the long awaited, much anticipated

***FYI: I am frustrated....I have fixed the spacing/alignment on the post a jillion times and each time I publish it, it screws up AGAIN!! I. AM. DONE. TRYING!***

MckCruise post!!

This cruise has been in the making since March of 2009 and seemed as if it would never get here. Last week, my mother and I left Galveston to sail the blue seas aboard the Voyager of the Seas. It is difficult to put into typed words just how great the Caribbean getaway really was. Amongst many smaller details, this trip afforded me three things:

1.) much needed time away from the daily grind, hustle&bustle, grocery shopping, bickering, clock in&out, quarreling, tattling, wrestling, needles, schedules, shots, crying, dust bunnies, meal planning, traffic jams, laundry, house cleaning…..you get my drift!

2.) a once-in-a-lifetime {as an adult}, week-long vacation alongside my Mom……bittersweet!

3.) as my neighbor recently said it best…..a renewed belief in people, the idea that there really are {good} people that exist in this world that we live in today. People from all walks of life, complete strangers coming together to spend a week together sharing experiences, beliefs, values, laughs, and good times all the while building a bond that will surely last a lifetime.

Oh yea, there were several decent opportunities for photo ops as well *facetious*! Let me tell you one thing…..amongst this group of gals {and 5 guys}, there was plenty of picture-taking.

Obviously there were way to many photographs to showcase, so I opted for the ‘ol standby of collages. So here goes:

::from within the 14 decadent decks of the ship::

::from the outdoor sun-laiden areas of the ship::

::from the 3 colorful ports-of-call::

Special thanks to my new {IRL} friend, MckMama, for developing the idea of the MckCruise and seeing that it came to fruition. I have aquired 25+ new friends that stretch from California to Texas to Florida and right here in my home state.

Finally, I owe a great big thank you to my husband for encouraging me to take a leap outside of my comfort zone and for not just maintaining our home while I was away, but also playing his role and mine SUPERBLY!!!

Tonight. Tonight.

I’m on my waaaaay,

 

To set me freeeee,

Home.Sweet.Hooooome.

for my guys…..

…..so they can see their Momma!

Alternately Titled: “This post contains only pictures for two (2) reasons: a.) internet minutes cost a small fortune out here, so I’m keeping it QUICK&EASY!" and b.) this boat’s a-rockin’ at the moment and I can’t put my thoughts into typed words!”

m-i-s-s-i-n-g

  

Love, MOM

Bon Voyage!

The MckGoodies have been packaged and packed……

My {4} bags are packed…..

(I’ve never packed for 7days travels; it’s not easy, but I did it tonight [the night before leaving] in 2hours flat)

All that’s left is to throw place this baby {with it’s FABulous new strapcover} into my carry-on……

  

Cruise travels begin tomorrow morning at 8:30am and we (my mom and I) set sail {along with MckMama} at 5:00pm. 

I did sob after tucking the boys into bed tonight, so I’m not real confident that tomorrow morning’s goodbyes will be much better. 

Bon Voyage!

Wii play

It’s been about a year since Daddy Buck brought me a Wii as a gift.  Since that time he and I have played the Wii solely at night after the boys were asleep.  Twofold in reason…..a.)  he and I enjoyed that time together sharing our competitive spirits with one another and b.)  we believed the boys were two young to master the hand-eye coordination necessary and imagined that their efforts to play the Wii would frustrate them and us more than it was worth. 

After visiting their best friend one night last week……let’s just say, that’s all changed!!!!

They’ve {We’ve} been playing the Wii ever since, namely MarioKart (seen above) and bowling.  I tend to try to justify the “video game” time with ideas that……it’s honing their hand-eye coordination skills, it’s improving their word recognition, it’s allows for opportunity to share with each other, it’s introducing the concepts of winners&losers and semi-ridiculous thoughts of the like when really all it is, is “video game” time.  Wholesome, hilarious, FUN, family “video game” time which, in and of itself, is good!!

 

There are moments of tongue-twirling serious concentration met head-on by super-sly tactics, like driving with your eyes closed. 

I suppose as long as these super cold for the Deep South temperatures remain outdoors, then we’ll stay indoors and bond over the Wii.  By bond, I mean, most of the time we remain good sports about it all; but there are still yet those times of “Nana nana na na I beat you!!” or “He’s cheating!” or “I never get to be Mario!” and “I quit!”.

Wordless Wednesday

 

“Mommy, look….”

“….I’m warming my booty!”

Who said it??

 

::  “I’m very very super mad really angry!”

“Why dear?”

“Don’t make me ‘peat myself!”  ::

 

::  “C’mere Remington……let me tell you a surprise (read: secret).  Rem, tonight (read: January 6), Santa gonna come see you and he might bring you a cat squwoosher.”

 

::  “Momma, do I need to go poo-poo?

“I don’t know son, do you?”

“Will you be proud of me?”

“Yes!”

“Then I’ll go!”  ::

 

::  {speaking of the Avatar character from the McDonald’s Happy Meal to his grandmother, Mam}  “Mam, this thing has bumps on her chest just like you and Mommy, so it must be a GIRL!!”  ::

 

::  “Dad, when we go to heaven…..do we still have birthdays?”  ::

 

::  {as he gently kisses the top of my head as I’m helping him to change his pants} “Mommy, I whilly, whilly love you but I’m gonna need you to stop fussing at me soooo much pwease!”  ::

 

::  “Mommy, I love you in the whole wide world!”  ::

 

::  {nightly prayers}  “Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to us so he won’t be bored.  And, thank you God for my Mommy being a nurse to help all the children”  ::

a new year, a new calendar

The beginning of a new year is exciting……new goals to be accomplished, new aspirations to achieve, new dreams to come to fruition, new items to place on the “to-do” list to eventually check off the “to-do” list, birthdays to remember, extracurricular activities not to be forgotten…….AND, a fresh, untarnished, open slate just waiting for its first markings!!

A new calendar!!!!!!!

And this year, 2010, brought us a special calendar complete with bright, cheery, handsome (if I must say so myself) brotherly gentlemen with the flip of each monthly page!!

My new calendars are thanks to VistaPrint….what I believe to be the best “bang for your buck” printing company around online. 

Economical. 

Practical. 

Great selection. 

Superb customer service. 

Twitter users. 

Prompt.

Fully customizable.

Quality. 

I have been a customer of VistaPrint on several instances in the past and when asked by their PR department if I’d be interested in posting to my personal blog about VistaPrint’s services in exchange for several of their products; well, let’s just say I wasted no time. 

So, yes, I have been compensated for this post; however, I’d have said the same of VistaPrint’s products and services nonetheless and I have purchased  in the past……thank-you cards, birthday invitations, return address labels, return address stamp, moving announcements, and most recently, this year’s Christmas cards. 

Their customer service/public relations department is “real life” help.  If you don’t believe me…..try this:  go to Twitter, mention (@) VistaPrint in a tweet albeit a question, comment, or compliment and see if someone doesn’t personally answer your question, respond to your comment, or acknowledge your compliment within the hour.  I’m telling you….they will! 

he dresses himself in the new year

but, obviously, he still requires some assistance cleaning his mouth of Oreo crumbs!

Happy New Year