Friday, August 2, 2013

Uneccessary Inspiration

Okay moms, we've all been there.  The phone rings and it's someone you adore who says that they are on their way to your house for an impromptu visit.  You immediately go into "oh crap" mode once you hang up the phone, after of course reassuring said friend that you are thrilled that they are coming over.  You look around and wonder just where in the world you are going to put all of the unsightly clutter that you don't want your friend to see.  Far be it that she sees how you actually live, right?  Well, I am in that mode currently.  Not a great time for inspiration to strike!  But here I sit anyway, instead of racing around like the proverbial chicken with it's head cut off.

In my case, no one is coming to see us.  I am trying to get ready to leave home for eight days.  This daunting task is made even more complicated by the fact that the day after we return, the school year starts up again and my laid back summer schedule comes to a screeching halt.  So, on top of making sure we have enough clean laundry to pack, bills paid, garbage taken out, someone to watch the pets/house/plants, I am also having to do this under the radar so as not to tip off my very nosy children.

No.  They have NO IDEA we are taking a trip.  We have been planning and saving for this trip for over a year and we are set to leave the house by 10am TOMORROW MORNING.  I can't believe that we have made it this far with no one spilling the beans!  (SO HUSH!)

We are surprising them with a trip to Orlando, FL (Disney World!!) and Tampa, FL (Beaches!  Oh, and their Unlce, Aunt, and little Cousin too. LOL)

Am I ready for this trip?  Ummmm.  Hmmmm.  Depends on what you consider ready.

Are we packed?  Nope.  The hubby plans to take the kids swimming when he gets home from work so that I can do just that.  Do we have an itinerary?  Not really.  We have a small plan about which parks we are doing and when, but other than that we are just going to relax and enjoy.  Did we save up enough money?  Pretty much.  We are going to be able to have a great time, but we will have to watch our spending a little.  That seams reasonable to me though.  Did I lose those 20 extra pounds that was my goal when starting the planning for this trip?  Nope.  Sigh.  But. . .this trip is not about me. 

It's about seeing the kids' reactions tomorrow morning when we announce the trip to them.  (I can't wait to see their faces!)  It's about holding their hands during take off and landing and playing card games with them during the flight.  It's about how their faces are going to light up because of all of the magic that they are going to experience this next week.  But mostly it's about being together, as a family, for one last week of summer before the school year gets going full time and we have less and less time for each other.

So, if you see me on the first Monday of the school year, and I don't seem quite as chipper, put together, or alert as I normally am, please be kind.  I'm just coming down from a Florida high and my brain is still in vacation mode.  Poor me another cup of coffee, nudge me awake during the in-services that are usually so tantalizing, and don't be offended if I ask you to bring me another mojito.  I'm just confusing you with that cute cabana boy I met on the beach. ;)

Happy Trails!