All I Lost Was My Phone Charger

So I made it back from vacation. And promptly came down with a sinus infection. (D'oh!) But at least that explained why I had been getting headaches for the last few days. And gave me an excuse to put off unpacking for a little while, which was nice.

Being back in Texas was fabulous, as always.

Even if the car ride was long, and exhausting.

Texas might be humid, but it's still not as hot as Arizona, so we really enjoyed getting to play outside.

And we definitely don't have scenery like this at home.

Of course we had some great BBQ while we were there.

And some Tex-Mex cuisine from one of our favorite places.

And as much fun as we were having...

We weren't necessarily thrilled to be leaving.

When it's all said and done, though, it is nice to be home. Except for the sinus infection. But I think I'm finally starting to get over that, so it's all good. And of all the things that an go wrong on a long trip, the worst that happened (besides all the mosquito bites) was that I lost my phone charger (which I am now fairly certain I left in the hotel in El Paso.) The good news there is that it took me three days to realize that I lost it because it was my spare charger, which makes it somewhat less than an earth-shattering loss.

All things considered, I'd call the trip a win.

The Must-Have Parking Space

Now, I know that we all try to find a good parking place whenever we go anywhere, especially in the summer when it's so hot (or in the winter, if you live somewhere that it actually gets cold.) But sometimes I think that quest gets a little ridiculous. And twice in the last few days people have gone out of their way to prove that point.

Yesterday my sister and I took our kids out to one of her local parks for a picnic lunch. It was beautiful, and we had a wonderful time flying kites, and feeding the fish, and just generally enjoying the day. But at one point we both just had to shake our heads and ask "Why would you do that?"

We couldn't quite fit everyone into one car, so we'd had to bring both. When we pulled into the very large (and completely empty) parking lot, I had chosen to leave an empty space between our vehicles. It just makes it easier when everyone has plenty of space to get in and out of the cars - and with no other vehicles around, there was no reason to crowd in right next to her.

At least, I didn't think there was, but apparently someone disagreed. About halfway through our lunch a guy in a big truck pulled into the still otherwise empty parking lot... and parked right between us. We were baffled, to say the least. We just honestly couldn't understand why he had to have that spot over all of the other empty (and I would think more convenient) spaces.

And what makes it even funnier is that a very similar thing happened to me just a few days before that. On Monday (as we were making our way to my sister's house) we stopped for a break at one of the rest stops just across the state line. Just like yesterday, the parking lot was completely empty when we pulled in. When we came out, we found this:

Sure, the guy in the truck was still in his space. But he was hugging the line pretty good, and making it so that we had to be careful when opening our doors to avoid hitting him, which is always a little irritating. And what made it even more irritating was the fact that the rest of the parking lot was still completely empty.

I just honestly don't get it. I find it amusing, to be sure, but I don't understand it. Ooh - maybe my car is just so awesome that people gravitate toward it! Yeah. That must be it.

Cheap Wine in Paper Cups

It's Monday once again, my friends. And as always that means it's time to reflect on the things that made us happy over the past week. And of course now is also the perfect time to set the tone for a great week to come! 

If you missed my take on LML, you can find it here. If you missed the explanation of LML Monday, you can catch up here. 


As some of you know, the kids and I (along with my mom) set out yesterday for a road trip to visit family in Texas. (And we'll be heading back out shortly for the second leg of the incredibly long journey.)

Now, we can set aside the fact that I just spent an entire day in the car with two kids. And that I get to do the same thing for a second day. Because around here we know that it's all about finding joy in the little things. And while sometimes the kids (and mommy) get cranky after a long day in the car, you also sometimes get moments like this:

And even if it's a long day, and you still have another long day before you reach your final destination, you're still excited to finally be back in Texas.

And you're more than a little tired when you finally reach your hotel, but at least it's early enough that you can still relax for a bit. And yes, maybe the pool is closed, but perhaps you are fortunate enough to have a portable DVD player with you, so at least the kids can have some entertainment before bed.

And sure, maybe the shower does make a weird high-pitched squealing sound the whole time it is running, but you can eventually tune it out. It's still refreshing, and effectively washes off the grime from spending all day in the car. And it's only for one night, so you can deal.

And then, refreshed and relaxed, you can sit and take advantage of the free wi-fi while sipping cheap wine from the convenience store across the street out of paper cups that you'll be rinsing and reusing for your morning coffee.

