Con permisso en Miami

I really wasn't sure what to put as a title as swearing in Spanish probably wasn't a good idea. Started the day off early by dropping Carlos off at work then me and the kidlets started getting ready to head to Miami Children's Museum. The day was looking GREAT! Followed the directions of the GPS properly to the museum and saw...2 school buses pulling up! Ok no reason to panic...it's a big museum right? Tried to figure out the parking (you pay for how much time you think you will be there and add on later...if you go remember to check your parking space number!) and paid (Yeah military discount!). So we tried to do some of the activities but were overrun by the 2 camps...the leaders were sitting around TEXTING. And of course all the kids spoke only Spanish and forgot their "con permisso".

So I pulled up my Rican Spanish and tried to speak without swear words (very hard since my patience was being tried). My biggest pet peeve I think is being rude...I mean does it really take that much to say "excuse me!"? I digress. The museum was good just wish they would have a kids camp day so us lowly stay at home moms can enjoy the museum without getting things taken away by the day care kids...or I guess they were "camp" kids. Just choose one day a week and have the camps come. It's hard to see your kids being polite and trying to take turns etc and then look confused once kids start grabbing and shoving. Anyway, enough of that! I will post pics of everything once I get back to MD.

So after the museum (2 hours seemed pretty good) we left and tried to get back to the hotel. I say tried as we drove around the airport and adjoining area for a good 30 minutes while the GPS kept vaguely saying "stay on this road" (there were 3 split offs of the road) and "keep right". Kids were actually talking about kicking the GPS out of the car at one point. Got to Wendys' and then hit Walmart for last minute school supplies (anyone know where I can get a PLASTIC folder with no binders or holes??).

Oh the museum was pretty cool. They have a new dinosaur exhibit that Liberty for some reason forgot that they were extinct and was afraid for a couple minutes. The crane one was cool too. I think the one in Baltimore is bigger and better but has older stuff. Tomorrow I think we are going to try and hit Key Biscayne.....

Vacation with the Family

So I've been on a hiatus. Headed down to Tampa with the family after my husband got back from a TDY as a civilian (CHA-CHING!). I was honestly kinda nervous. The last "vacation" we had was to visit family in PR and that was a disaster. DH and I were on the brink of something awful, Buddy was stressed I think because we were stressed and kept throwing horrible fits and had some bowel problems and honestly is visiting family REALLY a vacation?? So just about a year later we tried it again. No family visiting, just us as a whole family. We decided to drive as then we'd have a car and we were also going to head to Miami for Carlos to do some of his IDTs for his reserve stuff. It went great! The drive was relaxing and we were able to stop to pee and stretch our legs whenever we wanted! No arguments or tense conversations...just us enjoying each others company. Yes Buddy did play Super Mario DS for 10 hours (hey it kept him quiet!) and Liberty drew and colored and watched movies. Carlos and I had some great conversations and even better silences. Even getting stuck on I-95 in NC didn't phase us. I was starting to feel better.

So we got to Tampa and were sooo antsy to get to the condo....on the beach! Madeira Beach is where we stayed and it was HEAVEN! Since Carlos and I have been together we've ALWAYS lived within 5 minutes of the beach. Living where we do now I have been going through withdrawals...even the trip or two to Rehoboth doesn't satisfy this longing, this emptiness I feel when I don't have the smell of sea on my skin and seeing the blue green waters. Yes I know I sound like an addict and I am! I am addicted to the white sands, waves crashing beach! When we pulled into our parking spot under our building I almost cried. It was beautiful! I got out of the car and the smell hit me. I kept deep breathing just to get it in my system. The view from our condo was just as fabulous....5th floor sitting on the balcony with a book in hand just listening to the beach. Dolphins playing in the morning or evening. Pelicans and herons to watch. I didn't want to leave. And surprising enough...neither did anyone else. It's a big step for our son. Last year all Buddy could talk about was going back home and when we were doing that. This year he cried when we had to leave and asked if we could come back. That's a big step for us to overcome in a year.

Now we are in Miami and Carlos is in work mode. Kids and I are hoping to hit a beach here and maybe the Seaquarium...but I think that Madeira Beach will be the one we remember the most..the one that really started a new chapter in our lives.

A sigh of relief

We got the car back! And we didn't have to pay out the butt for it! I want to go over to Firestone and stick it in their faces but I am a lady and will just write a scathing comment to their customer service. Oh I did write one to Yankee Candle and they sent me something very nice back. I hope the lady that helped us out gets a nice bonus or something! I wish I could go there and get some candles but I can't. The smell of scented candles burning gives me a headache! No matter what the scent it really bothers me. Like an awful horrible (NOT a migraine thank goodness...I get enough of those!) headache and my nose gets stuffy. I can do scented oils though...very LIGHTLY scented oils. Speaking of that it reminds me of when DH and I were young and childless we used to spend our money on odd things...like incense! I remember we had this fancy incense holder and used to go out and buy the best kinds and light it up...we would get excited about new smells they had. And new holders. Now I have NO idea where they went (probably someone snatched them in a move). Or why we got so excited about something like that. Now we just get excited about new Star Wars Toys we can get "for the kids to play with" yeah right! ;)

Why are automechanics ripoffs?

