Guilty,Guilty,Guilty

Yep that's me...feeling guilty. Here I sit in an empty house surrounded by boxes, feeling guilty. While my husband, sister, parents take care of my children and my two dogs.

I was told to enjoy my break, to live it up. I said I was going to live it up. I am.

But I feel guilty. I feel guilty for taking long naps in between packing boxes and cleaning. I feel guilty for seeing movies by myself. I love to go to the movies by myself. Then I come home a take a nap and then pack some more.

My little sister said I needed to write this blog because it amuses her how guilty I feel. She thinks it's funny. Yet she reminds me that when I get there I will be re-organizing her nasty garage and whatever else she can think of for me to do to re-pay her. ha ha

My Mother has to keep reminding me that she's doing great and that she is loving having all the chaos.

I still feel kind of guilty.

But I will move forward in my guilt...getting regular pedicures, going to the movies and out to lunch, napping, watching all my favorite tv shows, NOT cooking and taking NONE of it for granted.

Off She Goes

Well, that's it. They are all gone. Yesterday I took Ari and the dogs down to Boston for their trip home to Ca. Ari's friends threw her a going away party the night before. It was a tearful goodbye.

The next morning there were about 7 teenagers knocking on the door at 7am. They just can't miss a moment of her being here. She wasn't even awake yet. I was so touched because we all know how teenagers like to sleep in so when Ari mentioned that a few were coming over in the morning to say one last goodbye, I took it with a huge grain of salt because I didn't think even one of them would be dragging themselves out of bed to come over at 7am. Well I was so wrong. they were all there. some of them walked over from around the block in the rain, some had their mom's drive them over, but they showed up. I cried, I knew they loved her but I didn't know how much. One of them (my secret favorite) said he went home after the party and ate a ton of food because he was "eating his feelings". awww so sweet. I took a picture of some of them when they walked in the door. Yes I acknowledge that they are all boys but they are VERY good friends and a couple of girls did come too, just not that early.

The dogs did great, I was so worried about sending them on the plane but they were perfect. I even got a picture of them being loaded on to the plane's cargo hold.

Now it's just me, I took my friend out to lunch for going down with me to Boston and then we went to Homegoods.

After that long day I went home a took a nice nap. don't laugh... I needed it. It's been an exhausting last few months and I plan on resting up for the big move in a couple of weeks. Plus I still have a lot of packing to do.

So here I am without family...just me here in the quiet trying to listen for spiritual direction and moving forward into what will no doubtedly be the next great adventure. I'm up for it...I always am.

The Long Goodbye

Well, now begins the long goodbye. Yesterday I took Ted, Alex and Indy to the Boston airport for their final trip home to Ca. Now we are down to four...Me, Ari and the two dogs. The neighbors came over to say goodbye and the little kids had the daunting task of saying goodbye to their dear friends...again. They did really well. I enjoyed seeing Indy give the longest tightest hugs to her friends and really mean them. She has such a tender heart for such a precocious kid.

They arrived happy in Ca and of course were going out for Mexican food for dinner with my parents and Ted.

I am here by myself as Ari begins her long goodbye to her friends. She has spent most of this Summer with her friends and cherishing every moment. like trying to get every last drop out of a bottle of water. A couple of her friends were over for a bit yesterday (they happen to be boys) and we were talking about saying goodbye and having lasting friendships. One of them asked if he could come and visit some time. I told him of course " yes" but that I didn't know where we were going to end up. He said he didn't care, that he would follow her to the ends of the Earth just to see her. ( he is like a brother to her) I cried. I cried because I could see how sincere he was and that this is just as hard on the ones left behind as it is on us

I'm still drinking my bottle of water... it's getting low and I'm seeing that there isn't much left in there but I'm gonna get every last drop out of it.

Backyard Campouts

I put these pictures in because I don't come across too many pictures of my body where I'm not totally grossed out. Thank God for a good bra!! hee hee







Now that Ted is home I told the kids they could harass him to get the tent out and set it up. I told them that it's been 8 years since i slept in a tent and that was the last time. In my own defense... I was six months pregnant with Alex and my hips and back just about killed me having to sleep on the ground in a tent. Perhaps I might re-consider at a later date but it would have to be a really good reason.

Anyway the kids suckered ( i mean talked) him into setting it up and they have been sleeping in it ever since. I got smores stuff and ted has made a bon fire every night so the kids could hang out. Ari's entire posse has been over every night and she and her friend have slept in the tent the last 2 nights and Alex and his buddy have it tonight.

Last night there was a few deer in the yard that spoke and woke us all up and scared the girls half to death. then of course Ted had to push them over the edge by sneaking up on them in the dark outside the tent and growling at them...of course they screamed bloody murder. Later that night it turned to a full on war with Ted standing in out bathroom in the dark quacking at them and making any other weird kind of noise he could think of. The girls got us back by flashing their flashlights into our bedroom window until somebody called "uncle" and we all went to sleep.

These are the things that create lasting memories of living in New Hampshire. They will never for get these times and the fun we've had in our own backyard.

Maybe this means I get the supermom award for the week??

SOLD

After much negotiations, tears, back and forth, back and forth, counter offers galore and finally a deal, the house is officially sold.

It is with great regret that we will be leaving some of the best friends one could ask for and a year full of adventure, fun, heartache, and lots of fabulous dinners out and in. 

we are ready for the next adventure that is in front of us. We will be heading off to Ca. and then settle down where ever Ted is able to get a job. We will keep you posted on that department.

