tastes like...

conversation in the car between Momma and Mr. Ben after being forced to make his favorite Subway sandwich on "the wrong bread!"

M: "So, do you want to try a bite of your sandwich?"

Mr. B: "I guess..."

insert Mr. Ben unwrapping said sandwich, and taking a bite, here!

M: "Well..."

Mr. B: "Emm, yah, this is great! I thought it was going to taste like GAS!"

*For those who don't know my vernacular, my 7 year old just told me, he was worried his sandwich would taste like ASS!!!

Yes he did!

the important thing

hmm...
what?

is it: being able to maintain without killing your spouse as you prepare for an overseas tour of duty?

is it: being able to get the kids dressed, fed, off to school without loosing my job because we are late EVERY day while he watches MTV Classic to wake up?

is it: finding homes for kittens, kittens, kittens-EVERYWHERE?

is it: sneaking venti toffee nut lattes?

is it: making list after list of what needs to be done before the first round of movers comes on JUNE 18th?!!

is it: staring at said list and freaking because "Holy Crap-we have a ton to do?!"

is it: starting with the random part of the list because I'm secretly terrified that we won't be able to get any of it done?

is it: standing my ground when Team Leader name calls and "WHOA!" makes me mad!?!

OR

is it: getting past how mad I am, maybe talking to him today, and reflecting on all the soldiers we've lost this year-every year-since we became a country...

A few years ago, my teammate and I had Team Leader come into her Kindergarten classroom to talk to our kiddos about Memorial Day. He came in uniform and brought plenty of cammo make-up. He also forgot to take out his dummie weapons before he brought in his kit bag and a nasty parent went running to my principal. (He's not always the sharpest pencil in the box, my Team Leader, but hey his job isn't in an elementary school!) Anyhoo...He came, spoke, and covered each of the 40 Kindergartners with cammo paint. It was excellent, and, when the day was done each of those kids could share 4 points about Memorial Day!

Teachable moment success!Those same kids are in 9th grade this year. I wonder if they remember that Memorial Day lesson? With everything going on in the world today, and now as we currently live in a military community, I'm really surprised by what is considered important.

Maybe the important things for me this weekend are:

accepting that Team Leader is capable of being a HORSE'S ASS...
recognizing that I married him knowing some of these flaws were maybe a little more than flaws...
allowing for the possibility that he really has adult onset ADHD and isn't able to think before he speaks...
understanding that I'm not the first military spouse (who has spent her entire marriage pretending she wasn't) who has moved overseas at an inconvenient time...
knowing I am a spazz when pushed into a corner...

walking away from the corner, taking a deep breath, digging into this list, and, remembering to stop and appreciate everything that our servicemen and women have sacrificed for our country and will continue to sacrifice for this country. This isn't about blind support for this war, or, believing we were blindly led into a disaster of a war, this is about remembering that sometimes we loose. We loose and we have to remember WHO is doing the job WE don't want to do.

We have to thank them. We have to remember them. We have to honor them.

If you are reading this, please check my link for "anysoldier" and do something. Make Memorial Day more than a weekend of sales, or vacation, or clean-up, or even fighting with your significant other. Instead, give Memorial Day meaning again, that's the important thing.

hugs and love all,
essie

I'd like to be, under the sea, in an Octopuses Classroom with you...

Question: Is it grammatically correct to say "octopuses?"

So today my class really floored me, oh yes they did!
As you read, please be reminded that THESE children could potentially hold the future of North Carolina in their hands...

This week is "EOG testing" week in Cumberland County. EOG (End of Grade) is NC speak for SOL (Standards of Learning), which is VA speak for

"Holy crap, it's standardized testing from hell week!"

Something near and dear to the heart of every teacher who has HAD IT and wants the year to be over NOW! What it means at my school is that our assistants get pulled to "proctor" the test and we are left TOTALLY alone with all these bonkers kiddos for the entire day, all week! It makes for what I'm doing now...drinking...yup, at 4:40 in the afternoon, Malibu and Pineapple, baby!

Tired and crabby, are we in the First Grade wing-we're all done-quitting every hour or so, because saying "I QUIT!" out loud to a sister in arms, well it helps, so it's what we do during weeks like this. Bringing me to this-our final math assessment-we've been baby-stepping our way through it this week, HUGE headache mind you, but we finished it this afternoon.

