Homeschooligan '15

We officially started back to school today! (That exclamation point is serving to try and convince me that I'm excited. I love homeschooling my kids, don't get me wrong. It's just overwhelming to say the least especially in the first few days before you find that routine again, and I do so enjoy the summers where we don't have much we HAVE to do.) I'm kind of brain-fried at the moment and still need to take 4 kids to the library and to buy school supplies...so this blog might mostly be pictures of what the hooligans look like on this first day of school. Trust me, there's no fancy chalkboard signs or people with their hair actually brushed in this blog post. I mean, in theory I see myself actually doing those things, but let's be real here. Making sure everyone is still alive and smiling at the end of the day is key.

We had a good start...the hooligans were excited and eager to see what we would be doing. (I know this will wear off, but I'll take it.) Tirzah was up and dressed at 7am, and had already fixed everyone breakfast in anticipation of starting school as soon as possible. She's my little nerd, and I'm really proud of it. Merrick was even excited today, and Jericho wanted some school as well. I'll probably try and do a little informal preschool with him and see how he likes it. He really has two more years before Kindergarten starts...but if he's asking I wont say no. Caveman is his first language, so we might need two years to get ready for Kindergarten. ;)

We are now off to the library (which I should have done last week, but ya know, I was in denial and just didnt want to prepare and spend my last week of official "summer" inside reading over curriculum) to collect some books that Amaryllis will hopefully not lose or eat. At this point we will probably try to do school whenever she naps, cuz we all know she runs this place and when she is awake her subjects (the older hooligans) can't really do much else besides laugh at her and tell me everything she needs and wants. (Mom, Amaryllis needs a snack. Mom, Amaryllis needs her diaper changed. Mom, Amaryllis wants to eat these crayons. Mom, can Amaryllis use your iPhone? -Um negative on that last one. Oh, and the crayons, of course.)

Hope that everyone else had a great day back to school as well, and no crayons or library books were ingested.

Bora Barron '15

What can you say about finally taking your dream trip? I really don't have a lot of words to describe how grateful I am that I actually got to spend a week in Bora Bora. It was always just that...a dream. One that I figured would maybe happen when we were old, when I'd have to make sure Billy packed his hearing aid and didn't throw his back out. Oh, wait...I have to do that now. hehe. For real though, I thought this trip was going to be something that happened when the kids were all grown and out of the house, not now. We aren't well off by any means, but thanks to tax returns (have 4 kids...it does wonders for your tax refund) we were able to pay for most of this trip. We decided there were way more responsible and adultish things to do with our money, for sure, but was there ever going to be a "perfect" and more responsible time to take this trip? Nah. #yolo

I'm so glad we decided to go for it. I'm so glad that I have these memories to enjoy for the rest of my life, and to get me through the looooong cold school year ahead of me. (Oh gosh. I'm so not ready. Say it's not already September.) The trip really was everything I imagined it would be and more. The resort was amazing...and the staff was above-and-beyond friendly and happy. They waited on us hand and foot and made everything simple and easy for us. I said to many people that the pictures don't really do it justice, and it's true. It was more gorgeous than I even expected, and for all the hundreds of pictures I took it still just has to be seen to really capture it. The water is fluorescent blue and a million different shades, and the island is a gorgeous green velvety contrast to the white sand and blue water. There are flowers everywhere, and all kinds of birds and fish. I kind of felt like I was walking around in a painting all day.

We snorkled and swam and laid around. We shopped on the island, and slept long hours and just soaked up as much as we could. Neither one of us wanted to leave, even though we both talked everyday about how much we missed the hooligans. It was a much needed break for both of us, and we couldn't have ended up in a more beautiful spot to enjoy that break. I am missing Bora Bora kind of like a limb right now...I keep wishing we were back there for just one more day. I cried when we left, and we both agreed that we need to go back one day. Yolo, right? ;) But really, I am so grateful that we were able to live this dream of ours out. Thanks for the many of you guys who encouraged my oversharing and enjoyed it right along with us!

Today is the greatest...

