Back From The Beach!

We are back from our short(2 night) trip to the beach. Althought time on the beach itself was short, only a couple of hours, we still had a lot of fun. The place we stayed was very nice, it had recently been updated and was very clean. We were in a one bedroom condo at Port Royal at Port Aransas. It was definitely not cheap but very nice. They were doing construction on one of the pool areas so we did not get to used the water slides and had to make do with only three pool areas (I know, I know, poor us!) The condo had a full kitchen, nicely stocked and a full size washer and dryer (so I did not have to haul home a bunch of sandy stuff)

I wish our condo had been a little further away from the elevators, it was right outside our bedroom window so it got a little noisy. The weather did not totally cooperate, it rained some and was very, very windy. Darling Daughter got to swim quite a bit in the pools and play on the beach for a few hours, so she is a happy camper. Hubby cut his foot while we were there but fortunately it did not turn out to be as bad as we originally thought and he still had a good time too! The place was very pretty. The pool area was nicely landscaped with lots of hybiscus and other tropical plants and flowers. Everyone was pleasant and helpful. Even the 4 bus loads of high schoolers were reasonably well behaved. Most of the other guest were like us, parents with kids. We would definitely go back, it was great!

Back to work and school now. We have about 4 more weeks of school, it sure has flown by as I am sure the summer will too. Hope you all had a great weekend and have a wonderful week too!

It's Official

The deposit has been paid, the plans are made: Hubby and I are going to Hawaii! Our plans have changed a little since the other post but not much. The hotel in Maui is going to be the Kaanapali Shores instead of Kaanapali Beach. We will still spend two nights in Oahu and then 5 days in Maui. Darling Daughter has her nose bent out of shape because she is not going. Too Bad, So Sad! I don't even remember going on a vacation until I was 10 or 12 and that was just to Six Flags. We usually did not have the money for big vacations. She will have more fun if she stays with her Granny and Papa (and so will her parents)! I can't even imagine what it is going to be like to have 7 days of just the two of us. We will miss the little princess but it is going to be great to reconnect with Hubby. What better place to reconnect than Hawaii!

Hawaii, Watch Out Here We Come! (okay, so you have a few months to prepare for our arrival!!!!)

Saturday

I wasn't at all sure what type of day it was going to be. I did not get much sleep last night, I had trouble going to sleep (too much Disney planning) and then toss and turned and had lots of dreams. So I was not a terribly "happy camper" when my daughter woke me up this morning in a rather obnoxious way! However, I did get up and get a shower which helped my mood tremendously and off we went to drive some elementary school kids to a Kids For Christ Rally, they said they did not need us to stay, just to drive and pick up, so that meant 4 glorious hours alone with my hubby!

It was great! We went to Starbucks and had coffee (Toffee Nut Latte for me!, plain Latte for him!) and a blueberry muffin. We met with a travel agent and got some info about Hawaii. We are considering two nights in Oahu ( go see Pearl Harbor) at the Wakiki Beach Marriott and then five nights in Maui at the Kannapali Beach Hotel. (Anybody have any opinions about those places they want to share?) We went to Costco and picked up a beach umbrella and cooler for our trip to the beach. We had a most romantic (well maybe not!) lunch at Sonic and then on to the bookstore. I could not believe we got so much done in just 4 hours and were still early to pick up the kids.

Darling daughter went to play with a friend and I got a lovely hour long nap while hubby got to play a computer game (heaven for him!) Later, hubby and daughter went to the pool while I read and fixed a good dinner. Now hubby and daughter have gone to the store to pick up a few things and I am reading and posting on the blog! I know I am boring but this has been a Good Day!

I need Good Days like this every now and then to keep me charged up for the not so good days. Thanks be to God the Father for all the days that we have together! I pray that I will continue to be thankful for my many blessing including my sweet blogger friends who encourage me when I am down and rejoice with me when good things happen. What a blessed woman I am! May you all enjoy your weekend and may your Sunday be spent worshipping the Almighty, the giver of all things!

Just Call A Travel Agent Already!

I feel like I am a travel agent as I am trying to work out everyone's schedules for work travel, school vacation, stays with grandparents this summer and the 4 solid weeks of church activities that darling daughter (DD) has this summer.

It started out that we would take a weekend and go to the beach just about DD's favorite thing to do, once that was scheduled we moved on to a business trip for darling hubby (DH) and then we progressed to family vacation this summer and a special trip for hubby's 40th birthday! I think we have just about got it worked out and while I have no hope that everyone will be thrilled with ALL the plans, I think the majority will be happy with most of them.

It looks like we will go to Port Aransas and have a nice weekend on the beach, then hubby will make a business trip to Salt Lake City. Whole family will make a 6 day trip to Disney ( got super great airfare)(BTW Disney is DD FAVORITE thing to do!) and then DD will have two weeks of church activities before going to grandparents for a week or so. While DD is with said grandparents, DH and Moi will be flying off to Hawaii for some long overdue alone time. We will get back just in time for DD to start second two weeks of church activities.

