Where are you going?

So those wonderful ladies of RHOK are at it again this week...with the question "Where are you going on summer vacation?"

Hold on a sec I gotta savor the moment...SUMMER is here!

Okay let's talk summer vacations...when the kiddos were younger planning a vacation was much easier-except for the car sickness-that wasn't fun at all OR all the flat tires, we are always guaranteed at least ONE flat tire on every single trip we have ever taken...last yr I was blessed with 2 flat tires on one trip...lovely...I know you wanna be me =)

Eric and I got to pick where we went and no one complained, we just strapped them into the car seats and away we went...fast forward to present day where EVERYONE has an opinion...

Since all 3 of them have reached the age of hormonal imbalance and OMGosh mom we are in a dead zone my cell doesn't work, we have taken ONE vacation that everyone loved...last years trip to Tombstone,Grand Canyon,Pagosa Springs and Taos-that trip had something for everyone. Lots of smiles...

We have taken them to South Padre and Abby hated it, the seaweed freaked her out...it was my favorite trip, I wanna go back...

Cue Eric...he dislikes the sun and not a fan of the ocean...he is constantly cramping my style with grumbles under his breath of skin cancer....ummm hello sunscreen...He is a Mountain Man and I the Beach Bunny...

So here we are trying to decide where to go...one wants to go to Hot Springs, One to Gulf Shores and one to Branson...so I put the 3 choices in a hat and the destination is Branson...a place we have been more times than I can count...but the biggest kid I own eric LOVES rides so Silver Dollar City it is...I was really hoping for Gulf Shores but BP anyone...

I don't ride, rides you can read about one of our previous trips to Branson Here and see the ONLY ride I rode...I had my hands in the air and everything...

Branson has some great shopping,lots of shows,good food,go carts,mini golf,wax museums, and it's not a bad drive over...we still travel with a puke bucket...just in case...


So tell me...what are your summer plans? Have a favorite destination? Ever been to Branson?

My confession for today: Now to pick lodging...this will be our first year that we need 2 rooms YIKES!

Did you know

Did you know blogger in draft now offers tabs/pages? Yes they do and apparently they have since Jan...I have been a blogger in draft( yes there are 2 different blogger versions-I prefer blogger in draft over the regular version) user since I met deb at postcards from the edge and she helped me make my comments appear under my post instead in a popup window. I ♥ Blogger in draft, now I need my personal blog stylist to help me with tabs because well she rocks and ummm she did my blog and I don't know html which I need to know in this case because I had a blog stylist design the layout...ooooooo amybo where are you?

Blogger Pages lets you to publish static information on stand-alone pages linked from your blog. For example, you can use Pages to create an About This Blog page that discusses the evolution of your blog, or a Contact Me page that provides directions, a phone number, and a map to your location.
You create a page similar to how you write a blog post. From Blogger in Draft click the Posting | Edit Pages tab, then click New Page. (Note: you can create up to 10 pages.)
Once your page is published, you can link to it from the new Pages widget. The Pages widget lets you add links to your pages as tabs at the top of your blog, or as links in your blog's sidebar.
In the Pages widget, you can decide which pages will have links, and in what order they will appear. You can also choose whether or not you want links automatically created for pages when you create them by checking or unchecking the box to the left of Add new Pages by default.
Finally, for those of you that have custom templates, your custom template may not automatically support Pages as horizontal "tabs". 

Cool Huh!

In other did you know news...

♥ We have 7 more days of school left-well not me I don't go to school, but rather my childrens so that affects me too...that means sleeping in,no more homework,no teacher conferences...can I get an AHHHHH

♥ I am even more confused after watching last nights LOST epi

♥ That we have 3 house phones and I can not find any of them

♥ That I should be outside pulling weeds from my flowerbeds

♥ Did you know...I'm not

♥ That I was beyond bummed that 'The Cowboys' Jet & Cord didn't win the amazing race!

♥ That I think Kelly Ripa needs to eat a turkey leg or 10

♥ That Jess dyed some of her hair blue and Abby did purple streaks

♥ Did you know I have to pick my battles... that it's only hair

♥ That I think you all are extra special and I appreciate each and every one of you!

♥ My mothers day gift was a Pike Pass for those of you who couldn't figure out my hangman clue

♥ Did you know...I actually liked it

♥ Did you know I will be having an upcoming CSN giveaway for a $50 gc to their site

♥ Did you know CSN has over 200 stores to shop from...I am very excited look for the giveaway in the next week or so


My confession for today: Happy Hump day!

photo courtesy google images

A to Z...Get 2 Know Me

So those lovely ladies over @ The RHOK do this mclinky monday where they give you a question and you answer it. This weeks q is Know me from A-Z...

so in an effort to help you get to know more about me using the alphabet... here are some lil tidbits...