Anyone who was born in the 80s probably gets the shameless smashing pumpkins reference in my title. But… Today is the day that Billy and I leave for Bora-Bora. We started planning this trip way back in January of this year, and that the time it seems like it would never actually get here. Well it's finally here, and I'm just hoping that I haven't forgotten anything important in my suitcase. Billy says all you need is a swimsuit, but as a serial over packer I'm always afraid I'll leave that one thing at home that I needed desperately. I'm looking forward to the traveling, as well as actually getting to the island and enjoying the scenery. Traveling is always something that I have really enjoyed, but we don't get to do much of with four hooligans running around.


I feel like I have taken lots of blog breaks this summer, but I'm sure you can all understand, since I'll be in another country, that you're just going to have to hear all about this trip when I get back. (Or just follow along on Facebook, because I'm sure I'm not to be able to resist posting lots of pictures!) I'm sure the time that we're there is going to fly by, and we'll be back snuggling those crazy hooligans before we know it, and telling them all about the trip. I'll hopefully be telling them about how their father survived swimming with sharks, and not explaining why the goofball didn't come back from Bora Bora. (Me and sharks don't mix. I've already decided I'll just make myself comfy at the hotel spa while he attempts to get a limb removed by what he calls "tame" sharks. #nosuchthing) Anyway...I'm ridiculously excited about everything but sharks.


We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to take this trip. It's always been our dream vacation, and we figured the fact that we managed to put up with each other's shenanigans for 10 years was reason enough to celebrate and actually make it happen. Now here's hoping we make it to Tahiti, together, and with no mishaps. I'm definitely anxious that things go smoothly, but so excited to get there and relax. Prayers appreciated! ;)


I will be sure to post pics here once we get back. If we come back, I mean. I am not making any promises that I won't just decide to stay there and have the hooligans shipped to me.

Best Friends Forever

You always think of that as being something kids say, but in my case it's still true of a certain group of ladies. We've been friends since we were all kids, and I'm glad to say those friendships are still going strong some 20+ years later. We've all grown up and gotten married, some of us have kids, some of us have moved completely across the country, but we are all still in constant contact (thank you mostly to Facebook messenger!) with each other nearly every day though one crazy long group message. 

We decided to take a trip to the beach together (it would be the first time some of us had seen each other in YEARS despite talking all the time) back in 2012. It was such a great time that we planned to do it again in a few years. This was the year...and we went back to the same beach again. (Charleston, SC) It was amazing to all be in the same place at the same time...with no jobs or kids to worry about...just catching up on lives and sleep and sunshine. 

We are all so responsible all the time, with families and jobs and so many things going on, that it was nice to kind of be "kids" last week. We talked till way past our bedtimes, watched funny movies, had dance parties in the kitchen, ate dessert before our dinner, took selfies, laughed till we cried, and didn't clean up after ourselves. It...was...awesome. Having these ladies in my life is one of the things that keeps me sane so much of the time when life is anything but sane.

I was so sad to see the week end...since I know it'll probably be a good 2-3 years before I see some of these girls again. We all missed husbands and babies, but saying goodbye is never easy for us. Maybe one of these days we will all be closer together, but for now we will keep Facebook messages in business and start planning our next trip. ;) So thankful for friendships like these...it's a blessing that I don't take for granted for a second. Can't wait till next time!

From our blog:
http://bunchofbarrons.blogspot.com/

Fancy (Walking) Pants

When I left for my beach trip last week Amaryllis had just started taking her first few steps. They were just a few here and there, and she mostly would resort to crawling since it was faster. I figured there would be some major improvements while I was gone, and this is one stubborn girl who just goes after it.

I wasn't wrong. When I got home I realized she isn't crawling at ALL anymore. She is walking everywhere, even chasing after her siblings. She will stand up in the middle of the floor and take off. She still falls a lot, but even I can't believe how fast she picked it up. She has even gotten better at it in the two days since I've been back home. I'm so proud of this busy baby. She is a go-getter, and I just love how feisty she is.
 I've even caught her walking up behind her siblings and trying to tackle them. These older three better watch their backs. Fancy Pants means business.