Or so the kids in my class thought...BECAUSE based on how they answered the test questions on probability, they'll ALL be repeating FIRST GRADE next year!!

(This would be a great time to remember that these kids are the future...um WHAT?!)

One of the 4 questions they incorrectly answered asked this:

" Circle the sentence that is more likely to happen:
1. An octopus will visit our classroom.
2. A chicken will lay an egg."

MY brainiacs (all but 2 actually) circled the FIRST SENTENCE!!!
OH YES THEY DID!!!

Seriously.
They did.
For real.

How many days left?!!
hugs and love!
essie

For the record...

Because I have a friend here who has the wisdom of, oh the wisdom of many great women before her, and can verbalize so beautifully that which is hidden from plain view-

yes, this has been a hard year
yes, I have questioned SO much while living here
yes, I really can complain like a CHAMP
yes, I am a worry wart
yes, I am a self professed "school snob" who only wants the best of the best for her children

yes, I am blessed
yes, I have been blessed here in Hopeless Mills
yes, I'll leave here with memories and life long friends

No, I never expected that, for the record...

The greatest mommy

is MY Mommy!
Someday I'll fit into her fabulous hat!!

Happy Mother's Day Mom
I love you!
Gleefie

Back on antibiotics

As predicted, I'm back on some major pharmecuticals...can't drink or eat any dairy products for a week-I've never taken anything like this before-and pouring coffee creamer, that was a little bit scary this morning!

Question: is coffee creamer actually creamer, as in dairy, or am I paranoid?

Next question for all my gal pals out there:

HOW do I explain to my beautiful daughter that pre-teen girls are shitty little bitches. That because she likes the Retro 80's look and sometimes paints her nails bright blue, she is not a "Goth..."
HOW do I explain to her that if you are hungry, YOU EAT...
HOW do I get through her dramatic but fabulous head that she is perfect in the eyes of everyone who truly knows her and that smart and pretty DO go together...
HOW do I protect her? Can I? Should I?
Specifically, how do I accomplish this without becoming a screaming banshee, anyone?

Last night my heart broke for her, and of course Team Leader is stuck on the other side of the world (with no uniform mind you) and I HATE being both, because I do REALLY need my man! ("He completes me...")

Teen age girl crap-I went through it, was pretty screwed up as a teen, hated my mom subsequently blaming her for everything wrong in my life instead of listening to her as she tried to be a mom to me...all that teen age crap, I lived it. I just don't want my daughter to-she's too sweet, she's too kind, and clearly she's way too over influenced by these little NC crazies here in Hopeless Mills.
I'm her Mom, and I want her to become the best Doodle-Bug she can be. I can't always like her friends because I see them differently.
I see the potential for lifelong and fairweather friendships. Fairweather friendships are devestating and make you question everything about yourself. She is 10. Our daughter is 10. She's learning this now, at 10. Is that fair?

She asked me last night why my friends were so happy when we were all together. I told her that we were all regular people who have regular feelings; happy, sad, angry, mad...etc...
I really didn't have a great answer for her other than at a point, you cut through the crap with your friends and you simply are happy to know them.
Bad day, glad day, it doesn't matter. You're pals.

Isn't Mother's Day meant to be about the hugs and love and not the WORK behind the job? I'm feeling like I should be fired, because all I want to do is tell these superficial girls
THEY SUCK
and to get the H**L away from my amazing kid-who they don't even deserve to know!

UGH...
*sigh*

what is a Momma meant to do? I'm beginning to agree with *e* who said that every OTHER move was a good one, and that maybe just maybe Germany can't get here soon enough.

It's that or I'm just a spazz who can't take the vulnerability out of my parenting.
Maybe it's both.

Why we hate Delta Airlines...and why I probably need an Anger Management Class!

Before you go ANY further...
YES
the following IS in someone's inbox at Delta's Corporate Headquarters.

Does this confirm my raging bitch-atude?

To Whom it May Concern;

My husband flew on your airline yesterday. His name is-----------. He was flying in civilian clothes at the request of his command because he was flying commercially. His bags containing his complete U.S. Army Special Forces uniform and many other irreplaceable Government Issue items were not at his final destination, Budapest Hungary, when he arrived.

YOUR airline is trying to blame Air France.

I BLAME YOU!

