Bunch of Stuff

I haven't updated in a while - and lots has been happening - which is why I haven't been online to update in a while... crazy cycle!
First of all, we had some weekend visitors last weekend! Steve and "the guys" went on their yearly camping trip, and my friend Courtney and her two children Caleb (age 6) and Ruby (age 3) came to stay with us (her husband Rick is one of "the guys"). I'll admit, I stressed a little, thinking about what a house full of 5 children would be like, but it was... ABSOLUTELY FINE! The kids all got along and played well together, there was no real chaos, they all went to bed at decent hours - it was a great time! Courtney and I were brave and brought all of them out to The Shoppes on Saturday afternoon - Old Navy was having a 1-day jeans sale, $12 for adults, $7 for children - we couldn't miss that! Court had a great idea that 1 of us watch all 5 kids while the other shopped for 30 min, then switch. We would get a lot more accomplished than if we both were trying to shop AND keep an eye on our kids. And, conveniently, this great toy store, Kiddly Winks, is right next to Old Navy. So the kids had over an hour of fun in the toy store, while Courtney and I each got to browse and shop by ourselves! Thanks again for coming down for the weekend - and sorry I was so lame I couldn't stay awake past 9pm either night! :-)

Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, I went away ALONE! Steve had been away several times this summer, and I have been home with the kids and about to pull my hairs one by one out of my head this summer. So he promised me a night away before the summer ended, and I got it. I had a reservation at a motel in beautiful Old Saybrook and planned to spend all of Tuesday and Wednesday on the beach. Ha ha - never plan to do anything - it won't happen. What should have been a 1 hour drive to the beach Tuesday morning turned into a 3 hour nightmare! There was an accident, and Rt. 9 was closed in one spot - of course, I ended up stuck in that traffic - it took me 1 hour to move 1 mile, where I could FINALLY get off the exit and find another route. Once I thought I was smooth sailing, I hit road work on I-95. By this time it was after 2pm, I was ravenously hungry, having eaten NOTHING (I had thought I'd get lunch at the beach), and then I saw a sign for the Clinton Crossing Outlet Mall and made a quick turn into it. For any of you who have never been there, don't bother. The LAMEST outlet mall I have ever been to. I spent about 30 minutes there, then decided to just go check into my motel. I get back on the highway and what do you know - ANOTHER outlet mall - these in Westbrook. I hop off the highway and there lies before me a WONDERFUL bunch of stores! Of course, I was absolutely starving now, and actually too hungry to shop, so I browsed a little, made a couple purchases (started my Christmas shopping, actually!), and continued to my hotel. Now, I had the GPS with me, and I was following every direction, but it kept telling me I was arriving at my destination, and there was NO motel there. The only thing on this dead end road, where my motel was supposed to be, was a cemetary and an Amtrack station. I finally called the place, and the woman told me (or tried to - she spoke very broken english) the motel was on the corner. FINALLY I see a sign and drive down this long driveway to this absolute DUMP of a motel. It wasn't the same building that was on their website, and the pool was CLOSED (cover over it) and had weeds and stuff growing up the side of the fence. And the only other car there was the one parked in front of the office. I quickly called Steve and said "Call this place and cancel my reservation - I am NOT staying here" and I found myself a Super 8, with a pool, and a bunch of cars in the lot, out in the open (not down a long scary driveway). After dinner, I called it a night and went to bed. And spent a lovely day lying on the beach yesterday with my ipod and my book and soaked up as much sun as I could before having to go home and get ready for work. We're going back there tomorrow, the whole family. The kids will love it!

Today's adventure I have to tell you about secondhand because I ALWAYS miss seeing the bear! Yes, a bear! The kids and I had gone to a friend's house for the morning. Steve was putting something in his trunk and found an empty box in there. He took it out and brought it over to our burn pile, right on the outskirts of the woods in our backyard. He heard crunching and rustling in the woods and got a closer look, down the hill, at a HUGE black bear! It was lumbering across the woods. Steve ran to the house for the camera, but wasn't able to get a picture. He watched it walk behind our neighbor's house (heading down the road), and then the house next to them. He told me this bear looked to be about 400lbs. I, of course, was extremely disappointed at having missed it. Maybe next time, and at a good distance. I don't want to see one up close...

School starts on Tuesday! Our few last days will consist of going to the beach tomorrow, then the Woodstock Fair on Saturday! Rest and get ready on Sunday and Monday! Emmalee starts 2nd grade Tuesday morning (2nd grade?? is that possible??), and Micah starts preschool Wednesday afternoon!