A is for Abby my beautiful and sweet oldest daughter, I was so elated to find out I was having a little girl. I had her name Abby Lain picked that same day and never wavered...

B is for Bag Lady I LOVE bags,purses,handbags,totes,clutches. I am embarrassed to tell you how many I own. Right now I am coveting this lil beauty and you can be summer ready with your own Beach Bag too.

C is for Coffee it makes my world go round and round. Oh how I love thee with Hershey's

D is for Doggers my lil loyal companion is Ginger, she never back-talks and loves me no matter what

E is for Eric my husband. Who lets me boss him around and lets me think I am always right, who loves me in-spite of all my flaws..

F is for FaceBook I ♥ FB...friend me or join my decisionally challenged page-links are on my sidebar

G is for God, my Rock and Savior

H is for Housewife more specifically The Real Housewives of....on Bravo, my guilty pleasure

I is for Italy a place I would love to visit

J is for Jessica my youngest,my baby, she was to be named Ashlyn Morgan had her name picked out for months even had stuff monogrammed with that name...then the day she was born Eric tells me he doesn't like that name UGH-well he liked Morgan b/c that was his very good friends last name it was Ashlyn he didn't favor, we were literally leaving the hospital and the staff is saying YOU MUST NAME THIS CHILD FOR THE BC!

K is for KISS the band,the movie Detroit Rock City(great movie) and Gene Simmons Family Jewels another guilty pleasure...all KISS related

L is for Laughing Cow Cheese LOVE this stuff! It comes in the perfect portion size and it is YUMMY!

M is for Mom... my mom whom I would be lost without,she is one-of-a-kind,she is beautiful,she has a kind heart and soul she is my Mom

N is for New York Style Bagel Crisps one of my favorite snacks-try dipping them in hummus

O is for outlaw and I am related to one Belle Star aka Myra Belle Shirley

P is for punctuality, I am always on time or early for everything-being late is not in my vocabulary...just ask my mom

Q is for Quirks I have many and I enjoy hearing other peeps-a few of mine I dip my fries in real mayo,I can't sleep without a fan blowing and not a ceiling fan but a box fan,I dip my popcorn in tea,I can not watch a movie in a theater I wait for the DVD release...make me feel normal...PLEASE share some of your quirks...

R is for Reese my son, my sweet son who looked like an alien when he was born with his cone-head, he was suppose to be named Ethan but I've never met an alien named Ethan...he was 2 weeks early weighed 9lbs1oz and 21inches long...he is my baby boy and I don't think he looks like an alien anymore

S is for Sisters and I have two Rebecca and Laura and I love 'em more than KISS,Laughing Cow Cheese and NY Style bagel Crisps

T is for Two Hours-that's how long it has taken me to make it to the letter T...T is also for Twitter and I am not a tweeter I have an account but rarely check it

U is for Umbrella...I do not own one-I do however like Rhiannas song Umbrella

V is for vacation, summer vacation ahhhh, I am trying to come up with a fun destination for this year-it will be hard to top last years trip to Grand Canyon National Park,Tombstone,Taos and Pagosa Springs

W is for Wii which is currently collecting dust

X is for kisses as in X♥X♥ and I love giving them and receiving them

Y is for Yearbook photo-heres mine BA Class of 89

Z is for Zany...that's me....

My confession for today: Guess what I got for Mothers Day...go ahead I'll wait....okay I'll give you a hint hangman style:2 words: P_ K_ / _ASS

*disclaimer* I screwed up my very first time to participate in a RHOK event... go figure...I didn't know I was suppose to answer specific questions-they'll prolly never invite me back...so sorry to anyone visiting from RHOK so to help you out a little... I will be 40 this year,I have a queen size bed which i am still pissed that i allowed eric to talk me into downsizing,green is my favorite color,I awake at 5:45am,I prefer silver to gold,I'm right handed,I am 5'9 but I'm so round you can't tell it, I do wear undies me and the granny panty are like this &, I'm NEVER late(see above) I love ALL veggies garden fresh tomatoes being my fav,I love all the animals at the zoo except the snakes, I am decisionally challenged and obviously can't follow directions...

Daddy...I Remember...

As Most of you know my daddy passed away Saturday April 24th...If I told you that just because we knew this day was coming makes/made it any easier I would be lying...fact of the matter is, we thought we had more time...Isn't that always the case?

As I sit here trying to process the past 7 days...I realize...I can't...I was in a daze, my mind in disbelief-clouded in fog and my heart broken...there are images I am fighting hard to remove from my memory, I have guilt that I wasn't there sooner...did I do enough...did he know how very much he was loved...did he know how much I loved him...