Here is how his day "Flying with Delta" went:
His original ticket number was DL5563 for a flight from Raleigh Durham to JFK
THAT flight was canceled.
He was "re-booked" Raleigh Durham to Cincinnati, flight DL5371, which arrived LATE because your re-fuel-er RAN OUT OF GAS so another agent had to complete the plane re-fueling, thereby making him MISS his connection to Budapest.
He was put on Delta flight 5304 Cincinnati to Dulles International Airport.
There he was put on Air France flight 29 IAD to Charles deGaule, with additional ticket markings DL8331.
Upon arriving in France, he was placed on Maleve Hungarian Airlines (Air France 2894) to Budapest.

Did I mention that he is an Active Duty SOLDIER, who is on an important mission, and YOU LOST HIS UNIFORM!

Instead of accepting responsibility for ANY PART of his ridiculous flying day, you continue to blame him and another airline, as if THAT will replace his lost uniform and mission supplies?!

I am shocked, that given the nature of the danger facing our service members in and out of uniform, that your business practice is so slipshod. I can't believe you can't keep a Government Employee's bags on a PLANE long enough for the service member to HAVE WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO HIS JOB. Instead, a specific uniform is out in the open where anyone could take it and use it illegally. Could you possibly have any idea how dangerous that is?! Do you even care that you may have put my husband at risk? Or risked security somehow?

I have tried calling every number on your website, naturally, you are CLOSED and the contact I've made so far is with a computer generated message. I demand that I hear from someone immediately upon receiving this email. My husband simply cannot go out and spend 100 Euros to "replace his uniform" it's United States GOVERNMENT ISSUE and HE IS IN HUNGARY!!

I can be reached at home or on my mobile
Today is Friday May 11, 2007.




ps-this is what I just got in my in box...from Delta "Customer Care"

Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with us. We appreciateevery opportunity to listen to our customers and act upon what we hear.Our response to your e-mail may take a little longer than usual due tothe high number of customers who have contacted us recently. In themeantime, thanks for your patience.
AS THIS IS AN AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED MESSAGE, PLEASE DO NOT REPLY.

Ya THINK they might have high volume customer contact since they just filed for
BANKRUPTCY!!!
OMG!
seriously.

Teacher Appreciation Week...um, I don't think so...SERIOUSLY!

So, right now my teammates are in Scholastic Book Heaven...

running around like Crack Heads...
grabbing each other to pull someone from their own little slice of happy into another little slice of happy somewhere in this incredible book warehouse!

I AM SOO JEALOUS!
and I miss them, my First Grade Family, they all rock...
Rock, rock, rock!
I hope they have a blast, find oodles and oodles of magnificent books, and find themselves the victims of a Literacy Hangover when they get back in Carter's Van!!
ILY ladies, ILY!

Me, I'm not there.
I'm in Hopeless Mills, waiting to go back to the Doctor tonight...
policing the Rotters, because last night Mr. Ben was locked out of the house by his ever-loving big sister!

(Don'tcha just LOVE those siblings relationships)

Ranting on further-
Last week I went back to work after missing a week of school after practically dying from being sick. Parents who send their ever lovin' children to school when THEY are SICK-
THEY SUCK!
And I happen to have every parent EVER who does just that...even the ones who stay at home...they send their sicko kids into school because

G-d forbid

any of these braniacs miss ONE day of school!!
ONE.
There's no policy about fever-free here, just recommendations
There's no policy about public puking here-just recommendations
There isn't a full time nurse at our school because...well I don't know, but I'm sure it has to do with money and our lack of it here in Lala Land-whoops I mean CCS.

SERIOUSLY!!

I woke up yesterday and felt like all the scary bronchial stuff was coming back.
I panicked-natch, when it doubt, that's what I do best-and started trying to get an appointment.
I'm not used to the military system. This is the first time I've not carried civilian insurance since I began teaching.

It's Crazy. And I've lived on that river "Denial" for a very very long time now.
There's a lot I really don't get, and,
WHOA NELLY
aren't we getting ready to leave the States
and live on Base
and be all that we can be?!!

Can I do that?

I don't know.
Okay focus Esther-back to Teacher Appreciation Week-
We had one, if you can call it that, LAWD knows I'm not trying to be a bitch but really
is this place for real?

I got KICKED by student for TAW
I got PUNCHED by a different student for TAW
I got SICK AGAIN by yet another student for TAW
That's what I got, for my 15th Teacher Appreciation Week, bruises and antibiotics.

