Trying to do better

I think it's the weather (still cold & pretty rainy) but I have had no desire to blog recently. I am setting a goal for myself to blog at least 3 times a week until I leave for California. I got my flight booked Monday night and talked to my Aunt and cousin on Sunday. It's going to be such a quick trip but I am glad I am going. If I've learned nothing else in the past 18 months the most important thing is family. I've also started looking at flights to take the boys to New Hampshire at some point before the end of the year. I would love to go in October but I don't want Deqlan to miss too many days of school. When we go my goal is to be there for at least 5 days so I can see everyone. I have family from both my mom & dad's side so lots of people to visit. BUT no one on my mom's side has met the boys so that is probably the most important part of the trip! When I go I know I'll be renting a car (it'll just be easier with the boys).

The next two weeks will be busy but exciting. I have to finish up shopping for the boys Easter baskets today. Deqlan is out for spring break starting tomorrow and Hayden is out Friday. Next week during spring break I have another follow-up with the surgeon and then I'll be bowling after that (at this point regardless of what he says) and both of the boys have dentist appointments. We also have two rec practices and at least one select practice (we just don't know when yet). Plus, we will have to get this house clean! Deqlan is having a sleepover for his birthday Friday night. His birthday is Sunday but we have a double header and then we will go out to dinner with the family afterwards.

My goal is to get the house cleaned next week so it'll be easy to keep up the week I leave. I hate leaving CJ with a dirty house mainly because it will be a disaster when I get home if it is not clean when I leave! CJ's mom will be coming over Thursday night after league to stay at least the night but I'm sure the weekend and help out with the boys. Deqlan has practice Thursday night so I will have to wait for CJ to get home before I can go to my moms for the night. Our flight is at 9:45 Friday morning but we have to pick up my grandparents on the way to the airport and it will take a little bit longer to get through security with my grandfather. So since we will have to leave so early I just decided to stay at my parents house the night before (I'll do it in May too when we go to Reno).

I've started getting stuff for my trip which is good because I need most of it for my Reno trip as well. I have to find a cocktail dress and shoes at some point as well. Maybe Mom and I can get away for a little bit of shopping this weekend at some point. Saturday is going to be a busy day. Deqlan has bowling in the morning and then a birthday party immediately after (thankfully it's at the bowling center). Then we have to rush home to watch some hockey and then I think I'm going out for the night (CJ ended up going to another hockey game last night so I'm going out too). Which means Sunday will be spent catching up on sleep and hopefully making some meals for the week.

I have to run and make Deqlan's lunch for his field trip today and get myself ready to take them to school! Have a great day!

California Bound

Last weekend my Aunt sent me an invitation to her 50th birthday party at her house. She lives in Southern California. I instantly told her I wouldn't be there. But as I looked at air fare and found out we had a 20% off code and a credit from a difference in price for our Reno flight I decided I'll spend the money to fly out for the party. I will be leaving NC Friday the 12th and flying home Sunday the 14th. It will be an incredibly long weekend for me but I have learned since losing my Aunt on my mom's side 18 months ago that family is so very important. I will sacrifice a weekend of sleep to celebrate with my family.

With that being said I have 3 weeks to get myself ready and this house ready for my trip!! I have to find some shoes to wear with my dress (and figure out if it is dressy enough for the party) and find some clothes to take with me (good thing I've started ordering shorts & capri's for the summer). I really want to get a pair of mint skinny jeans for spring but I don't know that I will actually take pants with me (maybe if I find a comfy pair I'll wear those on the plane).

The two weekends between now and my trip are Easter and Deqlan's birthday. I know what I am getting for the boy's Easter baskets I just have to get it and put them together. I'm supposed to be going out with the girls Saturday night next weekend so those need to be ready to go. Deqlan's birthday we have a pretty good idea what we are doing. He wants to invite a few of his teammates over for a sleepover. I just need to do an e-vite for that and send that out. I told him he could invite 4 to spend the night (although I know one for sure that he wants won't be able to).

We are supposed to have a double header today (with a high of 41) but it is supposed to rain ALL day so we are pretty sure it will be cancelled (as in the coach still hasn't e-mailed directions). I am annoyed that I still set my alarm to get up early to get some things done because we won't know for sure until 11:30 or so when we need to leave at 12!!

With adding my CA trip I will now be traveling April, May, & June. I'm planning on taking the boys to New Hampshire to meet my mom's side of the family either in August before school starts or at the beginning of October for my birthday. Weather wise I would love to be there at the beginning of October but that will require both boys to miss school and I'd prefer they not do that (specifically Deqlan).

Where is Spring??

Yesterday was the first day of Spring...today's high is 47! Let's get it together Mother Nature! I'm ready for flip flops & capris!!

