Nailed it!

I love the "nailed it" pins on Pinterest...
they always crack me up!
and sometimes, that's the way I feel about my week...

             Always trying hard to succeed...
             but usually pulling through looking like a drowned rat with a broken foot!

But this week.
I nailed it!

Monday, after our movie in South Lake, we headed to Irving to surprise Lance for lunch.
Work was slow and call was too.

Tuesday and Wednesday were awesome!

Tuesday, Candace brought her crew over in the morning an we played at the front pool.
Had a picnic lunch and then came home...

Wednesday, my mom brought my brother's kids over--
and despite 4 wild children and a baby following behind, I managed to keep a clean house, washed, dried, folded and put away every piece of dirty laundry and even had dinner ready before I left for work.
...and it was good!
(we are going to completely ignore the fact that Gunner rolled Maddox' fingers up into the car window, because I wasn't here to see it... and the tears were gone by the time I made it in from work!)


"Holly's daycare" went off without a hitch, as well, mainly because I developed a routine for them and we stuck to it...

Snacks and meals are all on schedule now, and even better-- I developed an "hour of rest" where everyone gets their own room and they can look at books or watch cartoons but they have to stay laying down, away from each other.  (and hopefully sleep)

It works.

Beckham has been so sweet an cuddly lately... which makes a huge difference too!

Today we are taking it easy, and then my SIL is bringing the kids back in the morning to swim again.

I am on call both Saturday and Sunday, so you can expect our weekend to be boring!

What's not boring....
the kids and I, are hoping to take a mini-trip to San Antonio in a couple of weeks to go to Sea World.
Since mom is taking us, this will all depend on her strike!
And for my sanity, I am keeping it secret news from Maddox, for now!

We will just roll with what comes next...
because in the words of my 3 year old...
"it is what it is, bra."

I busted through ...and made it out!

Thursday, after work, I met two friends from high school, and one "friend", whom I had never met in real life [but was great friends with her husband in high school and feel like we are best pals from our blogging/facebooking/instagramming with each other] for dinner.

We all have busy lives and small children, so what originally was planned as a play date-- was converted into a mom's night out and chat-fest-- because, frankly, we all needed it.

Ashley's baby was fussy, so she slid out early.
We continued to catch up and finally closed down Gloria's at 10:00, and moved over to Starbucks.
They closed at 10:30, so we took it to a table just outside the store.
Erin left too...
And eventually Jenna and I took it to our car.

Finally we realized it was 1:30 in the morning, I got my very own book signing out of the trunk of Jenna's car, and we called it a night!

Jenna and I spent countless nights, in our younger days, with nights just like these.
We took vacations together as families, cheered together, ran up and down the road, laughed, cried and have a lot of funny memories and inside jokes.

After years of little contact, we realized that some things never change!
And we had such a great time together.

Erin was just as sweet and pretty as I knew she would be.
And now when I say, "my friend Erin"... it won't be a lie.  We "know" each other now!

***
Friday, Lance and I had plans to go to a graduation party for the little brother of a guy Lance grew up with.
10 or 15 years ago, this family was the family to host a party...
and again, some things don't change.

They had great food, swimming, beach volleyball, and 2 live bands.

The first few years of mine and Lance's relationship, I sat on the tailgate of a pick-up truck and listened to Pat Green, Cory Morrow, Jack Ingram, Jerry Jeff Walker, Mike McClure, and other artists like that.

10 years later, I sat at the same house and while my husband pitched washers with the same group of guys and I listened to Mike McClure {{live}} and some cat named Johnny Cooper.  (who I didn't know)

We chatted with friends that we never see, rode the Ranger around their property, laughed, told old stories, and had a great time.
So great, in fact, that Lance and I didn't leave until 3:30 this morning!

I was fine with that, because I made friends with Mike's harmonicaist, Jake... and since the bands were staying the night, talked my way into a private concert {{acoustic}}. 