Can I remind you that these children are FIRST GRADERS...
This is the future of our country folks...if we don't do something, one day we will look back and say:
"Holy Crap, George Bush was actually LITERATE compared to what we have in office now!"

Seriously.
If you have a teacher to thank, do it.
Do it for me.
I'm not a personal horn tooter, but if I didn't have those gems of teammates to get me through this year and the 19 days we have left, I'd be a sorry angry be-atch right now!
Oh yes I would!

Seriously!
Hugs and Love folks; I'm off to the doc!!
essie

ps-HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

My trailer park...

is full!

After a long day talking about all things "next year" I looked around Room 8 and thought:

"no matter what, this HAS been a great year!"

Michelle Vaughn, Carter, Watkins, Mulvey, Leah Skarie-
this is for
YOU!!

HOLY MESS!!

xoxoxox
essie

Just a thought, for my Buzz Girls

Driving back from Spring Break, Team Leader and I were listening to the radio; Pink's new song "Just you and your hand tonight" was heavy on the rotation, fine with us, because we both like Pink.

Anyhoo Team Leader looked at me, at one specific point, and had this to say:

TL: This song is hysterical
me: you think
TL: Yes, I think! I'm also wondering how many new BUZZ GIRLS there are just dancing away in their cars and being total brats at clubs...I WONDER!
(And he shot me a very knowing look above his sunglasses.)

I answered by turning up the radio. (HAH)

Secretly, I hope there is a select group of Radford-Techies who are tormenting those college boys, (who really all made us miserable anyway,) as we speak. If there isn't well, then they are truly missing out on the friendships of a lifetime!

(Only because I am really loving the Curious George-ness of my current song, it's staying for a while, then Pink will be next!)

xoxox
essie

For Gab...more rainbows!

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will.
You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.
You'll fight with your best friend.
You'll blame a new love for things an old one did.
You'll cry because time is passing too slow...
You'll cry because time is passing too fast.

So,

take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because:

every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life is empty, look around, you'll see that it really is full.

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Leave the rest to God.



ps-thank you Shelby!

"I no do that"

This is for La, but it applies to all of us...
the ones with
the ones waiting
the ones wanting
the ones.
THIS
becomes your next "to do" list:

sing
smile at strangers
keep learning
notice kindness
eat ice cream
hope
count your blessings
laugh
love
love some more

Just like Hallmark says, it IS the "real to do list"
and who would...should... know how to describe the love between a mother and a child better than Hallmark.

Seriously.

Hugs and Love, La...I get it.
essie

Perspective

Putting everything in perspective was the announcement made by my principal that something bad had happened at Tech today...

talk about an understatement.

I've spoken with friends and their families who have children at Tech.
Thankfully their children are safe.

For what it's worth, however you find peace, share those thoughts with the family that is Virginia Tech. Blacksburg is a small enough community for people who don't have children there to feel the gut wrenching pain shared by those who do...

Hug your kids tonight.

"I'm proud of you...I remember..."

my dear friend Leah sent this to me.
you might think it's beautiful.
you might think it's propaganda.
i think it's something everyone should watch.
because, soldiers are people, just like you and me.
their job description happens to be different than yours or mine.
(unless of course, you reading this, you are a soldier! then you get it already.)

Regardless-
they're simply doing a job.
It's a job no one WANTS to have, but
EXPECTS someone to do.
Day in...Day out.

Pretty thankless if you ask me.
Pretty amazing if you ask me.

you all know how opposed to our global situation i am, and continue to be.
i'll oppose this war and say so for the rest of my life.
this IS our generation's Vietnam.
you don't have to agree with me.
or agree with my politics.

BUT

we should be able to agree on this:
the men and women who have been sent overseas deserve all the support we can give them.
period.
so, please do what you can.
visit my link to anysoldier.com
take a walk and appreciate the freedom you have to do so.
go to church and pray.
go to a quiet spot and watch a sunset-whatever you do to appreciate the beauty of a day,
and then,
call your local national guard to see about penpals.

do what you can and remember that soldiers are people.

http://www.youtube.com/v/ervaMPt4Ha0&autoplay=1


*hopefully this link works...YouTube was being stinky, and blogger...well enough said!*

The Story at 39

I have gone to the gym.
As a 39 year old.
And I've been tanning.
As a 39 year old.

