I'm Going Home!!

I am going home tomorrow!!

(Insert happy Dance Here!)

Since last Friday, I have been in Clearwater, Florida doing some training for work.  You wouldn't believe the things I have had to learn if I told you! 

Anyways, that is 7 nights I have not tucked my boys into bed, (8 actually, because we have to count tomorrow night since I won't get home until around midnight)

I have not heard my little Drew's voice since Sunday. Apparently he really wanted to talk to me tonight but I was out to dinner and had my phone on vibrate (it was, after all, a 5-star restaurant)  and I didn't know that I had missed his calls (Mother of the Year Award revoked yet again!) I have been able to talk to Jacoby every night on the phone before he goes to sleep and he has been such a good boy while I have been away. I am so proud of him!

It has been a week since having any of their hugs, kisses, sticky hands all over me. 

It's been a week since I have heard Jacoby's stories and a week since I have seen Drew's bright smile and dimples!  

Tomorrow is the day though that I fly home!!!  I can't wait for Saturday morning to see Jacoby and Drew. They are going to get smothered by my hugs and kisses!

Of course I can't go home empty handed, so I got Jacoby a Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Drew, Donald Duck. They are going to be so excited! 

I am so excited to see their little faces! 

I also need to make note that I am so grateful for my mom and Mima (Josh's Gram) for their help while I have been gone. They stay at my house and bring Jacoby and Drew back and forth from daycare and help take care of them, and cook some meals. while Josh is at work. I don't know what I would do without them!

And last, but certainly not least  is Josh, who I appreciate so much for wearing both the mommy and daddy pants while I am gone.  I know that it is not easy for him or our family when I have to leave but he does an amazing job.  I love him!

So that is all, I can't put into words how much I have missed all 3 of them, but I am happy that tomorrow I will be making my way home. I look forward to having a big family hug! xx

Finally, Not The Griswald's Family Vacation!

Last Sunday was the last day of what was a really, really great vacation. In the past our vacations have been cursed with our kids being crazy sick, so any type of fun was replaced with doctor calls/appointments, high fevers, lack of sleep, and worry and disappointment. As a joke gift for Christmas one year, a family member even gave us a plaque to hang above our door that said "The Griswalds."  Well, move on out to someone else's house Griswald's because the Bardsley Family is back in action!

We just stayed home this vacation and tried to come up with different things to do nearly every day. We went to a Pig Roast, Maine's Children's Museum, took Jacoby to Storyland, visited family, had date night and my brother came home to visit from Chicago!!  

Here are some of the highlights!

We went to Maine's Children's Museum with some of our closest friends, Michael, and Kara, their son Jack and their new born baby girl, Lucy.  Its always great to get together with them and watch our kids play together.  Jacoby wanted to try everything. He even climbed a rock wall all by himself.  It's also fun to see Drew start to enjoy these types of children's places.  He loved climbing on things, pretending to drive cars, and playing with a waterfall.  

Jacoby and His Buddy Jack Driving the Firetruck

The Boys Grocery Shopping of Course

My Little Fireman

Drew Having a Blast Climbing!

Storyland! Storyland was a ton of fun. We had to leave Drew home with his Mima because he just isn't quite old enough for Storyland yet.  Jacoby loved every part of the day. His favorite rides were the Roller Coaster and the Log Flume, which of course were the highest and fastest! I think Josh's heart may still be beating out of his chest from it! (He did great too for his first time on rides..haha).

Jacoby and Josh Riding the Balloons

Jacoby and I Meet Humpty Dumpty

Awesome!

Big Bad Wolf!

Family Time to Celebrate Izik and Matt home from Chicago! We had a blast and I miss them sooo much!

My Sister and I and Our Loves

That's Right, My Brother and I Are Having Fun Disco Style!

Me and Josh! xx

My Family...so great to Have Izik and Matt Home!!

The Versatile Blog Award...Really?? How Fabulous!

On my first day of vacation last week, I was checking out the comments on my blog and to my sweet, sweet surprise, I found out that I was awarded yet another Blog Award! I think I need to dedicate an award wall in my home so I can look at them fondly every day. This is my 3rd blog award I have received and each one puts a big smile on my face.

 Now, who do I have to thank for this wonderful award called, The Versatile Blogger (who cool is to be versatile by the way??)??  4writermom! visited my blog and gave this to me!! Thank you, thank you thank you! This is a little snippet from her bio:   My name is Mariann. Most everyone calls me, Mari.  I have four children, and I’m happily unmarried. I’m as unconventional and politically incorrect, as the next truly free person.  I like to do things my way. I don’t do too well with rules and conforming to how other people think that I should live.  The way I see it, we only get this one life and we better make the best of it! With that being said, that’s exactly how I raise my children….to make the best of their lives. Whatever it takes to get to happy, then that’s what I expect for them to do.

