I'm a freakin' genius!!!!

I'm flying solo with my 10 month old daughter tomorrow and have been kind of stressing all week about how I am going to handle all the "stuff" associated with said trip. I have to bring a big old Britax carseat, cause she exceeds both the weight and height requirements of her infant seat. I need to bring my nice camera, camera bag, a diaper bag/carry-on and a duffle bag on wheels.

Oh. And Samantha too.

So without a doubt the bag on wheels is getting checked. The car seat needs to be checked at the gate because I'm not about to have another car seat or booster lost/stolen whatever the heck happened - for the 3rd time. And the diaper bag and camera bag are coming with me for obvious reasons.

I started looking at car seat wheelie things and although priced reasonably for a reasonably normal person I just couldn't justify the expense and I am already wheeling something else around so that isn't going to help.

INSERT awesome idea!

While looking at wheelie things I noticed most of them also had protective bags that go over the car seat. I suppose that is important to a few people... not $35 worth it but anyway. I thought "why not just throw a big t-shirt over your car seat and call it a day?" And then that's when the lightbulb went on!

Big Long Sleeve T-Shirt!!!

Check it out! It's totally gonna work. And if it doesn't, you can be sure I'll letcha all know when I get back from my trip.





This will get me from the car to check-in counter, and from baggage to the car.

My plan from the counter to the gate is to use the car seat straps like a backpack (if you loosen them all the way out it actually works pretty well.

I'll be wearing Samantha in my Mei Tai baby carrier, facing forward. And I'll have my extra large diaper bag with my camera bag in it...leaving my large one at home (sniff, sniff.) I'll still look like a bag lady, but not nearly as bad as my original plan which included the double stroller - ouch!

rawlee needs a brand new design

I've been toying with de-ghetto-ing my blog and making it look all nice and fan-schmansie.
Here are my main issues with "change"...

I'm stinkin' scared of losing all my past blogs, contacts, etc.
I don't want it to be busy or ugly.
I don't want to use a template that restricts me from starting to advertise.
I so lazy.

So... how would you makeover my blog?

Barnett's Visit!

My big sis and her family came to visit Florida all the way from Colorado! And the brave souls drove here with their 3 boys - did I say brave? They got off to a later start than planned, but still managed to hit all but one of their wishlist places to visit. Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Kennedy Space Center, the beach and a stay at the Nickelodeon Family Suites!

And of course they made some time to hang out at the Gove construction site and swim in the pool. We're gonna miss them - it was fun spending time together after all these years!

Blackmail Photos Rule!

These little beauties should secure Michael and I free lodging at Hayden's future home... or a freakin' awesome retirement home in a gated community... you know, when we get really old.

Time Out for Hayden

Perhaps sending him to his room would have been a more appropriate punishment.
Poor kid was so tired from making mischief!

Samantha @ 9 months - couldn't get more sweet!

uh-ohhh

Samantha loves to play in the water, can pull herself up to standing holding onto the sofa and says "uh-oh" ever so carefully. She is beloved by many, especially her brother and sister. She is soft and chunky and very sweet. Dang, she just makes our hearts melt!

It's been a sweet 9 months... really.