The Treat of the Trade

We are off to a some what rocky start to the 2018-19 school year. With that being said I am pretty sure teenagers are some what demons in disguise. We have a 17 year old who has desperately wanted to be an adult for a majority of her childhood. If she would only calm down and realize being an adult is no where near as fun as it looks. We don't doubt she will some what make it in society, so we are allowing her--with limitations--to spread her wings. She isn't "on her own" as she is still living under a roof with adult supervision and rules and structure. But she is no longer living with her dad and I. Per her choices and decisions, we are allowing this to happen. She is very rude and disrespectful to her father and I. We will probably never understand why she chooses to act the way she does and say the things she says, but we are backing up and letting her be the adult she so desperately is seeking within herself. I hope she finds it and the adult version of herse

My little sister is 35 years young today!  Happy Happy Birthday to the best little sister I could ask for! Love you!

My husband surprised me with new wheels for Mother's Day this year. I was totally surprised by the gift and it's everything I have wanted in a car! Thanks Love!

  Goodness what a difference 9 months can make! We started the school year off with new clothes, haircuts, new shoes and a new outlook on the new school year.    First full week of summer and we have already logged in 20 hours at the pool. And we only went 4 days! I love laying in the sun and catching rays. I also love jumping in to the water holding hands with my son (but no one ever gets pictures of that) Me and the girls relaxing and unwinding after a busy school year. We can finally sit back and put our feet up for a bit.  Here's to many more sun catching, water splashing days at the pool for Summer 2018! Happy Monday!

We are 7 1/2 school days away from another summer. I will have a 4th grader, an 8th grader and a Senior next year. I am wanting to slow down and enjoy all things summer this year. I want to disconnect from social media more and take a few more road trips. I want to spend more one-on-one time with each of my kids. I want to be in more pictures with them and not just car selfies. During the school year we are busy and I forget to slow down. I have had that as a "new years resolution" for many years now and I just forget that it's ok to slow down and stop. I need this. For my sanity. For my health. For my kids. My junior brought home a book of everything we are to do for senior year and I was tired after reading the first 2 pages. I mean good grief. Can the school system not give these kids a break? We have deadlines to meet starting in July. And as much as we will try to get it all done, it will be around our schedule. Because I enjoy our afternoons at the p

    This. This made me cry. I joke to my husband that I need a magnet on my car that says "MOM TAXI". I get we are the ones that signed the kids up for this or that or said yes when they wanted to do this that and the other, but man o man I can put some miles on my car in one week. Fortunately, we have a 3rd driver in the house and she is able to drive herself to school and practices and run by the store for me if need be. I don't dump the other 2 on her to get them anywhere unless I am tied up with another kid or in bed ill and even then I still get up and mom.   Our whole city is under construction and I am convinced that is the reason my blood pressure has escalated over the last few months. Fighting school zones and school traffic and then fighting all the traffic from all the detours can make a mad woman crazier!   I recently purchased a car humidifier/essential oil diffuser and the lavender seems to be helping. Helping me stay cool calm and