Brigantine Inn

Finally. Yes we got there. We pulled up to our hotel a little in disbelief that we made it. Finally. Not because it was a long drive but because of all the trials. The hungry kids jumped out of the truck eagerly and I removed baby from his car seat only to find out he had completely drenched it and himself. A feeling of what would have been frustration was eliminated by the fact the hotel was on the beach. And I mean ON THE BEACH. There was a street in front of the hotel, in the middle was the building and when you opened the rooms doors you were on the beach. Not even a sand dune in between. We were at the beach. All is good.



We walked into an old historic hotel, greeted by a doorman welcoming us who then walked us to the desk and checked us in. He pointed us to a room close by on the ground floor. Only for us to find out that we had rented the biggest suite there. It was a nice hotel completed in art deco. Not one that you see every day. I was so glad to be there, out of the truck and at the beach.




The kids quickly ran around the place as I walked to our room looking up at the high ceilings and art on the walls. It was nice I was trying to take it all in as I was overhearing some weather forecasts on the large flat screens across from the cigarette art.




Our room was fine. It would do. All of us ran to the door which we quickly opened to the warm beach air to look out at the ocean. We were here. And we were on the beach!

http://www.celebrityresorts.com/pages/locations/brigantine.php

Getting out the door was a feat in its self

I never thought it would have been so hard to just leave. I expected they delay just because Jay can't get out the door in the mornings. This is a constant frustration each Sunday as the kids and I set in the car waiting to go to church only hear him say okay I am gonna take a quick shower! So I had no illusions that my 7am leaving dream or even 8 am last hope would probably not come true. But I tried. I had to work the night before our trip which put me home after 4 in the morning. That was okay I figured I could sleep in the truck on the way and we could still be out the door pretty early making it to Philadelphia for and a recommended Italian restaurant. I had been calling Jay all night checking up on him. Making sure the kids were bathed, asleep and the truck was packed. Every time I called I got the same answer "Brendan is being fussy and I am walking him around. I will pack the stuff later." That is ABSOLUTLY not what I wanted to hear. Please tell me the truck is packed and I am going to early so I can cheerfully wake up and drive to the beach. And yes Karen the kids finished all their school work for the week, Gregory even learned the next few weeks verses, and both kids are now accomplished swimmer. Wishful thinking.

No my reality was some things were packed, many meals were made a head of time, thank you, but there was a lot to be done in the morning and my family was asleep everywhere. I found bodies in the beds, on the floor, sitting on the couch. I was so tired myself I just put people where they belong and went to bed. I did wake up early. I started getting the kids ready very quickly and throwing stuff in the truck. jay was moving around but not fast enough for, he is never fast enough for me though. I should get used to this but I have just took up lying to him instead. Very often I will tell him we need to be there at this time so we can make it there but the real time. It usually works but not on Sunday when he knows the real time we need to be there and even the later time we can be there because we never are ready for the time we should be there. You can start to see this really bothers me.

Anyways I had thrown the children into the truck for two reasons
1 to motivate Jay
2 to keep them out of the way as we loaded everything up.
We did pack everything up checked the house and checked again. It seemed good we were actually ready! The kids cheered enthusiastically, I smiled from ear to ear. I was so ready for a vacation so ready to go to the beach. Even ready to play a few hands and win big so the rest of our lives would be a permanent vacation. Jay and I both got into the truck put the key into the ignition and...click click. Nothing! Devastated. I knew where this was going and uff da. Not good. We tried again and click click. The battery was dead. How were we going to jump our big monster truck?

The car was there and since I had just got home the battery was charged. But the truck was in a weird spot. Not leaving us any room to pull the car around to jump it. After a bit of frustration we decided to bring the car through the neighbors yard to jump the monster truck with the cutest itty bitty jumper cables you have ever seen. The battery was covered in battery acid but after my husband amazing knowledge of how to clean it, neutralize it, and connect the cables the truck started up with a might roar. Yes we were gonna be able to go! I was apprehensive about this battery so we were going to go get a new one then be on our way. That's okay a set back but we are still going just a little later, a lot later than I wanted.

We went to move the car and tragedy. In driving through the neighbors yard we had high centered the and it was stuck. We could not push it we could not prop the tires, it had to be towed out of there. Jay beyond mad ready to give up. Me upset but very quite, the children curious and not understanding what is going on. We drove to Walmart and it did not have a tire section. Jay even more mad by the minute showing in the escalating speed of the truck drove us the LONG way to another Walmart. They had a tire section we got a battery and through more trials got it replaced in the truck. No time to deal with the car.



We towed it out of the yard. Not thinking twice hopped in the truck and were finally ready to go. And with three quick bathroom visits, each drawling more frustration we left. Glad to be on the road.



We drove, we were happy and on our way to the beach. Relieved, starting to laugh a little about the situation but still a little to soon still a little to sour and now it was 1 o'clock but we were going.



It was an easy drive there. No accidents, no congestion and no rain. We no longer were going to stop for lunch we were just gonna get there.


Philadelphia

And we finally did! We made on vacation to Atlantic City.

This time tommorow

We will be on our way to the beach! Yes we are not counting down days we are counting sown the hours. We are packing up, loading the truck, getting ready for some awesome family fellowship time. It is later in the years so we may not be able to splash in the water and ride the waves. The water might have a cooler tinge right now than we like but at least we are going to the ocean. We will put our feet in we will enjoys ourselves and we will praise the Lord for giving us this time to be at our favorite place with our favorite people. See you in a week!

Halloween is 24 days away

Things are starting to look a little spooky.



Skeletons are everywhere




This self portrait we found on the cammera might be the scariest.



We are having fun decorating!

I love my Evan

My little guy was running around the house the other day "collecting" money. In other words robbing his Dad and I blind. We were getting ready to go out for the day and I figured he was just getting money to buy something there. after a little bit he came running to me with a pocket full of money and said "here Momma here's money for you ticket." What a sweet giving child. I will need to remember this when the tables are turned and he is 19, with his new license, and accumulating the tickets and points!

9 days and counting

We are getting excitied! We are counting down the days. We are soon, next week, going on vacation.






Can you guess where?

I found 3 pennys heads up but where is my good luck?

It has been a tough week. One of those weeks where things just aren't going my way. I have been working a lot. My schedule has been flip flopping which makes me very tired. I did not get to make it to any of the kids swimming lessons or AWANAS.

We did not even make it to church on Sunday. We couldn't find either of our keys to either of our vehicles. We literally were standing all dressed up, bags packed, baby in his bucket at the door of the car realizing we did not have car keys or truck keys. As we searched for them the minutes ticked by and we missed the service. We eventually found one set of keys, unlocked the car to find the other.

I went to work very early on Monday, with almost no sleep. It was a bad day there and the place was falling apart and I was beyond exhausted unable to do anything. Tuesday on my way to work feeling a little more rested I jumped in the car and took off. Apparently a little to fast. I got pulled over. Yes I was speeding and I got a ticket. A salty hit to our budget. I was looking at a weekend trip in New York but decided against it as it was a little to much. I am glad I did not book it because this ticket is MORE! Ugh I am so mad. A ticket! So much for my good driving record and great insurance. In despair I called my husband and he laughed at me. Then said slow down. But what is worse is he told the kids. He told the kids Mommy was driving fast and the policeman gave her a ticket. The kids asked if Mommy was bad and had to go to jail. He was laughing and said yes.

No I was not in jail. When I woke up the next morning and saw the little boys they ran to me, hugged me, and cheered Mom your home from jail! Thanks honey. I can't wait to they tell their bible school teacher this one.