I literally just realized that from February 1999 to November 2002, that’s 45 months, I was pregnant for 27 of them. I gave birth to three humans in the span of 3 years and 2 weeks.

Think maybe that’s why I can’t sneeze without peeing myself just a little bit?

And with that I would like to wish you a Happy 4th! Be safe!

For a few months I have been in a rut. Cleaning, cooking and organizing.. I even had a yard sale for heaven’s sake. I have been painting in the evenings and cleaning out flower beds and out from under beds and I looked around last weekend to realize that you could barely even tell. Here’s the thing. Kids make messes. They make real big messes. And then they grow up. My house can look like Home and Garden then, because for now I just want to enjoy what time I have left with three little girls that still believe what I say, think my clothes are cool and generally adore me for the most part.

So last week we set out on an Internet scavenger hunt to find as many cool but mostly inexpensive, ideally free, activities to do in Cincinnati. Do you believe we came up with over 30 activities? We have marked a few off our list and I have taken photos….maybe I will get around to posting some soon.

So often I get discouraged and sad about the things we can’t do as a one-income family, but I tell you what, the last two weeks have taught me alot about making the most of what you have and being grateful for having these kids that are up for anything…that are just as happy playing at the tower park in our small city as they are at the hugely expensive theme park across the river.

So far our summer has included making strawberry shortcake from fresh strawberries brought to us by a neighbor, free lawn seats at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at Riverbend, covering every single inch of the sidewalk in front of our house with sidewalk chalk, free Saturday night movies in Fountain Square, and tonight we are headed to Free Fridays at the Union Terminal to play around in the Children’s Museum.

What are you doing this summer?

I hope it includes watermelon, flip flops and little kids to love on.

Hijacked by Aunt Pippy.

My dearest baby sister is celebrating her 29th birthday today!!!

I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become.  I hope today is a  celebration of how special you are to so many people.  I love you!

Just thought you should know. I have nothing poignant to say. 

But I am having free lunch and a HUGE chocolate cake courtesy of my boss and that makes me a pretty happy girl today.

Wanna get me something for my birthday…..

Be nice to a random stranger today, do something unexpected. If they ask you why, say “cause it’s Mandy’s birthday.”

That would be very cool.

Last night on the way home from a meeting for my volunteer job I was so completely parched that my throat was really burning. Being only a few blocks from home, I didn’t want to stop and get a drink when I could get water from the tap for free. Apparently the clearing of my throat was disrupting my eight year old sitting next to me, doing what else but reading. Oliver Twist no less.

“Mama, why do you keep doing that, are you ok?

“Oh yeah, I’m fine, just really thirsty. My throat feels scratchy and burny.”

“The figurative language for that statement would be ‘I have a frog in my throat’” she said matter-of-factly.

“Oh ok.” I said with eyebrows raised, trying not to giggle.

Kinda made me feel a little silly for using words like scratchy and burny.

But not as silly as trying to read Oliver Twist along with her and giving up by chapter three. What on earth will this child be reading by high school?