I know, I am really awful....

....at keeping up with this blog thing. But of course my life is SO not as exciting as others and I am sure that everyone is going to get sick of hearing about our adorable cats and how I am depressed that my only child is growing up :)

We had a WONDERFUL surprise this week and Janell and the girls drove down to T.O. for a night to surprise Hannah and come to the play that she was in at school. Of course I knew and it was the HARDEST thing to keep a secret, but I DID IT! I think the Stringer Girls liked surprising Hannah as well. I was on the phone with Emily on their drive up to see us and I was asking her what she was doing and she, not wanting to ruin the surprise, puts her hand over the phone and says to her mom "Does Auntie Mo know?" Well now, if I didn't know, I would have gotten it out of her then!! I can't tell you how much I enjoy spending time with my sister and the girls - they are so full of life! (Janell, don't forget to send me the pics!)

Let's see, what else have we been up to...

Brian is busy preparing for the end of the school year - report cards, updating student folders, etc. I had no idea all the work that teachers put in "after hours". The man has the patience of a saint to be a 3rd grade teacher and his dedication to the kids and bettering them amazes me.

I have just been working, working and oh, yes, working. My co-worker Bryna had her baby and is now on maternity leave and I have been really struggling to keep my head above water. I have until October and then I get her back full time so I cannot wait for that day!

We have been of course camping as much as we can. There is nothing like setting up camp and then sitting down to do NOTHING except enjoy being outdoors! Hannah and I went on a girls only camping trip to McGrath State Beach while Brian had a golf tournament weekend and we had a blast.

At one point I thought I was going to light my hair on fire after pouring too much gasoline in the fire pit to start a fire, but by golly, I was not able to struggle to get a flame so I figured I would make sure it would light - and it did. :) Hannah took pictures of our set up and the fire so that Brian would believe that we did it all by ourselves. It was really great to spend time with her, although being two females camping alone, at night we "locked" ourselves in the tent by using key rings to keep the zippers together. If we wanted to go to the bathroom at night we were out of luck.

Brian and I got to get away for Memorial weekend and went camping with his family up in Santa Ynez mountains where there is nothing to do but hike, read or sit in the river (of course I did all of the above).

Well, that's all for now...I should probably get back to work :)

Good-bye Spring Break, Helloooo Summer!

We just got home from camping at Refugio Beach for the weekend and had a taste of what the summer is going to be like. I love that we are able to pick up and go camping, beach or other, it is one of my favorite things to do. It helps that we grew up camping but I never really appreciated it until a few years ago. This weekend we went with some families from Brian's Friday softball group "The Cellar Dwellers". There were three campers, one tent (that's us), two dogs, six kids and nine adults - pretty close to going camping with the Stringer Zoo :)

As soon as we finished setting up Hannah and I took off down the beach to explore the tide pools. It was alot of fun to walk with her. She is so animated and is a funny girl. I have enjoyed hanging with her more and more and wish that time would stand still sometimes. We were gone for quite awhile and when we got back the guys had starting playing football between campsites while the kids were off climbing trees (miraculously there was only one tumble out of a tree). The two dogs that were there (Buster and Rabbit) were ADORABLE boxers so we got to take them on a few walks (or other way around). Once Brian and I took the dogs and Brian had to use the restroom so I was holding to both of the dogs. As my family knows, I tend to get the dogs (both my moms and sisters) riled up with my shrill voice. I found out that was not such a great idea with two hyper boxers that can jump as high as my face.....all of the sudden the dogs were jumping all over each other and me, trying to get their leashes and barking away. Meantime I was yelling, "Rabbit, NO! Buster, NO! Rabbit, Buster get OOOOOFFF!!!" and getting all tangled up. Brian came out of the bathroom laughing his buns off and to rescue me. I guess charma got me for all the times I have riled up my mom's dog and gotten her in trouble. :)

The night brought a HUGE bonfire, hamburgers and smores and lots of laughter going around. Like my day playing hooky the other day with the girls, this was also a much needed weekend.

This morning one of the guys made us cinnamon pancakes that were SOOO good - which reminds me, I have to get to the gym tonight! Hannah and Brian went off and played football on the beach, then we packed up and headed to Woodstocks in Isla Vista, Santa Barbara for some home cooked pizza.

