Making Memorial Day Weekend Memorable

     A holiday weekend is upon us! I've been looking forward to a 3-day weekend for quite some time now, and it is finally here!

     Tomorrow night we are walking up the street to a friend's house for a cook out. Since we are all broke and complain about never having anything to do, we figured why not have a nice get-together with good food, drinks, and company. Our kids are all friends also, so this works out well for us all. I am very much looking forward to it, even if I end up paying for it on Sunday. I have noticed over the last year or two that I can't drink like I did 10 years ago. My body just doesn't recuperate as quickly as it did in my early-mid twenties. Please don't take me for an alcoholic, I rarely even drink anymore, but I have noticed that I get hangovers much easier now than I did back then, and I can't just bounce back the next morning. It usually takes the entire day for me to start feeling like myself, and that includes lots of coffee, a nice hot shower, and trying to stomach some food. But it will be okay, and well worth it. I haven't had much fun as of late because of all the things going on in life the past few months. It is time to let it go and enjoy the night.

     With that being said, did you notice that I said I was WALKING up the street to my friend's house? Yes I do live right up the street from her, so that is a feasible thing for me to do. I realize that people's plans may involve driving. If this is the case, PLEASE if you are going to drink, get a designated driver! This is one of those weekends that you hear about drunk driving accidents happening, and sadly people lose their lives. Don't let yourself fall into this category.

     Ok, that's enough with the lecture, I am sure we are all old and wise enough to know better. As for the rest of my weekend, I am planning on finishing up the spring cleaning I started about a month ago, and getting the "seedling" veggie plants (although they are too big to call them that) and flowers I got for Mother's Day planted into the ground. Maybe I will squeeze a hike in there on Sunday afternoon since Corey was promised by his supervisor that he would have an early day on Sunday. The weather is supposed to be nice, and that is something we all enjoy doing but don't get the opportunity to do much these days. Sadly, he has to work weekends, and this weekend is no exception, he is working today, tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. Yep, it's a drag, but at least he is working so I try not to complain too much.

     In other news, Autumn has cheer try outs today, and I am hoping that goes well for her. She will find out Sunday if she made a squad or not. Naturally, she is nervous (and I am nervous for her) but I think it is good to be a little nervous. She has performed in front of people pretty much all of her life-starting with dance recitals and demos-then on to cheerleading at games. I think she will do just fine, but I am bracing myself in case she doesn't. There are quite a few girls trying out for the 12 spots that are available in her grade level, and many of them are just as good as her. We have talked about the "what if you don't make it" because I want her to stay physically active and involved with school sports for several reasons. I refuse to let my daughters become couch potatoes because that will just lead to them getting lazy and overweight. Not only is that unhealthy but it's unattractive. I realize that comment may have made me sound vain, but it's the truth. Childhood onset diabetes is nothing you want for kids, and with my family history, it's not something I want to chance. Not to mention, being involved with sports in middle and high school gives you so much. You make friends, learn teamwork and other life skills, plus if you find something that you are good at, it can help you get into college! What parent doesn't want that for their children?

     I've told both my girls that they should take advantage of every opportunity there is for college, because realistically, Corey and I could never pay for college educations, even at the community college. I had to go on grants and loans for MY degree! (that I am still going to be paying for when they do go to college!) Sad thing is, college degrees don't give you that guarantee for good jobs anymore, so you have to be well rounded as well. I do plan on making my girls work when they are old enough to, just to learn what it is like and to learn more skills. It's competitive out there, and it just gets even moreso as time marches on.

     Well, that is all I have to say for today. I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend, and remember the true reason for this holiday. Yes the long weekends, get togethers, and  the "official" start to summer (although the Summer Equinox isn't until June 21st) are great, but there is a reason we have that liberty to have those things and so much more. We need to take the time out to remember all of the fallen soldiers who died defending these freedoms. I am certainly grateful for their ultimate sacrifice, and I hope you are as well...

Blessed Be!