Dad/Sand/Surf/Scrapes

I haven't mentioned it but Ted is finally home for a few days. He flew in Sat. evening. It's so nice to hve him home. I especially enjoyed siting at the island the next morning drinking my coffee concoction and watching him do the dishes. It was beautiful!!

Today I took the kids to the beach again. It one thing I never get tired of doing and never feel like it's TOO much work to do. Ari brought her friend and they did some body surfing.  They wanted some action shots of them boogie boarding so i was standing on some rocks trying to get some good shots when another mother hollared over to me to watch Indy because she was drifting too close to the rocks. Sure enough I look over and she is being slammed up against the rocks with her boogie board. I Yelled at Ari to GET HER since she was closer...and lets all just be honest, she can move a lot faster than me. Well Ari got slammed up against the rocks even worse than Indy.

We got some first aid from a VERY cute, i mean  very nice first aide guy who's picture I HAD to take.

Wallis Sands Beach, NH

                                                      The three Muskateens!!
Alex's best find of the day... a microscopic piece of sea glass.
Alex and his friend looking for treasures.
                     The girls sunbathing.


                                                             got my pedicure.

went to the beach yesterday. Took three teenagers and four younger ones. Every seat in my suburban was filled. This beach is small, just like "Mothers beach" in Corona del mar, Ca. The problem with that is the when it's the first warm sunny day of the Summer then you get about 10 million people.

took teh kids for ice cream after we left the beach. Then listened to UBER loud music all the way home. here are sme tid bits of our ride home. p.s. I just push record, I still have my eyes on the road...I swear.

Someone needs some foot care

Ted has just emailed me and said that "Ari needs to take the nail polish off of her toes".

In theory this is a good idea except that the toes he's referring to are the ones in the picture and those aren't Ari's...they're Indy's. 

Apparently he hasn't seen his girls enough lately to remember that Indy is the little one and Ari is the older one. He does have a major pet peeve about Ari's toe nail polish. This is one of the Little things he like to harass her about. He doesn't like looking at nasty chipped toe polish. Hence the reason that he is so supportive of me getting pedicures whenever I need them. ( yay for me). Of course I would get them regardless of what he thought but it is Nice to have his undying support on such important matters.

Off to the beach again tomorrow. This time it will be Wallis Sands beach on the New Hampshire seacoast. I haven't been there so I will of course bring my camera.

Today I will kick the darlings out of the house and make them play outside since it's sunny. We also have Alex's golf lesson. He is LOVING golf much to my husbands cringing.

Sunny Days and Rainy Days

 Went to the Lake on Monday with Alex and Indy and a friend. It was the first sunny day we've had in a long time. The kids Had a great time it reminded me of why I love New Hampshire so much. I love the small town feeling here. There's always a place to park, never any traffic, everybody cares about what happens to you.

This day I can see that I needed a pedicure badly. Got one today. The first time in a while that I've had a break from the little darlings. Took myself out for a burrito afterwards. Also went to Target and bought the kids a hula hoop. They love it. They have been hula hooping all afternoon.

Ari accidentally let Molly get a pretzel out of her mouth. She would NEVER do it on purpose. She knows Daddy would NOT be happy.

                                       Note the drool coming out of Molly's mouth.
My Mom sent each of the kids a tiny Target gift card for the end of school year treat. Indy spent an hour trying to decide what to get. She finally decided on a glitter bouncy ball(very cool) and a light up hula hoop. Also a pack of modeling clay and a pack of 500 tattoos. She is now covered in tattoos and so are her siblings. Today Ari tried to talk her into putting one on the small of her back. Thank God Indy didn't  like the idea because I looked up at Ari and saw her mouth "tramp stamp" to me which made me fall over laughing.
Ari has informed me that she would like to start a blog. This is how the conversation went...

ari "i want to start a blog"

mom. "that's great honey. what do you think you would talk about?"

ari. "my everyday life"

mom. " like what?"

ari. "like what i do everyday during the summer"

mom. "if you can write about how to grow roots in the sofa then that would be good"

Ari falls on the floor laughing and then proceeds to convince me that she has done a lot this summer. Thank God we can laugh about things.

Catching up soon

Monday after July 4th weekend. It's wasn't the same without Ted. No fire works because I don't like lighting them. We did go to a barbecue at the neighbors house witch was good because it got us out of the house. Got the grass cut too. It looks pretty good if I do say so myself.

I was supposed to get a pedicure this morning but the little kids really want to go up to the lake and spend the day swimming. I will put my pedi off until tomorrow and will pack a lunch and get out of the house and get my mind off of being lonely.

The kids and I made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies last night. The had fun and the dogs even had to be right in the middle of the action.

Ari is off the the beach with her friend today and I will be at the lake with Alex and Indy so I'll hopefully have some pictures for you all later in the day.

HOPE

Tomorrow we have a showing on our house. It's the first showing in 2 months. Not a lot of people flocking to New Hampshire. I don't know why not... It's quite beautiful here. Who wouldn't love living in New England? Huge properties, tons of tree's beautiful skies. Spectacular seasons and amazing wildlife. Perhaps someone may have read my blog on summer bugs. oops, I should be careful what I write when I'm trying to sell my house. I mean the bugs are great...to someone who likes bugs. I'm not big on bugs especially when they are biting me.

So I spent all day cleaning out closets and working with the stagier to "stage" my house. I touched up scratches on walls, I wiped gross finger prints and dog prints off of the doors and made yet another pile for Goodwill.

I have been told by my realtor to not "Not get my hopes up". 

I don't have my hopes up...I'm just hopeful