Because I'm Awake

It's the middle of the night and I should be in bed.  I had every intention of going to bed on time - early, even - tonight.  I was in bed, husband, dog, and two-thirds of my children asleep.  But when the last kid finally let out his final yawn - the same yawn he's enjoyed immediately before giving up the fight every single night for the past nine years - and I got up to make my nightly rounds, somehow, after touching each one to make sure they were in fact breathing, I ended up downstairs at the computer instead of upstairs in my bed.  I've been sitting here for longer than I care to admit, not doing much of anything really.  Occasionally the thought flits through my sleepy little head that if I'm going to be up, I could at least straighten up the house.  It's a real mess tonight.  But I don't.  Because you know what?  Sometimes Mama needs a little down time.  And if that means sitting in the dark living room surrounded by the mess in the middle of the night, then so be it.  That's what this mama's going to do.

In other news, we've been sick.  And my computer died.  Let's have a pity party, shall we?  Thank you.  Now I feel better and we can all move on with our sweet little lives.

Because you know what, life is sweet.  I live in the land of perpetual sunny, 80-degree days.  With an amazing husband, three perfect boys, and a totally neurotic dog.

In between sick days, we have actually gotten out to see a bit of Key West.  And now that I'm set up on Dan's stinky computer, I can share a bit of this exciting adventure with you.  Lucky you.  Oh, but not today.  Because it's the middle of the night and I should be in bed.  So you know what, that's where I'm headed.  Straight past the mess that will for sure greet me with open arms in the morning and over my dog to get into my bed.  Have I mentioned the size of our current accommodations?  That's a post in and of itself.

So nighty-night, and sweet dreams.  Mine are calling.

Good Morning

I think the world would be a happier place if everybody got to wake up to this face every morning.

On the Bright Side

We've been in Key West for twelve days.  And in that twelve days, we've been to the doctor four times.  Yes, you read that right.  Four times.  It just doesn't seem right that we made it through almost an entire winter in Virginia - healthy, which for us means "no strep" - only to move to paradise and come down with - you got it - strep.

But, looking on the bright side, at least the view from the pharmacy is pretty decent.

Neighbors

While in Key West, we'll be living in two different houses.  The first - or, the current - house is in a golf course community.  Now, I want you to think about who might live in a gated golf course community with tiny duplex homes in Key West in the winter.  Any ideas?  That's right, we live with the snowbirds.

We do, however, have several neighbors under the age of eighty.  And like most things in Key West they are, I guess you would say, colorful.

Just keep alert.  That is one sticky web!

Thank goodness for google.  The spiny-backed orb-weaver is harmless, beneficial, and does not want to come in the house.  Phew!

I showed them.

You know how most of the time you feel like a pretty smart cookie.  And then one night you go out to Cracker Barrel with your family and your children get all the way down to two or three pins left in that addicting little pin game.  This means they're geniuses.  It says so on the game.  And you all start talking about how funny it would be if someone got stuck with "like, ten or something" pins.  And you all laugh.  And then you take the game from your seven-year-old 'cause you're going to show everyone just how smart you are.  You're going to whup up on that game.  And then you realize you're stuck with ten pins left.  And the board doesn't even tell you what this means.  But it can't be good.  So you laugh.  And you celebrate your accomplishment.  Because, well, what else can you do?

My children are smarter than me.

Oh, and P.S. Please don't judge.  This is what I look like after a long day of traveling.  Sitting in between two boys on the third row bench seat, feet resting sometimes on, sometimes under the dog's back end, leaning forward to tickle/plug/soothe the baby.  I may not look so good, but it was a good day.  And I got to eat french toast at the end of it.  Yippee!

In the Corners of Hogwarts

Sometimes, we forget to listen and end up in the corner.

Even at Hogwarts.

That's right.

We went to Hogwarts!

And it was awesome.

This beauty was the best family photo of the day.

Thank you random lady who I trusted with my camera.

I'm thinking Christmas card material, here.

1200 Miles

alternate title...

One Mile Too Many

Big news from the Nugget Box...

We moved to Key West!

We'll be in paradise for four months while Dan works on-site on a project down here.

It's kind of amazing, when you think about it.

So, we drove from Virginia.

And I was all set to write a post about how incredibly wonderful my children are.

Best travelers ever.

We didn't have one meltdown, fit, fight, or complaint the entire way.

Until we passed mile marker one.

Literally, we passed mile marker ONE.

And it all came crashing down around us.

The crying, the screaming, the wailing, and the gnashing of teeth.

Times three.

By the time we pulled into the rental office to get our keys,

just a bit up the street from the celebrated mile marker ZERO

and right next door to Bare Assets

- boy, are my children going to get an education -

you could have heard the Nuggets clear back in VA.

It didn't help that the mommy and daddy lost it too.

Tears streaming down our faces we were laughing so hard, actually.

Really, it was awesome.

Hello, Key West!

The Nuggets have arrived!