Is it just me...

or does remodeling a building really wear a sista out??

Only a matter of hours remain until Opening Day!
We are almost, sorta, kinda ready for this...

Husband and Wife Convo

Me: What was the deal? Why did it take so long for you to fall asleep last night?

Coach: I have so many little things to think about for the new place. I just couldn't shut my brain off.

Me: Sad. I know how you like to shut your brain off.

Coach: I do. It's my Favorite.

How can Someone so Tiny and Cute... Be so Old and Big??

We were delighted to be informed a few weeks ago, of an opening at the everyday preschool. We decided to start Tink, the first day after Spring Break. (and then we spontaneously dashed down to Georgia.. because we like to keep life utterly exhausting.)
Monday, Tink JUMPED out of bed. Thrilled to choose one of her many new school outfits. We passed the morning hour exchanging excited pleasantries. For example, Tink announcing she was a Big Kid now and her mother begging her to get tiny and squeeze back into my belly, forever. She declined.
We snapped the customary First Day pics..
(please ignore the forest growing behind Tink, the Gardener has been otherwise occupied.)


One backpack larger than actual student? Check.

Tink RACED her tiny legs into the (seriously too big for her) grade school. Dressed in rain boots... of course. There were a few clouds... somewhere.


Class was eager to start, I quickly snapped this picture (how cute are the new bangs??!) She had a moment where she looked a little nervous... my heart squeezed tight. She sat at her new seat.
I turned.


And just like that, Coach walked out of the building. Beside one crying mother... as he carried one crying Coco, reaching out for her sista.
Coco and her mommy, do not like Tinkerbells to grow.
Then yesterday, I registered Tink for Kindergarten.
May as well be Jr High.
If I were a girl to type dorky colon sad faces...
please insert that here:

Galway Girl

Do I really HAVE to take you to Georgia AND write you a birthday post? It'll be short and sweet (like you..) because I am tired tired tired!
Becoming an Aunt, has been an endless joy. It is my honor, each time I am gifted quality time with my nieces and nephews. This week, we created memories, I will cherish for a lifetime.
You belong in Georgia.
The perfect Southern Belle.
Tiny and sprite.
Full of sass and a vibrant, independent energy.
You are lovely. A beautiful, Spring bloom.
Pretty in pink.
Prime and proper, pranced upon a trolley bench.



And still, like a perfect Southern girl,
you a brave, unique, charming and unabashed.
You are convincing, cute and in possession of the craziest little giggle.



It was a pleasure, to watch your tiny frame and confident smile, tan golden this week. You were born to bronze on a beach.
Happy Birthday, Galway Girl!

Keepin Vacation Busy...

And this...
is how we are all starting to feel.

I Hope You Still Feel Small when you Stand Beside the Ocean...

Monday morning, Grammy and I decide to take my kids to Savannah, Georgia. Within the hour, Grammy suggested we take Quincy. I hesitated. I didn't want to upset Galway Girl and I thought it was too much to ask of his parents. But Grammy convinced me to try... because it's nice for The Kid to have a brotha.
His parents said yes.
By lunch time on Monday, I had two boys jumping up and down with excitement and the rumour of one girl crying to her mom.
By 4:00pm, Pop-pop called my mother (yes... Pop-Pop CALLED, actually used the phone) and told Grammy it just wasn't fair not to take Galway Girl. We just HAD to take her with us. It was too sad for him, she would not see an ocean. So I made another phone call....
And just like that, my van would hold 2 adults and FIVE children... on a 15 hour road trip to Georgia.
Truthfully, there were moments since Monday evening, where this felt like a completely ridiculous idea.
All until this... Watching them run towards the ocean, all but one child, for their very first time?? A totally irreplaceable moment.



+















Bondie Beach and Mona:
You betcha your aunt is feeling VERY guilty.
I've maybe already bought you a souvenir.
If only the van was bigger...

So, it Turns out... Remodeling a building is not so easy...

