I've got that summer feelin'

Several times recently I've said, "This summer, we need to..." and, it's already well into summer. Our summer got off to a slow start, and sometimes I feel like I'm waiting for it to get underway, but actually it is flying by….real fast. Once again…I sit here and wonder where the week went?
Our family went on vacation to Destin Beach, Florida and it was a lot of fun. I met a lot of nice folks, some from my neck of the woods here in Texas. I completely understand why people from Texas travel all the way to Florida for the beach, (sigh) and the weather….perfect. The tide was high and the waves were strong, it was funny to see the kids start out swimming in front of us and five minutes later they were twenty feet to the left. It wasn’t hard to spot us though, our big bright striped umbrella stuck out like a sore thumb next to those perfectly lined rented green ones. But as the week progressed, people wised up and we saw a mish mash of rented umbrellas and other types along the water's edge. Anyway it worked out because the kids knew exactly where we were at all times.

I have made it back from vacation, tropical-depression free. Well, I suppose the only depression I’m feeling now is the one that knows I have loads of laundry to do and a stack of mail to go through. So while I go tend to my life again, I will try to get unpacked (as it may sit here for a few more days) and get back to the reality of housework, busy kids activities, getting ready for school, and trying to stay active but cool on these hot Texas summer days. Before you know it, we will be packing again for another trip back to Florida, then it'll be time for school again.....well, let’s not go there.
Today it is 103 degrees so I will pour myself a glass of tea and attempt to start summer projects that I want to be doing, try not to think about what I should be doing and, make myself feel better about what I am actually doing. haha!

Where Are My Babies

I took the kids to get some school clothes today. What an emotional day!
All the backpacks look so big on my little man and not only did I let Ethan pick out his first pair of kindergarten shoes (well, shoes we both liked) but he picked out his first lunchbox. He was so excited because it's a Super Mario Bros metal lunchbox, like years ago, and he said "I bet no one will have one like this". he was so excited, he held onto it so tightly making sure not to set it down. It looked so big on him but he was so proud.
Naty picked out a few things and I learned that for once she is in the same shoe size that she was last year...thank goodness! Until now she was still wearing size 5 and 6, and although the clothes still fits, she has grown!!!! So, I have to get her some new jeans to hide her ankles and new shirts to hide her belly. I went through her closet and have four large bags of clothes to get rid of!!!!
The hardest time for me was when I went to help Sydney find some clothes and the kid section was no longer an option, my little girl is onto big girl clothes. She is now shopping in the junior section!!! This is her style now. She found a purple jacket that she absolutely fell in love with and her face just lit up when she put it on. I think she will want to wear it everyday. I am not ready for all of this.

Naval Aviation Museum

This was the COOLEST museum! The walking tour was long, but VERY interesting. Everyone there was so friendly and helpful. We learned a lot! The museum has a Top Gun school where you fly simulator jets. They have planes from every period of history: the first navy commissioned airplane, the British "camel" planes (snoopy's airplane), the first plane to cross the Atlantic (love the story), helicopters, fighter jets, YOU NAME IT. They had WWII warfront and home front areas---very cool. Another fun area was the completely rebuilt deck of a naval carrier--guns and tower intact. I really loved this museum. I would go again, every time I visit Pensacola. I only wish the Blue Angels were home so we could have seen them practice.

My favorite part was walking through the replication of living in the 1940’s.
Life seemed so simple then: prices were small, markets carried only necessities, homes were small and cozy. Just walking through this exhibit, I could only imagine what living on a ship for months at a time would be like, it really makes you appreciate the good things in life......

I'm in Nursing School...get me outta here!

I saw this on a few other blogs and thought it was definitely worth re-posting!

Anyone who's been through nursing school, or going through it, will completely understand...

Student Nurse's Prayer

Lord, I know we go through this every day but please give me the knowledge as to why I actually wanted to go to nursing school.

Lord, give me the strength to make it through those boring three hour lectures without falling asleep.

Lord, please give me the patience to make it through twelve hour clinicals with instructors that can't just give you the right answer and on the same note, give the nurses the ability to remember what it was like to be a student and give us just a little more respect.

Lord, give me the endurance to read all the assigned readings and be able to remember it when I am taking a test with four right answers.

Lord, give my family and friends the ability to realize I really am on the edge of insanity.

Finally...Lord, give me the vision to see that one day I will be a real nurse and I will never have to wear this ugly uniform again. - author unknown

AMEN!!!

Old Fashioned Fun

At my last trip to the dollar store I found an old childhood favorite of mine....good old Bazooka gum. I can't believe they still sell this stuff. The kids absolutely loved it! It was not hard at all to get the kids to try the gum but what they thought was amazing were the tiny comics inside.