Morton and a Massage

This morning my sister Emily called to see if I wanted to go with her and her kiddos to Morton Arboretum (sp). Now let me just be honest here and tell you that I am not the kind of girl that loves to wander around in a garden-beautiful park. The only appeal of that to me would be if I was dressed in an outfit from Sense and Sensibility and could speak with a British accent and pretend to be filmed. But walking where bugs are biting and sweat is dripping all in the name of nature is just not really me. Add water, a boat, sand to the equation and you have me...but not without it.

Well, for some strange reason today I decided I would go with her. Who knows why, maybe just because I love my sister and her kids that much:) So Isabelle and I packed up the car and met her there. I was fun....fun to be with Emily and see the kids. Fun to see how incredibly much stuff they have there-and fun to see how much fun the little ones were having. (yes I did just use fun three times in one sentence)





Parts of my favorite moments were the other kids that were there with their parents or (as the majority were) a daycare with their leaders. I must have passed with one woman three times and every time I did one of her little boys (cutest little curly haired black boy ever) was doing something that was causing him to cry and freak out. Finally she just turned to me and said, "Out of control...he is!"





I love the bonding that happens with people when they are dealing with small children....you lose your sanity and can only keep it by saying great one liners to other parents.



We then went to a pond area where kids can watch these frogs in the water-and all of the sudden a little freckle faced boy is laying down entirely in the water. Laughing, while his mother calls from the sidelines for him to get up and come over there (very effective....NOPE) The women there crack me up. You know the types you always see....I have 6 kids and no self-respect, I think I am a super model and this child is just an accessory, I think my child is the world and I am documenting every moment. I saw them all there-and wonder what others would categorize me as. Clearly not the supermodel...since I was greasy and in a holey black shirt....I had but one child (unless they took Emily's kids as mine and then I could have been in that group. Anyway.....we had fun! Emily is great and amazes me with her energy to entertain them all and love on them all and do it really well! She rocks motherhood!

After that event I came home and put Isabelle down for a napper....only to find out that our ENTIRE family is going on a last minute vacation to Michigan. I love that my whole family is random and impulsive like that. I mean, my parents, my sister ruth, my brother james, his wife, their baby, my sister emily, her husband and there 5 kids and Nate and me with our babe....that is a LOT of people to all be able to make last minute plans that work like we have been planning since Christmas. I truly cannot cannot wait!! We leave tomorrow after Jessica Dennis's Shower-it will be such a blast. My family is seriously amazing and I cannot imagine a better time then all of us being together, near water for a whole set of days! Thank you Lord for letting us all be able to bend our lives in such a way that it worked!

After that upper of a newsflash I was thrilled to pieces and soaked in the tub while reading Julie and Julia. Good book so far...we shall see. You know writers that love they are writers-that is kinda how I feel this one is. But to each their own. I would love to bake a ton of goodies for the ride down there....but we will see if that turns into reality. Well after my lovely soak-Nate came home to watch Isabelle while I went and got one of my 5 massages that Nate gave me for mothers day. (I told you he is amazing!!) This was my second experience and it was even better than my first (which was great!) The woman (her name is Judy in case you ever go to the Wheaton Massage) was perfect! Her hands were the warmest and softest things ever and my body was soooo in the mode of getting a massage. It made me feel relaxed and beautiful (who knows what it is in a massage that makes one feel so beautiful, or maybe it is just me that feels that way...but you just leave feeling on top of the world.) So here I am on top of the world and letting you all know it. If I do make some treats tonight I will get photos and let you all see....but please...if you are reading this and have any good treats for me to try let them be heard!
High Point: Impromptu vacation with the whole family starting tomorrow...yes please!! But I must say the massage was not bad at all:)
Low Point: Isabelle was a bit constipated and yes I did help pull from her rear end something that should have been in her diaper...the joys of motherhood-however there was something very satisfying in helping out with it...literally