I highly suggest you go and follow her blog! 4WriterMom 

Here’s more information about the Versatile Blogger Award…

If you get the award, here are the rules:

1. Thank the person that gave you the award in a blog post & link back to their blog
2. Pass the award on to 10-15 bloggers you follow
3. Include 7 random things about yourself in your post
4. Include the rules in your post
5. Notify your nominees by leaving a comment on their blog

Ok, here we go! 7 Random Things About Myself:  

1). I have 5 tattoos (yes, one is a tramp stamp from when I was 18 and I still love it). I am currently working on an arm sleeve.

2).  I can no longer remember song lyrics for current songs. I can however, remember most lyrics from songs I listened to as a kid.

3). I always thought my eyes were blue. Apparently they are green, according to my husband.

4.)  My feet haven't grown since I was in the 6th grade. I wear a size 6, which is great, because I like my heels to be atleast 4 inches high and shoes are always cuter in the smaller sizes. 

5.) My boys think I toot all night long in my sleep and they don't want to sleep with me because of it.  (Another lesson from father to sons..picking on mom)  

6.) I had my gallbladder removed in 2011, thanks to some very delicious,  greasy New Year's Eve Pizza that put my body over the edge.

7.) My husband and I have been at the same events at the same exact time, including parties and a funeral, but we never met until I was 21 and he was 23.  I knew we were going to be married after 1 month of knowing each other.

Now onto the blogs that I will be passing the Versatile Blogger Award onto! Please pay them a visit!
Pretty Living
The Madness of Mommyhood
Whyyyjen
Breezy Pink Daisies
Dramatic Attic
Frazzled Fran
Yo Michael Michael
Through The Eyes of The Mrs.
Heidi is Taking the Plunge
Dance Like Nobodys Watching
Finding...

Enjoy!!

Let's Catch Up

Jesus Christ, can you believe July is all ready over?  Why do Maine summer's go by so fast (oh, god, I'm sounding so..."Mainer.") A lot of little stuff has been happening, so let's just take a moment and catch up. Grab a cup of coffee, well wait, it's 10 o'clock at night, how about a Gin and Tonic, pull up your computer and let's get started.  In a previous post My MIL is an Alcoholic and It's Annoying As Hell I told all about my obnoxious alcoholic mother-in-law. For an update on that, she is currently sober.  After a near death experience she ended up in rehab and she and my father-in-law are no longer drinking. After weeks of isolation, Josh and his brother, finally went over to their house and had "the talk." Josh got everything off his chest he needed to. The fact that they aren't apart of our kids life, the secrets about her drinking, etc. I am really proud of him for getting it all out there and they totally took responsibility for their actions. I'm still a little skeptical about what the future holds but as in any 12 step program, "one day at a time."
Moving on to my current, "Get Fit, Get Fabulous," attitude, I'm still working it. I have been running (up to 2 3/4 miles #bragmoment.....Josh just read this part and says I'm gay..haha) and am biking when I can. I am still a Beach Body Coach and have ordered Shakeology and TurboFire. I can't wait to receive it in the mail and get started. If I dare I will post before and after pictures. The before pictures might kill me though.
Another post regarding baby fever, is no longer relevant. All baby fever no longer exists. Every day Drew is learning new words and is changing so much and I'm loving it. My biggest problem now is that I need to stop calling him my baby as he is going to be 2 in November! On the other hand, we are going to a BBQ on Sunday and will be seeing our friends, Kara and Michael's newborn, so this could all be a mute part in the post.
In other news, we have been doing the whole fair thing and going to parades.  Jacoby caught his first fish on Daddy and Son day. Jacoby had so much fun. They went fishing, bought a new toy and movie, went out to lunch at McDonalds and went out for an ice cream and went hiking. By the time I got home, he looked completely exhausted.  The Daddy and Son day has been a yearly event that Jacoby gets so excited for that it melts my heart.  He is such a good boy and the way he loves Josh is really, really special.

We recently put Drew on Jacoby's 4 wheeler and he loves it, constantly asks to go on it, which find to be super cute! He doesn't go very far on the 4 wheeler, but he loves just sitting on it!

We have been going to the beach and Jacoby is doing sooo much better in the water than last year. He actually went fully under the water which is super impressive. The kid has no problem squishing the ugliest bug with his bare hands, but getting his eyes wet is like the most terrifying event ever.  

and of course Drew, my little brute, has no fear at all!  He fell under the water numerous time and I had to rescue him by pulling him up by his arm and he would laugh hysterically with his little dimples shining brightly. 

These are just few of the highlights and I really have zero complaints about this summer so far.  Now we are on a staycation and we have some plans to hang out with friends and family and to make some children's museum and park stops.  Then I will go to work for a week and then head to Florida for a week for some training at work. After that I will be busy planning Jacoby's 4th birthday party which is Sept. 6th. Will I learn anything crafty from Pinterest? I always try to, but get nervous about my crafty ability at the last second...
Beyond just life and work and family time, that is pretty much it in a nutshell.
Let me know what you have been doing this summer...