Vacation Part 2

Captains Log Day 2, March 29, 2014

Honestly, these kids would be happy with a hose in the
backyard... they just love life!

We should have went to Disney, I repeat we should have went to Disney! Normally at Spring Break, we would have taken the kids to Orlando. In fact we originally planned on going to Walt Disney World, but there is no beach! Gabby and Colton always complain that they want to go to the beach and play in the sand. So in prepping for our vacation, I logged on to Dewey's reward points account, to book a fabulous beach trip in Panama! Since he stays roughly 200 nights per year in a hotel, we had enough built up to stay in a beautiful Holiday Inn, beachfront! I didn't even have to tap into our timeshare, which was awesome, because after this trip we are going to need ANOTHER vacation!

Ron Jeremy would
feel right at home!

The first hint that I had towards something being fishy (pun intended), as Dewey was checking in, was the endless train of teenagers parading through the parking lot half naked. Though, I wasn't going to let that dampen my laissez fair attitude, I mean come on, I'm a liberal, free spirited, just on the forefront of my thirties kind of girl! Plus we aren't naïve, Dewey and I both realized it was Spring Break and have been to Florida during this time before. But college Spring Break is over and this was what appeared to be a very family friendly hotel. Yet as we approached the front desk to have wrist bands snapped on us and the girl working had to question if the nine month old needed one... they haven't had any babies? I admit, I started to get nervous! Yet up to our room we headed. As we filed onto the elevator with about 10 other people, I had to clench my kid's hands tightly and say a quick Hail Mary, I was questioning if we were going to go down. I wanted to scream, please don't jump in the elevator, pleaseeeeeee quit touching buttons and it didn't help that we were way up on the 15th floor. Let's just say it was the longest, alcohol drenched, chaotic elevator ride of my life. Ahhhhhhhh! Finally we entered our room, sanctuary, peace, our own private retreat in paradise or so the website said. What I walked into was what Ron Jeremy would have thought was paradise, not me.
A lovely suite decorated in cheetah print carpeting, gold accents and floor to ceiling mirrors around the bed. Ok, I know what you are thinking, YES, Dewey was excited! As a mother there with her three children, one of whom was asking why there was a mirror above the bed, I cringed.

Maybe something to eat and a good night's sleep would make everything better! Off to the Pita Pit for dinner, which was fantastic, they need to put one in Toledo ASAP. Then a quick stop at Target to replenish our pool gear and a lengthy, entertaining drive back to the hotel. I swear to you at every corner we turned there was a Panama City Police Officer arresting someone (with a silent cheer from me). Again, we expected it, we did not however, expect there to be a swat team in the lobby when we returned. "That's it, we are going home", my eyes were literally swelling with tears. So as I frantically tried calling to find another place to go in the area, I was sorely disappointed, everything was booked. Thirty-nine minutes later, I was on the phone trying to get some help from the IHG Priority Club while the kids cried in the backseat that they wanted to swim. Then just at the perfect time, sarcasm alert, Colton's nose started gushing blood. With the phone to my ear I ran him past the security to the bathroom in the lobby for some paper towels. Mind you I was still on hold, with an extremely helpful manager who was looking at every hotel within a two hour drive for us. Back to the van, bloody nose in check, when Dewey looks at me and asks, "Where is your wallet?" OMG, I left it in the cart at Target! So back to Target we flew to luckily find it at the front desk. I just looked at the girl working and sighed, "You will never believe our day"!

With no other hotels available in the area, we cranked up the fan for noise blockage and hunkered down for the night. Although, with every toss and turn all I could see was my reflection staring back at me and saying, "Never again Lisa, never again!"

Captains Log Day 3 March 30, 2014

The amazing view from our balcony!

As the sun began to rise over the beautiful ocean view from our balcony, I almost forgot where I was. Dewey and I had decided that we were here and going to make the most of it, so I showered off the negative feelings of yesterday and got dressed. With our little bathing suit cladded brood, we hit the hotel restaurant for a delicious buffet. Hey things were looking up. There were a few other families in the restaurant and the food was amazing! The view from our breakfast table revealed a white sandy beach that was empty and calling our names. The kids couldn't get their flip flops off and wiggle their bare feet into the sand quick enough. Shell after shell fell into their buckets as they were completely oblivious to what was unfolding on the hotel balconies. As a mother it was hard to ignore the young men screaming "flash your boobies" from their balconies at 10:00 am.


