Happy 40th

I decided to give a friend the gift that every mom needs, time to herself for the whole weekend. It is Friday night and all 5 little ones argue about going to bed. They want more time to play and think that staying up past nine, eating pizza, cookies and going to a gladiator party for 3 hours isn't enough. "Off to bed and all lights are going out in five seconds"! Within ten minutes everyone was sleeping like "angels".

The next morning I hear too many foot steps coming my way @ 6:30 a.m. ! It is time to get everyone dressed, fed and into the car before the rain arrives. I have 5 hours to wear them out before I have to cook pulled pork for 6 hours, make sides and pick up the house before 2 friends and their 2 "angels" arrive for dinner.

The first stop is Dunkin Donuts for fuel and bottles of water for the kids and the puppy. Off we go to the water front that is under construction for 2.5 hours. We climb, play chase, ride in a boat, chase the puppy, meet other puppies and finally all aboard the vehicle that drives us to another park.

This time we get snacks, have a picnic and get really dirty. This still isn't enough, so I agree to take all 5 children and the puppy to rent a movie. I walk in with a 2 yr old in one arm and a puppy in the other arm, a9yr old, an 8 yr old and a 5 yr old. People suddenly are holding the door for us, letting us pass in front of them and stare as if I am crazy with great empathy. At this point I will do anything to have them quiet and interested in something without any interruptions. It did not work, the kids were full of energy and I was the one who needed a nap.

The pork is now ready to roast and the 2 yr old is helping me crack eggs for the cake. The others are outside getting soaked and loving every moment. I love happy children...... I now need another coffee to keep me going and a few minutes to clean up and get changed. Time is getting closer and the kitchen is a mess and I am about to cry.

My husband comes to the rescue and takes the oldest four and the puppy to little league practice. I knew that I married him for a reason(hehe). I clean the kitchen feed the 2 yr old and pray that my cake will not taste like pulled pork because I didn't have time to bake them separately.

Dinner is ready, the drinks are chilled, the house is clean(some what), and the children are happy. I am exhausted, hungry, cranky and I look like I haven't showered in days. The guests arrive, the children eat, and the 2 yr old has a melt down.

It took me a few days to catch up with some sleep and every night I have fallen asleep on the couch by 10p.m.

It was all worth it because one mom got a weekend to relax and enjoy some time to herself.

Are we there yet?

Still trying to make the right choice for my family, we have taken another trip to sunny Florida.


This time we decided to drive with a 7 and 9 year old, an 8 week Jack Russel puppy, an ex marine now head chef at a prestigious hotel in Boston, my husband, and of course me the master mind of all this! Nineteen hours from door to door. Not as bad as I thought, considering that we left Rhode Island at 8 pm on a Wednesday. My hubby and his cousin talked the whole way to South Carolina(now 5 a.m.). He talked my husbands ear off but I didn't care because it was keeping him awake.


It is now 5a.m. and my time to drive and the cousin isn't so talkative now. I stop at this small gas station where all the truckers get their morning fuel(fuel and gas). The people were not very friendly to the girl who talks like a Yankee. I bought coffee from a gas station! This is a girl that lives in a state where Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks on every main road. I needed to stay awake and had to drink the fuel, yuck!


Finally the sun was coming up and I called my sweet friend Jen who gets up before the birds. I figured she could help me stay awake for a bit of the drive. This is the friend(one of them) who does not want us to move.



We made it to the sunny state all intact and happy to be at abuela's.