What I want to remember most!

It's amazing when you return from vacation how it all ends so abruptly eh? 

I always try to post my fave moments and drop my pictures in my blog the morning I return or else they are forever gone into the abyss of my mind. So between a massive work day here they are (pics will come in separate post hopefully later today)

Unpacking will happen after 8pm tonight !

Moments to remember:

1- two hours after arriving at Punta Cana kids coming back to room speaker with loud music in hand - bathing suits on and having already met people around hotel !

2- Tim's  daily colourless plates with white rice and plain pasta and me telling him to go get veggies!

3-Bear's very loooong introduction to telling stories or jokes that by time he got around to them he forgot what he was saying!

4- Chase and constantly asking us to rank in order that is most tan!

5- The search for friends for Beauty with success last few days! 

6- The famous adult bracelets and the Lebanese screaming on the beach!

7- Tim coming into my room at 2:30am and telling me from my text at 10am that no he never saw Emma! (Was a bit late for that response as she had been in bed for hours)

8- Tim being the only kid I could I message as only phone that worked on this vacation as 2/3 broke!

9- The constant obsessive talk about girl’s girls and girls. On last night the boys and their friends actually made a pact with eachother to discuss other subjects in front of us at dinner to give us a break!

10- New friend Tomas deciding we should adopt him. Had pretty much every meal with us and boys even came in room at usual 2:30am and asked if he could sleep over one night by pushing Tim and Bears twin beds together !

11- Beauty being nice to us all week! 

12- All the boys’ friends in resort pretending Beauty was their sister to protect her from other boys and men!

13 - You will notice not many memorable moments about Hubby or me. That because this trip really wasn't about this or us-was all for them this time

14 - Me smelling boys nightly at 2:30am . As if smell can tell me how much they drank! And making sure they could speak to me for 2 mins as an indicator of possible over Intoxication. At first Tim would always come with my boys but at end he would just come Alone in room was so adorable and I always had to remind myself to wear pyjamas! Lol 

15- Turned a corner with Beauty on this trip. Has been a hard few years with her but both hubby and I felt so close to her. And such open communication compared to last few years. Talk about so much and really feel that mother daughter bond getting stronger and stronger as each day passes

16- Hubby been sick and not tasting anything. No taste... No kisses... No cuddling. Very romantic eh?

17- Chase and Adhd issue of not being able to eat at buffer without his mommy taking him to each station and point out what he would like!

18- Just overall great memories. This was not our ideal trip (Turks and Caicos is!) but was by far the kids ideal trip. I loved seeing them dance and socialize and even drink responsibly a bit and even trust us enough to  talk about their sexuality etc. . . . Was an eye opener for me and was happy to be included and part of it. 

This morning I miss them all. Tim isn't here! Even miss Tomas! Lebanese screaming Michael and even Stevie! And Lucy! And Laticia!

Miss vacation. This one and everyone. Is always the most worthwhile of time and money spent . Always 

Their Boy and Girl Brains

As anyone who reads my blog knows some of my absolute fave moments with our kids have been when we are hanging out with them  and their friends . 

Always has been that way . Still is 

I think one of the main reasons why is that that both boys are so welcoming with us ( most the time ) when thier friends are with us . Hugging us , affectionate , sweet , inclusive . We are lucky for this .. very lucky . They have always been their best version of themselves when friends and us around . Often one of them  will sling their arm around my shoulder while walking or hold my hand for very extended periods of time . Very affectionate with their dad too and even with friends there always hug us goodbye and loudly say i love you. We cherish this .

Beauty ? Well more of the typical teen who kinda pretends we are annoying. At least all her friends are amazing around us - so we just ignore the fact she wAnts us to leave ( or pretends she does anyways as i think it makes her proud that her friends like us alot ) on this trip however she is really the best verision of herself . So nice to be with her and see her getting along so well with her brothers and Tim . She unbelievably seems to like sharing a room with these three very loud guys ! I love how nice and inclusive Tim is with her and all the friends they meet are kind to her. 

This trip is cool . Tim with us which is very fun . And a new guy they met Tomas who joins us for some meals and swimming etc. I adore them both just as i do thier friends back home . All so nice and interesting and friendly .

