Travel Challenge

So Michael and I decided today to challenge our family to travel throughout the kids' lives.  :)  I remember when I was a kid going on some great family vacations.  We want to do that for our kids to, only bigger!  :D  Michael and I decided we'd like to try to visit all 50 states with the kids before they graduate from High School!  :)  I'd like to incorporate this challenge with a pinterest craft where you take a picture in each state you've been, cut it out in the shape of the state, and pin it to a US corkboard map!  :D  Obviously, Alaska and Hawaii will be big trips as they are not in the continental US.  That's when I got the idea that those two trips could be celebration trips for when each of the kids graduate!  :D  As the kids grow up we'll see differences in their personalities and be able to figure out who would love each trip more.  Then, when Avery graduates, the four of us will pack up for a week in (I'll go ahead and guess this one) Hawaii!  Then, a year later, when Connor graduates and Avery will have time to be home from college we'll all go (again, just my guess) on a cruise to Alaska!  :)  Michael and I love to travel and we're anxious to share this joy with our kids!  Plus, it gives Michael and I an excuse to get out and see a little more of the country than we've seen ourselves.  ;)  For now it will be little trips to Iowa for Tugfest or Missouri for a Royals game.  But as the kids grow we'll venture farther from home.  :)  I personally can't wait to see the Smithsonian, a musical on Broadway, the Pacific ocean, and Nashville!  There is so much to see and do!  I can't wait!  :)  Wish us luck!  We've got a little over 17 years to get it all done (except for Connor's graduation trip)!

Monday

It has definitely been a long Monday morning, and it's only 10:45am.  :\  This has the makings of a very long day...

When Avery woke up she was soaked through her diaper, through her jammies, and all over her sheets and blankets.  Fabulous.

Dayton was chasing Avery with a shovel, making her scream.  I told him to leave her alone and asked him to go play in Avery's room (so the two would be seperated for a while because they were getting on each other's, and my, nerves).  Fake cry turns into a real meltdown.  Perfect.

Out of eggs to make breakfast, so I try to adapt and give Avery a biscuit.  She grinds it into crumbs in the carpet, rug, and loveseat.  Awesome.

After making her help clean up her mess, I grab the vaccum from downstairs.  It's apparently full, and leaves a pile of rocks and dust on the landing and the top of the stairs when I sit it down.  Ugh.

I vaccum up Avery's mess, but the noise wakes Connor up early from his nap.  Why me?

Finally we have a moment of everyone getting along, playing nicely, not fighting, whining, or crying.  Avery unzips Connor's jammies and says, "Arms up."  I tell her not to pull his arms up (he's standing by the coffee table in the breakfast nook and doesn't have excellent balance yet), but it's too late.  She says it again, pulls his arms up, and he falls to the tile floor.  Is it naptime yet?

Avery is sent to her room.  After a few minutes of crying, I hear the snaps of her diaper coming open.  I race in to put it back on.  Mom win.  Close the door behind me again, more crying.  Who even cares at this point?  I'm about ready to melt down myself.

Connor is tired from a short nap.  He's still working on a couple of teeth and is plenty fussy and cranky.  He's also nice and needy right now and fusses if I'm not in eye sight and/or holding him.

So what I'm going to need is two people...

One person needs to take my kids tomorrow morning.  I plan on sleeping in.  You'll need to pack the diaper bag yourself, dress them, change them, feed them.  I'm taking the day off.  Also, take them out of the house, because I plan on being here and frankly, don't want them here for my day of freedom.  Get the carseats in your car yourself, I'll be resting.  When you bring them back at bedtime, you can get them in their jammies and to bed.  I'm aiming for a full 24 hrs for myself.  I know all you other moms are laughing your heads off at the idea.  I know I signed up for this.  I'm just grumpy.

The other person is going to need to clean my house.  I need time for myself, but if the kids are gone, I can't help but want to take advantage of that and get some much needed cleaning done.  Start with the dishes and laundry, both of which will need to be done to completion throughout the day including folding and putting things away.  Clean the kids' rooms, sweep, mop, vaccum, windex the doors and windows, pledge the wood furniture and ledges shampoo the carpets, bleach the kitchen and bathrooms, clean out the fridge and make dinner.  That should be good on the house.  But since I'm taking the day to myself, please don't talk to me or try to chat.  Just focus on the house, I'll worry about me.  Checking in if I'd like lunch is fine.  Discussing the dinner menu is fine too.  In fact, it would be best if I didn't know this person at all, then I won't feel quite as rude when you're doing my work and I'm not even talking to you.