I have put everything away and am settling down to do some work but wanted to recap my weekend. The summer holds many more weekends like that and I can't wait!

Playin' Hooky

Work has been insane lately so I decided to take the day off and spend of day of Hannah's Spring Break with her and have some fun. We took a friend of hers to the beach and boy was it just what I needed.

The girls and I laid out in the sun, read magazines, played mad libs and just relaxed! At the end of the day we went to a lookout point and asked some looky lou's to take our picture and capture the day. Hanging out with the girls was a great way to get away from it all. They love life and love to giggle, be goofy and just be real. Too bad that this stage doesn't last forever with them huh?

Suggestions anyone?

Here's my dilema: (Is that how you spell it??)

#1 Due to Jack's recent run in with some bad food he now has permanent kidney damage and needs to eat a different, prescription food than the other two cats for the rest of his days here on earth AND for the next 7 days he is on antiobiotics to continue to flush/fight the junk in his system. So, I need to keep Jack's food away from Smokey and Zoey but have NO idea how to do this. Last night he was locked up in Hannah's room but that meant that I had litter boxes and food in 2 locations and those of you that know me know that I can't stand mess (and litter is so disgusting). AND I can't keep them apart ALL day long. Suggestions?

#2 How in the world do you get a cat to take a pill? I chopped it up and put it in Jack's food but he won't touch it. I tried holding him and shoving it down his throat but Hannah and I were almost scratched to death. The vet makes it look so easy....

I am searching the internet for ideas but thought that one of you might have a good suggestion. Aunt Lucy???

Jack is coming home!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who have been praying for us these past two days I am sending you a little message to say THANK YOU! I spoke to the vet this afternoon and we are allowed to bring him home where he can be more comfortable. Not out of the woods yet but he is alive and my daughter is going to be THEE happiest 10 year old today at 5:00 PM. Janell, mom, dad thank you for letting me cry and express my sorrow and anger. Brian - thank you for being there to support Hannah and I and keeping us busy last night. Now life can return to normal and Jack can go back to sleeping with his girl.






More to come on the details of the Jack drama later tonight!

Finally the weekend!

This has been a CRAZY week here in the Mack household! (Of course not as crazy as my big sister's week I am sure)...

I have started a gym membership and got a personal trainer to get me into shape - since the metabolism went down when I hit 30!!!! Going from walking a couple of times a week to going to the gym every day and getting my butt kicked is a huge change and exhausting!

I feel like I am barely keeping my head above water with work, social events and Hannah with school and HER social events. I think that I have said this before but I don't know how you mothers with more than one child do it! And I don't even have a husband to attend to either so kudos to all you ladies that hold it all together!

Last night I went to Brian's softball game and pizza which is always a good time because he has a great group of friends (and it's even better when the Cellar Dwellers win like last night)! The rest of the weekend is a Hannah and Mommy weekend. We are getting our hair and nails done (after the gym of course) and then just chillin'. Maybe the movies - maybe getting in our jammies and having a movie night who knows but I am so happy to relax with my daughter and find out how SHE is doing - life gets so busy that there are times that even though I see her every day I am out of touch with her and what's been going on.

Soooo, I should probably get off the couch and start moving for the day...happy Saturday everyone!

All in a days work....

I recently obtained a new friend who has been a great help to me both at work and in my personal life. She was originally hired here in CRESA-Land to relieve my workload and take on the project accounting, however her job duties have included walking with me to lunch (ESPECIALLY if it's across the street), listening to me crab about the frustrations at work and my sorrows and joys that come from home. She had NO idea what she was in for when she started this job and if she leaves I have already decided that I will go with her wherever she goes...



She will however be leaving me to go on maternity leave from May until October and I think I might die! (Do you think my rear end looks as big as her tummy?) Sorry, I was loading the picture...We measured her stomach today - well I did and she had no choice but to stand there and take it - and he tummy sticks out 8 1/2" with still another 2 months of carrying that little sucker around. Holy moly! And no Bryna, you may not measure MY stomach! :)

I have really lucked out in finding a co-worker like her. When the guys are at their project meetings work really is fun (as long as I am in a good mood). She sings to me and lets me feel the baby throw kicks and punches at her stomach after lunch. I am not sure what I offer her but she seems to enjoy my company and laughs at my corny sense of humor.

It's all in a days work.....