Roads worth traveling

As I drive the same roads that I have driven for that past 3 years, I am suddenly reminded that in a very short period of time I will no longer be driving them.  It makes me sad that I won't be passing over the drawbridge to meet the girls for breakfast every Wednesday morning, or the long stretch of road boardered by the oh so tall pines that lead to my best friend, or even the road that leads "home".  There is nothing special about the town we live in, no big shopping malls, museums, professional sport arenas.  Just a typical military town with the extremely loud sound of the jets passing over.  But this little town has been our "home" for the last 3 years and we have come to love it here.  We have made some amazing friends that will stand the test of time and it is those friends that make this place our home and so special.  I know chances are we will end up back here but goodbyes are never easy.  Because you know when you return, nothing will have remained as it was.  So as I am driving through I will take it all in and remember with fond memories our time spent in this place we call "home".   I have no doubt that our new place of residence will also leave a lasting impression and we will be just as sad to move on from there as well.  It's the roads that we travel daily that create the map of our lives and that make up the story of our lifetime.  Make sure they are roads worth traveling!  I know we sure have!

Restaurant Tasting Tour

I got together with a few ladies yesterday for a day of down time!  My brother-in-law came to the house to keep all 3 kiddos for me so that I could have a relaxing day with the girls.  We headed to Raleigh to do a walking wine/gourmet food tasting tour of some local restaurants.  It was amazing!  We had a fabulous time and there was something for everyone's liking.  After the tour we hit the mall for some shopping too.  I think I finally made it home at midnight and let my head hit the pillow.  My babies even slept in a little this morning!  I am so grateful to my brother-in-law for giving me the opportunity to get away for a bit and be "me" instead of mommy!  I sometimes forget who that is anymore.  Enjoy the pics!

 First Stop was Mecca:

 Second stop Dos Taquitos Centro:

 Third stop Crema:

 Fourth stop Draft Carolina Burgers and Beers:

 Fifth stop Solas:

 Sixth stop The Raleigh Wine Shop:

 And the final stop for dessert The Cupcake Shoppe:

Critters!!

I am so tired of all of the critters that my house seems to attract!  I mean seriously it is a magnet for all things creepy crawly!  The list includes but is subject to be added to: lizards (the favorite), snakes (we're up to about 8 now 2 of which were actually in the house), birds, frogs, palmetto bugs (otherwise known as roaches in my book), mice (thankfully only in the garage), spiders, and ants oh my!  And don't you know these critters never decide to come for a visit when my husband is home so he can do the dirty work!  Oh no, we can't have that.  I guess maybe they think I am lonely and need some company or something to do, not sure, but trust me when I say I have plenty to keep me busy!  I can handle just about all of the above mentioned except the snakes!  I don't appreciate them making themselves at home IN my home or IN my garage!  In fact it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all if I never saw another one again for as long as I live!  I promise you too that once the hubs gets home, we won't see another thing in this house, leading him to believe that I make all this up!  Because that's the way they roll- these unwanted house guest of mine and mine alone it seems.  Cooler weather cannot get here soon enough as far as I am concerned! Bring it on so these critters can go hide for awhile. 

Sleepiness!

I did something today that I don't do as often as I should!  I actually took a nap while the kids were napping!  To say that I have been sleep deprived here lately is a severe understatement.  I just do not sleep well while the hubs is gone.  So 2 am tends to be my bedtime these days.  After getting up with my son multiple times in the night most nights from his anxiety issues he is having, 7 am comes extremely early for this mommy!  I am dragging for most of the day.  Not to mention how grumpy I have been.  My patience level has bottomed out and I have to make some changes.  This no sleep business is wearing on me and it is really showing in my appearance as well.  So today I took a nap.  And it felt soooo good!  We have an extremely busy time ahead of us as we are very quickly approaching our departure date for Japan and I know I will need every ounce of energy I can muster to make it through the chaos.  Still no news on the hubs return but we have been told that our orders to Japan still stand.  So the next plan of action is to do my best to get more sleep  and gain more patience!  If not, it's going to be a long, hard, bumpy road for all of us 

Happy Birthday!!

        Happy Birthday to my big man "ROO"!!!



He had such a great day too!  This little guy has forever changed my life!  He is such an amazing person and has the biggest heart of any kid I know!  He makes me laugh, he melts my heart, and he keeps me humble.  I couldn't ask for anything more!  I love you buddy!  You make my world go round!

Memories

This morning I cracked open a jar of my Granny's homemade pickles that my cousin made.  I have had this jar of pickles sitting on my counter since May and have been holding onto them, not wanting to open them just yet.  You see my Granny past away 10 years ago, I miss her so much!  There is always something that reminds me of her and warms my heart.  So my cousin used my Granny's canning recipe for her pickles and brought them to our family reunion for everyone to enjoy.  I was lucky enough to walk away with my one lone jar.  I knew once I opened them that I would have to eat them within a fair amount of time or else they would go bad.  Eating them was not the problem, it was the problem of once they were gone!  With the very first bite of one, I was instantly flooded with memories of my sister, cousin and I standing over my Granny's pickling crock and sneaking pickles before they were ready!  We LOVED them!  She would always catch us and shoo us away with her dish towel.  I was taken back to that moment including the smells, sounds, and laughter as I bit into that delicious pickle.  Granny's pickles were always a side dish with almost every meal during the summer, along with home grown tomatoes.  She was a fantastic cook and all of her meals were made from scratch and with the most love in the world.  What I would do now for one of Granny's home cooked, made from scratch meals!!  Something I will never get to enjoy again.  So I am cherishing this little jar of amazing pickles.  Every. Last. One!