That which does not kill me, will only make me smarter...

1. Three very strong Margaritas at the Jacksonville Country Club, will give you a little courage to speak at your FIL's retirement dinner. It will not however stop the tears.


2. It only takes seven adults, 1 teenager, 2 tweens, and 3 children to tear through a quiet home in a gated community in Jacksonville. Within fifteen minutes of arriving everyone had a place to lay our drunk ( adults only, not the kids), jet lagged heads and the sheets to go with it. Nice going Dad E and Jul.


3. When the captain announces that we have twenty minutes to land in Philly and it's going to be bumpy, and your 3 year old announces that she has to go potty...Make her hold it. This advice would have avoided a nasty turbulent trip in a teeny airplane bathroom, that started with a shoeless tot and a bump on her head that would have put Eric Lindross to shame.


4. Thank goodness my father is retired. I would not accomplish anything without his Tuesday morning doughnut run.


5. After trying every Christmas CD we own to conjure some sort of spirit within myself. I should have known to just start with "A Charlie Brown Christmas". It is the only one that delivers.
6. When leaving the decorating to a three year old, keep in mind that she is only3 feet tall. Translation: all the ornaments are lingering around the bottom 2 feet of the tree. Actually it's kind of precious and I'm not moving a single one.