoy a movie.  Hoping another glass of Pinot Grigio will help me watch the next one...

So there it is...my Saturday.  Tomorrow will be equally as exciting.

homecoming

Rachel is off to her first high school dance.  Homecoming of her junior year.  What a night!  I hope she's having a great time.  I can't believe she's a junior in high school.............sounds cliche, but for reals........where DOES the time go??  What???

Got me remembering the only Homecoming dance I went to.  My senior year, my date took me to the dance, which was at our high school.  Not at some really expensive venue like they are now.  Our prom, that was off campus, but homecoming was on campus.  Anyway, he took me to the dance, then to dinner at the Colonnade, which is special to me for other very special reasons.  I remember heading home, my parents had just bought this 1991 Saturn, and I was driving it, and we triggered the alarm somehow, and I didn't know how to turn it off.  We drove from South Tampa, across the Crosstown, to Valrico with the alarm going.  Fortunately, the car started.  For thirty minutes of driving, the alarm was BLARING.  Got home, and woke my parents up.  Memories.

So, waiting on a limo driver who looks VERY much like Ranjit from "How I Met Your Mother" to bring five teenagers back to our house around midnight...nice guy.  His name is Tom.  That was strange.  Looks like Ranjit...name is Tom............never mind.

My stepson was anxiously waiting for the arrival of four teenage girls, not his sister, of course, to come to our house.  I think he hung as long as he could.  He took his comforter out of the dryer and headed to bed.  MAYBE I'll show him pictures.

Tomorrow morning my most favorite 16 year old & I are headed to the Sarasota area to camp with her Girl Scouts troop.  I CANNOT WAIT.

cookie dough is evil, i tell you!

If I don't see cookie dough for a long, long while, it will make me a happy Mandy.  Our middle school PTSA chose this as our fundraiser, and over the summer I was a last minute "Fine, I'll help with PTSA, what do you need?".  They needed a VP of Fundraising.  Cookie dough can officially kiss my ass.

My bestie was with me every step of it, though, and I love her!  I know she and I both needed that pickup at Mickey D's this morning.  Not the healthy breakfast I needed, but the coffee & girl time I needed.  As soon as the last of the cookie dough is off of the middle school campus, I will take her out for dinner and drinks!

Ate like a pig today, but that's okay.  Won't happen tomorrow.  Calories from Pinot Grigio are way better than food anyway.

Oldest teenager is at high school homecoming game...Daddy is on his way to pick her up.   Tomorrow is the homecoming dance.  My beautiful girl is going to look so amazing...and she is going in a limo!  There was a presentation about not texting and driving, and the students took a pledge to not text and drive, and entered a contest to win a limo ride, and she won!  Her first big dance and she's going in all Valrico fabulousness.  Carrabba's, limo with four of her friends, dance, and home...I can't wait to watch her smile!

Then Saturday we head down toward Sarasota for Girl Scouts camping and bridging...I definitely can't wait for that!  I wonder if I can smuggle a bottle of wine...just joking.