I've been happy, sad, grumpy, lonely, scared, hungry, SO SO tired, amused, flabbergasted, amazed, thankful, surprised, and grateful.
As a 39 year old.

Today I came home to a big box and a little box.
Yesterday I came home to a small bag.
Day before yesterday it was a large bag.
And the emails, the blogness-WOW!

Inside each piece of mail there was something that defined a relationship in my life. Random connections from people who get the bits and pieces of the very complicated me...thank you seems small when I realise (yes, the British spelling of realize) that the gifts of my life are you.

This week I've heard from people I LOVE-wow do I love them!
And they're all so different.
And I'm SO SO lucky.
Because they love me back-we don't have to talk everyday, or see each other all the time, but when we link up it is a 100% happy-fest. And not one day has passed.
That's the beauty of my story at 39; for each relationship every time we talk or get together, I'm as old as I was the day we met!

In the end, most importantly, I'm just a lucky 39 year old girl, surrounded by the best of the best of humanity. Birthday presents don't get better than that.
That's my story.

hugs and love to my amazing family and wonderful friends
xox
essie

p.s. (thank you watkins, ps will always mean something else for me now!)

Honey, find us something on the economy, please please PLEASE!!
l.a.s.n.
bbkf

Danke, Danke, Danke Prickril Family!

Wow! This blog thing really rocks!
Last night I gave everyone the link to a fabulous blog, misspelled the blog, so here it is again: www.prickrilgermany.blogspot.com
(remember blogger isn't letting me link it for some reason so just go there!)

I woke up this morning to a comment reply from Mr. Prickril-woohoo-and he's in Heidelberg!! It's official friends, you turn 39 and you become a cyber DORK!! Making me think that this year before 40 might be great...hmm...

I'm off to look at his fantastic snaps of the Neckar river, the Heidelberg Schloss (castle), and the Hofstrosse! SO, have a hugs and love kind of day, and start planning your trips overseas to see us!!!

xoxox
essie

ps-Happy birthday to me-

Me again!

SO...I've been lurking online and found a fabulous blog of a family in HEIDELBERG! The mom finds the super spots to hit, and the dad is the recorder-extraordinare!

I'm linking it to this post, as it is CHOCK FULL of amazing snaps of our future home...

YIKES

We're really moving aren't we?!!

www.pickrilgermany.blogspot.com

**blogger isn't letting me link it, so just go there!

Rotters!

Yesterday was something.
Team Leader left on Saturday morning for his next big trip to Germany; leaving me with our 3 Rotters (unsupported mind you!) for the remainder of April.

What is a "Rotter?" you ask...simple really.

British slang for someone rotten.
British slang I grew up with curtesy of "Oor Wullie" and "The Broons" comic books tha my Scottish Grammie would send us, along with mounds of candy, which my brothers and I still prefer over the American counterparts.

Back to yesterday. We began our morning with a visit from the Easter Frog (more on that later), baskets were full, spirits were WHOA high thanks greatly to our pals at Hershey and Mars, and Mr. Ben was thoroughly enjoying a remote controlled farting machine which was part of his Easter Booty, much to the dismay of others.

Around 10am I realised we were having our Passover Seder with one of Tony's Golden Knights team members and I was still in my pj's. The manic house cleaning began shortly thereafter. Around 1:30 Mr. Paul called. At 2:00 he showed up. We were expecting him at 4...Thank goodness I'd put the chicken in early!

A Seder, traditionally, is a very long meal. Most children really don't look forward to the Seder because there is so much praying and blessing going on that eating really doesn't come in as a priority. Passover is afterall a holiday where we recognize our release from Bondage. We pray for our ancestors, we pray for the release of others still in Bondage, we pray and thank G-d for his blessing as a people.

In our family, I spare the kids the hours and let them eat first and then we begin. We end our Seder by saying "Next Year in Israel." Yes, it's a long dinner, but it is only once a year and it is beautiful. It reconnects me to my heritage, and is very important to me.

Yesterday my 3 were so naughty at the table it was legendary, and I quietly asked them to leave. By then I was whispering "Next year BYMYSELF!" I was so embarrassed. Friends came to say hello, the kids stayed upstairs. Friends left and the kids stayed upstairs. I cleaned up, and pulled out work I had avoided all break (still avoiding btw, as I'm doing this instead!) I watched The Sopranos for Team Leader, and went upstairs to get in bed. They were settled down. Pres must have really figured out my level of frustration...whatever...they were quiet and I was tired.

