Mommy needs a nap. Or a drink.

It has been a rough week.

One that brought a new, slightly scary diagnosis for one of my kids. It isn't necessarily life threatening, although uncontrolled could put her in danger, but it is something that will require constant monitoring and medication for the rest of her life. Mostly it is overwhelming.

This week also became the week my wedding dress was ruined. I couldn't quite place why I was no longer liking it at the fittings. Had I changed my mind? Did I want a different style because we had changed the wedding venue and size. Was it, as my mom suggested, something to do with the alterations? The answer would end up being, it was the alterations.

With the school year coming to a close, a multiple activities at the school, Jill's birthday party this weekend, two appointments next week, meeting with our officiant, dress shopping, and Emmi's dental surgery in two weeks I am slightly frantic.

Surprisingly, I have only cried once....this much in thanks to my friends Sheri (who has listened to me with every single discovery, questions, and oh my God moment I have had the past two weeks... OH HOW I LOVE YOU!) and Anita (who rushed over yesterday during the dress debacle with stories of noodles and dumping wedding dresses in the front yard to make me laugh instead of cry....THANK YOU MY LOVE!). You two are the best friends ever!

Our friend, Pedro

Kenny, the kids, and I, plus our good friend, swine flu (who Sheri lovingly named Pedro), all went down to Mexico this past week. Well, actually, Pedro has been there for awhile. And, thanks to Pedro, nobody else was there, so we pretty much had the resort to ourselves. And Playa del Carmen. And Akumal. Thanks Pedro!

Kenny and I planned the trip a little over a month ago, long before Pedro settle in for a visit. Pedro didn't scare us too much, so unlike everyone else, we went ahead with our plans. We kept those plans secret from the kids.

On Thursday morning, we woke the girls up like they were going to school. We brought them down to the couch like usual, but instead of turning on the TV, I handed them goody bags. At first Jill thought it was an early birthday present. Even after reading the card which should have read "Farting is an art, Happy Birthday Rembrandt" but we had crossed out and hand written "Farting is an art, especially when you fart in Mexico" she still did not get it. Emmi had a picture of a plane, an airport, a bus, our hotel, and the beach, with the last card reading "We are going to Mexico." Jill flipped through Emmi's cards. Still confused, she simply said, "When?" When Kenny and I answered with "now" and pointed out that is was 4:30 in the morning and not the usual 6:30, the excitement set in!

Despite a cancelled flight, which really just gave us time for breakfast, and a medical exam entering the country, the trip went well. Pedro had cleared out our resort leaving us with whole pools to ourselves, our pick of beach chairs, prime room location with ocean view, and no wait anywhere. The girls were in heaven. Hot dogs on the beach! Fruity drinks a plenty! All the dessert you want! Wheeeee! It was all we could do to pull them away from the beach and pool.

We did manage to take them to town once. We shopped (ie bought crappy souvenirs that they have already lost. I did not, however, get my "I love influenza" shirt.), they got their hair braided, we ate at our favorite off-the-beaten-path restaurant, I let the kids hang out a bar......

On the third day, we met up with friends in Akumal, about forty minutes from where we were staying. Kenny and Jill snorkeled. I sat and worked on my tan. And I completely forgot to take a single picture of the whole entire day! Although I am pretty sure there is a picture somewhere of Kenny and I and a gnome...Julie?? Cody??

The trip went by way to quickly. But Kenny and I are counting down the days until we leave for Jamaica!

We are back from Mexico. I will post all about that oh so soon.

But in the meantime, I just got tickets to go see Counting Crows in concert. Hells yeah.

The Hills (ahem..waiting room) are alive with the sound of music!

Twice weekly I take Emmi to speech therapy. In the waiting at the same time, a man waits for his son. Everyday this man, who stands over six feet tall, sits slouched in a chair with music playing from his phone while he attempts to get twenty more minutes of sleep. Sometime he snores. Often I wonder what he is listening to as he snoozes away.

Today, his dreams must have taken a turn for the worst. He jerked awake, ripping the earphone plug from his phone, releasing music into the air.

Music. Sweet, sweet music.

Show tunes to be exact.

Quality Verification Practices

I met Kenny for lunch today. He is in the middle of a massive landscaping project, and mostly I just wanted to go poke my nose in his business. Eww. Stop. Not like that. I just wanted to check things out, and see how they were going. I spend everyday preparing the proposals and sending the bills, but I never actually watch the projects. So that I did, under the pretense that I was meeting Kenny for lunch. Afterward, he had to run in Lowe's, so I was forced to tag along.

After selecting the perfect pick axe, we stood in the line of a disgruntled looking employee. Kenny handed over his Lowe's business card, and she proceeded to read it studiously.

"ID," she says, holding out her hand.

I was not sure exactly what she was going to verify on his ID. The card clearly reads "Kenny'sRealEstateCompany" Obviously, it doesn't actually say exactly that. But the business is registered to him and our home address. I am not telling the internets were I live. His ID? Probably doesn't have that name on there anywhere. Last I checked, it didn't say "Kenny RealEstateCompany Height 6' 2" Eye Color Blue." His ID is probably not going to verify much of anything. But what do I know?

She looks over his ID. She looks back at the card. She looks up at Kenny, who is wearing a shirt with the Kenny'sLandscapingCompany logo on the front. She glares at the logo, and looks back down at the card.

Great. Now we are in trouble. His shirt does not match the card.

She waves the card at him, "Are you authorized to use this card, young man?"

Through gritted teeth Kenny explains, "It is my company, so yes I am authorized to use it."

And with that, she grins, swipes the card, and Kenny has purchased a pick axe. Quality. Quality verification practices.

Happy Mother's Day to Me.

I just purchased this from jcrew

to wear to a wedding next weekend.

I justified this purchase by telling myself it was my Mother's Day present, even though Kenny (ahem, the girls) already got me exactly what I asked for.

It is outdoors. In May. A little linen halter dress should do just fine. I am thinking with a long strand of pearls (no, Mom, I swear I do not still have yours....yes, I do. I am lying.) and my black strappy heels.

I was going to wear a dress I had, but then I remembered that one of the girls attending the wedding has talked a lot of shit to me. I feel it best to combat things like this by showing up looking better than her..... and with more expensive shoes.

Have you missed me? I have missed you. The thing is, I have not been home for more than five minutes in the past two weeks. And when I am home? My kids are all demanding and expect things like food and attention. The end is not quite in sight. I have an appointment tomorrow, and three more next week. Then vacation after that. I will resurface sometime around Juneish, I think.

I have on my grumpy pants.

I get that the swine flu thing is a serious situation, but I am so over hearing about. Maybe because it is always something. First there was the bird flu which was supposed to kill us all, then there have been salmonella outbreaks. Which for the record, I personally tallied up one of those numbers after contracting it in Mexico. It was super fun filling out the CDC paperwork, and having several blood tests. Now this. It is just always something. Sure, we should be informed. Sure, we should be taking precautions. But my goodness, talk about something, anything, else for just one second.

Or maybe I am just being pissy, because my trip to Mexico is ruined.

PS The spell checker informs me that "pissy" is not spelled correctly, but I can replace it with "pussy."