Home Again, Home Again

A few days ago the kids and I returned home from a week-long vacation in Port Austin, in Michigan's thumb (non-Michiganders: hold up your left hand, palm facing away from you, for a makeshift map of Michigan. Tip of the thumb, that's where we were.). It was wonderful and hard to come home. How quickly I adjust to hanging out at the beach every day. (Mexican beach house...)

A trip to Port Austin circa 2008

As always, I'm trying to get sort of back to normal after being away from home, but like usual life will not pause for me to give me a chance to catch up. In the morning I'll be leaving for a parenting/leadership conference, which will keep me away from home overnight (in a hotel room all by myself!). Then I'll come home to having a few extra kids staying with us for a few days, and the garage sale we're planning on having this weekend.


This is just a long winded way of saying that I'll post about our vacation, including lots of pictures, just as soon as I get a chance. Chris has been going to Port Austin since he was a baby, and we started going there together when we were dating. We've gone just about every year with the kids. I'll tell you all about it asap...

Lilla Rose Flexi Clip Winner

The Lilla Rose Flexi Clip giveaway has officially ended. I went to random.org to choose the winning entry.


And the winner is...

Kady!

Congratulations, Kady! I will contact you via email to get your shipping info. Thanks to everyone who entered, and be on the lookout for a new giveaway to be posted soon!

Confession Time: I Don't Make My Bed

Yep, that's right. I admit it. I don't make my bed, pretty much ever. Think of me what you will. The only time my bed ever gets made is on the rare occasion when we're having company and my bedroom happens to be clean enough to leave the door open. In other words, hardly ever. 


It gets worse. Sometimes I go to bed with dishes in the sink. Like most nights. I do not lose sleep over the unwashed pots and pans. Should I? Nah, definitely not worth it.


While I'm at it, I may as well keep going and confess that at least once a week I forget about laundry in the washing machine and have to re-wash it. I do hate waste so this is one I'm trying hard to not do anymore. Which means restraining myself from tossing in just one more load of laundry past midnight.


I did not get that clean freak gene I've heard others talk about. Sometimes I wish I did. Other times I really don't care because let's be honest here, cleaning is not generally in the forefront of my consciousness. 


There are times, lots and lots of times, when I feel positively overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done around here. I don't know where to begin. I feel like I'm juggling a million balls and they're falling down all around me. I'm pretty sure life would be much simpler in a Mexican beach shack.

EvoraPlus Winner!

The EvoraPlus giveaway ended yesterday, so I went to random.org to determine the winner.


And the winner is...

Kimberly!

Congratulations, Kimberly! I hope you enjoy trying this great product. I will contact you via email, and Oragenics will be sending your prize directly to you.

If you didn't win but you'd like to try EvoraPlus, the 100% natural teeth whitener and oral care product, you have until August 31, 2011 to go to www.oragenics.com and redeem coupon code EPLUS811 for $5 off (U.S. only).

Thanks for entering, and don't forget to enter my Lilla Rose Flexi Clip giveaway, which ends tomorrow, July 31.

Thursday Thankful Round-Up

Here's what I'm thankful for this week:

• Living in the Great Lakes state, with lakes and beaches galore.
• Port Austin...love it!
• Having the opportunity to take my kids on a week long vacation.
• New shoes.
• Hot summer weather.
• My kids don't burn easily (red heads who tan!), and neither do I.
• Looking on the bright side.
• At least some of my clothes still fit me. (NO! I'm not pregnant, just morphing into a cow.)
• A family with 2 little boys just recently moved onto our street. One of them is just one grade above Connor. (Didn't I just wish for this very thing not long ago???)
• Melon flavored popsicles.

I'm dying to know...what are YOU thankful for this week?