First Day of Summer "Vacation"

Today is the first true day of summer "vacation". Here is our schedule for today. As you can see , a ton of relaxing is going on.

9:00 (in about 8 minutes): Wake the kids up, get them dressed and fed and encourage them to get one page in their workbooks done as well as make beds.

10:00-11:00: Tennis lessons for toothsomes #1 and 2

11:10-12:00: Swimming lessons for toothsomes #1-3

12:00-1:00: Drop some important paperwork at dentist husbands office that I forgot to give him when he left for work this morning. Fit in lunch somewhere in here.

2:00: Take toothsome #1 to a scouting pool party. (BTW: He doesn't want to go but I am making him)

4:00: Pick up toothsome #1 from pool party and leave to go take toothsome #2 to a dance recital practice.

4:30-6:30: Dance recital practice.

6:45: Home, make dinner, have family home evening and hopefully have everyone in bed by 9:00pm.

My Love/Hate Relationship with Costco

I just got back from a trip to Costco. I mentioned in a previous post about my year long boycott of the store and what I felt I had learned from doing it. Many of my friends know about my conflicted feeling about shopping at Costco. Paige recently sent me a hilarious link to a blog about a woman trying to fit everything in her car after shopping there. I think I am saving money and they do carry great produce and special "only at Costco" items but I am still struggling.

Today, I had all four kids with me. My kids are well behaved in public and Costco has those neat two-seat carts, which keeps toothsomes 3 and 4 happy. So, I mention that only because with everyone with me, the whole trip is slower and every time I go to Costco, I have this dream of just getting in and out without a lot of fuss. It never happens.

Just seconds after walking in the front doors, I am hit with Costco frenzy. It is always SUPER busy and I am surrounded by other shoppers (many with young children like me) and we seem to constantly be bumping into each other as we grab and try not to throw our backs out as we lift the super-sized items we are purchasing into our carts. The carts (super-sized themselves) fill up quickly and I feel like one of those contestants on a cable channel trying to move a large, heavy, rock from point A to point B. As I pass other people's carts, I see things in them and think, "That looks great! Where did she find that? I could really use that in my house." It can be a case of Diet Coke, a water slide, Newman's Own "just for Costco" juice--it doesn't matter.

Then, there is the dilemma about refrigerator and freezer space at home. "Do I have room for the case of Bagel Bites that my kids just tasted as a sample and love in my freezer? If I buy, that, I will have to put back the Pot Stickers and those sound good to me." "When did I last purchase milk? Can I fit 6 more gallons in at home?"

Finally at check-out, as I write the HUGE amount on my check, I always question is this really saving me money? The whole drive home (Costco is about a 20 minute drive away from my house), I always have buyers remorse of something I purchased. "Yes, the artichoke heart/spinach spread is tasty but if I eat the whole thing, I am going to have a heart attack." And once home, I am exhausted and feel like I need to eat a super-sized bag of something I purchased. Anyone else have Costco issues?

If anyone is interested--cute wrap dress

This just came in the mail today for me. It is very flattering. It is now cheaper than what I paid for it. At $38 it is a steal, I tell you, a STEAL!

Sun Protection Products I Like

With school being out tomorrow, that means my kids and I will be outside a lot more. Not only at the swimming pool but just outside playing, eating and recreating. As someone who has had melanoma, I have become well versed in how to deal with the sun and thought I would pass on some of my favorite sun protection items.

1. Sunscreen: Anything with zinc or titanium oxide is best. I was thrilled to discover that Mary Kay's Time Wise Face lotion (SPF 15) has zinc oxide in it. I use this year round. However, if I am going to be out in the sun for any extended period of time, I like to use Ocean Potion Face Potion. It is clear zinc and works wonderfully. I also love all of the Blue Lizard products for the rest of my body.

2. Clothing: I am rarely outside without a hat on. Of course, you can buy hats anywhere but I love my hat from Coolibar. For adequate sun protection, hats are supposed to have at least a 2 inch brim. I should say I love anything from Coolibar clothing wise but they are more expensive than some other places. REI carries a lot of clothes that have sun protection stuff in them. You don't have to always buy clothing with sun protection stuff in it or on it. A good rule of thumb for any clothes is if you hold it up to a light and can see sun through it, you will get some sun exposure, so the tighter the weave of the cloth, the better sun protection it has.