Tomas says to me today " you have great boys " then says " and they are so close and connected to you - i admire that "

It made my heart sore 

 Beauty made a friend today too !! And spent the whole day with her. The boys set them up :) was nice to have her to ourselves for part and now see her with a friend. The girl is two years younger but quite mature and asked beauty to come dancing at the bar tonight with her .

Its a  very cool vacation and really exactly what i was hoping for .Different and fun dynamic and an extraordinary privilege to hear all their conversations so often . To see the makings of their brains . None of them will ever cease to amaze me . As much as they annoy me so very often - being their mom is the best thing i have ever done by far 

On this vacation it is a reminder to me of the lives the kids live apart from us . That social side that gives us some interesting cues as to what their days and time is spent like when not with family . I consider this information and knowledge highly valuable for us as parents . Its like seeing animals in thier natural habitats vs  in a zoo :) its quite an experience and fun to watch! And to be honest anxiety provoking ! 

This trip proved to me what i have ways known . Despite our kids   Being very very social they are very family oriented above all . They are a package deal and come with the  family alot of the time. And their old and new friends know it . And accept it and i think even like it . The boys will always choose their sisters safety before a kiss with a hot girl. They come home late but always on time . They include us in their crazy lives . It was one of my most important goals of raising three kids and i am getting to see on this trip especially action the 💗fruits of our labor 

Vacations allow me the space to reflect on that and remember it .It feels damn good to have this time together 

From day 1 - horrible service for blogs !!

We made it !

We are in punta Cana club Med for a week with four teens ! ( our three and Bear's best friend Tim )

And we are finally here 

After two 15 hr work days and delivering virtual training to many japenese people last night until 11:30pm who don't understand English very well 

After a big scare with eldest sons perceived bad hair ( actually amazing ! )) and  his big mysterious rash on face 

After hubby having a bad Cold 

Our fridge breaking and having to lose food , empty it and buy an new one 

After eating crap last few days as we have no good food or too lazy to go and eat it in basement 

After my mom asking us if we needed anything at Walmart and chase replying condoms! To his grandma ??? Condoms ???  ( ps she said get yourself ) Not a little sweet boy anymore I guess ? Well at least he talks to me and his grandma ) about sex ? Is that good or terrible ??

After the finale - waking up this morning and going outside to greet Tims parents and a bird crapping on us two moms moments before leaving for the airport 

But you know what ? All the above is just a normal day for all of us and normal all around . We just notice this all more when we are preparing to go away somewhere . Then realize how mud chaos there is . And chaos about unimportant stuff   . Stuff that doesn't even really matter 

I am just so happy to have a week off and to rest my Brain . All I want to do it read and sleep and suntan . I spontaneously last  night even though had four new books decided to do my fave thing and go to chapters and get 7 more that I liked even more . Books are my life - and especially on vacation . Novels , business books , parenting teen books , scary thriller novel , romantic affair book , light beachy book 

I intend to on this vacation :

Relax relax relax

Not sweat the small stuff 

Not boss anyone around ( much )

Not plan too much with kids ( only with hubby )

Not think to much ( ya right )

Enjoy the sun ( pls pls be lots and lots of sun . I need sun )

Enjoy the kids ?  If I try super hard I will think they are sweet and Angels 

Enjoy my husband :)

Just be off technology ( Yahoo ! This is hard but is so necessary for me to take a real mental break from my life - for me it's the only way to be present this week )

And the best part ? Tim's mom told me that a bird crapping on your head ? It's super good luck ! 

Here's to a wonderful bonding vacation !

Justin Bieber Chaos- sorry for typos cannot edit on this wifi

Well at least she loved it and cried of joy 

The rest of us ? Pls take me back to our cozy hotel on the beach with the chirping birds 

40 min taxi ride ( 150 used for 2ways ) to her there and wait in line to get our tickets which were reserved for two hrs in the midst of chaos . So much chaos that the kids missed the first three songs he sang ( and never mind the opening band )

Then 1 hr later the concert was over . Bieber apprexly  decided that he was done . Probably wants to get some good shut eye before hitting the beach again tomrorow 

Now we are sitting in the hard rock hotel for over and hour and waiting for a non existent taxi that will likely never come with the 100 thousand other people waiting for taxis 

And Hubby and I stressed out heads off for 3 hrs wondering why we would sent four teens alone to a concert in the middle of an underdeveloped country that is chaotic outside of a resort 