For about a minute, I felt like I am was high school again... living the dream.

That minute was over, this morning, however, when Beckham woke up at 7:00 to nurse and wanted to play until 9:00!!

Today, we had lunch in Boyd at my favorite little gas station.
Stopped for snow cones...

Lance and B took 3 hour naps...
And we did nothing!

Nothing.

***
I feel so much better, after a little (or lot) of 'me time'.
This kind of stuff doesn't fall my way too often, but hopefully I got enough to fill my tank for a little while.
I think my pitty party is over...
I made it out!

I've got the summer blues.

I am spent.
...and we are like 2 weeks into summer.

Like, toddler-sappy-spent... feeling like I have a "kick me" sign, hidden somewhere on my body.
Kind of wanting to cry...
but knowing no one would care-- so it would just be a waste of my energy, and probably just something else that I would have to clean up.

After our weekend, filled with watching one of Lance's best pals from HS play guitar in a festival...

2 separate birthday parties...

and cheering on our niece in her softball tournament...

Waking up early Monday morning, meeting our friends for movies in South Lake...

lunch at Cici's and sliding home with just enough time to re-straighten the house and head to work... until 11:00.

Tuesday, Holly's day care was back in business.
And Holly isn't that great of an owner.
I feel like I am constantly saying no, and that I am beating them down with rules and regulations.
"No whining".  "No more snacks".  "Not now".  "Quit".  "Stop fighting".  "Please don't wake Beckham".
They both want to be the boss... and I honestly can not afford to feed them all of the snacks and juice and milk they want!
So, "no".
I constantly am saying no.
And I hate not being good at things... especially when my kids are involved.

Kyleigh was scooped up just I was running out the door to work.
...Until 11:00, just like every other night I work.
(except I was stuck in 30 minutes worth of traffic, getting there, and was late.)

Lance and I had a "mis-understanding" after work, (that turned into tears) and  I rolled into bed around 1:00.
Without an apology.

Back up by 7:00, Ky arrived at 8:00 and then the Vest family at 9:00.
The morning was jammed packed, full of fun!

We had breakfast...  we painted outside... we played... we bathed... we ate lunch and we sent the 3 K's on their way.
Our neighbor came over to play with Maddox and Ky, and the rain rolled in.
I let them play in it.

Kyleigh's dad called to say he was going to be late, and I cleaned my house.
Again.
While vacuuming, I was dreaming about the glass of wine I was going to drink once everyone's kids left-- and I realized I was an hour away for that break.
Exhausted, but thrilled... No work tonight.

Just as Ky pulled away, I had a knock at my door-- another neighbor, asking if her boys could come and play.
Beckham was an hour past his nap...
and crying.
Within minutes, 4 little boys dumped out 5 buckets of tiny toys and demolished the play room.
Again.

I made dinner and got B down.
I sent home the neighborhood, cleaned the playroom again and waited for Lance.
...who didn't eat dinner, and fell asleep on the couch.
While I cleaned... up dinner... that no one ate.

And as for that glass of wine...
I am too damn tired to pour it.

So I'll sit.
And type.
And gripe.


***
I know... I know... I know that there are so many fun things in this little letter, and the entire thing could have been written from the other side of the pancake, and been a blog about summer fun.

I know that I am just being a sap...
I realize that there is a chip the size of Canada on my shoulder...
And I hate to sound bratty...
But who's worried about me?

*** 
Maybe I have reverted to a toddler, and I am just tired.

 I think we all are.

I am going to bed...
And am excited to meet my friend Erin (who's husband was one of my good friends in HS and her and I have become friends through FB, but have actually never met) and reunite with my old friend, Jenna, one of the famous Crockin' girls, tomorrow.

Friday night, Lance and I have a graduation party to go to...
and my mom is keeping my kids!

I will do my best to make my next post sunshine and lollipops...
and if the rest of the weekend goes as planned...
We will do nothing.

Ahhh, bliss.