The boys and I went to the local water park today – it wasn’t too hot and was mostly cloudy, so perfect weather in my eyes. I wanted to do something with them that didn’t involve cleaning or decorating or shopping. We had a very good day together, although it was difficult to get them out of the pool at the end of the day.  After over 5 hours in the water, I was pruned beyond recognition and just wanted to come home. The boys, apparently part fish, could have stayed MUCH longer. (I can’t really say anything, as I generally feel the same way about being in water)

While I was at said water park, I learned and noticed things:

1. I’m not letting my sons turn into snotty pre-teen/teenagers. The language! The annoyance! (no, I have no clue how to do that, but I did enjoy telling a group of boys that they needed to watch their language today!! #getoffmylawn)
2. There is no reason to scare the crap out of your young child if they don’t want to get in the water. Yes, I understand it is hot out, and yes, I get that it’s only like 6 inches deep to start, but scared is scared. Find another way.
3. I saw a man lounging on a chair today and thought nothing of his cat nap until I saw him reach IN his shorts and adjust himself. GAG. People are gross.
4. There was such a variety of people there today – what I watched most were the women. I was conducting my own little experiment about body image and esteem.  I found most women were outwardly pretty comfortable in swimsuits, hanging around in the pool, old and young, fat and skinny and everything in between. That was nice to see.
5. One woman bothered me and I couldn’t stop glancing over at her. She was probably late 20s and overweight, which, really, whatever, but she had on her bra (I know this only because she said aloud it was bothering her), a tank top, a swimsuit and a pair of shorts. I felt bad for her because she obviously was so insecure that she needed layers at the pool.
6. I learned that the only thing that matters about other moms or people at the pool is that they are having a good time with their kids.  I don’t care what you look like in your suit, but seeing you getting splashed and laughing with your kids is awesome.
7. I also learned that reapply often when it comes to sunscreen means about 20 times per hour, because even on an overcast day with multiple applications of 70 SPF, I still got burned.  For the first time in forever. And it freaking hurts!! (And my mom is totally going to yell at me tomorrow morning)
8. I don’t understand how women who wear the full body covering (burkas?) do it.  It’s hot, they are at the water park and they are covered in black from head to toe. Although, I was surprised to see a couple of them get in! Usually I see them sitting on the sides, just watching.
9. It was a very nice day with my boys – quality time away from the house and social media, lots of giggles and perfect water.
10. I told the boys why they had to wear sunscreen today, pointing at my scars and telling them it was because I never wore sunscreen as a kid. I’m not sure how much they really understood or if it’s going to come back and bite me in the ass later, but now they know the word melanoma as it’s applied in real life to their mom. (that sucked, fyi)

Tomorrow, back to reality.  My house is a wreck and I have to work, but tonight, I was just too fried (mentally and physically!) to do anything but hang out and play Toy Story 3 on the playstation with P.

Hmmm…..5 minutes until the weekend is officially over….(and spring break, with it, woohoo!!)

If I had uploaded all my photos from my phone, you would see some great shots of the boys at the driving range this morning.  Or playing catch with each other for the first time yesterday (swoooon)… If I had more time I would tell you about all of the eyeglass chains I made for work over the past couple days and how Matt has decided that beading is super fun! I could tell you about throwing the ball for the dog at the next door neighbor’s house (we took her fence collar off to play easier) and the panic that followed once we realized she wasn’t in the driveway with us any longer (just a little Daisy dog adventure). I could tell you about the book I just finished, the conversations I had with my mom about Mike’s class reunion coming up or about the laundry that is piled everywhere…About how Snakes on a Plane is probably the worst movie I have ever seen or how I don’t understand why my 6 year old is always bored…

Instead, I’m going to bed.

Hope you had a good weekend…let’s rest up and kick some Monday ass, eh?

My day started out pretty crappy (slept too good, had crazy dreams I needed to finish, and I did not want to get up, plus I was just inexplicably cranky).

Finally got the boys to school (late) to find the doors we’re supposed to drop off at locked. Annoying.

Decide to try to talk myself out of bad mood with McDonald’s for breakfast, including one of their lovely McCafe Frappes and very loud Glee music.

McDonald’s drive-thru inexplicably closed; they requested (at the speaker) for people to come in to order. Uh, no. Not getting out of the car.

Had BK for breakfast instead and was wholly unsatisfied.

Finally get into the groove at work – inventory, talking frame lines, discussing how to revamp, what to put on sale, etc. Look at watch and realize I have to go get boys (stupid 1/2 day).

Am late getting to boys. Preston with Latchkey group, Matt no where to be found so I race around the school to find him out front with the principal.

Try to talk boys out of going to my mom’s to have lunch and help her get new printer. No dice. Have very long annoying discussion about eating on the way or eating out with her.

Get lost trying a new way to mom’s house.  (But finally have some laughs while realizing that I suck at directions)

Get to mom’s, go to lunch (late and again, wholly unsatisfying, with boys that are being brats), go get new printer.

Go back to mom’s, setup new printer (thankfully easy), try to remember how to play the piano, listen to the boys try harder.

Still cranky.

Bo gets home, and while the boys are occupied with my mom, I had a nice, adult conversation.

Amazingly, turned my mood right around.  Intelligent conversation as mood booster – who’d a thunk it?!

(Of course, the kids were nuts after we got home again, didn’t listen, etc. But Molly (our old nanny/babysitter) came to visit, so that was nice).

And now, to bed.

Tomorrow will be a better day.

RIGHT?!?!

(Please tell me I’m not the only one who hears Family Feud in her head when reading those words…)

Taken blatantly from Avitable (because he said to).

I’m sick and whiny and my head feels like a bowling bowl wrapped in insulation.  No, not piggy flu…just a stupid cold. I’ve been in bed all day (well, minus taking the kids to school, getting the delivery of drywall, forging for food and spending time on the couch to be social with the fam and eating dinner).  I haven’t been keeping track, but I’m pretty certain that I have sneezed approximately 259 261 times today.

Upon recommendation of my fine tweeps on twitter, I have secured a neti pot in order to help this congestion.  I tried it once, it worked for about 10 minutes, but now I’m all stuffy/runny again.  Either I did it wrong or I’m too congested or people were wrong. I will try again, just for the fun of it (because there is nothing more fun that pouring warm, salty water into your nasal cavity, yo!)

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Random Friday Thoughts

- If you are buying a bridal gown and are more concerned about what your fiance thinks of the dress than your own feelings? Not the best way to start a marriage, in my opinion. His opinion is NOT the most important!

- Also, what happened to the husband not seeing the dress prior to the wedding?!

- My boys are LOUD and NUTS and have more energy than a freaking border collie on crack. They may just seem that way because everything in my head is amplified right now….but probably not.

- My boys, also, are brilliant, just so you know.  Preston is doing great in preschool and made the best drawing of his dad today in school (will try to scan or photograph to share the awesome).  Matt is going down to a second grade classroom every day to read chapter books aloud with the older kids.

- I had a dream this afternoon that was so vivid and real that I think it would make a great book or movie.  Do I have the skills or guts to write it? Who knows.  Maybe I’ll try.

- I took “Less Drowsy” NyQuil.  Not sure why they even make that. So I can be sorta sleepy and feeling kind of better? I’d rather have my ass knocked out.(Apparently we have regular big N, small y, giant effing Q here in the house, but my brain/eyes aren’t working right, so…meh)

- I decided not to do the whole NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) this year to avoid writing posts just for the sake of filling space….and then I post like this… HUH.