What a week

And its NOT over!!!
So last weekend we took the kids to Jacksonville , FL for the weekend. We went to Amelia Island which was just so beautiful.....I think I liked it even more than the gulf coast as it was not so "comercial" it was very quaint and quiet....the beach was not packed just a few other people so you were not shoulder to shouler with others ( which I DONT like when I'am at the beach) I like to sit in quiet and enjoy watching my children, without having to watch everyone else around me. We loved that the tide was out, and the beach was covered with shells....the kids and myself had the biggest kick out of just searching for all those "perfect" ones to take home with us. Mallory insisted on bagging up some sand so she can send it to her friend Lizzy in Massachusettes ( they have such a connection...Mallory knows she would appreciate it...and be excited)
We headed to diner at Sticky Fingers....all I have to say is was probably the BEST dinner we have had out in a long time. We rarely get out to eat and when we do we are always having to wait to be seated because of our size party.....and just plain and simple now a'days people dont have the "work hard" ethic like they used to , waiter/waitresses have ZERO personality....and take forever...and food is usually not even great. But this place here, we walked into ....instantly greeted AND seated.....the waitress was super nice....anitcipated my little ones breakdowns coming and distracted them with shirly temples,crayons,coloring books & animal crackers.........Both Alan and I got ribs.....and on the table they have 6 BBQ sauces to try....Mmmmm it was so yummy, it was such a great experiance I emailed the company to tell them what a terrific visit we had......it felt good to give + feedback to a place well deserved.

The next morning we woke up and went to St. Augustine.....again another beautiful place to go.....we went to "Ripleys believe it or not " museum, loved that it was pretty inexpensive for a family of 8 to get in ($52) not bad....the kids enjoyed looking at all the "freakish" and weird stuff they had, plus it was inside and air conditioned :)

left there and made our 3hr drive home where we had to stop at Walmart totally last minute to get the kids school supplies....Soooooooooo not fun, it was tax relief day and the store was PACKED!!! we made it out alive with 6 VERY cranky kids ....fed them a bowl of cereal, laid out their school clothes and off to bed they went.

MONDAY....school is here!!!! the kids woke up saying it was like Chirstmas eve...they were so excited they could not sleep. Melissa was the most nervous.....the other kids were all rearing to go. Despite some minor bus issues ( on my part) everyone made it and had a great day.
We then got a call a day later to tell us Jarrett made the lottery for the Pre-K program.
If you dont know Jarrett he is my little piece of velcro that is attached to me at the hip DAILY....he has only ever stayed at my friend Janes house other than that he has NEVER stayed with anyone....( not even my mom or dad) so this was a HUGE thing for him to be able to go....now I was not hung up on it if he went he went if not It was fine too....he is only 4 so I was happy and content having him home, I wanted him to go simply to realize he can leave my side and he will have fun..........and guess what he loves it. We are so proud of him, part of me is completly sad that he went pretty easily, the other part I'am weepy because it means he is growing up.

More news is Meghan finally got her license.....WOOOHOOO!!!! and she has been driving herself to school and back.....I give her so much credit as I would never even attempt driving into the City and she does it everyday. She has her second interview with Starbucks tommorrow and I'am hoping she gets the job. Its so nice to see things getting better for her.....being down here we feel helpless, but also feel like maybe she needed this "push" as she did reley on us for so much ( but hey isnt that our job )

Alan has been working like a mad mad.....Some of his stores are beyond anything I have seen before.....how the hell some of these people made it to management REALLY scares me and disgusts me to see how much $$ they are making when hard working people who need jobs cant get them.....the system is so screwed up!!! last week he worked close to 90 hours.......YES 90 hours!!!! I keep on his case that he CANT do that, and he ended up getting totally run down. He does have an Apt to see a new Dr. Down here which we researched extensively as we were somewhat dissapointed in the Dr. we saw in Milford.....Yeah we wont go there!!!

I'am getting closer and closer to being done with the paxil...next week I start the last of the steps to get off of it......I NEVER knew how hard this would be. I guess the side effects I'am still having are the headaches ( terrible migrane mon/tues) ,numbness/tingling in my face, and the dizziness,but it has beed gradually getting less and less. I have been doing a more holistic approach to managing it all and I'am pretty pleased.

Well Lots to share this week, so I wont bore anyone who reads this much longer.
Busy week and guess having no form of adult conversation can start to get old :(