Thursday, October 17, 2013

Story of my life

I take a couple of moments out of my day to call or text my best friend, Her name is Diane. She lives in Arizona and I live in Florida. Even though we are so far away from one another it feels as if we live parallel lives. I guess being the mother of four children each can lead to some pretty funny scenarios. Over the years we have shared everything from poopie stories to heart breaks and our hopes and dreams.


Today, over text I was letting her know how I was very productive in my household chores yesterday but seemed lacking today. To which she responded that she was having a productive day today but had given herself more work because she started to clean her car and that lead to putting clothes to wash, which lead to going through clothes that didn't fit the kids anymore.

I recently visited Diane in Arizona and read If you Give a Pig a Party to her sweet little girl. Of course my brain being what it is one big jumbled up, non stop, amusement park, I got an idea. Our every day lives are like those sweet books written by Laura Numeroff. We start doing one thing which leads us to another and so on. So please enjoy this little parody.

If a Mom Starts to do the Laundry by Venus Rivera

If a mom starts to do the laundry, she will check the pockets

When she checks the pockets she will find some candy wrappers, Pokemon Cards and a nickel.

She will go to the kitchen to throw away the wrappers.

When she gets to the kitchen she will see crumbs on the floor.

She will sweep the floor and when she bends down to pick up the crumbs the nickel will fall out.

She will remember to put the nickel in the coin jar they keep in the office.

When she goes to the office she sees the wastebasket is full.

She will empty out the trash and decide to check all the rooms for trash.

When she gets to her son's room she remembers the Pokemon Cards.

When she places the cards on his nightstand she will notice the dirty sheets on the bed.

She will take the sheets to the laundry room.

When she shakes out the sheets to put them to wash, out will fall a marble, a sock, and some Pokemon Cards.


This ladies and gentlemen is why mothers spend all day long working and sometimes feeling like we didn't get anything done. Now to go finish my laundry.




Tuesday, October 1, 2013

I love Florida

After living in Florida for the last eighteen years I felt as if I needed change. I wanted seasons and a different landscape. I wanted to get away from the multitude of tourists that come each year to Orlando. I wanted to get away from the humidity that plagues me with hair that won't stop growing. I wanted to get away from five months of hot uncomfortable temperatures. Did I mention the never ending construction?

Well I got what I wanted. I booked us three weeks in beautiful Arizona. My dear daughter and grandchildren live out in Arizona. My best friend whom I love dearly and missed terribly also lives in Arizona. I couldn't wait to see the mountains and the different landscape. I couldn't wait for the dryness and what that meant to my hair. I couldn't wait to be out of Florida.

It is my fifteenth day here in Arizona. I have loved, loved, loved being with my daughter and grandchildren. I love that my bestie and I have had wonderful moments and gone down memory lane. I love that our children are bonding and becoming besties of their own. I don't love how DRY it is here. Goodness gracious, it is dry. I feel like there is not enough water in this world to quench my thirst. My dreams of perfect hair days did not go as planned. In Florida I can curl my hair and have beautiful beach waves all day long. Sometimes the curl lasts into the next day. Here in AZ my hair is flat. Shiny but flat. I curl my hair and with in the hour it is gone. My sinuses are out of control! I have been getting a nose bleed several times per week. My allergies are out of control. My right eye won't stop crying from the allergies. I must look like a drippy, scary Halloween character.

I never thought I would miss Florida but I really do. I miss the lakes( alligators not included), I miss my landscape. The beautiful lush trees that line every street. I miss the majesty of the tall oaks draping with Spanish Moss. I miss grass! Most of the houses in AZ have rocks in their gardens. I tried walking on them barefoot one day, not a good idea. I miss the architecture of the FL houses.

I can appreciate so many things about AZ but I can honestly say I can now appreciate where I live so much more. I am grateful that I didn't have to move out of FL to find this appreciation. Don't get me wrong AZ is wonderful and beautiful and has it's own list of amazing things to miss, but there is no place like home. For me that is Florida.
 Arizona living vs Florida living. Both beautiful in their own way. I am blessed to have known both.