Deqlan had baseball practice last night & has it again tonight. Last night wasn't too bad temperature wise, tonight on the other hand will be pretty cold! My town needs a Starbucks so I could at least have a coffee to keep warm!! I love our group of parents for Select ball (which is good since we spend so much time together) and I'm sad that we've been split up for Rec ball. There are 4 rec teams for our town and they try to split the select kids up evenly but since they didn't have enough girls for softball that put us at an odd number of select kids (13) and somehow someone still ended up with more than 4 kids from what I have heard. I'm pretty sure the guy in charge of the baseball program is trying to run it into the ground (and boy is he succeeding). Deqlan did end up with the same coach from fall ball which we are very happy about! We have become very close with that family and are glad the boys get another season together.

Rec ball practice starts next week and will be two nights a week until games start April 30th. Plus we will have at least one select practice a week and two select games on the weekends. In other words our life now revolves around baseball until the beginning of June and then swim team starts! We do keep Deqlan busy with activities BUT the minute he doesn't want to do anything anymore (well once that season is over) he doesn't have to continue it. We do make him finish the season out.

Tomorrow morning CJ and I are going to head to the Outlet Mall that's about 20 minutes from us. There is an Under Amour outlet and since the high for Sunday is 45 and rainy for Deqlan's games we need to get some gear!! We haven't been to the outlets in a couple of years so I have a feeling we will stop at Stride Rite for some shoes for Hayden and maybe grab some shoes for Deqlan too. I'm pretty good at guessing his shoe size. In other words it'll end up being a pretty expensive trip!

I have the morning to myself so I'm going to catch up on some tv that I've missed this week! Have a great day!!

Friday!!

Deqlan had ball practice last night (coldest night of the week) from 5:30-7:30...boy was it cold...When I was ready to go to sleep at 10:30 I still hadn't warmed up yet. I probably should have dressed a little warmer like leggings under my jeans. My knee is definitely paying for it today :-( But on the bright side the coach told me how impressed he was with Deqlan's improvement! Always makes a momma feel good!! Especially when CJ hasn't had any time to work with Deqlan since the season started (major issue in our home right now).

My girlfriend Rachael is having a Thirty-One Party tonight that I'll be going to. Up until October I was selling Thirty-One but just ran out of the energy it takes to sell. I want to get a tote bag to take to games in the team colors :-) I am looking forward to a much needed night out with the girls!

Our Saturday was supposed to be crazy busy with a bowling tournament in the morning (for Deqlan)and then heading straight to the ball field for a cancer fundraiser BUT our games for the cancer fundraiser are at 10 & 12 so Deqlan will miss BOTH games. He was not to happy about that but we committed to this tournament in October and cannot get our money back. So now we just have bowling in the morning and then I'll need to run some errands (like grocery shopping)but otherwise Saturday will be pretty low key. Sunday we have another double header but at our home field so thankful we don't have to travel anywhere for that this weekend.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. It is going to be gorgeous tomorrow (high of 74) and not so nice on Sunday when we are at the ball field all afternoon. See you Monday!

Rainy frustrations

It's pouring outside :-( It was incredibly hard for me to get up this morning. I have MOPS and since I didn't go to the last meeting I really should go today but I have no desire to go dry my hair & put makeup on my sunburned face!!

The boys went to bed early last night so I could watch The Bachelor finale in peace since CJ wasn't home. Then he came home in a horrible mood and I told him to go sleep on the couch if he was going to be crabby. It was his choice to go sub and he knew he wouldn't get home until almost 11 I have no sympathy for him when he didn't consult me at all. I wouldn't have said no you can't go just would have reminded him that he has to work the next day (and mind you he hasn't gotten up on time at all this week) or the fact that the boys wouldn't see him for two straight days (which changed when we surprised him Sunday night).

I would really love it if Deqlan's Select coach would give us a practice schedule. Instead they are waiting until the week of to let us know when/if they have practice. They may have practice Thursday night (coldest day of the week no less) if they can get the field. Frustrating because Deqlan needed to bowl Thursday night since he has a tournament Saturday morning.

I got my pantry cleaned out and organized yesterday!! I ran to Target after taking the boys to school and picked up one storage drawer (I need another but they only had one) and then came home and got right to work. I was done before I needed to get Hayden from school. Now let's see how long it stays nice and neat and organized longer than this week (I highly doubt it with my three)!

I hope you have a wonderful day and that it's not rainy and yucky like mine is :-)

Mother of the Year & 5 for FIVE

Deqlan's baseball team had their first set of games yesterday afternoon. They lost the first game 7-2 but won their second game 7-5. Of the 9 runs his team scored he hit in 4 of them!!!! He also had two hits on the day :-) I was so proud of him. He didn't get to play as much in the field as he wanted to but if he keeps playing the way he did yesterday he will get more playing time.

I brought sunscreen with me to put on Hayden when we got out there and then completely forgot. My poor little man's face is fried! My face, chest, and the the tops of my feet are red as well. It was absolutely gorgeous out yesterday, made it a perfect day for some baseball!!