3. Rash Guards: These are great for the swimming pool. I love the ones I have purchased for my kids from Lands End but I know a lot of companies carry them. Old Navy, REI, Coolibar, etc. They have great sun protection and it means less having to slather your kids with sunscreen while at the pool. I have one that zips like a jacket (from Coolibar) and it is easy to put on, fits great and has great sun protection.

Big Happenings Around Here

Today, Dentist husband started working in his new office. He is excited. I am excited. It is a great new fun change but change can be stressful, so, I want the house to be in great condition when he gets home. I want dinner to be fun (grilled steak, green salad, mangos and bread swirls) and to make home a peaceful place for him to come home to. Now, I just have to convince toothsome #3 (age 3) to cooperate. He is our destroyer in our house--leaving a mess behind him wherever he goes. I often have to remind him that he is LUCKY he is so cute.

Today is the last full day of school. Tomorrow is just a 1/2 day where they find out who their teacher will be next year. They get to go see the classroom, meet the teacher and find out who else will be in their class. I am more then happy to welcome the lazy days of summer.

As we speak, the entertainment center I ordered is being set up. The delivery company told me that they would be here sometime between 8:00-12:00. They arrived at 8:10! I have never had that happen. It is so exciting to get rid of the old TV stand (no love lost about getting rid of that) and have a nice new entertainment center. Sofas are due to arrive in a few weeks.

So, as I wrote in the title, "Big Happenings around here."

The One-Mile Exercise Plan

I hate exercising. I know it is good for me but I hate it. I go through great stages in my life where I am really good at doing some form of exercise for a while but it never lasts. I have been a member of a gym. I have jump roped. I have done exercise videos, water aerobics, swam laps, tried Yoga, etc. Each time, I think, this is going to be the exercise that sticks. This is the one that I am going to LOVE and think, "How can I go a day without doing this! This is so much fun! I can hardly stand the thought of not doing this." It has never happened with the exception of what I call the "One-Mile Exercise Plan."

In my current neighborhood, I can walk around the block twice and have walked one mile. I can do this alone or with my kids. It can be pretty much anytime of day and there is no special equipment needed with the exception of maybe a stroller if I have my kids with me. It has worked when I have been pregnant. I can do it when it is snowing, raining, sunny or cloudy. It is an easy thing to walk out my front door, walk around the block twice and know I have gone a mile. It is not much but it gets me moving, my heart rate up and some sort of exercise is accomplished. If I am so inclined, I go around more times but going around twice is always doable and it is something I can do and will do and stick to.

June 1st Thoughts

First, I just got an e-mail from Talbots reminding me of their June sale. Before I had kids, I never missed their December or June sales EVER. However, now that I have kids, a lot of their clothes are not as spit-up/throw-up/being on my hands and knees half the day with little ones compatible. I still LOVE their clothes and will return as a loyal shopper once my kids are a bit older. That said, I did find on-line some cute things at amazing prices that I have ordered and hope they will work in my current life.

2nd, now that we are half way through the year, I have had to re examine my first of the year goals. After looking at our budget, a major addition has been to eat out less often. We are doing way to much of that and I need to get back on track. I would like to blame my busy life, but in reality, it has been just laziness. Speaking of laziness, my exercising has been waning, so it is back to that.

3rd, it is time to switch Saturday chores for my kids. Toothsome #1 now has to vacuum the Great room in our house. Toothsome #2 has to gather all of the garbage and toothsome #3 has to put all of the kids books (with help from his older siblings) back in order in our bookshelves.

4th, Congratulations to sibling #4 for finishing her chemo today. She was diagnosed with melanoma a year ago and has had a crazy, trying year of chemo treatments. We are all dancing in the streets for you!

5th, Toothsome #2 has finally lost her two bottom teeth. They have been driving her crazy and we ALL are thrilled they finally came out.