Nothing bothers this baby... so happy!

So with the pool being empty (because they were all too busy sleeping off the night or yelling random things off of the balconies) we pulled up some lawn chairs and enjoyed the sun. Then the DJ opened up his booth and as he played The Lion King's "Circle of Life", which apparently is the Spring Breaker's anthem because it drew them out of their rooms faster then a race car in the Indy 500. One of the hotel managers came over and was kind enough to offer us complimentary drinks. Probably because he figured if we had a few in us, it wouldn't be so bad (LOL)! The drinks were great and we did enjoy hearing lots of hilarious stories from a few of the security guards. The best story of all though was the legend of Spring Break Jared. The man who booked a room for a week by himself just to dance pool side all day long in his Crocs. Lucky for us, Jared was about to make his Sunday morning appearance. I don't know if Jared was on an acid trip or just socially awkward? Maybe he just really, really, really likes to dance... but Jared deserves his own reality show. Seriously, if he is not a YouTube sensation already then someone needs to post quick because it was unreal. Shirtless, lobster red from too much dancing in the sun and croc adorned Jared, broke it down all day long with his sweet moves. He may be the first person to use a towel as a stripper pole and if he wasn't the teenage girl with "Lick Me" across her stomach probably was the first.



Shrimp Boat Restaurant

We made it through though and cultured our children as well. Ending the day with a fabulous dinner at The Shrimp Boat located on the bay in St. Andrew's. It was quiet, had a breathtaking view of the sunset and most of all FAR AWAY FROM SPRING BREAK CENTRAL! With a good nights sleep and a ton of checkouts today I am hoping for a much better Tuesday!!!
To Be Continued...

Are We At The Beach Yet? Vacation Part 1

Captains Log Friday March 28, 2014

Day 1:

All packed!

Vacation, vacation, vacation! Yeah the beach, the sand, the sun on my face. One week of pure relaxation, right? I would say that “relaxation” is a questionable term when you are talking to a mother preparing to take a family of five out of town for a week. Though, I am a seasoned pro at traveling with kids, I still struggle to get out the door and I don’t think we have ever left the house on schedule. Take this morning for example, our time of departure was set loosely between 6-8:00 am. What time did we actually leave the Toledo area you ask? Well at exactly 1:19 pm we pulled out of the Perrysburg, OH, Panera Bread and onto the highway. Ultimate FAIL... six hours behind schedule and the start to a veryyyyyyy interesting vacation.

It might seem strange to some that we set a time to leave and COULD NOT stick to it. But here’s the thing… I did not want to leave the house a mess, because who wants to come home to a messy house after a nice getaway? So I ended up running around like a crazy person trying to finish packing, cleaning, running that homework assignment that Gabby should have taken in on Thursday out to the school and did I mention that I had to squeeze an appointment in at the vet for our cat, Sophie, to get her nails trimmed? Then as we were loading the car, I caught my breath, hooray we were ready to go!  I walked back in to grab one last bag and by God there was a tube of toothpaste in the middle of the floor with no lid, ooooozing out blue paste onto my dark hard wood floors. Are you freaking kidding me? So as I'm on my hands and knees scrubbing it off, Gabby walks in and says, "Are you ready to go yet?" What went through my head at that moment was a slur of bad words that I will not repeat. Bottom line, maybe if I had tidy children and eight arms, I would have gotten out the door on schedule, realistically those things are figments of my imagination.

Finally, we hit I-75 full force because we were long overdue for some fun in the sun. If you live anywhere in the Midwest, you feel me on this, LONGEST WINTER EVER! My children who are naturally olive skinned and maintain a tan all year long, looked sickly this winter. It's like the Polar Vortex took every single bit of color from our bodies along with all the color from every plant, tree, flower and lawn. Everything has just been WHITE, people included!!! Maybe the cold, snowy winter also froze my children's common sense, because I have never heard them ask the same questions so many times. What questions you may ask? "Are we there yet?" or "How much longer?" Usually these questions start midway through the trip, this time they started in the driveway. "We are just as eager as you guys, we will get there as soon as we can!" So with the peddle to the medal and a great song on the radio, we tuned out the kids and set our sights on a halfway point, Nashville, TN.

Did I have a little motivation for getting there? Definitely because it is home to one of my favorite people in the whole world, my bestie Jen! Trust me when I say that this stop was a impromptu (we decided that morning) and that she could not have been more surprised when I snuck up behind her in her living room... creeper alert! Although, I will say that I know she loved every moment of my sneak attack and the look on her face was priceless.