This leaves us with about 3 unplanned weeks for the summer. I am sure that the other set of grandparents will either want us all to come for a few days or at least DD to spend a few days with them. Then there is school stuff to buy and get ready for a new year. I am tired already but excited too.

It seems like a lot to do in one summer and a lot of money to spend (although it is really only costing us our IRS refund) which I tend to think of as our play money anyway (Brett, we give our contribution to church based on before tax income! :o) ) We tend to go months and years without any type of vacation and then we go big, so I guess this is our big year!

All that said, that is the plan! Still need to double check a couple of things and finalize the plans for Hawaii! Jettybetty, I still may not be able to hear the waves in Hawaii but I bet we have a great time anyway. I really want DH's birthday to be special and this is what he wants to do, more fun for me and less work than planning a big party!!!!

If nothing else maybe we will escape some of this Southern heat. Yes I know we are going to hot places but it can't be any worse than it is here. It is supposed to be 101 today (Hello, it's only April!) Hope all your summer plans are shapping up nicely. Enjoy yourselves, your family and the beauty that God has surrounded us with!

HOPPY EGGSTER!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!!

When Mommy's Sick

When Mommy's Sick (Children)

Mommy's sick in bed today. Doctor says she has the flu. Sissy's got a stuffy nose and she might get it, too. When Mommy's sick it makes us sad she doesn't feel so good. She's having juice and medicine like the doctor said she should. It's not the same when Mommy's sick, our hugs are all sick, too, and kisses for our boo-boo's also have the flu. Our sads are even sadder so our happy's aren't as glad and when we're being naughty, that even feels more bad. Let's get her better, Sissy! Get some more juice in her 'cause I remember something else, ewwww... Daddy's cooking dinner... C.J. Heck I was looking for something funny to post today about being sick. This seem to fit the bill. Darling daughter has tomorrow off, so let's pray that Mommy gets to feeling better!

Any Old Ags Out There?

I am finding more and more bloggers with ties to A&M, so if you are an "Old Ag" or have a child who is either a student at A&M or a former student at A&M, please leave me a comment below! If you are a former student at A&M and a former member of the "Aggies For Christ" please leave a comment also! Lastly, if you know someone who was in the AFC's or at A&M tell them about my blog and have them post a comment. I would love to hear from some of my old friends if they are out in blogsville! I was at A&M during the 80's but don't let that limit you in responding. Whoop! GIG 'EM AGGIES!

PS> I don't want any posting from "Jim Shorts" Almost every year at church when the new semester started and the several hundred college students placed membership someone would sneak in a card by "Jim Shorts" and Bob D. (campus minister at that time) would read the name out and wait for this guy to stand up. Everybody would laugh including Bob and he'd say "I can't believe you got me again!" AHH, Memories!!!!

Hello God? Is it really you?

We have been studying a book in our Life Group called Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby and Claude King. (I tried to underline it but blogger won't let me, sorry!) I confess that I am having a hard time getting into this book. It may be my conservative COC background but often when someone tells me they have been "called by God" to do something, my first reaction is often "are you sure it was God doing the calling?" and my second reaction is "have you talked to someone (psychiatrist) about this?"

I am trying to read this book and keep an open mind about it but it is difficult. A friend of mine recently told me she had been dreaming about Africa alot and wondered (jokingly) if that meant she should move to Africa and be a missionary. I (jokingly) told her "No, it means that you need to go buy that animal print purse and the matching shoes!"

I don't know if I am just not strong enough in my faith for this study yet or what. I definitely believe that God can and does put things in my life to help me make decisions but am just not sure that he "calls" me in a tangible way. I am not confident in my ability to sort through, what is God's will and my want. Also, I worry that it is not God speaking but Satan who puts the thoughts and ideas in my head.

I think I will have a lot of questions for God once I get to Heaven. (or maybe once I get there it will either not matter anymore or suddenly all be crystal clear) For now I guess I will read the chapter for Sunday night and try to participate as much as I can. Even if I don't totally agree with everything in the book, it is a good opportunity to study and ponder God's word.

Anyone have any thoughts on God calling us to do things or go places?

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Bummer Day for Little K!

My 8 year old is having a total bummer day! First thing this morning, I squashed all her joy by refusing to let her wear her new flip flops to school. I insist on following the tennis shoes at school rule and that makes me a "mean mama"! She was already in a bad mood because she did not get to go swimming on Sunday and it was the first day the community pool was open. She had planned all winter to go to the pool on the first day it was open but because we had out of town company, she did not get to go (so sad!)

She planned to go to the pool today and her Dad took off work so he could take her. She called her friend to go with her and the little friend could not go until after 5. No problem, they decided to wait and go after 5 instead of at 4 like they had planned. At approximately 4 :45 I looked out the window and it was dark and beginning to rain! So no swimming today! There is a dark cloud hanging over this house and I don't mean the rain clouds!