Run, run, run, run

I have felt very discombobulated planning for this beach trip. Partly it's that the whole gang won't be together at all. Lexi finally got another job to replace her ill fated nanny gig, and of course started the Monday before the Tuesday we left for vacation. Figures. not even sure she's gonna make it at all. And then Matt has a navy weekend this weekend that he was sure he could get out of when we planned this, (I know better!) but now he can't. So he'll only be with us Tuesday-Friday. :(((

Anyways, I had felt ill prepared and left all of the packing, and most of the work for Monday. Plus also, (Sarah Palin) we will be home for one day, then I will leave for my girls trip with J&A, then I'll get back,  and one day later school starts. It was just the only dates we could make things work. I know, such problems to have, but it just made planning stressful and with a million moving parts. Plus also again, jackies birthday is the 10th, so i had to go shopping and be completely ready for that. 

Anyhow, I had my work cut out for me. So I got up at 6:00 and was at Walmart by 6:30 to pickup vacation odds and ends. Love the 24 hour store! And also it is sometimes occasionally convienent to have big kids around. Then I was at target by 8:00 when they opened. Then I was at the PTA audit place by 9:00 when they opened to drop off our financial info. And I'm offially done with LES PTA! We shall see if the good folks at CWFDES will get their act together to organize a PTA this year. 

Then I squeezed in a quick trip to Ross, before coming home so Lexi could leave for her new job at 10:10. 

I started laundry and gathered supplies. Talked to Amy and fed kids. Made appts and organized schedules. At 11:30 I dropped the girls off at Darlaina's and she took me to the Front Porch for a birthday lunch. It's so pretty there and we always have such nice conversations. 

We came back home and my friend Jessie came over to cut my hair. I finally got rid of that awful beauty school haircut. Good riddance. Then, I headed to an electrolysis appt. Gotta take care of all the hair before my vacation August, you know. 

Then it was back home and back to business. Pack, pack, clean, clean, cook, cook. 

Jackie had asked for a replacement Origami Owl locket, and mrs. Higgs is the only person I know who sells them, so I fb friended her and messaged her. She's so awesome, she got back to me immediately and said she'd bring them over that evening. When she texted that she was on her way, I told Frankie we had a special visitor coming over. She was so excited and asked every few minutes, is the visitor here yet? As soon as Addie opened the door, mrs. Higgs grabbed Frankie into a big bear hug, it was so precious! And she brought her a locket that says "be who you are!" that she wanted franks to have for the first day of school. Praying we get teachers half as wonderful as the ones we had last year!

Matt loaded the jolly green with all our big beach stuff, and took it over to mc's to load the trailer, while I got girls to bed. Things slowly came together. I even had the girls help pack their clothes. Trying to give them more responsibilities, which is so much more work than just doing it all myself!

Christian and the whole crabknocker crew had been at Kings Dominion all day. Mike and Mary drove, and then paid for the whole team to go. They also gave each of them $20 for lunch, and bought waters throughout the day.

Chris really enjoys working there and I love that it's such a family atmosphere. They even tested a selfie stick while they were there.

Aaaand got henna tattoos for good measure. They got marks from Harry Potter, the deathly hallows, maybe?

He had so much fun and didn't make it home till 12:30, and then he packed his stuff. It worked out for me, because I was making shepards pie until midnight, then had time to wash dishes before he went home. I'm listening to The Sound and the Fury, so I got through a lot of that too. And then we were ready for the beach!