I thought I understood loss,pain and hurt when my Grandpa passed away 8 years ago...I didn't...

I called my daddy at 9:10am to let him know I was on my way down, he didn't sound good but mornings were always rough for him...I detected an urgency in his voice that will haunt me for the rest of my life...I called my Uncle Tommy and asked him to go take daddy some breakfast and check on him and that I would be right behind him...

By 10:30am Daddy was in Heaven wrapped in the Lords Wings basking in his Glory...

This is where I say It isn't fair and I want him back...my heart aches,my eyes red and swollen...Loss leaves you feeling empty...so empty...

__________________________________

A few weeks ago I asked daddy to make a message for his answering machine-he had the standard preset message playing. He bulked at first but when I said 'daddy maybe when you are in town and can't get to the phone maybe I wanna hear your voice' We made a GREAT message and I had no idea how many times I would be calling his house the past 7 days just to hear his voice...one more time...

Over the past 2 years I have shared my daddy with you all through this blog...so if you don't mind I would like to share a little bit more...

My parents divorced when I was around 8 years old but these are some of the memories I hold dear...

I remember him carrying me a mile and a half to our closest neighbors house 'The Blues' to wait for the school bus because we lived so far back in the woods that his truck wouldn't make it down the road when the weather was bad.

I remember one Christmas Eve hearing santas sleigh bells and a Hearty Ho Ho Ho and running down the stairs to see a tree full of presents

I remember him taking us to see Star Wars and The Color Purple in Muskogee

I remember riding on his horse Goldie where he packed us a lunch in his saddle bag and shared an afternoon together just me and him

I remember Rhinestone Cowboy playing on a little radio while he put horseshoes on his horse in the front yard

I remember eating dog food while he worked in the horse barn outside our modest house on the farm

I remember falling off the bunk bed and cracking open my eyebrow and he took care of me

I remember that we didn't have a phone but rather a CB and I would say 'breaker breaker 1-9...flintrock you out there?'

I remember he bought me a total of 4 cars...a mustang that was a lemon, broke down on the turnpike the day he bought it, then a pea green 3 speed duster that I shared with my sister, then a big 4 door white impala and last a red camaro

I remember how much he loved us and that there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for us...

I remember that everyone knew my dad and if they didn't it wasn't long before they did

I don't remember my dad ever spanking me and I don't remember him ever raising his voice in anger I do remember the kindest soul anyone could ever hope to meet...

As I was older...I remember my Wedding Day where daddy walked me down the grass isle while family and friends sat on bales of hay...

I remember daddy being at the hospital for all 3 of my childrens births

I remember daddy never judged another human being a day in his life

I remember our trip to Schulenberg Texas last Summer...oh how I remember that I wouldn't let you change a flat tire-that I made you wait for AAA...it was because I loved you daddy...not because I didn't think you could do it...it was dark on a busy highway...I worry to much...

I remember a fair and honest man

I remember the Greatest Man in my life and he will not be forgotten...

Daddy I LOVE and MISS you dearly...

__________________________________

♥George Wayne Shirley, 63, passed from this life, Saturday, April 24, 2010.
During his declining health he never complained and he held on to Gods
promises. George was born October 6, 1946 to W. J. and Elvira Annie (Kunz)
Shirley in Muskogee. He grew up on the family farm and was a graduate of
Okay High School, class of 1964.

He served his country in the signal core of the United States Army for 2
years, with a tour duty in Europe. Once home he dedicated 44 years of his
life to Container Corp where he had life long friends.

George was an avid horseman, from an early age and that passion carried
into adulthood where he spent many hours being a scout for the Okie-Arkie
trail-riders and cutting trails. He never felt more at peace than when he
was riding his loyal companion, his horse Kracker whether it was in the
mountains or the pasture.

George was a devoted father, son, brother, grandfather and he will be continually missed.

He was preceded in death by his father. He leaves behind to cherish his
memory, three loving daughters and their husbands, Georgina & Eric Johnson
of Broken Arrow, Rebecca & Chad Graham of Bentonville, AR, Laura & Will
Fairchild of Checotah; eight precious grandchildren, Abby & Reese Lawley,
Jessica Johnson, Hayden & Colin Graham, Casey, Trey & Shelby Fairchild;
his mother; brother & sister-in-law, Tommy & Marilyn Shirley; two nieces,
Michelle & Renee Shirley and a host of other family and friends♥

My confession for today: Time may heal all wounds BUT it is God who gives you peace and comfort while you are waiting to heal...and today I need to be carried...