Our first day, although starting out a bit crazy, being filled with endless repetitive questions and leaving me exhausted from the start, ended out on a high note! A great visit and a huge start on our drive to the sunshine state. It's a good thing too because Day 2 was a N-I-G-H-T-M-A-R-E!

TO BE CONTINUED...

Gabby dreams of Broadway... Here is her debut as young Fiona in Shrek Th...

Letting Your Freak Flag Fly And How Teenagers Can Surprise You!

Young Shrek and Fiona, Some really cool cast members,
Me as Humpty Dumpty & A couple of adorable fans!

If you know me you know that I am a grade A nerd and if you don't, well, now you do. I like all things geeky and if it has a cult following then its probably on my top 10 list. While this is all true, I have never been a big Shrek fan and neither have my kids. Though it seems Shrek isn't just for the young at heart, it has a full blown adult fan base. Search it on Pinterest and you will see what I'm talking about. So even though we aren't huge fans of the series in our house and have watched it minimally, that didn't stop Gabby from trying out for the part of Young Fiona at our local high school. 
As we rehearsed the week prior to auditions, I realized quickly that this was her forte! She is definitely in her element when it comes to musical numbers. Could it be the years of cheerleading and countless individual competitions I have stuck her in since she was two? Possibly... Although, I will tell you that after she walked out of auditions she was less then confident. She thought she blew it and was bitterly disappointed. So when I received a call from a friend the next day telling me to check the school's website, to find Gabrielle Dunn displayed as a cast member, I may have shed a tear or two and she may have been just a teensy bit excited.

Gabby and her AWESOME music teacher, Colton and his "Fluffy" friend
& some wild and crazy second graders!

Now I don't have that much experience with participating in Musicals. I went to Stritch, which was an extremely small HS and we did not put on yearly Musicals like most high schools. OK, sure I may have played dirty laundry in the Oregon Children's Community theater when I was ten, but donning a sweat suit with socks safety pinned to it doesn't exactly scream "experience" on my acting resume. There was that middle school production of Oliver too, but it was all chorus for this girl. I don't exactly have a great voice, unless you count my one hit wonder "Teach You How To Potter". So having Gabby join in the local production of Shrek has been an introduction for the whole family to musical theater.

 

 

Little Kid Cast Party @ McDonalds

In Gabby's eyes she has become one of the high school students. I don't think it even fazes her that the seventy some students involved in the production realize she is only in second grade. She just hangs out backstage like she has known them her whole life and sits with them everyday. In fact last night was the cast party, which started after the show and went till 1:30 am and by God if she didn't think she was going to go and ride along with the high school kids. "But Mom, everyone is going, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee." In the words of one Jaynann Huss (my mother), "I don't care if Jesus Christ himself is going, you're not"! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS, I have been waiting for years to use that line on my own kids!  She has always been above her years, so connecting with the older kids comes as no surprise to me. Yet, through all of her networking and through watching the rest of the cast grow and come together over the last couple of months, I have seen so much more.

Hanging Out Backstage

Diva Alert!

OK, OK, OK... has it all been a smooth experience, maybe not! You can start with my laundry pile for starters. I haven't folded a single towel all weekend, Gabby and the musical has taken precedence over the last 4 days. So the pile just keeps growing on the couch. It was a sectional built for 6 and we are down to maybe enough room for 2 people. I'm choosing to look at it as a romantic loveseat instead of a pile of crap that I need to deal with on Monday. Then there was that moment of horror on Friday when I picked Colton up from daycare and took along his nice clothes to change into for the show. When we got to the school I pleaded with him for 45 minutes to please let me help him change. He refused... I got irrated. Finally, I dragged him to the locker room and made him take off his sweats to find that he had gone commando all day. Hey no parent is perfect and sometimes in our haste we forget to put underwear on our children. Luckily it wasn't a breezy day. Did I mention that he kicked a remote control car that was being used as a prop and broke it... yep, $20 down the toilet! Then there is the week that we missed half of Gabby's homework and I had to send an email to the teacher explaining that I am basically at fault because I trusted my 8 year old when she said she didn't have to do it. #parentingfail! Despite all the running back and forth and late nights leading to early morning chaos and a very crabby Gabby running to the bus just in the nick of time, with half brushed hair, here is what being involved in a high school musical has taught me...



