st. augustine

Year In Review: Turning 40, Losing Teeth (The 7-Year-Old, Not Me), And More

January 5, 2010 By Blonde Mom 14 Comments

Happy 2010 everyone!

I thought I’d write a 2009 wrap-up post that is, uh, rather lengthy. Initially I wasn’t going to do this, but as I went through last year’s posts I was reminded of some really awesome things that occurred. I also had some fun blog opportunities for which I am very thankful.

I kicked the year off by poking fun at Dick Cheney and was wowed by Celine Dion along with several other Nashville mommy bloggers, thanks to the fabulous Alli Worthington of Blissdom Conference fame.

In February the hubby gave me an iPhone and it’s been love at first app. I asked my readers to tell me about their favorite iPhone apps in a post entitled My iPhone Brings All The Geeks To The Yard. I slept with White Trash Mom at Blissdom and drove my friend Amy Allen Clark to BFE for biscuits at The Loveless. I was interviewed by The Tennessean for an article about blogging and then everyone in the world (OK just my boss and a few co-workers) found out about my blog. The article is no longer on The Tennessean’s website, but Murfreesboro blogger Bona Fide Mama posted it. Why didn’t I think of that?

March brought a much anticipated spring break trip. I lamented about buying a bathing suit when you’re 39 and suffer from stomach flabalance. We went to beautiful Sandestin resort in Destin, Florida, for the first time and loved it! I uploaded a ton of pictures to my Flickr account if you’d like to check out our Sandestin pictures. This was the first travel review opportunity through my blog and I’m hoping we get to review more family travel destinations (oh Disney…hint hint, we are Magic Kingdom virgins!) I wrote about Miss A’s thumb sucking habit and lo and behold later she quit cold turkey so I’m glad I documented it.

FrenchBully

Miss A discovered her inner fashionista and practically slept in her new black boots. The girls got a French Bulldog puppy named Gigi vicariously through my dad. I took some of my all time favorite pictures of the girls by the Harpeth River for On A Bike, Down By The River. I also wrote one of my favorite posts of 2009 called I Wanna Be 6, Or At Least Have The Stress Level Of A 6-Year-Old. April also was the month Miss C finally lost a tooth! I became a Blogger Fit Ambassador for Lee Jeans and I wear their Slender Secret jeans darn near DAILY (see also aforementioned flabalanche phenomenon with a side of blogger’s butt).

Thomas Drugs

In May Miss C and I went to an old fashioned soda shop, Thomas Drugs, with my mom near my hometown. My sister completed her first sprint distance triathlon at the JCC here in Nashville. I toured the Fed Ex Super Hub in Memphis along with fellow Nashville mommy blogger Amy from Milkbreath and Margaritas. Miss C, our soccer girl, performed in her first ever formal dance recital and her gorgeous costume took my breath away. The hubby and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary and yes I did shave my legs.

Miss C tutu

The next month I joined the Sprout TV Band of Bloggers. I got sentimental in This Dress. We flew to St. Augustine, Florida, for summer vacation in what was a little reunion for my husband, who lived in that area for three years. We stayed at the Renaissance Resort in the World Golf Village and loved it! My blog was nominated for best local Nashville blog by Nick Jr.’s Parents Connect. I did not win but it was honor, as they say, just to be nominated.

Castillo

Miss A discovered my childhood cheerleading costume in July and looked flat out adorable in it. I kvetch about our local ice cream man. Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was murdered and I recalled the first time we saw the then Tennessee Oilers play at Vanderbilt.

Miss A Cheerleader

Be still my heart, Miss C started second grade in August and Miss A celebrated by dressing like the Hello Kitty Unabomber. The hubby and I celebrated my 40th birthday with a trip to a lovely bed and breakfast in Asheville, North Carolina.

In September the girls and I ventured downtown to the library one rainy, miserable Saturday and we had a fantastic time watching the Nashville Ballet. Miss A invented The Poop Ghost. I invented The Tooth Fairy Authority Mom. We saw The Wiggles at Municipal Auditorium.

The Wiggles Concert Nashville

In October I was invited to the Nissan Sedan 2010 Media Preview and fell in lust with an Altima with leather interior. Rowwrrrr. I celebrated my 4th blogging anniversary and I admitted to being in a funk over turning 40. I reflected on my extinct boyfriends and give advice on how not to dress like a Cougar in the carpool lane. We had our first ER visit ever with a child with Miss A and it scared the pee out of me! Thankfully she was fine.

