One Exhausted Mom

It's over.

The first field trip is in the books.

I had no idea a school bus filled with 5 and 6 year old could be so loud.

It was like being at a New Kids on the Block concert circa 1990 but with smaller people and higher pitched screams.

Yup, I popped 4 Advil as soon as I got home.

But with that said, I have to admit...I had a great time. My son's classmates are the cutest, sweetest bunch of kids you could ever meet.

And they are hilarious. I sat in the class with the other 2 mothers going on the bus and one little boy looked at us and announced to the rest of the class,
"None of those are my mom. They're just here cause none of them work."
The three of us looked at each other and cracked up. That kid had personality!

Once we boarded the bus, I got to sit with two cuties...mine and another little boy named Rickey...who fell fast asleep resting on my arm. He was precious!
Once we arrived at the farm, we went straight to the hay ride. This was a BIG hit with the kiddos. Okay and with me too...not too many hay ride opportunities where I grew up! My little one fed cows like he'd grown up on a farm! I was shocked he wasn't even the slightest bit scared of them as they took the hay right from his little hand.
was a proud mama!


We saw baby animals...
Ran through a hay maze...
Slid inside a tube...
And then after lunch, we hit the corn maze.
I have decided today they are not my thing.
I do not like to get lost.
I will analyze a map before we go to a new city because I hate not knowing where I am.
Which is the whole idea of a corn maze. We were given a map which was no help at all but we thought it was hilarious there was a phone number printed on it.
It was listed as the "rescue line". Thank God we didn't have to call it but it was kinda sketchy there for a bit!

All in all, I'm glad I went. Seeing my son with interact with his peers was great.
But realizing he's one of the best behaved kids in his class was PRICELESS!

Field Trip Tomorrow!

My little kindergartner has his first field trip tomorrow.

And I signed up to be a parent helper.

And ride the bus.

With a million other 5 year old children as crazy as my son.

What the hell did I get myself info?

As crazy as I must be to volunteer for this assignment, I have to admit...I'm excited. I fondly remember my field trips when I was in grade school. The earliest on I can remember was in either Kindergarten or First Grade. I rode in the back seat of a station wagon to the big Tampa Public Library downtown to see a puppet show.
Since I went to a private school, there were no buses to take us there and back so we rode with parents. I was the only girl in my car with like 4 other boys. I still remember how upset I was and how I begged my teacher to assign me to another car. She didn't and I still have the scars of that 10 minute car ride to show for it!

Okay not really but my 6 year old self was traumatized. For at least those 10 minutes.

So now I get to be a part of my son's first field trip memories tomorrow. I'm so lucky to be able to attend. And where are we going do you ask?

Carlton Farms in Rockmart, GA. Corn mazes, petting zoo, hay rides and pumpkin patches await us!

My kid is going to love this place. I have a feeling his Mama will too.
I'm taking my camera so look forward to pictures and an update blog about our day this weekend. I'll be taking the day off tomorrow to pet baby lambs and chase a bunch of 5 year olds through a corn maze.

Wish me luck!

The Elixer of Life

Beer.

How I love thee.

It's kinda funny how my love affair with beer came to pass. Most of us had our first taste in high school. Well I did too and let's say the smell alone made me gag. I would sit around that table in my old house and watch everyone playing quarters and think "Man! How can they drink that stuff! Yuck!"

When I finally reached that magic age of 21 (Ok maybe 20 with a fake ID), I'd watch those same friends buy beers for 50 cents and think, "Nasty! But oh so affordable" as I sat sipping my 4 dollar rum and coke.

Can you see where this is heading?

I started drinking beer because I was too cheap to spend my hard earned money on liquor. 20 bucks versus 5 for a night out with the girls? When there was a new shirt at The Limited I just had to have? No brainer. I joined the beer drinking club lickidy split.

And I've never looked back. While I still enjoy a good mixed drink now and then, beer has become my beverage of choice. I love it on a hot day, I love it on a cold day...especially if there is tailgating involved. Nothing goes together quite like beer and football.

My love affair with beer took a much more serious turn when I started traveling to drink it. Who knew there was such a thing in Portland, Oregon known as the Holiday Ale Fest? Christmas and Beer...together? Where do I sign up?

And Oktoberfest...at Epcot Center at Disney? Wait...beer and Mickey Mouse? Was this for real? It may look like Germany, but trust me...this is Orlando.

And then of course...the mack daddy trip. The beer fest to end all beer fests...Oktoberfest in Munich Germany.

Yup. I traveled over 3,000 miles and crossed an ocean to drink beer.

I say this not because I'm an alcoholic. In fact, before football started this Fall, I hadn't had a beer in over 6 months. (Except when I go home to Florida to visit the family...I come from a long line of beer drinkers!)

But I truly love the taste...it's an acquired one, I know and some people never get it. But there is nothing in this world that relaxes me like the sound of that top twisting off.

And if I drink that beer in a bathtub full of bubbles...
Well that's even better!

Fall has arrived!

I love Fall.

I mean I LOVE Fall.

There is nothing like the sight of russet leaves framed against the backdrop of a deep cobalt blue sky. The sight outside my window makes me squeal with delight. The air is crisp and clean and you can just feel the holidays fast approaching.

Growing up in central Florida, I never really saw a typical change of seasons. It's one of the things I love the most about moving to Georgia. Here, we see the beauty of the Autumn leaves followed by the harshness of Winter's days of gray. (We do see snow but it's not often...which is a good thing for this Florida girl!) And Spring, with it's AWFUL pollen is still breathtaking...there is nothing more perfect than dogwoods in bloom. And finally Summer...heat and humidity a-plenty! But I love living here...even when I miss the beach so much I can't stand it, it will never have this definition of seasons like I do right here in North Georgia.

