Rabbit Hash

When I was in high school people used to go to Rabbit Hash when they got their drivers license just because they could. I never did. I suppose it was because it was a lifetime away in my perspective and once you got there, there wasn't anything to do.

About a month or so ago I bought this book Adventures Around Cincinnati. I'm not going to lie, when I bought it I was vain and thought I would just be refreshing all the cool places in Cincinnati that I have already discovered since becoming a mother. There were a few of the usual ones, but there were also quite a few new ones that I hadn't discovered and a few I knew about but didn't realize their potential. In the book I read about Rabbit Hash, Kentucky and have since got that idea in my mind that our little family must take a trip to this river town and dine on BBQ and visit the unique little general store.

A few weeks went by that didn't work out but last weekend we ventured down there on a whim. My husband's best friend's (whom happens to be dating my best friend, Riley's Godparents, and lives next door Whew! that was a lot) garage door was open when we were heading out to the car, so we asked them if they wanted to go and they joined us.


To the contrary of my high school beliefs the town was only about 30 minutes from our home, not a lifetime. I don't think I would have appreciated all it's uniqueness and beauty when I was in high school either, so I'm kind of glad I didn't go then.

My girls found treasures all over including a sleeping cat in a shed.

I'm not sure if it's an every weekend occurrence or not, but there were many bikers that came down to enjoy homemade BBQ from a little BBQ stand on the river and enjoy the view of the Ohio.

The day couldn't have been more beautiful. The sun was shining and summer was making it's grand entrance. Although the weather was quite warm; it was complimented by a perfect breeze from the river.

It was nice to slow down to almost a crawl and enjoy all the small things that add up to one big thing.

The general store is the main attraction, the center of town, the big to-do, the place to be. It holds up to the hype too and delivers. It's full of candy, refreshments, and unique one of a kind wonders.

I was talking to a friend about something and I wasn't even sure of the context, but I was talking about how I want my girls to experience as many memories and they possibly can in their childhood and lifetime. I want to expose them to as many places, environments, and experiences now so when they grow up they know what things, places, and interests they want to further explore. They can live downtown in the city or in little river towns because they will hopefully have a glimpse of what it was like from their childhood. My friend brought up the very valid point that my children may not even remember these experiences, especially at their young ages. It was be true, but I have these photographs and this blog to remind them of all the fun adventures we go on and hopefully it was spark the memories that we create on days like these.

It was definitely a fun little half day trip and I'd enjoy coming to drink a beer and eat some homemade BBQ along the river again soon.

$45.75

I have been reading Reachel Meyer's blog for a while now. I think she is fabulous and some of her favorite posts of mine are her yard sale ones. She posts about her yard sale finds in her hometown. I have to admit that last weekend could have been the first time I've been to a yard sale in my adult life (unless I'm blanking on a time-which very well may be possible). I used to think yard sales were a form of punishment when I was little and my mom used to drag me to them all the time.

After reading Reachel's blog though I thought, hmm there may actually be some good finds out there. My neighbor was having a yard sale and we walked down, and I think I may have gotten hooked.The next Saturday morning I woke up, called my mom and downloaded an app on my phone that tells you through gps where all the yard sales are.Woo. I went out both Saturday and Sunday mornings and went to a good handful of sales, including a community sale with many stops. I usually never try not to buy anything unless I know I will use it and is relatively practical. I found some really great finds. So here we go.


$1.00

Brand new fabulous sandals for my little Raigan in her size.

$2.00

Brand new with the tag sandals for my little Riley that fit her perfectly. I was so excited about these and so was Riley!

$1.75

Books for my girls.

$1.00

A picture frame that I've been meaning to buy to put some of Riley's artwork in to display.

$1.00

An American Flag pair of Keds that fit me perfectly.

$1.00

$1.00

Love these- my size!

$2.00

Brand new with the tags Old Navy bathing suit for Riley

$1.00

Bathing suit for Raigan.

$1.00

Outfit, and Old Navy tank top and skirt in Raigan's size.

$0.25

Almost couldn't believe this one. A New York and Co maxi dress in my size for a quarter.

$5.00

A brand new pair of Nikes in the box for Raigan for school this fall. They are one size too big on her now, and I'm sure they will fit her in a few months. So excited about these too!

$3.00

Brand new. I have been eyeing these for Riley at Target, but didn't want to pay full price and when I saw these I would have plowed through the crowed to get them if I had to...

$3.75

Bored games that my girls love. I'm not totally sure about the whole Bratz thing, but we'll see how to the game works out.

$0.50

Shoes for Raigan.

$1.00

$1.00

$6.00

Old Navy pants for me in my size.

$10.00

20 pieces of clothing mostly in Raigan's size and one size up.

$2,00

Sweatshirt and sweatpants (not pictured, but look the same)

Total: $45.75

A steal for all the things I brought home.

I think I have found myself another summer hobby.

Life freaks me out a little bit how things fall into place and are such an appropriate part of the story line that it's almost like you're reading a novel that follows the perfect format. The intro, the problem, and the resolution with symbolism and foreshadowing. Sometimes it's like watch a movie too, when the perfect music comes in and sets the tone of the scene.

I am still dealing with my funk from time to time.