We have done some pretty stupid things in our lives . This was one of them 

But she cried with joy and loved every minute ( of the extremely expensive 45 she got to see ) And the boys love the hard rock hotel it seems . So much so that they said club med is not as good

And her head is on my lap as I write this and  that makes me abundantly happy 

Can you even believe that when we get back to the hotel the boys are going out ?I am taking a sleeping pill and knocking myself out . Has been three nights now I don't sleep  as I wait for them to come into my room and kiss me goodnight so I can smell them . But I make up for it on the beach and nap a lot very luxuriously 

Our days on beach have been amazing . Really fun and great and kids loving it too . We have spent a lot of time with beauty too and she is in a super mood and loves just relaxing with us . Great conversations with the boys over meals and a little swim in the ocean . I have realized that all teen boys talk about ? Is teen girls 

And tonight is for our girl . Her gift for having to wear a brace 20 hrs a day for three years . This and a swim Tshirt billabong Tshirt from the hotel . And she is very happy .

It's the least we could do . We are still waiting for our taxi and still have 40 mins when we get it it . It is pure chaos here after the concert 

Bye bye Justin bieber !

Very very happy to go back to hotel and read my book in the beach and nap for the remainder of the vacation

Big big big Ps - the night turned around after i wrote this post . Our taxi driver had connections and took us to see where justin bieber lives in punta cana !!!! He got past the gates communicaty security as he is friends with the guy . We stopped right in front of JB home where he was sleeping after the concert !! And took pictures !!! At one point they saw movement inside the house and screamed to my daughter Vamanos !! ( hurry ) . We felt super important and like paparazzi or celebreties

Beauty nearly died of happiness . She kept saying the whole time that she felt faint and was there wifi there as she needed to post on her story . Today for real she was still shaking from the experience and stayed in bed half the day !!!! 

That tour made it All worth it

And i took a sleeping pill and barely even heard the boys come say goodnight at 2:30am.

Today another great day . Lots of beaching and a cool new guy the boys met . Hung in jacuzzi with them all And played petoncle . Rob very sick still ( like horrible cold but functioning but cannot  taste or speak  much ! Beauty shaking From jb and headache and mild tummy ache and think getting flu . BeAr coughing. Despite health stuff Amazing and fun time  as so nice and relaxing and perfect weather so far. Really fun having Tim with us !!! Cool dynamic between all

Punta. Cana first post. ( out of order)

And it was a great first half day and evening and full day !

Sunshine :)

And the kids got into their room right next to ours and quickly got into their 

Bathingsuits and headed out with Beauty's lead as she knows the resort from our girl trip together 

When we came back to room at 7:30pm and they weren't here we knew things were looking up for them ! At 8pm the four came with a music speaker in hand , music and sun tanned faces and looked perfectly at home said they spoke to lots of people they met within a few mins 

Had a great dinner all together and after show Hubby and I and Beauty came back to rooms . And went to sleep. Beauty in her room and us on ours . 

Well they slept 

I didn't 

Tossed and turned

Worried about Beauty on other side of wall in a weird country alone 

Worried about the  three boys and how much they were drinking and when coming back as i forgot to set a time and they just said " late ! "

Worried if i am too permissive or behind the times as i never know 

Worried that we set no system to communicate as our texts not on here as all roaming off 

Worried

So i did what any other woman would do and woke up my Protector at 1:15 am and asked him to go find them ( ps he is really sick with a terrible cough and cold )

He said no 

Then i remembered wifi you can do imessage and 2/3 have data !

So we inessaged ! ( well me and Tim did )And they were safe and came back at 1:45 to kiss us goodnight in our room as i want to see them and speak when they party to make sure not too out of control 

And then i tried to sleep and nothing 

Until 6am . Hubby with his bad cold coughing and snoring away!

Today was a great day full of sun and relaxation . Saw boys for lunch and dinner and some chatting before nightclub opened . Beauty spent morning with boys and end of day and the rest with us at the beach and napping and swimming .

The kids are all over and kayaked and volleyball, frisbee , nightclubs , swimming . Club med is a great place for the older teens .

I love the book I am reading 

At 7pm we had all kids together and told beauty had a surprise for her . Have been looking for something special to give her to celebrate her three years in brace and the end of that . We surprised her ... the boys started playing justin bieber songs and we showed her tickets for four of them tomorrow night to go to his concert in punta cana !!!