Coach and his awesome (not very well-paid) construction crew have really started logging some serious hard-core hours up at the new place. At this current stage of the process, I'm not a big help actually within the Work Zone.
Shockingly my health does not respond too kindly to scraping off dirty several decades worth of flaking paint or tearing down old walls.
Therefore, someone has to take care of our three children and provide them with some type of normal life, while Coach is clocking MANY long hours at the new studio. Our children, love them some Daddy and the good-nights are getting a little long and lonely.
Am I feeling guilty about all of the hard work Coach and his family are putting into MY studio...???
Duh, YES!! to say the very least.
Dang... I am even forcing kids to work!



I've have been doing my best, to be a good ol' fashioned farm wife: washing Coach's very dirty clothes, baking cookies to drop off, checking to make sure he has eaten, picking up his chores around the house. Friday, we ordered our Lent Casey's Cheese Pizza and had a quick 15 minute picnic dinner on the new studio steps. (which was the only time, the kids saw Daddy that day).

(PS- The pictures are not out of focus, that is all the old plaster dust Doc is power blasting around.)

So I exclaimed to my mother "Ugh... this is getting hard on the kids. They really miss Coach and I am burning out as a single parent. If we had any extra money, I would take them on Spring Break, just to give them something happy to do and free up Coach."
And then... Grammy started thinking about it.
Cuz I guess, she DOES have extra money.



She called this morning: Game on.
We are packing up the kids, throwing them into the van and driving down to Savannah, Georgia. Now, I'm sure you may be thinking: 'Seriously, Coach married himself a selfish B, for realz!! He's working his tail off and she's going on vacation!!'
The answer would again be: Yes, I am feeling guilty about this, as well. But trust me... 6 days with 5 children, on the road, changing out of swim suits, checking into hotels, making sure Coco doesn't eat the sand or shells or marine life... I'm sorta working too. It's just in a much prettier location.



And I could probably mention, while Coach IS really tired. And Coach IS kinda stressed. And Coach DOES have a few sore muscles... he is also having a pretty alright time with his Construction Crew. They apparently seem to think they are EVEN MORE funny within a Work Zone. (If that was possible.)
When you are throwing around phrases like: Does this measure bigger than that? or Where is a stud?
Add in major power tools.
Plus chatting about what is sweating the most, recent episodes of the Walking Dead and new Doritos Tacos... it's not such a bad time up there.

Still-
I appreciate the Crew, more than I can describe.
There are NO words.

Now... I need to pack 4 people in 19 hours...

Officially 600 Posts later and Everything is still a Tru Story.

You'll remember the infamous Warhol birthday post, when I quickly replaced his post with a cute number on my children. Thankfully, I learned a lesson from the near constant sarcastic reminders because NEVER have I wanted to yank birthday glory more quickly... than from Grandpa, last night.

At approximately 9:00ishpm last night, I had settled my girls snuggled under blankets, sleepy.. in jammies... in front of a movie. Quietly, I sneaked to the other room to put the finishing touches on Grandpa's post.
Not much later, Tink sauntered into the room. Proudly smiling: Well mom, what do ya think??
Me: About what?
Tink: We jus gabe new haircuts.
Me (horror): WHAT?? Who gave haircuts??!!

Nearly dropping the laptop, I raced to find this:

And then this:

And after Coco turned, I found this:

My first reaction: Coco looks like Hill People.
Tink, had actually cut some pretty cute long bangs and curly layers. She still needs a trim to reorganize the frame of her face... but Coco?? We emergency called a stylist at 9:30pm.
Except here is the kicker...
The girls totally love what they done.
As I yelled, questioned, threatened, placed them in double time-outs... they both just sorta shoulder shrugged, extremely proud of their work.
Coco was actually finger to cheek confused by my yelling... almost eye rolling to Tink. Tink woke up today, all psyched for her new bangs.

Very first thing this morning, Jodi made a special trip, to a mother lookin for a miracle... though I was pretty realistic. Jodi may cut a cute head but she can't grow hair, in a glaring bald spot.

Honestly, I'm not too upset.
I don't mind short cuts on little girls.
I wanted it shorter for summer.
Maybe... not bald spot short... maybe not a couple weeks before Easter or Birthday pictures... but she is seriously rockin this look. The more sweaty she got this afternoon, the cuter it curled in back.
She thinks she is adorable.
Watch out Halle Berry.
This girl is stealing your pixie groove...



But her Dad sorta mentioned, he'd like her dressed in girlie colors for the next couple months. Don't think that will be a problem...