Ugh so in continuation with yesterdays saga....I get a phone call right after my husband landed and was told the repairs would be $2177...he said the part was only $200 and the labor was the most expensive part. He told me he called around and got the same quote. So for some reason that didn't sit well with me and I called the dealership...they quoted me a price $1162! almost $1000 difference? I mean come on. So I called them back and they were in shock. Long story short, DH ended up waiting 3 hours for another tow truck to come and take the car to the dealer (aren't using THAT tow place anymore). Another nice person alert! THey gave us free rental and said it could be done by tomorrow. So husband is home and we are all sort of happy. Just hoping for good news tomorrow and then getting ready for vacation....so can anyone tell me why they tried to rip us off???

I found some nice people!

Ok today really showed me there ARE some great people still out there in this world! I found some nice people! So me and the kidlets were out hitting Costco getting ready for the Big Man to come home tomorrow when I got gas then noticed a pool of pink fluid under the car. Earlier the A/C light was flashing so I thought "Shit the A/C has gone out!" we I frantically tried to call my husband (who's taking an oil vacation in NOLA) and when that failed decided to drive...well that lasted all of 2 minutes as soon as I turned the car on and drove not even .5 mile I noticed the temperature gauge was almost to the red 'H' and quickly turned into a plaza parking lot and shut off the engine. Now I was REALLY freaking out. So after my husband called and got me calmed down (kidlets are in the back chillin' and buggin' each other) I called our fabulous insurance company who hooked us up with a tow truck and racked my brain who to call to come get us.

I decided to call a neighbor across the street who I knew was home and guess what....he came to help us! He is FABULOUS! My husband is gone and he cut our grass so he won't have to worry about it when he gets home...then he comes and helps us out. 'He is good people' as a friend of mine would say. So while we are waiting for our ride and tow truck the kids are getting hot (as am I) and I decide to go hit some stores for cooler air. The place where I found another FANTASTIC human being is The Yankee Candle Store. I will disclaim I don't buy the things nor do I work for them so this is all unbiased. And no they didn't pay me anything to plug their store. This lady was soooo nice. Not the gaggy sweet way but just a good person. She talked to the kids smelled candles with them and when she realized that we were stranded she offered to watch the kids (which I had to decline) while I dealt with the tow truck. Then after the guy left with our car (and we were waiting on our neighbor) we huddled in front of the store during a storm and she came out and offered for us to come inside (I declined since we had a car seat with us) and then she offered the use of her restroom AND gave the kids candy (and she even said as long as I said it was ok).

So there you have it I found 2 decent human beings in one day....wonder what I will find tomorrow...YIKES!

I miss nice people

Ok, so being a former active duty military wife we moved around. Since meeting my husband I have lived in 7 places including where we are right now. This is our "first" home that's not an apartment or government housing and it's great! I love where we are located (close to our nations capital) and the history around here is amazing...and I am totally not a history buff! BUT...yes there's a big but here...I think the people here are the rudest most unhelpful people I have ever met! Some may call this "the South" but believe me it is NOT! I have lived in the South and the people here are definitely not exuding any southerness at all. I love our townhouse but can generally say I am not a fan of most people from this state. No one says excuse me or offers to help. Where we live there is no real sense of neighborliness...just people putting their heads down and can't even say hello. I know alot of the Southern and Japanese "politeness" is a face but I'd take that over the rudeness of this area. I miss nice people!

A Lapse

Well I haven't written in a while because I was doubting myself and what I was doing. Ok and I was a bit depressed. My husband is in NOLA doing a great job with the oil spill stuff (so proud) and I love my kids but not having backup really sucks. Not to diminish law enforcement officials I can totally see how when the chips are down knowing you have a partner close by and taking care of your six makes you feel better. My kids have been swimming machines and that means super tired at night which is good but the grumpiness starts around 5 and I try to keep them up until 8 so they aren't waking up with the roosters. So of course they bug each other like good siblings do and sometimes I am super tired too so my patience is very thin. So they are upset at each other and I am tired so I just want to cry or scream...so instead of having my backup here to step in...I use the TV. Yes I am one of those moms. Actually I use the TV and the DS (not the DSXL which I am hoping to get soon for me!). I just need some me time...to drink my tea (yes hot in the middle of summer) and not hear any bickering. Some may criticize me but most of those people have their partners with them ALL the time and I learned several years ago when my husband was deployed that sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.