The Hunny-Do List

OK, so after I shook off all the vacay-boogies and got back to life, back to reality..... Greg and I sat down to do some serious negotiating about what projects need doin' round here. According to my husband a new front hall area rug and a quick vacuuming should do the trick....my list looks like this:

REPAIRS
- garage door lock (kinda important considering what we hide in there)
- front window needs replacing
- fence gates need heavier duty hinges installed
- kitchen range hood needs replacing with a match to our appliances (No, adrling I've lived with the white one for 5 years.....it goes)

RENOS
- remove the wall between the middle bedroom and the master to expand our bedroom
- recarpet the master, 2nd bedroom and 2 flights of stairs in Pudge-proof carpetting (do they make carpet out of iron?)
- install laminate flooring in the 2nd lower floor including the family room/ 3rd bedroom and hall
- install laminate in the main bath and tear out the tile floors that are so uneven they feel like a thrill ride walking into the shower
- rip out the horrible "faux berber" in our living room and install hardwood
2 words baby - NEW COUNTERTOPS in my kitchen, the green scrollwork laminate is not working for me

REDO
- relocate the office and wire it down in the basement playroom
- hang the flatscreen TV in the familyroom (FINALLY)
- paint out the staircase and rails in the main area from ewwwwwww OAK to cream
- paint all the brass in the house (doorknobs, bath fixtures, lights fixtures)

I am currently in full arbitration, we will surface in about 6 weeks with an agreed upon list. :) I hired this guy to do all my negotiating, I have a feeling I may not get the whole list.

....I'm back and not a moment too soon!

Florida was amazing. The guys had the times of their lives (including Greg :) at the shore, on the rides at Universal, in marine science centres, mini-golfing, eating crab and more crab and go-carting....this was a once in a lifetime trip with the doods. Now I must find somewhere quiet and go into a coma.

Oh yeah, I'm at work. I can sleep at work....lol. Back to my desk today looking over the pictures with the ladies on Facebook and enjoying the eyes as big as dinner plates on my little guy at Universal Studios and the he-man pics of my oldest boogie-boarding in the Atlantic Ocean (a.k.a. Madness & Death)....Greg even managed to snap a photo of me in the whole melee that truly captures what a trip to Universal is all about for me....

I love Bill Shatner. This was like me finding the Rosetta Stone :)

We're outta here!

Off to FLA y'all. I'll be back in two weeks to bore you with all the details. K?

We're really gonna miss this guy....

But I'll get over it....

....and I'll have a couple for you, hmmmm?

Women, Food and God

No, I have never read this book. Yes, I believe in "ah-ha" moments....but I don't think you get them from a bobble-headed phsyco-babble spewing fake like I just saw on what has to be the MOST self-absorbed Oprah rant ever. Seriously, 42 minutes of Oprah telling you what, how and why this book will work for your weight problem too America all the while, the author sits there nodding like a drugged out junkie saying "Riiiight, right, right!". Seriously, you could hear this woman doing the math in her head over what roytalties were coming her way cause she was on the Oprah show.

Now there truly are camps about Miss O. Some women adore her. Other women "used to". Most I think have put her up on the shelf with those girls they don't talk to from highschool anymore. You know? She's that girl. The one who never stopped talking about herself. She had it better than you, you knew it, she knew it and she never stopped f'in talking about it. never....

My God woman, when will it be enough?

Rich = check
Powerful = check
Beautiful = check

When do you add happy to the list and check that off too? Dood, sister needs a mirror. She needs to sit down like Stuart Smalley and really tell herself "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and gosh, darn it, people like me."

Now, I am not Oprah, but I can check off a few things on my own list....

Comfortable = check (in my own skin, in my bank account, in my marriage, in the company of my children, in the knowledge that I have good friends, an agile mind, love from those who matter, in my job and in how I perform it daily)

I think I'm going to write a book. I'll call it "The Comfortable Woman"

Should you receive a call from Kentucky...

...you'll know it's me. Next Thursday I am going to set out on what will either be the bonding-moments of a lifetime with my three guys or what will feel like the longest tooth extraction in history. I figure by the time we get to Kentucky I am going to know which way this vacation is headed. Please keep your cell phone on.

Greg, the boys and I are heading south. To Florida, Daytona Beach to be exact and then a tour of the unhappiest place on Earth....Universal Studios. Florida in August. I know, I know.

Last December when my Dad offered me his timeshare points for a trip anywhere in the world, I pictured....well, Rome, the Scottish highlands, Bali, Peru....not me puce and screaming at the apex of the Terminator ride crying for my Mommy. However, we do all sorts of insane things for our children and barring our annual travels to the family cottage, our little family unit has never had a trip away together. Now, follow me here, my kids are 8 and 14 and I have to date not had to travel with them and their father anywhere farther than 4 hours from my front door. Truly and with great conviction, I could turn to the backseat at anytime and scream...."I WILL TURN THIS VAN AROUND!" Sure I took the boys to Alberta by myself in 2008 but I had no back-up (i.e. Greg) and therefore I was *very clear* about how that whole trip was going to roll down the behaviour tracks. :)

I am thinking that planning is the key here. We leave on Aug. 12th....I have planned for 2.5 days of driving so as to allow for side trips and the inevitable stops at strange roadside attractions that my Boy#2 can smell from 47 miles away (i.e. the World's Largest Potato that Looks Like Jesus). Although if we are going anywhere near Louisville, KY, I know where my hubs is gonna want to stop :)

I have confirmed our reservation in Daytona Beach, where we have (according to the brochures and website) a gorgeous 2 bedroom condo, full kitchen/ laundry with all the comforts of home (on the 7th floor - EEP!) Thank you Daddy.

I have been actively researching online for "things to do" and have found a lot of information on the web. I do know we are doing the following:



A) the Biggest Flea Market in America!! pity my van's shocks ;)
B) sea turtle conservation tour and volunteer night rescue
C) free chocolate factory tour (mmmmmmm......oops, sorry)
D) adjoining waterpark to our resort...one whole day will be sucked down into this hole.....trust me :(
E) largest National Reptile Expo in the US of A (hell.yeah.)
F) go-carts! c'mon everyone loves go-carts
G) oldest lighthouse in America tour (my attempt at educational)

We have the condo from August 14-21, we'll leave very early (in Dharma hours that is 9:00 a.m., in Greg hours that is 4:45 a.m.) and drive to Orlando where we are checking into the Universal Studio's hotel the Hard Rock. Just for being a guest, we get swipe cards that allow us to jump the lines and we get a sneak peek 1-hour prior to opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We are planning to be at Universal for 2 whole days soaking in the magic....and then we're off! Back northbound....

I really am very excited for the boys, this is a big (please God, let this be once in a lifetime) trip for our little family. Not that I don't LOVE my guys, I just hate theme parks, sleeping in other people's beds, waterparks, sand and highrises.... other than that I am sure I'll have a fantastic time! But it's all for these guys really isn't it? Oh, and no we're not bringing the damn dog. I draw the line.