So I was ready at 10am, just as I had hoped, even though I woke up about an hour later than I had planned. I already told Sheila that I probably wouldn`t be leaving till 10:30 though because of my late wake up call, but it turned into being a late departure due to clothes that hadn`t been put in the dryer. Altho, when I realized they hadn`t been, I started them at 8:30am and they STILL weren`t done because of a certain dryer starter forgetters jeans keeping all the clothes wet. I finallly was able to make myself presentable (wearing clothing) at about 10 to 11. I still had yet to hit the ATM (need babysitter and poker cash) drop Carson off at my Dad`s, and get gas. After I drop off Carson I realize I had left the girls snack, fresh strawberries, and a few of my last minute items on my kitchen island, back to the house. ATM went smoothly, I had money. GAS was up .20 from yesterday, I swear, I`ll drive down to the cheap gas stations...YES $2.45!!! I`ll hit the one closest to the highway, they all have the same prices, uh or not $2.79, U TURN... filled up with gas and I`m on my way.

The girls have snacks, drinks and have been potty, we should be able to make it past Indy before we have to stop. WRONG AGAIN! "Mommy I have to PEEEE" "Mommy, I`m HUUUUUNGRY" sigh... stop one down. We don`t pull into Indy till around lunch time so I look at my directions '70w to 65n towards Chicago' cool I`ll take the outer belt to avoid traffic. Ipods rule on trips with kids by the way. I think I woulda been loony after 4 cartoon movies by the time we got there, well, loonier anyhow. I drive a bit on the outer belt and check out my directions again to see about how far to 65n. '70w to 65n towards Chicago.......... take the FIRST EXIT OFF 65......' oh great, I`m brilliant. A few exits down on the outer belt I see an exit for the street I was supposed to be on. I was to take Meridian (rt31) to 16th st. I saw an exit for 31 and took it, I was at 96th st. 45 minutes later I find myself in line with the directions and when I finally get to my next highway I see the outerbelt ran right into it. Brilliant I tell you, IM BRILLIANT! 'Mommy I HAVE TO PEEEEEE, Cant we get a SNAAAAACK'......

6 hours later I`m pulling into suburbia. Amidst the cornfileds and strip malls I find sod, landscaping, sprinklers, kids playing in the road and Mini Vans... lots of Mini Vans, I must be here. I pull up to the cookie cutter mailbox that says 704 and I`m greeted by Martha Stewart who has a home cooked meal... Oh, wait, this is SHEILAS......I`m greeted by a cute little 7yr old in hip sunglasses, and we head out for BW3s after the husband gets home from work, which is shortly after we arrive. We all play poker with the kids on the handheld TV screen games there. Now THATS more like it!! Altho, we did all fit in a mini van to get there.


We are up pretty late, after 1am CENTRAL time so even later on my clock. And of course the kids being excited to get their day started get up at SIX am!! Now I see why Sheila put me in the basement 'pitter patter pitter patter down the stairs, one, two, three, four LETS WAKE UP TEEEE'. And the kids are off, everytime we want to do something we have to wrangle them up from somewhere in the neighborhood with new scrapes on knees or elbows from having so much fun.

We get the errands ran, just like home, Sams club run n such and when we get back I go to put Anna down for a nap cause she hadn`t had one the day before in the car. The plan was to get her down and then head up to the kitchen to help Shelia get ready for her Stepford Wives party, damn I mean Tastefully Simple party later that evening. I was asleep before Anna was. But I awoke to the smell of fresh baked bread and other fixins all done without my help.. suhweeeeet!

The stepford wives were scheduled to start my assimilation at 7pm and I had no idea how many times I would be asked " OOOOH so YOU`RE the girl Sheila met ONLINE eh?????" "Yeah, but I left my AXE in the trunk so no worries" GG for making Sangria Sheila, gg. (credit Bill for AXE funny)

My kids had their first experience with a BABYSITTER that night too. I need to get me one of those, they loved it. Saturday was the day of the big game! But not before I was given the Suburbian Saturday run around. I have to say, despite all my jokes (not that they are funny), all the moms were very sweet and gracious. They all opened their homes and yards to my kids and myself and made us feel very welcome.

Maya had already made a new "BFF" named Morgan and her mom had invited us over to play for the day at their house. But then we got a phone call from Amy, the house with a POOL and she invited us over as well, while at the same time Christine (whos backyard adjoins with Sheilas) was setting up kiddie pools and sprinkers for everyone to play in. A cunundrum indeed. So first I head back to Christines with Anna, and before I know it there are 7 little giggling people running around having a ball. Sheila solved one of the problems by getting Amy to invite Susan to the pool too! So after an hour or so we headed over there. And by there I mean the house with a Pool, a Hot Tub as big as my living room, 4 wheelers, scooters, trampoline, playground and sandbox. Yeah, my girls were in heaven.




Then it is time for showers and a POKER GAME!Scoot2 (Scott) and RedHawt (Steve) showed up for the game and we had a fun time making fun of Sheila and her FOUR COLOR DECK. "I have two green cards!!!" Talk about an acid flashback, I can`t even play with those things online, imagine the discombobulation of having them DEALT to you LIVE!!

We had 9 people for the first game, I mean debachle. The effers made NO showing in this first game and got ran over by the newbies playing and raising with the "any two can win" philosophy. I think we all tried to mix it up a bit and it just didn`t work. I was the first out of the 4 of us (only fitting) and Scott made a HUGE comeback only to get busted shortly after, gg Scott. I`m sure he`s used to that tho when KHAN is at the table!!

The second game was hella fun, it was the four of us, Scotts wife and one of Sheila`s neighbors who plays alot of poker. We actually had some serious poker being played here. And go figure the Zooks took it down. The ho bag got AA TWICE in final 3 against KJ both times to win it. I think it was the lucky charms deck, RIGGED. As for hand analysis, I`ll leave that up to ZOOKS, we all know I don`t like to analyze when I lose. NTTAWWT.
From left: Scoot, Redhawt, Im the tall thin one w long dark hair and Sheila is the plump one on the end :)

Scott and his wife were great people, just like all the effers I`ve had the priviledge of meeting. It was a pleasure and hope to do it again sometime! It was also good to meet Steve. He is also a bowling buddy of Sheila`s so I get to here about his zooks pwning on a regular basis and it was nice to meet you as well!

Sunday we finally got to sleep in a bit and relax most of the day. Sheila and I even got to play some ONLINE POKER that day!! Was very fun. That night two neighbors came over for a Euchre game and a little more of the "Aren`t you at all scared to have people you met ONLINE at your house??" speech. But this time we had a little fun with it! "Sheila met me on neutral ground first, and I promised to take my meds while I was here".

Monday was departure day so I got the mini van packed and we went to Bob Evans for breakfast, said our good byes and off we went. My trip home only took 4.5 hours, the kids fell asleep this time.

Was a GREAT time She Z. I don`t think my kids have had that much fun in awhile and I hope we get to do it again soon. Thanks for your graciousness and not so Martha Stewarty hospitality, cause I wouldn`t want it any other way, you`re a great friend.

*tear*


ok, not really but was a nice effect dontchathink?