So, in case it wasn't already obvious... it was a pretty good day. :)


Ok. I shared mine - now it's your turn! Please feel free to leave me a comment and share some of your recent LML moments. Focus on the happy thoughts, and let's all have a great week!

And if you're a blogger and would like to get in on the LML fun, feel free to grab the code and join the blog hop! Your post doesn't specifically have to use the "LML" label (although you're welcome to use it if you'd like, and the graphic that goes along with it.) If you have any kind of happy, positive Monday message that you'd like to share you're welcome to join. The more happy vibes, the better the Monday!

Dinosaurs and Angry Birds

It's Monday once again, my friends. And as always that means it's time to reflect on the things that made us happy over the past week. And of course now is also the perfect time to set the tone for a great week to come! 

If you missed my take on LML, you can find it here. If you missed the explanation of LML Monday, you can catch up here. 


This week was kind of a whirlwind of activity as we celebrated my son's 7th birthday (several times, over the whole week. That's kind of how we do it around here.) We started with the new Star Trek movie and dinner at his favorite Chinese restaurant to kick off the birthday week, continued with a fun day out on Tuesday (for his actual birthday) and finished off with his birthday party this past Saturday.

We had his party at the Arizona Museum of Natural History (affectionately called "the dinosaur museum" for obvious reasons.) It's a fabulous museum, and - as I've mentioned, a couple of times, perhaps - one of our favorite places. It's also, it turns out, a great place to host a birthday party.

I know different people have different views on birthdays, ranging from "It's all about me today" to "It's just another day - no big deal" (and everything in between.) Personally, I've always kind of felt like a person's birthday should be special for them - a day to celebrate being alive.

And even more so for my kids. It's been suggested over the years that perhaps I go a bit overboard for their birthdays. But I say there's no such thing. Those two kids are my world, and I am eternally grateful that they exist. And while I try to show them that every day, I still want to take advantage of every birthday as a chance for a special reminder of how happy I am that they were born.


Ok. I shared mine - now it's your turn! Please feel free to leave me a comment and share some of your recent LML moments. Focus on the happy thoughts, and let's all have a great week!

And if you're a blogger and would like to get in on the LML fun, feel free to grab the code and join the blog hop! Your post doesn't specifically have to use the "LML" label (although you're welcome to use it if you'd like, and the graphic that goes along with it.) If you have any kind of happy, positive Monday message that you'd like to share you're welcome to join. The more happy vibes, the better the Monday!

Genetic Optimism

Ok, I don't know if it's actually genetic, or if it's learned behavior. But every now and then, my kids do something to remind me that I've done something right in my life.

Like earlier this week, when the BBC made the announcement that Matt Smith would be leaving Doctor Who at the end of the year. I know, that may not seem like a big deal to some of you. But in this house full of die-hard Whovians, any Doctor Who related news is big news.

Personally, I wasn't too broken up over the news. Partly because we all knew it was going to happen eventually (that's how the show works) and partly because I already dealt with the loss of my favorite Doctor, so now I feel like I can handle anything.

 

My daughter, on the other hand... I was a little concerned about how she was going to take the news. Matt Smith, as she has told me several times, is her favorite Doctor.

So I broke it to her over breakfast the next morning, fully expecting to see disappointment. But what I got instead was excited optimism. (Which I made her do again so I could get a picture, because it was so darn cute.)

I told her that I was a little surprised that she was taking it so well. And her brother backed me up. "Yeah. We thought you'd be disappointed, since he's your favorite Doctor." She didn't even hesitate before she explained, quite simply, "Well, the new one might be my new favorite."

Such a mature response from someone so young. And a very proud moment for me. I mean, we all know that I'm an eternal optimist (that's how this blog got its name, after all.) So to see my kids following in my glass-half-full footsteps thrills me to no end.

Story Time and Summer Reading

It's Monday once again, my friends. And as always that means it's time to reflect on the things that made us happy over the past week. And of course now is also the perfect time to set the tone for a great week to come! 

If you missed my take on LML, you can find it here. If you missed the explanation of LML Monday, you can catch up here. 


Summer vacation is upon us, and in my house that means we can make a lot more time for reading. I mean, sure, we read every night as part of the kids' homework. But with all of the other stuff going on during the school year, we usually don't have much time for anything beyond that required 20 minutes. 