Daddy!

1) TEENAGERS WILL SURPRISE YOU. In a world of Teen Mom and Buckwild type shows, its easy to forget that they are still just kids. As a society we tend to expect so much from high school students and they are often handed too many responsibilities too fast. It's nice to see them in a creative environment where they can just enjoy being young. Sure a pig may have forgotten her ears or someone missed a note, maybe the inflatable deer did get kicked in the gut one too many times and popped twenty minutes before showtime but through all the little mistakes here and there... those kids were resilient, nice, funny, witty, polite and entertaining!!!

2) THERE ARE NO CLICKS IN A MUSICAL, EVERYONE WORKS TOGETHER! Nothing blends clicks together like a Musical. Where else do you see jocks, cheerleaders, band members, emo kids, beauty queens, brainiacs and geeks dressed up in crazy costumes, doing each others makeup and dancing on a stage together? Hey who needs Anti-Bullying programs in school, just have more MUSICALS!!!


Gabby and Her Godparents!

Gabby and Grace

3) LET YOUR FREAK FLAG FLY!!! Now I'm not saying I was the coolest cat in high school but I was definitely a popular kid, I had a lot of friends, was a cheerleader, prom queen, student council, etc. but at the time I would not have considered myself nerdy. I neverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr would have put myself out in the public eye as a "Harry Potter loving, smut reading, vampire obsessed, Goodwill hunting, Bigfoot believin', I think Mermaids are real," kinda girl. As I have gotten older I have realized that I really just don't give a hoot about what others think of me. God made me ME for a reason and I have thouroughly embraced my inner nerd. I also try to pass that on to my children... just be yourself, no matter what that is! Shrek and the entire message behind it, to LET YOUR FREAK FLAG FLY, has really confirmed that belief. Not because the characters on stage are singing that line over and over, but because backstage the cast members are sitting around the gym (some in full blown animal costumes) laughing, singing, hopping around like rabbits with my 5 year old, asking each other to prom in donkey suits and really just showing their diversity.

4) FRIENDSHIP IS POWERFUL! I question how Gabby will feel on Monday when she has no rehearsal to go. She has made some wonderful friends and it will be hard to not see them everyday! I wonder how many friendships have been forged through musical theater in general? Not only did Gabby acquire new friends over the last 2 months, but so did I! Sure the other Mom who helped me ogre up Fiona, and I, have permanently stained our hands green but we had fun and bonded while doing it!!! 

5) EVERYONE DESERVES A HAPPILY EVER AFTER... no explanation needed!


Gabby & Grandmothers, THE Donkey & A Very Silly King!


A hugeeeeeee THANK YOU to the entire cast and crew for making Gabby's first musical at GHS such an amazing experience, Mr. Ed for helping to direct and nurture her very patiently through the last 2 months, the WONDERFUL orchestra who kindly put down their instruments when her mic went out... you rocked this weekend & all of our amazing friends and family for coming out to support Shrek The Musical!!!



There is a BOOGER on my wall... I repeat there is a BOOGER on my wall!!!

Now does that look like a
face of a booger swiper?

"WHYYYYYYYY IS THERE A BOOGER SMEARED ON MY WALL????" This is what I found myself yelling throughout the house yesterday. No seriously, why is there a big, green, glob of goo crusted on my nice white wall? Surprise, surprise, no answer. Really, no one wants to fess up? Come on, I know I didn't do it, chances are the 8 month old didn't scale the wall to wipe his snot across it and Dewey was out of town when I found it. Although, it could have been there for a day or two and I missed it, but I am going to give Dewey the benefit of the doubt here. Yes, he may contribute to other messes in the house but judging by the height of the smear mark, I am guessing the culprit is under 5 feet. Now we are down to two members of the Dunn family, Gabby or Colton. I would like to think that Gabby is mature enough to know better then that or at the very least, she's a young lady and has some manners. So here we are, one last family member left, Mr. Colton Dunn.     
I asked him, "Colton, did you wipe a booger on the wall?" He answered back, "No." Good answer, good answer! If I wiped a booger on my Mother's wall when I was five and she was less then thrilled, I would probably say no too. I guess he's innocent until proven guilty, right? Should I nanny cam it? Set him up to take the fall? No, I took the high road and gave him a very polite explanation of why people should not defile clean walls with mucus covered hands. Will my "keep it clean and be a germ buster" speech take hold in his little brain, or will the visions of karate and looking great in his t-ball uniform overcrowd his mind, so the useful information slips out through his ears? I don't know, I guess only time will tell! However, this Mother is putting her foot down on having to scrub the walls with a Magic Eraser every single time someone has a cold! YUCK!!!

