It's me again. Koko. I'm cute. Really, really cute.

I also have a serious side. I like to study things very intently. See how my forehead crinkles up when I am studying things very intently?

I am the best puppy my new humans have ever had. And the cutest too. And the best. I don't want to brag or anything, but I came to my new home on Saturday and I have not had an accident in the house yet. AT ALL. I'm just sayin'. No accidents. My new humans keep saying they are waiting for a real puppy to show up. Do you think I should pee on the rug?

This is me, waiting for cheese. Have I mentioned I love cheese? I must have been a mouse in a former life. All I know is, if you don't pee on the rug or anywhere else in this house, and you take your personal business outside, you get cheese. I prefer American, but Muenster works too. Or String. Or Monterey Jack. Do all humans have so much cheese in their houses?

My new human mom has been going on and on for a while about wanting another baby. I think I was brought in by my new dad to keep her distracted from all that nonsense talk. Piece of cake. Or should I say piece o' cheese?

I've got this lady wrapped around my fat little paw.

We Interrupt This Holiday Blogging Break To Bring You Random Thoughts Floating Around In My Son's Head

It was late, the open highway stretched out in front of us, the car was quiet, and all three girls were asleep. But one little boy was awake. A little boy whose 5 year old mind was still working, despite the late hour. A little boy who evidently watches way too much TV, and even worse, apparently pays close attention to commercials.

"Mom?"

"Hey Mom?"

Keep in mind that my son will not speak unless you acknowledge the fact that he has your undivided attention.

"You should get a Life Alert."

Now I turned around to look at him. He had my attention.

"You should get a Life Alert in case you have a Serious Fall. Or a fire."

Ummm, okay. Go on.

"If you have a Serious Fall, you can press your button on Life Alert and an ambulance will zoom right to get you."

Okay honey, try to close your eyes now. It's late.

"Mom? What if you have a Serious Fall? What if there is a fire? You need a Life Alert."

Sure honey. Maybe when I'm older, if I'm all by myself. You can get me a Life Alert then if it will make you feel better.

"Mom, Serious Falls can happen to old people. You know, people that are old that get smaller? You really should get a Life Alert."

Do you think I remind him of the old lady who has fallen and can't get up? Because I may be getting older, but I definitely am not getting smaller.

I prefer to think he just really loves me. And cares about me. And is looking out for me. And why are they showing Life Alert commercials during Tom and Jerry on the Boomerang network? Are Life Alert customers really in the Tom and Jerry watching demographic?

K laughed and laughed. I guess I know what I'm getting for my birthday this year.

One Trip, Nine Nights, and One Starfish who is glad we came home empty handed

You know how sometimes you go on a trip with the family, and the stars just align? Everything that could go right, does?

This was one of those times.

And I know the difference, because I have had a vacation that has gone the other way. The kind where everyone is fighting, the lines are long, the kids get sick, the weather is awful, the mom is miserable, and you just want to GO HOME ALREADY.

Oh yes, I know a thing or two about those kinds of vacations. Because we went to Disney World last Christmas. And this year at Christmas, we will be staying home. And every Christmas from now until they end of time.

But not this trip.

Apparently, travelling in November, on a cruise ship, when no one is sick, and the mom is not miserable, agrees with us.

So, we sailed away. On this beautiful ship where the crew made our beds, served our food, cut the kid's food for for them so I could actually eat my own food while it was still hot, brought us drinks, and had KIDS CLUBS open for drop off anytime you wanted ALL DAY LONG. And they were happy to do it. And they knew our names. And they, and their service, were fantastic.

We found a real live star fish in the sparkling turquoise waters of the Caribbean.

The kids really wanted to bring it home, and we had to explain about the US CUSTOMS PEOPLE THAT WOULD FINE US FOR BRINGING BACK SEA LIFE THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, ALIVE! And they still didn't really see why we couldn't just BRING IT HOME, because it was SO COOL, and REAL! But we did the right thing, and left the poor, traumatized little starfish to go back to his family. Because nothing can ruin a good vacation like being detained for removing marine life from another country because you totally disregarded all the signs that said PLEASE DON'T REMOVE SEA LIFE FROM THE REEFS.

And also, the ones that said DON'T TOUCH.

And I know that the clear water looks like a swimming pool, but it really was the ocean. The clear, warm, sparkly sea in all its glory.



