Poor Man's Pool Party

We have been very blessed in so many ways that we really just have to overlook the few areas we are less fortunate in. While many of our neighbors and friends are at a pool, either in their yard or a community pool, we are doing our best here on Indigo Road to fit right in with the "pool opens Memorial Day weekend" theme. How do you think we are doing??
Luckily for all of you, I took these right before heading to work at Applebee's for the evening last night, so you have been spared the trauma of me trying to squeeze into my swimsuit to cool off with the littles! I try to be thoughtful like that!

Well, we have an fun day planned. We are meeting mom and Rich at the playground at Meadow Farm this morning to play and hang out. We will have a picnic lunch there, and then head home for (hopefully!) naps before it gets up to the predicted high of 90 degrees.

I am hoping for a chance to get to Barnes and Noble today to pick out a couple of books with my Mother's Day gift card. While the theory of having a cool train table in the kids' book department to keep the littles happily occupied while mom leisurely picks out her reading material is a good one, the practical application of the idea always seems to end with Max screeching at the top of his lungs, Benjamin hollering "NO, mine!!!" and Thomas sighing "Mom, they both want to play with the Percy engine! Make them stop!!" NOT exactly a soul-satisfying experience at trying to choose fine literature!!

Also on my list today and the rest of the week is taking care of loose ends so we can go on vacation!! I have been working my paper route 3am-6am, 7 days a week since the middle of last June. I have had 3 days off in that time - one in July when my van got rear-ended, Christmas morning when I was switching over to my new route, and once in April when I had a HORRID stomach flu and could barely make it out of the bathroom! (Sorry - tmi!) Anyway, the paper route serves the need we have for me to bring in some money, while saving us child care expenses and lets me be home with the kids. Bad thing is, the hours just suck. Sorry, but there is no other way to put it! Especially for a night owl like me! In addition, in order to take a day or more off, it is the Independant Contractor's (me!) responsibility to find, hire, and train a substitute driver! NOT a small feat when I have to show said sub how each of 375 customers wants their paper delivered and where! Lucky for me, my friend Trevor, who first clued me in to the paper route gig, subs on a semi-regular basis and is available next week to work my route for me! I will be taking him with me the next 2-3 days to show him the ropes on my route, and then, after delivering my papers Sunday morning, we are mountains-bound!! I can't wait!!!! I hope to be able to sleep past 3:00am and do a whole lot of relaxing and enjoying my family!! I am SO looking forward to it, you have NO idea!!

Well, time to get everyone up and going, ready for our day! I did get all the boys' clothes sorted and boxed this weekend - NOT a small task, let me tell you!! and want to get some of my stuff sorted out this afternoon, so I need to get things going and get up from this computer.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day, as we remember the amazing sacrifices made by so many to ensure our freedom and saftey. We owe them so much...