Date Night... Wait Whats That???

Date Night 2014

   If you are like my husband and I, then you probably lack "alone" time. Prior to last night, the last time we went out on a date was over a year ago. Now that doesn't mean we always have our kids with us, its just usually if we are out kidless, its with other friends. Which is great, I love hanging out with other couples or going to parties where there are not 1,000 kids running around double dipping their carrot sticks into the veggie dip. However, there is something to be said for a one on one evening with your significant other. So on that note, Dewey and I decided to have a good old fashioned DATE NIGHT! In case you have never experienced this phenomenon...

Wouldn't Be A
Night Out W/Out
A Selfie!!!


Date Night (noun • informal)

• A prearranged occasion on which an established couple, especially one with children, go for a night out together.

   The night started out with a knock at the door from our neighbor girl Emily, the babysitter (Let me stop here for a second and say that the only hesitation I had on using her was that I never know what the going rate for a babysitter is? I decided on $7-$8.00/hour and I hope that is normal???). First let me say that we rarely use a babysitter, usually we can wrangle up some free childcare via the grandparents and although our kids love spending time with any grandparent that will sit and do a puzzle, they were exceptionally excited about a real babysitter coming over. They cleaned their rooms, ate their dinner and put away their folded laundry with a little extra pep in their step before she came. I knew they were in good hands, which is the first step to a successful date night, Make Sure The Kids Are Safe And Sound So You Can Relax!

 



Not On The Diet!!!

   We set off for a quick bite to eat because I was running late, which is typical and if you have three kids and a house then you will understand this. Before I could get ready I had to pick up, feed the kids, take care of the baby. I never want to leave my house and feel that things were chaotic because then I can not sit back and enjoy myself, nor will my return home be pleasant. I used my time saving trick, apply your makeup in the car and we ended up getting across town with about an hour to spare for dinner.

Greek Pitza

We picked a great little place called Aladdin's Eatery, which focuses on unique natural foods of the Middle East. Our appetizer was Baba, a puree of eggplant, tahini, garlic, and lemon topped with fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil and of course amazing Pita! Then I had a cup of Chicken Vegetable Soup and Dewey had a Greek Pitza, feta cheese, zaatar, diced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, julienne green peppers and slivered calamata olives and garnished with flakes of sweet basil. Amazing food and a fantastic service from the owner Nick! We especially enjoyed our piece of cake that we split (hopefully my Herbalife coach doesn't read that part) at the end of the meal! Romantic I know, we might as well have been Lady & The Tramp slurping up a noodle in unison!!!

 



Lot's of Laughs @ Laffs Inc.



   We finished the night at Laff's Inc., Toledo's new comedy club. Dewey had heard that Costaki Economopoulos (say that three times fast), was the headliner and since he was a fan we had to go! The club was amazing and we enjoyed several glasses of wine, OK, OK, OK, Dewey enjoyed several glasses of wine, I had about a half glass. Hey, between the laughing and the half glass of wine, this Mama was feeling great! Costaki, was hilarious and since he is a parent, many of his jokes hit home. He also is apparently attempting the healthy lifestyle like we are so when he started telling jokes about rice cakes, I knew I had found my new favorite comedian! I mean that's brilliant stuff, why have I never noticed that rice and cakes are good things, just not good together? I will say the only thing that was distracting about his show was the idiot heckling him in front of us. The first time he yelled something, I was like, seriously? By the time Costaki got around to the favorite holiday portion of his act and Mr. Heckler himself decided to yell out "Hey what about 4th of July",  all I could think was shut the (beep) up. I will say the headliner is a seasoned pro with annoying audience members, because he handled it well. Funny enough, as Dewey and I looked at each other in sync with disgust we both made the same comment, "Of course he has a Michigan hat on". Offensive to the maze and blue fans out there, I'm sure. True story, 90% of the hoodrats I see in Wal-Mart have .. you guessed it Michigan jerseys on. It's just a trend I have noticed in this area and yes, I'm sure it doesn't help that we bleed Scarlet and Grey in this house!