Woke up this morning DREADING the fact that I go back to work today-UGH.
Came downstairs.
Hanging over the passthrough to the dining room was a HUGE sign from the kids:



(It says "Happy Birthday Mom"
We love you!)

and the tv was frozen on the frame in the movie "Love Actually" (my favorite movie) where one character is holding a cue card up that says:
"To Me You Are Perfect"

I was flabbergasted! For starters, the 15th anniversary of my 24th bday is tomorrow, BUT, my 3 NEVER do stuff like this...usually it's all about them
Of course my camera is broken, so a picture will have to wait.

However...it was a beautiful way to wake up...and rotters they are, but they are mine-ours really...Somehow they figured out how to release me from my personal bondage, and that is the best early bday gift I've ever received.

Thanks kids-Momma gets it!
I love you too!

snaps: in no particular order!

our girls...



future PGA stars...



three little harrisons...



a kitten?



the JI-NORMOUS waterslide I went down with the kids-yes Ben went too-which prompted the yikes photo to be scanned in



Getting ready to leave SeaWorld...fabulous day!

Spring Break: "Take your broke A** home!"

We're back!

Road trip to Florida started at 9pm last Saturday night...never let it be said that we are exactly TIMELY in our endevors as a family. As Team Leader SOO politely pointed out to me

"I had all my stuff packed in 5 minutes."

FOR REAL?!!!
Last time I checked there were FIVE of us going to Orlando, not ONE?!!
(Clearly, it must be me!)

Anyhoo...we got in the truck and started driving.
We drove to SC.
We drove to GA.
We started looking for a hotel around Savannah.
We drove to FL.
We FOUND a hotel 20 minutes outside of Orlando, at 5:17 in the morning!
We checked in and slept until 1pm.
NICE!
Looking like ass when we got up, we drove into Orlando, and got lost.
We drove down the main strip of Orlando.

We caught up with Team Leader's family around 2:30ish and got the best gift ever:
our sister in law has lost the better part of 100 pounds!! Now, she will probably KILL me for posting this, but what Julie has done is nothing short of amazing.

Seriously.

What we all take for granted, is life, and by taking hers into control she has given us years and years to enjoy with her. I for one can't thank her enough. She's always been such an important link to Florida for me; I could NEVER imagine being there without her...maybe I'm being overly dramatic, but I really can't begin to tell her how inspiring she is, and how thankful I am for her determination!!

So now I've used [thank] in way too many sentences, and Julie is busy cursing me under her breath, but I can live with that! Short version:
WE ARE PROUD OF YOU JULES!!! and now everyone on the internet knows it! :)

The nephew-let and niece-let were fabboless!, The brother was hysterical, the sister was a hoot in the pool, and mother in law looked great, and all were fun fun fun to hang with! The kids got along so well; we all commented on how easily our children melt into one happy group of silly no matter HOW much time goes by...very lucky folks are we!



*sigh*

We spent 2 days just hanging out and playing crazy putt putt before they had to leave.



Tuesday got blown due to a stoopid stoopid timeshare pitch that we had to attend because we exchanged points to go to this yucky place in Orlando where EVERYONE is as grumpy and rude as can be!

SO we ended up at the poorman's theme park in Old Town for the day, before we finished up our family putt putt tournament "COMMANDO IN ORLANDO!" Which I won!!
Yay me!
We went to the Arabian Nights dinner show, true experience let me tell ya, that night and fell into bed.

Wednesday was a different story!


We hit SeaWorld!
Which totally rocked, even though we walked at least 8 zillion miles!

We saw Shamu, up close and personal, in the second row where we got totally soaked.





The kids all want to sponsor a Manatee,

which we will somehow figure out and do, and we all have at least one great memory. We left, exhausted, after 8+ hours at the park to begin the long drive home. THIS time, we called ahead and reserved a room in St. Augustine! Never let it be said that I don't learn from a mistake!!

We got back, to happy but wickedly spazzing kittens and a very relieved Foxy Momma, and seriously cold weather...in APRIL! Is this reality, who knows, but we're back and Team Leader leaves for Germany tomorrow. Fingers crossed there will be no available quarters on post and we'll be "forced" to live on the economy in Heidelberg (my secret wish)!

I've promised photos for days and days and that will be the next post.
really.

Hugs and Love as you celebrate the joys of Spring!
essie