What the? Wednesday

Ever have those days where you are constantly saying "What the..?"  Today is one of those days.  I have so many thoughts and ideas swirling in my head that I'm just walking through the day like "What the..?"

The Morris clan just got back from a vacation in Orange Beach, AL where we had 6 adults and 8 children under the age of 8 in one 3 bedroom condo.  Don't get me wrong; these are my "people". These are my travel companions.  However, it was an exhausting week--we had weather issues, we were constantly running from pop-up thunder storms, we had a plethora of children who all have separate needs at the same time.

Before going on vacation I was exercising all the time, cooking at home a lot (well a lot by my own standards) and enjoying a summer that was still fairly routine.  I've now been home 6 days and I cannot seem to bring myself to workout, despite the protests from my clothing.  We have only had one home-cooked meal -- the shame! -- and several tantrums about bathing and bedtime.

I have started planning not one but two birthday parties to occur in the next three weeks.  Then Rob starts first grade and Caroline will start 3K (in a yet-to-be-determined school) all within a month of each other.   I'm a mental mess, I tell ya!

This morning I was in line at McDonald's for coffee...I'm not even brewing my own java at home right now...and a woman cut me off in the drive through line.  I gave her a little I'm-highly-ticked-off honk and then complained to the first of two window attendants that I was having a bad morning because someone cut me off.  When I pulled to the second window, the McDonald's employee offered me sincere apologies from said car.  Apparently she felt very bad and was thisclose to getting out and apologizing to me personally. 

I stopped right there and reminded myself that Jesus taught us to forgive others in order to receive forgiveness.

What the..?  What is wrong with my brain?  My heart?  My motivation?

My house stays in a state of disarray despite my huge intentions of organizing and decrapifying. 

But you know what?  My children are happy, well-rounded kids who can easily recognize imperfection.  Somehow all of the important tasks manage to get done.  We have not had to go to bed hungry and we have always had something clean to wear -- however unfashionable it may be.

So what the..?  Will it ever end?  Will I ever be able to just relax because life is so easy breezy?  Probably not.  Y'all stay with me.  I've said it before, I'm a work in progress!

Morris-Style Ramblings

Hi there!  Have you had a manic-Monday yet or is your day just getting started?  I have so many stories to tell, but I am somewhat afraid they'll never be told.  It has been a busy summer; yet I fear we have nothing to show for it...yet.

This is somewhat of a brain dump coming your way.  Ready?

I have not been blogging nearly as much as I wish I could.  But if you are on Instagram, you know that we are not sedentary Morrises.  Follow me on IG--I'm emily_morris333.  One image that you guys seemed to love was this captured moment I called "Summertime Bliss".  Before our current week-long-rainy days arrived, we let the kids go wild as we watered the grass.  Caroline truly loved running through those magical memory making droplets:

 

We squeezed in an impromptu trip to the zoo one Friday afternoon.  We went on a day when there was a rare break in the heat and humidity, and we didn't actually decide to go until about 2:30.  So the thin crowds made for an even better experience!  I love my big, wild kids:

Our zoo's orangutan recently had a baby and this (below) was the best picture of her I could snap.  See those li'l baby orangutan hands holding on to mama as she is carried around?  I feel just like mama most days.  But I'm not complaining.  I know I will look back on these baby-carrying days with bittersweet longing before too long.

No trip to the zoo would be complete without a train ride.  Notice the absence of other riders?  I told you there was no crowd!

I just got back from working a conference in Destin, Florida. (Shout out to the Duchess of Fork. Next time we will have to meet up.) Working the conference was great, considering the location.  I also had plenty of time after actual "work" to do this: 

...and this:

Don't I have a beautiful "momager" to borrow Kris Jenner's term?  She's my mom, my manager, and one of my best friends all in one.  I don't think she could do this job without me, but I know I couldn't do any of what I accomplish without her!

Speaking of accomplishments, my wild man is no longer an infant.  He's a bouncing, crawling, pre-toddler.  He is so fast, I have to be even faster to photograph all of his antics.  See below for evidence...he had just been climbing my TV stand.  Luckily he must have decided it was not a good idea because he got himself down by the time I grabbed my phone -- because, you know, why would anyone use a proper Olympus DSL when you have an old iPhone 4 lying around?

Remember when I called him "my wild man"?  Check out this wild post-bath hair:

And last but not least, my girl is something else!  She has been swimming all summer and loves the water.  In gearing up for our family beach trip, however, she received her first (that she can remember) real bikini.  I made her try it on and all she kept saying was "my bewy buh-on is showing!"

Bobby was having a fit!  She may not be allowed out of the attic in a few years!  He is such an over-protective girl's daddy.

Well, that's it for today.  I hope you had a blessed Fourth of July and a great first half of summer.  Can you believe it's already half over?  We'd better kick the summer memory making into high-gear!