Today is my 12 year anniversary and i am two states away from my husband dropping our oldest at camp.  I guess they say that  absence makes the heart grow fonder…

There are certain things I keep trying because I think they are good for me and eventually I will like them. Such as drinking 8 glasses of water a day, eating yogurt and exercise.

I really, really would love to be a runner. I keep trying to like it because I know it is a great workout and gives you the most bang for your buck if you have a short amount of time.  But when I am running I feel like I am dying and I really don’t enjoy it.  I’ve heard that anyone can train to run a marathon and my Aunt Cindy didn’t start to run until she was a grandmother.  Now she likes it! and runs half-marathons and writes about her adventures on her blog     cindykicksbutt.

I also keep trying to learn how to golf and we know how that is going.  I keep practicing yoga because if I could learn how to quiet my mind and meditate, that would be good.  

But mostly I think it’s good for my kids to see me try new things and not give up when they aren’t going so well.  If the golf doesn’t turn out I guess there’s always tennis…

One of my favorite shows as a kid was The Love Boat, and lately I’m starting to feel like Julie, the cruise director. My mantra at the end of the school year was, “finish strong,” and now I can’t remember why I was in such a rush for summer vacation to begin.  My house is a disaster and I have had no time to myself, not even to blog. We’ve had rain and cool weather and my activity grab bag is running low!

 The first week of vacation we had little league playoffs (the sport that keeps on giving,) tennis and guitar lessons, Up in 3d, ice skating, the batting cages and countless lunch and snacks out. The ice rink in June is practically deserted, but holding babe-o’s up by the armpits and trying to skate with her between my legs didn’t work out so well.

This week we added piano lessons to the mix.  Next week I’ll send my nine-year-old off to camp while the girls will have vacation bible school.  I’m wondering what ever happened to the old stand-by of “go out and play!”

Unfortunately, the golf lesson was not rained out.  I tried my best but my ball just rolled along the ground no matter what club I used.  One time I swung and took out a huge divot, but the ball remained on the tee.  It was time to go home when another student was giving me pointers.  However, I did have an “aha” moment when I read a comment from Katyshops.  She told me it might help if I had a new golf outfit…that she enjoys her runs more if she has something fun to wear.  I passed that tidbit on to my husband but he didn’t buy in.

Isn’t it true that most women identify key moments by what they were wearing?  Most can tell you exactly what they were wearing when they met their husbands.  For me, white jeans and tee.  So I’ll report back next week when I blast the ball off the tee and everyone in the group lesson turns in amazement.

I am secretly hoping my golf lesson gets rained out tonight. This is week four and I keep thinking the golf course police are going to sneak up behind me and tell me to drop everything and step away from the ball- I am that bad!

I want to learn how to play golf. I think I would like golf.  I like to be outside. I like walking.. but there is a disconnect somewhere.  I don’t want to be a golf widow all summer, I want to be able to go out with my husband and play a nice little game of golf. But what I really look forward to are the drinks and dinner on a patio at the end.

Has anyone ever been secretly happy when your kids’ sporting events were rained out? I know that sounds terrible, but we have been double booked lately with soccer, little league and end of the year recitals. So I’ll admit I was a little relieved when we got a break.

That left us more time to enjoy Babe-o’s first ever ballet and tap dancing recital.  Actually, it was her first of anything..being the youngest she has never been enrolled in any classes.  It was priceless to see her in her tutu, smiling, with her arms folded over her chest, tap dancing to “A Spoon Full of Sugar.”  I will never forget it.

And should we get too lazy, the next day we still had little league and a piano recital.

On our way into the health club yesterday my girls noticed that the outdoor pool was filled and ready to go. Nothing like the thought of putting on a swimsuit to put the fear of God into you. I can’t believe that a: pool season arrives next week and b: it will be anywhere near warm enough to swim.

And to top it off, my dear friend Laurie, who lives in Florida, tells me that tan cellulite looks better than white cellulite. Since my nickname on the highschool swim team was “casper,” it’s not going to be pretty. I think I’ll have to give my cousin Katy of www.katy-shops.com a jingle and see which self tanning product she likes because I tried one on my legs and they are not a color found in nature.

I love the spring partly because I have my birthday and then a week later comes one of my favorites: Mother’s Day.

I am thinking the kids are going to get me a trip to a spa for some grooming from the comments they’ve been making lately. They are not afraid to point out all of my beauty issues. I swear that my hairdresser is giving my son kickbacks for telling me that my hair is black.  He loves to point out my roots when I am driving.  I guess from his vantage point in the car, when I am wearing a ponytail, he’s correct.   Today babe-0’s said I have “whiskers” on my legs and needed to shave like daddy.  And then Ham, asked me if the boo-boo on my forehead (that would be a zit) hurt. At least they’re honest but it cracks me up that they don’t even think to filter what they say!

Like the notepad on my fridge from my dear friend Laurie says: “It is impossible for me and my house to look good at the same time.”

Last night when I asked Babe-o’s to help pick up the toys she said she would help me “on tuesday,” as if she even knows when that is!   And it happens with my older kids too…sure they’re happy to help after they complete a long list of important things they have to do.  My sister-in-law jokes that they might as well reply, “sure mom, I’ll help you right about never!”

I am always looking for a way to encourage them to pitch in, although I have to say sometimes it is just easier to do it yourself. So I just came up with the idea of a “job jar,”  where everyone has to pick a piece of paper that has a chore written on it.  It went well the first and only time so I think I’ll stick with it for awhile ’cause mommy’s getting tired!

I recently made a trip to the dentist and while I was getting my teeth cleaned I had babe-o’s in my lap and Ham next to me on a stool. I had booked the first appointment of the day in hopes that my husband could go to work a little bit late. No such luck; he was on an early train. It all ended up okay.

Sure, I would rather sit their happily reading People magazine, but I don’t mind dragging them along to various appointments if it helps them learn that there’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ve taken them to my eye doctor and endocrinologist.  They’ve seen me get my blood drawn and have even been to beauty appointments and watched me get my eyebrows waxed.  But I do draw the line at the yearly visit to the gynaecologist!