Boy I’m behind the 8 ball aren’t I? Geez a girl goes away for a weekend and I’m all bassackwards. I’ll tell you, I’m still reeling since school started. I am amazed at the amount of homework my third grader has and how difficult it is to juggle him and his needs, along with my other two, all while making dinner and trying to get one or both of them out the door to a practice or a meeting for me. It’s all shades of insanity and most nights I collapse into an exhausted sack of myself and find even reading too much work. Pathetic really.
But this post isn’t about my day to day, it is a celebration of my weekend away, a rejuvenation if you will. Now if you are a mom you realize that you generally needed a vacation away anyway, but preparing your significant other or anyone that is watching your children and aren’t completely versed in their schedule, is exhausting, making your time away needed more than ever or in some cases not really worth the work. Fortunately my husband is terribly capable, but this was a psychotic weekend of events for football, swimming, overnights and birthdays. I really left Ryan with a humdinger of a weekend to fly solo. I’m happy to report though that all children where accounted for, fairly clean and the laundry was almost done – just not entirely put away (we’re still working on where things go – even after five years of living in this house – slow learner perhaps?) But I truthfully expected nothing more than the kids getting to and fro and my darling getting lots of time with his little chickens. Laundry and a clean bathroom were icing on the cake. But back to me.
So my dad’s birthday was on Monday, so I wanted a chance to see my Daddy and spend a bit of time with him, I headed north to see him on Thursday – he and I hit the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, MI on Thursday night. My dad LOVES going to the boats and goes to Vegas at least twice a year. He’s not a huge gambler, but there is something about a casino that tickles his fancy. It tickled the hell out of mine and I came out $160 richer than when I walked in (Thank you Wolf Run and Kitty Glitter) (Yes, slot machines have THE most ridiculous names). I am amazed, much like at the grocery store in the middle of the day, that so many people would be at a casino on a Thursday night at 11pm. Really – don’t you people work? I know you all aren’t visiting your dads. It baffles me and Dad and I have a good laugh at it. I didn’t really sleep in, and we had a wonderful breakfast at the Paragon (for all you region rats – you understand what a good breakfast I had) and then proceeded to head to my cousins to see my newest baby cousin. He’s darling and precious and small and I am so glad none of my children are babies. It makes it so much more fun to hold, cuddle and appreciate other people’s children. I held him for about an hour straight, just marveling at how little and light he was and thinking about my boys and how gosh darn big they are and they’re still little when it comes down to it. It makes life seem like it fast forwards at an alarming rate. Anyway…
From there I headed further north to my dear friend Jill, whom I have no picture because it didn’t occur to me to take any with her – (total dork). I try to make this pilgrimage once a year and am so grateful for her hospitality. Friday we visited, and shopped – hell we were shopping machines. Friday night we went to see “Vampires Suck” because there is no one else on this planet that I would want to see that movie with. Jill has some definite opinions of Edward and well lets just say we don’t see eye to eye on them – this movie was a silly riot and the best part was that we were the ONLY people in the entire theater – until a phenomenally classy family joined us -complete with 2 and 4 year old and in the whole theater they sat behind us. It was marvelous. Did I mention that the movie started at 10:30 pm?
Saturday I slept – it felt great – we visited, we went on a walk (that I do have pictures of) and then off to pedicures. Okay so I am sorry if you’ve heard this story – but I have to repeat it. Please insert your best politically incorrect Korean accent here when reading my dialog, k? It will make the story feel all the more real and authentic.
[setting: Jill and I decided to get mani's and pedi's - we headed to her local nail salon staffed by all Korean woman (shocker) who don't speak a lick of English, except that of one girl, which is broken at best.]
Girl: What you want?
Us: Manicure and Pedicure
Girl: You pick out color! ( I will end all sentences coming from this girl with an exclamation point because she yelled at us, or at least it seemed that way.)
Jill proceeded to go to the color wall – I apparently missed what she said because she said it again.
Girl: Pick out color!
Me: Oh I’m sorry, sure. (Why the hell am I apologizing?)
We pick out our colors and then they shuffle Jill to a chair with the Girl and I get in one, one down from Jill. I get in, the girl that has me speaks ZERO English. I get in, and then after she starts to work on one foot she abruptly gets up and goes to the nail station.
Girl 2: you shoes? she nails? ( I have no freaking CLUE what the hell she was saying)
So I proceeded to get out of the water thinking she wants to do my finger nails instead of my feet, then..
Girl: No! You back in water! You foot in water! No shoes! You stay!
Me: uh, okay, uh, she said shoes, I thought…
Girl: NO! You shoes off!
Then another woman comes over to start my feet. I was so confused, but decided to absorb myself in the latest smut US weekly had to offer.
Despite the “firm” tone the Girl had with me – they did a nice job on my toes, complete with flowers so how can I hold a grudge?
The woman next to me had the NASTIEST feet and if I could speak Korean I am sure they were talking about her snaggle-toes. That and her voice that was clearly formed by the 87 years of smoking she’s done, that or she’s a transvestite. I’m not entirely sure. Jill and I had a good laugh about that one…
We got our nails done, our feet felt great and we left feeling pampered and violated all at once. Would I go back, yes, yes I think I would…
I stopped at Legoland after to build some minifigures for my chickens – minifigures are golden in this house – so I was mom of the year upon my return.
We also stopped at Lord and Taylor because I am rich beyond measure and felt like blowing a wad.
No really we walked through LnT and they had dresses on serious sale. Jill actively looked, while I scanned. We bantered with a couple of Greek girls – one of which did her best impression of a sausage while trying on a dress. She asked us what we thought – we all voted No- it was a no-brainer. I on the other hand hit paydirt and found a fun dress for 25$ to wear to my charity ball this December. I am so GEEKED. It’s so pretty and fun and cheap – the trifecta of a dress in my world because lets be honest – PTO meetings aren’t as formal as they should be, so I can’t justify spending a bucket of loot on a dress that I will wear a couple of times.
We ate a marvelous dinner, watched Dear John, which in all honesty could have just been Channing Tatum running around shirtless for two hours and I would have been just as pleased at the end. And what do two girls at midnight do? We watch Pride and Prejudice of course – not the Colin Firth (which is yummy in and of itself) but the Keira Knightly version, which kept us up until nearly three am, but we loved every minute and for me it was a bonding experience with Jill because you truly have to love a person to share dry British humor at that time of day. There is just something about Mr. Darcy…
Sunday it was back to reality. Driving through NW Indiana for a quick lunch with dad at Portillo’s – which if anyone that lives in Central Indiana would like to go in on a franchise with me – I am totally game – you haven’t lived until you’ve had a REAL Italian Beef sandwich. Here you can get a tenderloin like it’s your job – but Italian Beef – it just doesn’t exist. I mean we’re only two hours away from Chicago – is it so foreign a concept? After my fix I drove home, hopped out of the car and into the truck to go to Jon’s swim banquet. It was a marvelous weekend, restful and exhausting and now I’m home – back to my semi-routine, scratching my head that it’s already been a week since I left.
Up next – Annakauh begins!!!!!
Thanks!
by Annie
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