Me and Costaki



 

After the audience cleared out, Costaki was nice enough to take a few pics and chat with us. I think Dewey would have loved to buy him a drink but unfortunately we had to get home to relieve the sitter. Not before we had a jam session in the mini van though. That's right, The Town and Country was a rockin' and not in the way you might be thinking. We were car dancing all the way back to Genoa to a little Nelly, "I Am Number One" and White Snake's "Here I Go Again". We may have called it a night before 11:00 pm but we took Date Night to a whole new level!!! 
 
 
 
 

 

 

(TBT) Easton's Baptism and How We Forgot We Had a Third Child!

How could I forget
about this face?

   In honor of Throw Back Thursday I would like to tell you a little story about the time I left my baby in the car. That's right, sweet precious little Easton was left to fend for himself in the back of the cold van. WORST PARENTING MOMENT EVER!

  
   The day started out great, it was December 29th and we headed out the door to Easton's Baptism. Of course we were having 30+ people over afterwards for a dinner so I had been scrambling all morning to finish things up! Though I had to apply my makeup in the car, in the church parking lot, we were early. (Insert choir singing hallelujah here!) The whole family came out to witness our handsome little man entering into the church family, it truly was a beautiful day. Minus the part where the priest called him "Eaten" a few times. Dewey had to lean over and whisper, "Ummmmm we pronounce it EeeeeSton". When the Baptism was over we bee lined it home to get the food going and to await the Genoa Care Center transportation van, which was bringing my Papa who is wheelchair bound. The entire two minute drive back to the house I kept telling Dewey to drive faster and hurry up. He pulled the van up in front of the house, so other people could park in the driveway because we have a relatively deep front yard and its a walk up to the house! 

                                             So I ran across the yard and into the house,
                                             turned on the oven, thinking about nothing but the fact that I

Easton and his Godparents
Uncle Rudy & Aunt Erin

needed to feed these people ASAP! Dewey and my brother were helping Papa get into the house, which also is a challenge since we do not have a ramp, they have to lift him in. Once Papa was settled in enjoying some appetizers and the food was on its way to being served, I relaxed a little! "Hey let's get a picture with all three of our kids and their Godparents." I yelled into the living room! Since each one of our kids has a different set of Godparents and they all happened to be in the house at the same time, I thought, what a brilliant photo opportunity! In my mind all I could think about is how stinkin' cute that pic would be in a Baptism frame on my new white mantel!


Easton napping with
Uncle Rudy!

   We all lined up in the foyer and started pulling the Dunn children three into the pose. Gabby lined up, Colton lined up, "Who's holding Easton?" I yelled out to the group again, "Hey who has Easton, we are taking a group picture?" All of a sudden Dewey whipped himself around and bolted out the front door... it hit me like a ton of bricks, WE LEFT THE BABY IN THE CAR. I've never seen Dewey run so fast and the entire time he was running to the van (which had to of only been 10 seconds), I was screaming, "Is he in there, is he in there?" Sure enough that ridiculously laid back child was just chilling in his little car seat, bundled up and sleeping. We of course felt horrible, the other two had ridden home from church with grandparents and apparently we forgot we had a third child for a moment!

Easton and Poppy!

   Once he was inside we snapped the pictures while everyone else told their "I left my kid at home" stories. Honestly it made me feel a little bit better, but I couldn't help shake that horrible nagging in my gut that something could have happened.
Parents you know what feeling I'm talking about, it literally makes you sick thinking about the what ifs. I think that day Easton had a guardian angel looking after him because even though it was freezing out, he came into the house snug as a bug in a rug. Maybe Papa Craig made a trip down from Heaven, to wrap his arms around him and keep him warm while he waited for Mom and Dad to come back. Some how, some way, someone kept him safe and comfortable during his parents parental lapse in sanity. now when I'm getting in, out or while I'm driving, I do double and triple checks to make sure all of my children are with me! Risking overusing this phrase, which I think people do online wayyyyy too much, We truly are blessed!!!

 

 

Gabby with her Godparents Josh and Angie plus their

handsome boys Jackson & Grayson,

Easton with his Godparents, Uncle Rudy and Aunt Erin,

Colton with his Godparents, Uncle James and Aunt Jenna and

the proud parents of all three Dunn children in the back!

Rick Springfield Has A Sock Line

So I was in the car last night listening to "Jessie's Girl" and although I have heard the song a million times, this time I listened a little closer to the lyrics. WARNING, Rick is a really, really bad friend, beware of friendships with him.