But summer vacation means weekly trips to the library, exploring new authors and learning new things, and, most importantly, fun fun fun with books!

Story Time
Our local library kicked off the summer by bringing in storyteller Indiana Bones for a fabulously fun-filled story time. He had the whole room full of kids riveted for an hour while he shared his wildly entertaining stories, complete with crystal skulls, one-eyed monkeys, and a talking pet dragon.

If you have kids, I highly recommend checking with your own local library to find out what they offer for story time. (They aren't always this elaborate, but most libraries offer something for the kids.) It's a great bonding experience for you and your kids, and, hopefully, it will help them stay (or get) excited about reading.

Summer Reading

This week also marks the beginning of our library's summer reading program, and the kids are very excited. They each checked out their first eight books over the weekend, so now we can begin tracking their progress as they work toward earning their prizes. Again, I recommend that you check with your own library to see what kind of summer reading program they offer. It's another really fun way to keep the kids busy and excited about reading over the summer.

But the kids aren't the only ones who get excited about summer reading. I'm all over it too. Now that I have a little break from the tight schedule of the school year, I can relax and do a little more reading myself. (Sadly I didn't do much reading during the first half of the year, so now I'm trying to make up for it.)

And to help me keep track of my ever-expanding "to be read" list, I finally started using Goodreads. It's a fabulous site/app, and I don't know why it took me so long to finally start using it. But when I finished a book and realized that I didn't already have another one lined up to read, it occurred to me that "hey - maybe I should actually use this app that I downloaded months ago but never got around to using." So I did. And I fell in love. So there's my last recommendation for the day. If you're a reader, and haven't already signed up with Goodreads, go check it out.


Ok. I shared mine - now it's your turn! Please feel free to leave me a comment and share some of your recent LML moments. Focus on the happy thoughts, and let's all have a great week!

And if you're a blogger and would like to get in on the LML fun, feel free to grab the code and join the blog hop! Your post doesn't specifically have to use the "LML" label (although you're welcome to use it if you'd like, and the graphic that goes along with it.) If you have any kind of happy, positive Monday message that you'd like to share you're welcome to join. The more happy vibes, the better the Monday!

Why Comicon is Better Than Vegas, Part 3

Here we have the last group of pictures from our recent experience at Phoenix Comicon. If you missed Part 1 or Part 2, be sure to check out those great pictures, too.

One of the best parts of the exhibitor hall at Comicon (for the kids, and for us) was the Star Wars Neighborhood. We visited several times throughout the weekend, and ran into several interesting characters.

 

Like I said, we had a fantastic time, and we can't wait to go back next year. And the kids have already asked if we can dress up next time, so we might have some even more hilarious pictures to share after the next one. :)

Why Comicon is Better Than Vegas, Part 2

Yes, I have more great pictures from Phoenix Comicon. Because there were a lot of people in fantastic costumes, and they were all more than happy to take pictures with these two adorable kids. (If you missed Part 1, and the first set of pictures, you can find it here.)

  

Ok, I know those last few aren't people in costumes, but they're still very cool. And a great example of some of the awesome things you can see at Comicon.

Tune in tomorrow for Part 3, and the rest of the great pictures!

Why Comicon is Better Than Vegas

As you know, my husband and I took the kids to Phoenix Comicon last weekend. And yes, they were just a bit excited.

We didn't get to do everything we had wanted to do (because you really can't. There's just too much.) But we still had a blast. We took in a few panels, did some shopping, and - the best part - did a lot of people watching. The cosplay there was fantastic.

And that's where we get to the "better than Vegas" part. Because in Las Vegas, it is very common to see people dressed in some creative costumes. But those people are also very skilled in not letting you take their picture - unless you give them money. At Comicon, on the other hand, the people are there to have fun and socialize, and are completely happy to have their pictures taken with other fans.

Especially when those other fans are adorable kids who come up and very politely say "May we take a picture with you, please?" It melted hearts every time. :)

That last one took a little bit of convincing. We saw this booth on the first night, and the kids almost went up for a picture, but then chickened out at the last minute. Finally on our last day there we saw it again and the kids agreed to pose. My daughter told me later "At first I was a little bit scared. But then I realized that it's just an illusion." Wise beyond her years, that one.

Tune in tomorrow for Part 2 of the story (and more great pictures!)