And here are the kids in front of The Flying Dutchman from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, because even though I tried to cram in as much time as possible a day doing absolutely nothing on the beach, I can make sacrifices so that my family can see things they want to see.

Like stop walking and snap this picture on my way to the beach.



And yes, the locals saw an American sucker who wanted her girls to JUST BE QUIET ALREADY about the hair braiding and took that opportunity to charge me two dollars a braid and then proceeded to cram about 25 or 30 braids on each of the girls' heads.


But I was on vacation.

And since we put that starfish back, I figured we had already saved a bundle on customs fines right there.

Me and My Gang

I am seeing the girls tonight, and I can't wait. Most every 2nd Friday of the month...I'm ready! We try to get together once a month to hang out, drink wine, and laugh untill it hurts. We talk about the kids and the husbands and work and Oprah and much more pressing matters like McSteamy vs. McDreamy, Britney, and where Brad and Angie's next baby will be from. They share my crushes on Jennifer Garner and Pottery Barn and they know what my house looks like when it is not company ready. They know I'd probably leave my husband if Tim McGraw asked me too. They know a bit about my baggage from my past, and I know a bit about theirs and we still love each other. I am a lucky girl.

Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do
what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT - Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are
between you.
A girlfriend is never farther away than needing her.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley
and you have to walk it by yourself,
the women in your life will be on the valley's rim,
cheering you on,
praying for you,
pulling for you,
intervening on your behalf,
and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you,
or come in and carry you out.
When we began this adventure called womanhood,
we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead, nor did we know how much we would need each other.

Every day, we need each other still.


***And if anybody sees this picture that was at The Irish Cottage last spring...obviously you know by now from reading this that,

a) one of us was not having a bachelorette party, we are all married old maids, but wasn't that clever of us to make that up for the free drinks? :)

b) Thanks for making us part of your show Paul! I still feel really bad for fibbin' to ya! Your show was a lot of fun!***

A Wordless Wednesday...Because Really, When You Look This Good, There Are No Words

Traffic, Lettuce, and Hannah = One Great Labor Day Weekend.

The long weekend is over. And it was such a good one, I hate to see it go.
But all good things must end and that is what makes them so sweet. Thank you Lord, for these good times with my family.

We headed up to my in-laws summer home on Friday evening with all of the other crazy people getting out of town for the weekend. The roads were crammed, the car was crammed, but we were bopping along to the new Hannah Montana CD. And we were having fun. I love my husband more because he can sing along to Hannah as well as any 9 year old.

We even stopped for dinner. A dinner at a small place with a deck overlooking a beautiful sunset on a gorgeous lake. It was an out of body experience. We conversed, we laughed, there was no fighting and the kids stayed in their seats...at one point I looked around the table and thought "where is my real family???"

We hardly ever eat out anymore, and for good reason.

I won't mention the flies, the non-existent kids menu or the fact the my nachos actually came with a whole bag of the Fresh Express-type salad mix dumped on them. Seriously, if I'd wanted a salad, I would've said "I'll have a salad." But I was in the mood for nachos. And I was in such a good mood I didn't even seem to care that I got both. I happily just pulled my nacho chips out from under the lettuce pile and enjoyed my dinner.

It's amazing what a little Hannah Montana, out on the open road with the windows down, will do for your soul.



Real life resumes tomorrow.

I wish I had something interesting to post today, but I am just not feelin' it. And that's okay. Tomorrow is a new day, and I look forward to it.

I wrote yesterday about our summer of swimming so thought I'd post a few pictures to go along with it.



Choppy (8) and Fiona (9) being silly before one of their swim meets. If only they could get along this well, all of the time. They either love each other or hate each other right now and there really is no middle ground. These girls have really matured this summer, they are amazing helpers to me and each of them is developing their own wicked sense of humor.






Taco, age 5. My son, or if you asked the girls, "the one who can do no wrong, aka the Prince." There is something about this boy that makes my heart flutter. And he posesses the amazing talent of making me want to ring his little neck and pick him up and smother him with kisses all in a period of about 3 minutes.

My baby. Gracie, age 3. Wins the prize for logging the most hours in a bathing suit this summer. She makes me smile every morning when she wakes and makes me feel loved every evening when I tuck her in.