                                                                     "Jessie's Girl" written by Springfield, Rick


Rick has a nice profile, I don't know why he
has such a hard time finding his own girl???


Jessie is a friend, yeah
I know he's been a good friend of mine (Jessie and Rick are BFF's)
But lately something's changed that ain't hard to define
Jessie's got himself a girl and I want to make her mine (We've all been there, the BFF gets a significant other and bammmmmm... no time for friends so Rick wants to jump on that and feel like he's a part of the mix.)
And she's watching him with those eyes (She is definitely clingy!)
And she's lovin' him with that body, I just know it (Rick knows this because Jessie paged him and when he called him, Jessie told him that they had "relations".)
Yeah 'n' he's holding her in his arms
Late, late at night (They are insomniacs because they aren't just up late, they are up late, late.)
You know, I wish that I had Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
Where can I find a woman like that (www.match.com, www.zoosk.com, www.eharmony.com)

Rick even has his own Glamourshot...
a definite selling point in a man!

I play along with the charade
There doesn't seem to be a reason to change
You know, I feel so dirty when they start talking cute (Rick is a creeper!)
I wanna tell her that I love her but the point is probably mute (Rick falls in love a bit too early, because he's never even been out with this chick yet!)
'Cause she's watching him with those eyes (She never let's Jessie have space... she constantly has her eye on him.)
And she's lovin' him with that body, I just know it
And he's holding her in his arms
Late, late at night
You know, I wish that I had Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
Where can I find a woman like that (If the dating sites were a flop, Jessie should have taken Rick to the bar and "wingmanned" for him! Maybe then he'd leave his girl alone.)


If I were Jessie's girl and I knew Rick
wanted me andddddd he had his own
sock line, I might think twice!!!

Like Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
Where can I find a woman
Where can I find a woman like that
And I'm lookin' in the mirror all the time (Rick is a Divo)
Wondering what she don't see in me, I've been funny
I've been cool with the lines (This song is seriously making me doubt Rick's cool status.)
Ain't that the way love supposed to be (Basically if she wanted to be with him Rick would steal her away from Jessie... that's not a very BFF thing to do.)
Tell me, where can I find a woman like that (Rick really needs someone to tell him because obviously he is not having any luck with the ladies himself.)
You know, I wish that I had Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
I want Jessie's girl (I have no idea what she looks like but she must be HOT!)
Where can I find a woman like that
Like Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
I want, I want Jessie's girl (I think Rick may have short term memory loss because he has told us one too many times that he reallyyyyyy wants Jessie's girl!)

                                       No one and I mean no one, makes a white
                                          undershirt look as good as Rick does!









Songwriters
SPRINGFIELD, RICK
Published by
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Discuss these lyrics...

The BMV

   So this year for my birthday I needed to make a trip to the BMV. Bureau of Motor Vehicles or what I like to call H - E - double hockey sticks. Does anyone actually like going to the BMV? If you do please tell me why because its a nut house. Instead of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, they should put a camera in there and make a reality show out of the eclectic group in the bureau's waiting area.

 
   It's kind of a catch twenty two, you feel like crap about yourself because they make you publicly state your weight and take the world's worst photo but on the other hand when you look around the room and notice that you are one of the few people who showered and put on clothing other then pajama pants, you feel pretty good! But seriously ladies, who tells the truth on their license about their real weight? This is the one place I think its OK to tell a little white lie! Lord knows if I get pulled over by a hot cop, I don't want him knowing that I really way 30 (OK, OK, 40) lbs. more then what it says!!!
 
   Another pet peeve of mine regarding the BMV, is how you walk in and have to pull a number ticket out of the "meat market machine". Then slowlyyyyyyyy watch the ticker, tick down till it hits your number. I walked in and got number 99 and they were only on 78. Watching, watching, watching... waiting, waiting, waiting! All this so that they can snap a funky photo, take my money and send me on my way. So while I was patiently awaiting my turn, I found 7 tips for the next time I go or you go to get a new license. Maybe these will actually help to make us look like what we think we should look like in that little blue box!!!

http://driving-tests.org/beginner-drivers/top-7-tips-excellent-drivers-license-photo/

Cleveland Rocks

We love to travel in the Dunn household, in fact I hope this is just one of many travel blogs I write for my readers. In all of our travels though, we have rarely spent time in Cleveland, Ohio. Probably because we are HUGE Tigers fans and my husband cringes when he is anywhere near an Indian fan! My brother, however, attends Baldwin Wallace, which is just a hop, skip and jump away from the city, so for my 31st Birthday we decided to spend the weekend in this undiscovered land to our East!