I have a lot of good days and some bad days just like everyone, but today was a bad one. It started out wonderfully as I went to breakfast with my girls and we ran some errands that went so well, and the girls were so well behaved. They took a nap and I became so tired and well, I was just tired. Tired and in a sour mood. I didn't want to do anything and couldn't wait for my husband to get home from work to relieve me and cook dinner and let me run away into my hole.

My wonderful husband took the girls to our community center to go swimming and gave me time for myself. I did what makes me happy and spent too much money on a Frappacino at Starbucks and wondered through a bookstore. I didn't know what I was looking for and wondered through each section just wasting time. I went to the bargain section just to browse and this orange book just caught my eye.

It was the perfect fit and the foreshadowing to my plot line.

When I picked it up this evening it was exactly what I needed to get back on my happy track and out of my nasty, sour attitude. The words were as if they were wrote just for me. It was like I was in my own novel about my life and this was the epiphany. If this was a movie a loud resolution music ballad would have began, and the damn clouds would have started to part. It's so nice how things come around and fall into place just the way it's supposed to.

The orange book was God Never Blinks by Regina Brett. It is about a woman that became an unwed mother at 21, an alcoholic, and a breast cancer survivor and the 50 lessons that life has taught her through all of her struggles and triumphs. If I wouldn't have know better, this woman wrote this book specifically for me on this specific day and the writer of my story had written a story line leading up to me being in the bookstore and finding my resolution of this book.

My favorite message from her book: You can either be miserable or happy; it takes the same effort. 

I have been reading more and more and cannot believe that I hadn't been doing it long before now. I have been missing out so much knowledge and have been closed to so many windows and doors until now.

Motherhood

Five years ago (and a few months) I was shopping for a baptism gown with my mother. A few hours later I was having a baby.

Back then, even though I had roughly 9 months to prepare myself, I had no idea what being a mother meant and had no idea what I was doing.

I was clueless, shocked, overwhelmed, sleep deprived, but so in love. It was the most overwhelming time in my life because everything changed when I gave birth to that little black haired girl.

Over 5 years and another little bald girl I think I have finally found my grove. I am still clueless about a lot of things and still overwhelmed at times, but more than anything else in my life I try my best and then some when it comes to motherhood. The love I have for these little girls is like no other and comes with this intense drive to do great things, achieve more, give purpose to life, and find the joys in the days.

It's a rainy Mother's Day around here and we very well may spend a day eating a late breakfast, movies on Netflix, and a lot of popcorn eating. I don't think I could think of a better way to spend the day.

My Girls: Riley & Raigan

These are my two little girls: Riley and Raigan.

Riley is now 5 years old.

She is about ready to graduate from pre-school.

 She is super outgoing and very strong willed.

I have been reminded and assured at every dentist appointment that she has ever had that she will need braces in her future.

 According to her eye doctor she has perfect vision.

She protests every morning to me putting her hair up and prefers to wear it down with a bow or headband.

She has recently reached the epiphany that regardless of how much she makes a fuss she still has to make her bed in the mornings.

She could watch Barbie and a Fashion Fairy Tale on repeat all day if I let her.

She does very well at an online typing game and even knows how to keep her fingers on the "home row keys."

She reads very impressively.

With no assistance or influence from me she has developed a sarcastic quip about her.

She knows an impressive amount of French words for a 5 year old.

She is obsessed with Monster High dolls and has no concept of money still. Even through extensive talks and demonstrations she still thinks the money in her piggy bank (~$3 in change) equates to the $50 it costs to buy the Beach Monster High doll set with all of the Monster High characters.

She is very excited about our upcoming trip to the ocean in a few weeks and continues to tell me we need to start packing.

Her next birthday party theme: mermaids. 

 ***

Ragian is now 2 years old.

She has just started pre school.

She used to be the most quiet laid back baby in the world, but is now a very loud toddler.

According to her pediatric dentist we are jinxing ourselves by saying that she has nearly the closest to perfect teeth he has ever seen and she will not need braces. I'm sure a few years things will change and I will need a second job to pay for 2 kids in braces.

Raigan has no seen an eye doctor yet, but I'm sure her eyes work just fine, but I'm a little worried about her ears at times...

Her pulmonologist is hopeful about our little girls lungs and we are going off her inhaled steroids and don't have to see him again for another 9 months! Which is nice because our copay for pediatric specialist is more than I would pay for a pair of shoes, and that says something. 

When my little sugar lump awakes in the morning she tells me her eyes are broken and refuses to open them for a good while because she, unlike her older sister, loves to sleep.

She has not reached the epiphany of having to make her bed and plays the "I baby" card, when we all know very well that if you call her a baby she protests with a "I not baby, I big girl!" and is more than capable to pulling her blanket up and putting her pillows in the correct spot to make her bed. Girls... they know how to get what they want.

Raigan loves to watch Caliou.

She sleeps with little twin babies that she has named Boo Boo and Brother, but sometimes Brother's name is Jake and she is very offended if you think otherwise, even though sometimes he is named otherwise.

Raigan surprisingly remembers much about Hilton Head Island and knows what the ocean is and she wants to see mermaids there.

Her next birthday party theme: Tea for Three.