Grrrrr!  I'm a grump!  This morning has not gone well and it makes me think of other things that haven't gone well and here we are.  Ugh.  Mondays.  Thanks for listening.  I'm back to the real world and off my dream island now.

<Rant Over>

Vacation

Because I should post something positive considering my poor behavior on that last post, let me tell you about the vacation Michael and I are taking...

Why
In May Michael and I will have been married for 6 years (together for 8.5).  I know that the 6 year anniversary is typically not a big, exciting, or highly celebrated anniversary (although, why not, right?!?).  It wouldn't have been a particularly special day for us either, as we wanted to celebrate our 5 year anniversary in a big way.  However, we celebrated our 5 year anniversary with a two week old baby boy, so it wasn't an ideal time for a vacation.  In May Connor will be a year old and he and I will be ending our time of nursing.  That seems like a much more appropriate time to leave my kiddos for a week.  :P  Not to mention, Michael and I have two beautiful kids, we work hard, and we deserve a nice break to kick back, relax, and just be in love.  A week devoid of responsibilities, just to focus on us, to celebrate us, to revive us.  :)

When
Well, as I mentioned above, we'll be going in May, specifically the 19th-24th.  I wanted to make sure we were on vacation on our actual anniversary so we could enjoy the day and not worry about travel or anything.  Not sure what we'll do on our actual anniversary, snorkeling with green sea turtles, swimming in the cenotes, catamaran tour, or a candle lit lobster dinner on the beach, but we'll be together, so it'll be awesome!  :)  Another great thing about the date of our trip is that we'll get back on a Sunday and then Monday will be Memorial Day, so we'll have the day off to spend exclusively with the kids when we get back.  :)

Where
Well, I've mentioned the beach, but in case you haven't heard (or aren't on facebook) we're going to Mexico!  :D  We'll be going to an area about an hour outside of Cancun called Tulum.  Our resort is the Catalonia Royal Tulum.  Look it up on TripAdvisor, it's a beautiful place!  Should be nice and quiet, as it's an adult-only resort.  I decided if we're vacationing all the way in Mexico to get some quality time away from our (wonderful) kids, I certainly don't want to have to deal with other people's (far less well behaved) kids while we're there.  18 and over!  Yay!  :D  It's not a big party spot either, so it should be a very nice, relaxing place.  :)  And they have a spa!  So I can get a massage and be even more relaxed!!  :D  Yay!!  Finally, it's an all-inclusive resort.  So once we get there, everything is taken care of, the flight, the transportation, the room, tips, taxes, it's all covered.  Of course, we'll bring some spending money with us, but it will be for souveniers.  :)

Who
Obviously, Michael and me.  :)  We'll have a family vacation in August when we go to Tugfest.  This one will be just the hubs and me.  :)  Can't wait!

How
We have been saving for close to a year for this trip.  We've saved garage sale money, babysitting money, Christmas and birthday money.  It's a big deal for us to spend this kind of money on something as frivilous as a vacation, but you need to treat yourself every now and then and not simply work and save your life away.  So we're doing something nice for us.  :)  Mama is going to watch the kiddos for us while we're gone.  I'm so thankful for her and her willingness to help, constantly, and at a moments notice.  I am very lucky to have her in my life and that she's so close.  :)

I think that about covers it all.  :)  We're very much looking forward to our vacation together!  Should be a nice break from life and a fun, quiet week together.  :) 

We're going on two other substantial trips this year, one to Tugfest in August with Avery and Connor and one to Vegas in October with Michael's work.  It's going to be a busy year!!

Snarky

Someone posted a meme on facebook that said, "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."  I wanted to comment, "That reminds me, you shouldn't get together with more than two of your friends at a time."  But I didn't.  Good thing my brain-to-mouth (or hands in this digital age) filter works (most of the time) or I'd get myself into a lot (more) trouble.  :P  ;)  Shame on my snarky brain.  But not many people read the blog, so this is a fun tidbit just for you.  :P