Dewey and I not knowing how
to take a picture!

For starters its not a bad drive from the Toledo area, all turnpike makes for a smooth, quick trip. Also, almost every rest stop along the Ohio Turnpike has a Panera and a Starbucks... BONUS! So with the kids piled in my van and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the DVD player we were off. My parents, Jaynann the driver and Randall, leading the way in their car. Maybe I should have led because, Mom driving or should I say lane switching, was a little hard to follow. She's in the middle, now the left lane, now the right, where will she go next? Other then playing follow the leader on the turnpike, the drive was great. Easton slept all the way, and the older kids were occupied with the blissful technology my Mini Van has, it was quick and quiet.


Nana and Papa loving on Baby E!

Now because Jaynann and Randall are empty nesters, they recently got a little beagle to keep them company, Daisy Jane or as I refer to her Pansy Pain! So we had to pit stop at my brother's campus house to drop her off for the weekend before we hit the hotel. The kids could not wait to see his bachelor pad, you know the one my Mom kept referring to as the "slums". I have to admit my extra large iced tea was hitting my bladder pretty hard so I too was anxious to get there and use the bathroom (although I contemplated stopping at a Pilot because that might be cleaner). 


Uncle James living the dream!

We got there and headed inside to find a clean bathroom, I was impressed, but a not so clean house. Seriously it looked like a typical college guy house that you would see in the movies. Four couches, a HUGE T.V., no decorations other then a giant beer bottle plaque and a pile of shoes that could cover the feet of an entire third world country. Although, I found it quaint I was ready to hit the luxury of hotel living, the kids on the other  hand wanted to stay. Why is it that kids are amused by the little, simple "luxuries" of life? So as they said, "Where are we sleeping?" because they had their hearts set on staying the night with Uncle James, I quickly replied "Well we sure as hell aren't staying here... get in the car"!

Finally we arrived at the hotel, just in time for a late dinner. As we entered and headed towards the in house restaurant, we noticed the welcome sign in the lobby read "Welcome Platinum Member, Matthew D.", ego inflation perhaps? After Dewey's head de-swelled enough to sit down and eat, I enjoyed a very tasty Cesar salad, then headed back to the room to get some beauty rest on a very comfortable, fluffy king bed. Did I mention the part about knowing that I don't have to make the bed in the morning, which adds to getting an even better nights sleep! Not to mention when I woke up I took a long, steaming hot shower and didn't have to worry about paying the water bill. Yes, yes, I know that its not good for the environment but cut this Mama a break, after all it is my Birthday weekend!!!


Uncle James and the kids!

We had a great family breakfast, with the inclusion of my brother James' new lady friend, Kayla! She captured my attention the minute she said "I never buy anything over $10.00"! A bargain shopper in the family, be still my beating heart! Hopefully on our next trip we can hit up some Goodwill's and TJ Max's! As for shopping in Cleveland this time around, we journeyed over to the West Side Market. The marketplace is home to over 100 various vendors, selling their ethnically diverse foods. We wanted to try a Gyro but the line was so long that we passed, but the smell was incredible. After stocking up on sliced turkey to go with our Jewish Rye Seeded loaf we hit the jackpot on pork chops! One cool thing about these independent vendors is their ability to barter with you. After haggling, we all took a jaunt across the historical market to collect a bag of fresh coffee beans and a block of Havarti cheese (my favorite). The cheese we used later for a snack along with Golden Delicious apples, HEAVENLY! Besides it being a bit crowded and hard to maneuver with a stroller, which I would leave home next time, it was a fun filled, family adventure ending with the whole gang indulging in a scrumptious baked good of choice that my Mom treated us too. It didn't take a whole lot of coaxing to convince me to eat a Pistachio Cannoli paid for by someone else! The West Side Market is a true gem of Cleveland featured on various programs from The Travel Channel to Food Network. If you are in the area you must check it out!

We finished the day off with a great lunch at a local diner called Mike's Bar and Grille where I had the Hot Brown. A thick sliced piece of Italian Bread covered with mashed potatoes and thinly shaved roast beef, then topped with a smooth, rich brown gravy. Now this meal will not be making the top 10 healthy meals of Cleveland anytime soon, but if you want to splurge on some good old fashioned comfort food, dig in! It was absolutely fantastic and the perfect end to our weekend get away!