la dee da

I published this post earlier today with just pictures. But now I’ve thought of some words to say.

We went to the Good Time Grill a few weeks ago.

It usually delivers on its name, what with the juke box and 50s décor and milkshakes and kids burgers that come in a Chevy convertible-shaped box. It’s the little things in life.

Which brings me to what’s on my mind today. I try to focus on the many little things in our life that bring lots of joy. Walks in the woods, an afternoon baking with the kids, picking apples, snuggling on the couch with my favorite people. Right now, my life revolves around my kids, and I really am loving this phase of life.

But sometimes it’s frustrating and I want to whine a little. Which is what I’m going to do now, because Rob is in Florida, where it’s 85 degrees, and I’m in New Jersey, where it’s freezing and supposed to snow like 10 inches tomorrow. In October. Seriously?

When Rob decided to go to this conference in Orlando, we said to ourselves, ‘That’d be fun! We’ll make a family vacation out of it! We’ll go to SeaWorld and Disney and it’ll be such a deal because travel and lodging will be paid for!” And then the time came, and we said to ourselves, “But we don’t have money for SeaWorld and Disney and all the other travel expenses and blah blah blah and, okay Rob, you’ll just have to go on your own.”

This scenario happens a lot. In the last few years he has gone to San Francisco, Boston, San Antonio, and I think some others too. And every time, we plan to all take advantage of the free lodging etc and then realize we still can’t afford it and he jaunts off on his fabulous professional adventure and I stay home with the kids. And I feel sorry for myself that I have no life anymore and we’re so poor and blah blah blah.

And it’s not just the conferences. It’s that we haven’t seen our family in England for 3 1/2 years. And we really miss them, and the kids are missing out on knowing their cousins. And we’ve had to say no to being in several friends’ weddings across the country, and Rob traveled alone to our friends’ wedding in England while the kids and I stayed home because we couldn’t afford to all fly over. And while I’m at it, everyone else in the world has an ipad and an iphone except us, and I’d really love some cool tall boots, or any shred of new clothes at all for that matter.

*sigh*

One day I’ll have an income again, and we won’t be so financially challenged anymore, and we’ll get to travel again and maybe have some more exciting adventures.

So for now I will do my best to be grateful for each and every moment with my precious family. I really do think I have a pretty fabulous life. And I’d trade the whole world to get to share Elliot and Sophie’s lives with them - even if it’s just hanging out at home in the backyard.

(Maybe I should just stick with the pictures and videos next time, and keep my whining to myself…!)