She was silent and started crying quietly of joy and hugging her dad and then all of us . Tears streaming down her face she left room to go post it on instagram!!

She has been a dream so far on vacation and so bonding for us with her . Boys pushing her to find friends but she likes to hang with us And we like too 

So far a great first full day !

As long as sun continues and i have good books i am happy ( and hubby to feel better soon )

Punta cana 2017

Not intro or pics . Wifi sucks here . Will post pics at end of trip from home. Nice to not have wifi too great as then i only read !!

..And it was a great first half day and evening and full day !

Sunshine :)

And the kids got into their room right next to ours and quickly got into their 

Bathingsuits  and headed out with Beauty's lead as she knows the resort from our girl trip together 

When we came back to room at 7:30pm and they weren't here we knew things were looking up for them ! At 8pm the four came with a music speaker in hand , music and sun tanned faces and looked perfectly at home said they spoke to lots of people they met within a few mins 

Had a great dinner all together and after show Hubby and I and Beauty came back to rooms . And went to sleep. Beauty in her room and us on ours . 

Well they slept 

I didn't 

Tossed and turned

Worried about Beauty on other side of wall in a weird country alone 

Worried about the  three boys and how much they were drinking and when coming back as i forgot to set a time and they just said " late ! "

Worried if i am too permissive or behind the times as i never know 

Worried that we set no system to communicate as our texts not on here as all roaming off 

Worried

So i did what any other woman would do and woke up my Protector at 1:15 am and asked him to go find them ( ps he is really sick with a terrible cough and cold )

He said no 

Then i remembered wifi you can do imessage and 2/3 have data !

So we inessaged ! ( well me and Tim did )And they were safe and came back at 1:45 to kiss us goodnight in our room as i want to see them and speak when they party to make sure not too out of control 

And then i tried to sleep and nothing 

Until 6am . Hubby with his bad cold coughing and snoring away!

Today was a great day full of sun and relaxation . Saw boys for lunch and dinner and some chatting before nightclub opened . Beauty spent morning with boys and end of day and the rest with us at the beach and napping and swimming .

The kids are all over and kayaked and volleyball, frisbee , nightclubs , swimming . Club med is a great place for the older teens .

I love the book I am reading 

At 7pm we had all kids together and told beauty had a surprise for her . Have been looking for something special to give her to celebrate her three years in brace and the end of that . We surprised her ... the boys started playing justin bieber songs and we showed her tickets for four of them tomorrow night to go to his concert in punta cana !!!

She was silent and started crying quietly of joy and hugging her dad and then all of us . Tears streaming down her face she left room to go post it on instagram!!

She has been a dream so far on vacation and so bonding for us with her . Boys pushing her to find friends but she likes to hang with us And we like too 

So far a great first full day !

As long as sun continues and i have good books i am happy ( and hubby to feel better soon )

Preparing for Future

I made a list a few months ago of stuff my kids need to learn before they move out 

Values that i have not passed down

Family history (i totally suck at this)

Skills 

Facts 

Knowledge

What have i been doing all these years???

So i started with the obvious. My eldest and getting him to master grocery

Shopping.

With a little minimal salary to get the motivation up 

He comes home and cleans the kitchen 

Tidies pantries 

Cleans our fridge

Does inventory of what needed for home and cottage 

Adds his own assessment to my grocery list i make for recipe ingredients 

Does a huge shopping groceries and pharmacy at Walmart 

Puts it all away and separates the cottage stuff from home stuff

Makes a meal from scratch that has to be different each week

Clean kitchen again

This week on Walmart list were other various things kike white buttondown shirt for his dad for choir show, dustpan, Lysol, floss, a wedding card for a friend and pasta bowls

And ... maxi pads!!

You heard me right. And i made him ask for heavy flow! And he didn’t complain! Made me realize this young man is growing up and probably pretty used to asking for embarrassing stuff at the pharmacy!

I figure this is really preparing him for real life. Lately he has said no marriage or kids ever. Maybe the maxi pads were a tad overboard? 

Next week will be prepping meal for guests. This is really fun 

I am quite sure i will never get to the family history part as i barely listened when my parents tried to on me 

And general life knowledge? I seemed to ignore that too 

Thank goodness I am good at delegation of stuff I hate to do myself !