Things have been quite nuts around here. The perpetual rains of the past few weeks have caused the girls' baseball and soccer games to be cancelled numerous times. Their seasons are supposed to end at the end of the month, but it isn't looking good for Ella. Her team will outgrow their uniforms before their season ends. Genna's soccer team actually gave up this afternoon and gave out the team photos and trophies in the pouring rain because the last scheduled game was cancelled.
When it isn't raining, we are running around doing yard work and gardening. I probably would have had a much more productive garden had I planted rice. My tomatoes, peppers, watermelon and broccoli are just not thriving.
School will be over for Ella this Thursday. It is shocking to me that just a few months ago, I was crying over sending her off to kindergarten. Now, she will be going into first grade in August. I have changed my work schedule a bit and will have both girls home with me on Tuesdays and Fridays this summer. Ella will go to a day camp and Genna will continue to go to daycare. I'll still work the same number of hours--they just won't be stretched out over as many days.
Corey and I were in New York two weekends ago. Corey had a meeting there, and suggested that I join him the weekend before to celebrate his 40th birthday. He was blissfully unaware that in the weeks prior to our trip, I planned for our good friends, Amy and Michael, to join us in the city for a day. I also planned a surprise birthday dinner! My friend Mark helped me plan where to go. It only makes sense since it is his job to REALLY know the restaurants in New York. We had the dinner at Craftbar . Corey was in shock when he saw Mark at the bar, because he thought that only Amy and Michael were joining us for dinner. Then he saw our friends Lisa and Albert from New Jersey walk in. Then our friend Lori from Bethlehem came in as well. After calling me a "Lying sack of shit" (NICE!) he did later admit that it was his best birthday ever.
This weekend, we are heading to Pittsburgh for a wedding. Our dear friend Erin is getting married! We are so excited to be coming for so many reasons. First and foremost, ERIN! Secondly, we are going to see our Pittsburgh friends, which should be nothing short of awesome. We still miss Pittsburgh and probably always will.
When we return from Pittsburgh, I have to start getting serious about planning for the Hopkins Family Odyssey. What's that you ask? Why I'll be glad to tell you. A couple of months ago, I got it in my head that it would be a great idea to take the girls on a three-week road trip before schools starts on August 10 (not sure that I've told my boss yet, hmmmm). At any rate, we will head north to Indiana to visit my mom, the go to Michigan to see my sister before she gives birth, then I will go into Canada to visit my friend Katy for a few days. After that, we will go to Maine for several days to visit our friends. At that point, Corey plans to fly to Maine and drive with me the rest of the way home. We will make stops in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and then home.
After telling lots of people of my grand plan, it started to sound like a lot of driving. For me. Not quite sure why I didn't really pick up on that initially. At any rate, the only real planning I need to do (aside from getting the time off from work) is to get passports for the girls. That will involve Corey coming with me in person to apply for them since both parents have to do it together. And now because I have dragged my ass to get it done, I am praying I get the passports in time. Corey is trying to convince me to cut the trip short and skip Indiana, Michigan and Canada, but I don't know. I really wanted to do that part of the trip.
Corey found out recently that he (which automatically means "we") are going to Dubai in February. Corey's going there for a conference. I am going for no other reason but to be a tourist. We are staying here, so I am sure that will be a crazy experience! We can't wait. Our plans to go to Europe this spring fizzled, so this will allow us to go somewhere really amazing. I do hope to be able to see some of the not-so-new parts of the city.
All of this daydreaming of travel sure beats my reality. I guess it is time to get back to doing some laundry, picking up the house and going to bed at 9:00 PM the way I usually do!
6 comments:
You're coming to PITTSBURGH? TWO times?
Say hi to Maine for me. I'm not going this summer.
Burj al Arab... ooh la la,
a little flashy and over the top for my tastes, but I have only seen the lobby and other public areas, supposedly it is the world's only 7 star hotel and I am sure the rooms and the service must be something special. I haven't ever stayed there - the thing about actually living in Dubai is that you don't ever stay in any of the ritzy hotels for which it is so famous (unless of course you are having a secret affiar with a rich arab who has to meet you at hotels because he can't take you back to his place since his wife and 7 kids are there...) I've only been to a couple restaurants there and the ballroom a lot because the last company I worked for used it a lot for its events. Burj al Arab used to charge people an entrance fee just to look at the place.
Have you ever done a long distance road trip? My dad used to drag us to Wisconsin every summer (from Delaware) 1000 miles - usually all in one go, but a couple of times we took the long route up the east coast, and stopped and visited relatives in places like Boston and upstate New York, then crossed over into Canada (those days you didn't need a passport) and then drove to Michigan to see more relatives and finally ended up in Wisconsin.
The Burj al Arab looks absolutely over-the-top. I am sure it will be an experience, but I am much more excited to see the rest of Dubai.
While we have never done an extended road trip, we are drivers as opposed to fliers. We have moved half-way across the country um, three times over the past four years. My 6-year-old is an awesome traveller, the 4-year-old, not so much. My plan is to just keep throwing foods that are carb-laden during the entire trip.
I have always wanted to go to Dubai - I'm so jealous.
Yay! Pittsburgh. So looking forward to seeing you & Mr. Hausfrau. I hope we are all at table 22.
ciao,
rpm
Ah, Yes! Table 22! I still have a photo of Table 22 from Angel and JJ's wedding! I'll bring a sign if we aren't!
See you this weekend!
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