The fall brought more travel and we headed to Cumberland Falls, Kentucky, to celebrate a college friend’s 40th. But first, we had to get there. And that’s a whole notha story (there’s a reason I call myself “blonde” and it has nothing to do with my hair color). I became obsessed with AMC’s Mad Men Jon Hamm, my new favorite TV show. We searched for the Great Pumpkin.

Jon Hamm

Just a little eye candy to make sure you’ve made it this far. I know…just keep swimming, just keep swimming, I mean reading. You can do it. COME ON!

December brought another first for us as we were invited to ride in the downtown Franklin Christmas parade with friends (and we froze our booties off!) Our Akita mix Jack celebrated his birthday and I reflect on what a truly awesome beast he is.

I’m pretty excited about what 2010 holds. I say BRING IT!

Filed Under: Bloggy Things 14 Comments

Crazy Train

June 19, 2009 By Blonde Mom 6 Comments

Most of the time while we were on vacation in Florida the weather was fantastically predictable. Sunny and hot. Lather. Rinse. Repeat and reapply sunscreen. Although in my case that was reapply sunscreen everywhere but my back and neck. Thank God for Lidocaine.

On Saturday afternoon, our first full day of vacation, we were already parched from the heat and the girls, mostly Miss A in all of her fourness, were about to hitch a one-way ride on the afternoon express to super crankdom. We decided to circumvent meltdowns with an open air sightseeing train ride, thinking we’d get a little rest from walking. We climbed aboard, snagging primo seats in the very back, guaranteeing a wonderful vantage point to photograph and video old town St. Augustine, not to mention take advantage of a nice breeze, which got the beads of sweat pooling in my bra quivering with excitement.

We ignored the black ominous sky in the distance until about 10 minutes into the train ride when the wind picked up and it started sprinkling. Miss C had pointed this out, but I assured her it would be OK and even if it did rain, storms don’t last very long on the coast. Of course I failed to mention to her they can be severe thunderstorms because who wants to ruin a family vacation moment with pesky details like high winds and lightning?

Five more minutes or so passed and it was a full-blown thunderstorm of Armageddon proportions. We’re talking flash flooding the streets and hey let’s look for a fish or a gator washing down St. George.

Five more minutes and we were drenched to the bone. My socks, which I forgot to lay out to dry, were still wet three days later and started to smell like swamp rat and musky fish so I tossed them at the hotel. Sorry housekeeping!

To his credit, our train guide tried to find navigate the train in order to find shelter for us twice, the first refuge being underneath several large trees, which would have been somewhat comforting were it not for you know, lightning, and the fact that Miss C was really frightened. Our guide started passing out rain ponchos but of course ran out of them, since were in the “primo” back seats, but toward the end we snagged some from another sightseeing train. Not that the ponchos would have really helped at all since the rain was blowing in sideways sheets.

When the storm started to let up, and by let up I mean downgraded from monsoon to standard thunderstorm level, the guide started the tour again, giving us his standard spiel about historic landmarks all the while we were being pelted by blowing rain and squealing like we were on a water ride. I must give him props for his “show must go on” attitude. I guess it was either that or make really bad jokes about the storm and by that point he might have feared that we’d go all mutinous on him, hijack the train, and drive it into the closest bar.

Speaking of bars, at one point on the way back we made a stop near a downtown microbrewery and all the onlookers, nice and dry and drinking draft beer from the balcony, waved and laughed at us. My husband shouted, “SEND BEER!” Because by then we needed a drink. Or five.

The rain ended just as we finished the tour and we sloshed to the car looking like drowned rats and laughing about it, even Miss C, as we headed back to the hotel for dry clothes.

rained-out

After the monsoon, er, thunderstorm. As you can see, the girls were fine. Drenched, but fine.

It was one of those hilariously horrible moments that sucks a bucketload while you are experiencing it, but you know will make a wonderful vacation story.

As soon you as wring out your underwear.

Filed Under: Bad Hair Days, My Girls, Travel 6 Comments

Strolling Down The Avenue That’s Known As A1A

June 16, 2009 By Blonde Mom 12 Comments

Here are a few pictures from our wonderful family beach vacation thus far. Now that my shoulders have quit screaming for mercy we’re going to hit Vilano Beach. We had one Chevy Chase vacation moment Saturday when we were caught in a thunderstorm while sitting on the back seat of an open sightseeing train in St. Augustine and we all got soaked to the bone. It was one of those moments you knew you’d laugh about later, but you’ wish you could fast forward to that point.

It’s going to be tough to get back to reality on Thursday morning back home, especially when the girls realize that Daddy was kidding about me setting up a hotel style breakfast buffet with all the Lucky Charms, chocolate muffins, and fresh cantaloupe they can eat.

Castillo St. Augustine Florida