Bits and Pieces

No photos to share in this post. Just a little of this and that. We're gearing up for our family vacation. We leave next Saturday for Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. I do hope it's not like our Mexico trip a few years ago---you remember---the price was too good to be true. Then we got there and realized the reason----it was soooo HOT and HUMID---even worse than Nashville. What were we thinking. No wonder it was cheap, no one goes there in summer!!

But, alas, summer is the only time we can go as a family---kids out of school and always over the week of the 4th of July. That way all the working family members only have to take off 4 days. And they always know when our vacation is going to be. We alternate our trips---somewhere a bit pricey (Disney is our most expensive trip we take---we go about every 4 or 5 years), then the in-between year is a beach trip---always Santa Rosa, our favorite place. Our biggest expense is airfare for 11 people. Early on, we were able to use "frequent flyer miles" for about half of the tickets. But those dried up years ago---especially since Butch retired.

Anyway, we're looking forward to next week. Butch makes all the "kids" (which includes our adult daughters) spend the night here. Steph is notorious for being late, so he takes no chances. So what if we leave at 5 a.m.---they can sleep on the plane. Personally, I love going early. It's your best chance of no cancelled flights or delays. And you can sleep on the plane. We'll meet up with Sandy and family in Charlotte, NC.

In planning for our upcoming trip, I always like to pick a big job around here that I've been putting off. I make myself do it before we leave, so vacation seems like a reward. This year it's going to be the pantry. I usually clean it out after the holidays when everyone leaves. But it needs a really good tearing apart and cleaning. I'll definitely do some before and after shots of that.

I've been busy this past week planning ahead for my classes as there won't be much time when I get home. Plus, the following weekend from our vacation is my "sisters weekend." All of my sisters and sister-in-laws come here for a long weekend. We've been doing it for several years, but this year might be the first that all of them come. We're still not sure about Jennifer---she only likes us in small doses!! Janice will come from Texas, Joyce from Indiana, Jeanne, Janet, Sharon and (maybe) Jennifer from St. Louis. I just love it. We have such a good time together.

Morgan has been over with her friends to swim quite a bit this week. Besides laying out in the afternoon, they like to come night swim. I'm running 2 loads of towels about every day. We don't care. We love having the kids here. And they love to come. In fact, Carson, Morgan's boyfriends feels so much at home, he's added his poker money to the cabinet with the rest of the family's!!

Last Friday, Morgan was here for "happy hour." The older girls had other plans, so we took Morgan to dinner with us. She was going to a friend's house after, so drove separately. I decided to ride with her. She had all the windows down. Besides being "beat to death," it was hot. Finally she said, "hey grammy, I'll turn on the air for you." Gee, thanks. Teens try anything to save gas. But what I loved is that she had on country music. What?? She said that she was the only one who liked it and that her friends razzed her about it. I'm glad she likes a variety of music. I love country music too. How can you live in "Music City" and not??

For her birthday, Sandy got a new iPhone. She was telling us that when she was at the store buying it, all the workers were amazed at her original one. They all kept checking it out---some had never seen the original. Talk about making her feel old---she did turn 40. But I love that about Sandy, she doesn't have to always have the latest and greatest. She keeps what she has until it wears out. She loves the new phone and realizes now that she probably should have traded in the dinosaur a couple of years ago.

Today I plan to finish Connie's layout for AYM. Then it's off to the mall with ALL of the girls---new sun dresses for our vacation, then lunch at Red Lobster. I'm planning on getting a new swim suit. And you know my philosophy about that: find the ones in your size, go up one size, buy it and NEVER look at yourself in it! Now that's the way to swim suit shop. Works for me!!