The games ended a lot earlier than expected so we were able to go surprise CJ at the bowling center for his birthday which made him happy. Plus the boys got to see their friends and we got to see a friend we hadn't seen in a couple of years. All in all it was a good day for us.

It's time I get back on track with getting things done around the house. Spring is on it's way in and the last thing I want to have to worry about is keeping this house clean so I want to get as much done during the week as possible so my weekend's are less crazy (since we'll be playing ball all weekend!)

My 5 for FIVE for this week!!
1. Clean out & organize the pantry. It is an absolute disaster zone. CJ just puts things away where ever he sees an empty spot so we have mashed potatoes with cereal and vegetables with soup. Not only that but we have a whole section of candy (from like last Easter) that no one has eaten so it needs to go!
2. Go thru clothes in the attic. I have saved all of Deqlan's clothes as he has outgrown them. Hayden is in desperate need of some shorts for this spring & summer (after not having to buy him any for two years). I'm pretty sure we have shorts that will fit him the question is where are they :-)
3. Organize & clean master bedroom. My room tends to be a disaster zone. We are hardly ever home so when we just put things down in our room they stay there for a while. I'm so sick of having the boys stuff in here!
4. Get ahead in my Personal Finance class. I'm dropping my Political Science class this week since I'm so far behind in it. I'm doing well in my Personal Finance class and want to go ahead and take a couple of the next tests so I don't have as much work to do as the weather gets nicer :-)
5. Make a chore list for the entire family. Deqlan's rec baseball team will be beginning practices in a couple of weeks so we will be juggling two baseball teams and 3 of us bowling which means needing help on keeping the house clean!
6. Make a plan for some freezer meals. I want to try to get some dinners made and in the freezer for ball nights especially for rec ball since they are during the week. Plus we have been eating out entirely too much lately!!

I know it's six things but I gotta get these things done :-)

Friday errands

I have some errands to run to get ready for the weekend. CJ's birthday is Sunday but we are doing his dinner & brownies Saturday night since he has to bowl and the rest of us will be out of town for Deqlan's first select tournament. Speaking of baseball their uniforms are going to be ready in time so the guy has to make them t-shirts today so they have something to wear. Talk about frustrating when they only have 8 tournaments! Anyways today I need to get to Target and get some snacks and bottled water to bring to the ball field this weekend and I have some birthday shopping to do! I also need to run to Kohls & Ulta. I ran a ton of errands on Wednesday but I forgot a few things.

The weather has been super cold lately (normally this time of year we are in the high 50's/low 60's pretty consistently) thankfully this weekend will be nicer for some baseball. Hopefully next week will be better for my knee. I actually had to take a pain pill last night so I could sleep (after having not slept for two nights). My mom was pretty clear she was going to put up with my cranky self all weekend so I better figure out a way to get some sleep! I was able to get a little bit of sleep so hopefully after another night of sleep tonight I'll be good to go. Talk about frustrating to have to take a pain pill 10 weeks post-op.

I have been asked to bowl an additional tournament when I go to Reno in May. I figure I'm already out there so I might as well. It is not a guarantee that I will bowl it but I'll be on stand-by and have to make sure I have another outfit to bowl in. It will be the Men's Open (that I've never bowled before) and they are much stricter about what you wear than the Women's.

I'm off to get ready for the day so I can get the boys to school & run my errands. It's CJ's Sunday so he is sleeping in before his dentist appointment this afternoon. I doubt I will be around much this weekend. I am hoping to get back into blogging consistently next week!

New Design!!

I LOVE my new design!! Thanks to Erin from .

I'm still not 100% in the mood to blog. I've just been down in the dumps lately and feeling completely disconnected from everything. I don't know if it's because we are so busy right now or if it's because CJ has been working so much that we hardly see each other. I totally feel like we are just roommates and not married.

Tonight I am going to my first Hurricanes game of the season (super sad our #1 goalie got hurt Sunday night and is out 6-8 weeks). CJ's mom is babysitting the boys so we can get out for a little bit. Last night I went to the bowling center where I worked for 10 years to celebrate the 30th anniversary. They opened March 4, 1983 and the general manager has worked there the entire time. We surprised her with a little party and she was definitely shocked!

Deqlan's select team has their first set of games this weekend (double headers every Sunday). Next weekend will be insane. Deqlan has a bowling tournament in the morning (we have to be there at 8:45 and he starts at 9:30) then as soon as he is done we have to drive 45 minutes back home so he can play ball for a cancer fundraiser that starts at 10am (yep he's missing the morning) and then turn around and play a double header on Sunday. I dread next weekend & next Monday!!

I saw the surgeon yesterday morning. Another 4 weeks of no bowling & then I'll see him again. Hopefully he clears me April 1st because I get on a plane for Reno May 16th and I need to get some practice in before then. He did tell me I don't have to continue PT but do need to get a gym membership (that was his nice way of saying get off your butt)!!

I got to get ready for my last PT appointment and to run some errands after before getting Hayden from school. Have a great day!