So bring on the pumpkins and the gourds...the leaves and scarecrows. And the ghosts and goblins...for Halloween will soon be here!

10 years ago today...

September 30, 2000 St. Pete Beach, Florida

8:00am My mom woke me up for a massage she booked for me at the adjoining resort to where my wedding was being held. We rode over on a trolley car...it was so cute!

9:00am Hour long massage...ahhhh...bliss!

10:00am Back at the hotel and into a swimsuit...pool time!

10:30am - 1:30pm Spent the day with family and friends...we had lunch and sipped drinks while swimming and relaxing. My soon to be hubby's family spent their day on the beach...we never crossed paths all day.

1:45pm Time to head upstairs for a shower!

2:30pm Hair appointment...back to the resort next door for a trip to the salon...my hair was curled, pinned, and sprayed into a beautiful up-do and my veil attached. I'm half ready now!

3:30pm Back at the hotel. My bridesmaids started arriving with their dresses in tow.

4:00pm 1 hour till the photographer arrives...more girly getting ready time!

4:30pm Make up being applied by my very skilled mom...she did all the bridesmaids!

5:00pm Photographer arrives...and I'm not dressed! Yikes! Sent him to take the groomsmen pics first while I slip in to my big white dress.

5:30pm Photographer returns...and I'm ready. Picture taking ensues...mom, dad, bridesmaids and me :)

6:00pm My wedding gift from Wes arrives...along with a 2 page letter. Much crying follows and make up is retouched.

6:15pm Wedding planner arrives at my hotel room and tell me it's time to go! WOW! I'm about to get MARRIED! Get in the elevator for the ride down to my ceremony site.

6:30pm Everyone's in place. My mom and dad are on either side of me and the music starts. We turn the corner and I see my husband to be crying as I walk to become his wife.

6:45pm It's done...we are husband and wife! Guests are moved to a cocktail reception in the ballroom while my wedding party takes pictures with the setting sun.

7:00pm Pictures are wrapping up and the wedding party slips upstairs. Wes and I finish ours alone.

7:30pm Wedding party is introduced in the ballroom shortly followed by the new Mr. and Mrs! First dance begins, followed by Bride and her father and the Groom and his mother.

8:00pm Dinner is served!

8:30pm Let the party begin! The bar is open and the band is playing.

9:00pm Time to cut the cake. Followed by more dancing and drinking...

9:30pm Bouquet & garter toss...and the ever important dollar dance.

10:00pm - 11:30pm Dancing, drinking, toasting, conga lines...a party to remember!

11:30pm-??? Party in my parents' suite. Guests change (including the bride and groom) and everyone keeps the party going.

All of this = the best day of my life.

A lot can happen in 10 years

Tomorrow I celebrate my 10 year wedding anniversary.

It's a pretty big deal to me.

As of tomorrow, my husband and I will be married longer than our parents. Mine were in the process of a divorce on their 10th anniversary and my husband's parents never made it to theirs...they were divorced after 9 years.

So many couples never make to 10 years of wedded bliss. Not to say it's been all sunshine and roses for us, believe me it hasn't. But I take pride in the fact that we've made it work. Through the ups and downs, Wes and I have never lost sight of the fact that we promised each other we'd be together forever.

Yes, there have been tough times. Losing my mom to cancer back in 2003 was one of them. I went through such a deep depression, he didn't know if I would ever come out the other side. But I did with his help and love. And when we became parents less than 2 years later in 2005, we entered another chapter of our life together. That was a rude awakening...being married and childless for 5 years was great fun but we weren't truly prepared for the shift our life took when Noah was born. But we've made it though, deciding to become a single family income so our little man wouldn't have to be in day care. Our finances are in shambles but we're confident we made the best decision for our family. The flood last year almost wiped us out financially but even that horrible event hasn't pulled us apart.

A lot has changed in 10 years. And not all for the better. I honestly never thought we'd be where we are today but I think most people aren't...and that's why so many others never reach this milestone in their marriage. But I'm proud we have. We have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. And the most important thing is we still love each other. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.

New Motivation!

I can not believe I haven't blogged since Christmas.

Unacceptable.

I am rededicating myself to this blog.

Since my last blog, I have recovered from a flood, celebrated a birthday, taken a few mini vacations, saw my son graduate from Pre-K, had a litter of puppies, lost 20 pounds (gained some of that back), celebrated my son's birthday, saw him start kindergarten, and wrote a book.

Yup. I wrote a book. Now I am shopping said book and it is not easy. I have so many questions...do I get a literary agent or not? Which publisher do I send inquiries to? And of course, the biggest question : is it good enough? I have worked so hard on it...I lost count on the number of revisions months ago.

I guess I feel like I need to write. About anything. I need to keep my writing skills up to snuff and this is a perfect way to do it. And I'm going to write about anything and everything. Monday's blog may be about my son and the fact that he ALWAYS want to be naked (it's true and I don't know what his deal is) and Tuesday's may be my favorite recipe. And Wednesday's might be about what gets on my nerves...you catch my drift. I want this blog to be fun and spontaneous. Which is what I hope I am. Or what I strive to be.

The new title tells who I am...a Florida Orange who reformed to a Georgia Peach. A fruit that's a little sweet with a slight touch of sour just to make things interesting. Now that's what I call a description!