Pedal to the Metal

So here it is. I need to get out of this house, off of this base and out of this town before I lose what little sanity I have left. I can't stand my neighborhood, the worthless parents that allow their children (mostly under 6) to run the streets, the constant dogs barking and feeling like we are all packed into our houses like sardines. Claustrophobic people couldn't live on my block. Our houses are tighter than Richard Simons' spandex. We are all lined up like dominos and the only thing that sets most neighbors apart is who yells the loudest when swearing at their children. I am definitely ready for some change of scenery and seeing as Chris is in and out of the range for the next two months and then in advanced mortar school in July...looks like the kids and I might be taking a road trip by ourselves.

The problem is this...I honestly don't know if I can force myself to take the painfully boring trip to Ohio again when I have seen it and driven it so many times alone already. Unless I take a WAY different route from NC to OH, I might be forced to lock myself in my house to ignore the ignorance around me until fall.

Soooo...I started typing some ideas into mapquest. Miami, FL is only 12 hours away, Myrtle Beach is only two and a half, Texas is 20, Washington is 44 (yikes!) and we know Toledo is 12. I don't mind traveling with my kiddos and I am VERY thankful that Christian doesn't yet know the words to "100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" but it doesn't feel right going too far and leaving my husband behind. This is his first summer that he is not deployed in three years so should we stay here and wait for him to have time to spend with us between all of his trainings?? I miss my family, my friends, having fun with Christian when we do crazy things in the car and I miss, miss, miss taking road trips and seeing places previously unseen.

I want my kids (mostly Christian because Grace is still young) to have the memories that I had of taking yearly summer vacations, packed in the car with my family. Sometimes the trip was more fun than the destination.


Either way, I want to enjoy these years while I have them. I can pack our bags, put my kids in the car, tell them where we are going and they can't tell me no. How many more years of that do I really have left??

This socks!

So I know not many people care to hear me complain about my housework but there is one part of doing laundry that I absolutely despise beyond belief. SOCKS! I don't mind washing all of the socks in the house (even though Chris' socks can be quite the challenge after being in boots all day) or putting them away. Oh no, it is the step in between those two that I will avoid like the plague! Matching and folding socks is the worst!
I have tried leaving the basket full of socks in the laundry room so people will just take them when needed. Do you you think that works?? Oh, of course not! When my boys come home and take off their shoes I see mismatched socks on their feet or even worse...MY socks on THEIR feet!! Oh the horror!!
Let me share something with you...there are few things in this world that I appreciate more than putting on a pair of cozy socks that are clean and fit my feet comfortably. To me, it is like putting on a brand new pair of tennis shoes. Something about the perfect fit makes me feel sooooo good! This might sound silly, but in a house where very few things are actually MINE and all MINE, I absolutely love my socks! (Ok, Mindy...deep breath...it will be ok...)
So where was I? Oh, ok...My boys like to wear my socks. I can't stand it. Chris' huge feet have destroyed some of my favorite pairs of sock perfection. Christan's feet seem to be a magnet for dirt that doesn't like to come out of Mommy's socks, no matter what I use. (Please, save your suggestions...I lovingly promise I have tried it all.)
So...I sit here and try to give myself a pep talk to get me motivated to fold these socks that are staring at me through the slits in the basket. They know I don't like folding them. I believe that is why some of them hide in the dryer and I can't make perfect matches of pairs!


The one thing I have learned to do and need to convert to completely is oh so wonderful Hanes women's socks with the pink toe and heel. These are my only salvation because my boys would rather walk through fire than be caught dead in white and pink socks. I love my pink toed Hanes. Now I have to try to enjoy wearing them and stop counting down the days until Grace comes home, takes off her shoes and puts her feet on the coffee table...wearing my pink toed possessions. This socks!!

Boredom...

Have you ever noticed that you will do some pretty lame things when you are bored? Don't get me wrong...I LOVE being bored with nothing to do at times. Sometimes, I could be doing housework or exercising but who am I fooling?! Sometimes I like to do NOTHING!

Then, I find myself doing some pretty mind numbing things to pass the time and keep me from my responsibilities juuuust a little bit longer. Here is a list of these activities that I have done, will do or heck (!) could be doing right now. Tell me if you are guilty of any of these...

Watching television shows you have seen before

Watching those "You're NOT the father" talk shows

Taking a nap when I'm not very tired

Laying in the sun. Burn baby, burn!

Flipping through Facebook, leaving comments, playing games, leaving more comments, etc...

Organizing things that don't need it. (i.e. the junk drawer or your socks)

Wandering around the house just TRYING to find something to do so you don't have to clean

Reading magazines you have read before. Who knows...maybe you missed something

Three letters...TMZ!

Getting dolled up and taking pictures of myself

The 9 year old...

The 9 year old wakes up and says, "Why isn't the t.v. on?"

He pauses for a moment and then rattles off, "Can I turn the t.v. on? The t.v. is usually on. I didn't know you were down here because the t.v. wasn't on."

Is he concerned? If the television is off does that indicate something is tragically wrong in our house?Is the world coming to an abrupt end??

Seems I should be the one concerned. We were going to shut the cable off two days ago but our provider decided it would be better to offer us a great deal to keep us from leaving. (One that, I might add, DOUBLED our internet speed (insert oohs and ahhs here) AND gave us Showtime for less than what we were previously paying.) At that time, I chose to forgo the Mother of The Year Award and cave in to my (barely English speaking) cable company representative's ploy.

After this morning's questions from the 9 year old I have decided to rethink my decision. Maybe our house would be better without cable. At the very least, maybe my 9 year old would find something better to talk to his mom about...

Also, wouldn't we be more active and productive (gasp!) with no cable shows calling us to the couch?!

We are new to Blogger!

Our little family in Jacksonville, NC is going to try this Blogger we have been hearing about. We have family and friends that we can't be near so we are hoping that this will allow them to follow our activities, accomplishments and schedules. We don't always have time to pick up the phone and call home to "check-in" but that doesn't mean we don't think about you and miss you all. :) Leave us comments to let us know you stopped by. (And cross your fingers that we can figure this all out)