Holiday Road…

Ok seriously, I’ve failed.  Slap my wrists, take away my dessert and send me back to school.  Wait, scratch that.

If I’m not mistaken I committed, COMMITTED (it’s in writing) to write a blog a week during my summer break.  I’m still on summer break and I haven’t added a post since the middle of June.

I’m owning up to my failure.  But seriously, I didn’t even get a phone call from my mom wondering if I was still breathing because she hadn’t seen an update.

Imagine the phone rings…

Me:  Hello??

Mom:  Kimberly, are you O.K.????  Your father and I are getting concerned because we haven’t seen a blog update in a while.  Are you O.K.?????  We thought we’d call and check on you before we called the authorities to track you down or drove eight hours ourselves to come find you.

Me:  Yeah Momma, I’m just peachy!  I’ve just been a tad busy lately.  Thanks for the concern.

It would have been nice.  I’m just sayin’.  Gosh!! 🙂

I’m sure you’re thinking we are going into the 98^th day of wheat harvest, but in reality we finished on June 23^rd.   

That’s a total of ten days rushing to get all of the wheat cut this year.

But I have to use “we” loosely, because I was not around the last day of harvest.  I know, I know.  But I have a really legitimate excuse for my absence.  I blame these two girls!!

You see, back in December—DECEMBER for crying out loud—I got a phone call from two of my best friends back in Nevada (Missouri), Amy and Erin. The two had discovered that the reason for neon wearing, side ponytail sporting, teenaged girls’ hormonal hearts throbbing in the late 80’s and early 90’s—New Kids on the Block—were going to be in Houston.  How could I say no?!?!

Erin was quick to point out that the Backstreet Boys were also going to be there.

I’m game.

Sidenote:  A few months later, after purchasing the tickets, Amy’s husband discovered NKOTBSB would also be in Kansas City (a much shorter drive than Houston, like two hours as opposed to four days)—but we stood firm in our plans for a Girls Getaway Roadtrip!!

So I kissed my husband goodbye and packed up my neon pink scrunchies and overall shorts (I thought about packing my leg warmers, but it was going to be hot in Houston) and headed to Missouri before we traveled south with an iPod full of The Right Stuff.

We broke in Amy’s new car by driving through Oklahoma without incident.  Erin created her nest in the backseat and fell asleep while I got Amy up-to-date on the latest gossip in People Magazine.

But it all changed while we were driving through Dallas.

We had to stop at a sketchy tire repair shop somewhere near Waco.  We figured if there was Lone Star pride, we’d be safe.

We woke up Erin to get her out of the car to let the guys do their magic so we could get back on the road.

We made it to San Antonio that night and decided to eat on the Riverwalk.  I don’t remember much of that night except that it was HOT and HUMID and the Mariachis were working overtime.

The next morning we decided to be tourists and jumped on some trolleys to see the sights.  You have to understand that every time the three of us travel we inevitably end up on a trolley.  It’s our thing.

After eating breakfast at a lovely restaurant with Mariachis, Mi Tierra, we started the tourist phase of the trip.  Let the damage commence.

We walked through the Mercado, hit up the Alamo, viewed the city from the Tower of the Americas, and then headed east on I-10.

Before we made it to Houston though, we came across the Mecca of all gas stop/convenience/attractions ever:  BUC-EE’S.

It was a combination of a Wal-Mart Supercenter, a Quick-Trip gas station, and Branson all rolled into one.  It involved touch screens to order food, samples of fudge and other delicacies everywhere, a women’s bathroom the size of my house, pickled everything (including quail eggs), an entire wall of fountain drink options, and a beaver apparel line–all within a building the size of a football field.  Install a ferris wheel and a waterslide and this place could easily become a Griswold family vacation destination for folks!!

As Erin put it, “It’s bat crap crazy!!”

After prying ourselves away from BUC-EE’S we continued traveling east, driving through rush hour in Houston while trying to find our next stop, Sam Moon.  Rush hour made our travel a bit longer than anticipated and we ended up at Sam Moon and spent a power hour shopping for purses, jewelry and accessories before they closed.  Honey, damage has been done.

After filling the trunk with our loot, as teachers we decided it was our civic duty to view the movie Bad Teacher.  Hilarious.

The next day we prepared for our date with Jordan, Jonathan, Joey, Danny—and my personal favorite Donnie—by hitting up the Galleria.  Continue the damage.

We also carbo-loaded on pasta for lunch before deciding to trek half a mile in severe heat to get cupcakes.  Not just any cupcakes, Spinkles cupcakes.  Did I mention severe heat??  There were weather advisories because of it.  As in, only dummies would be out in this stuff.

It’s been said that Sprinkles cupcakes are to die for, but half way through our heated death trek, while sweat was pouring off of us, I was beginning to question it.

While enjoying our cupcakes in the air conditioning I questioned how pathetic we’d be if we jumped on a bus to ride half a mile back to our hotel.  I even counted out and distributed the quarters…

…I made the girls give me all of my quarters back when we trudged into the hotel lobby.  I was beginning to wonder if it was all a mirage before collapsing on the bed to take a heat-induced nap.

Fast forward though a crazy cab ride, direction disoriented crowds, and private concessions, the moment we had all been waiting for was approaching.  We had made it to NKOTBSB!!

The concert was awesome.

Girls screaming, Boston boys crooning.

Girls screaming, Boston boys glowing.

Girls screaming, Boston boys gyrating.

Girls screaming.  It was awesome.

The next day, still high—and a little hearing impaired– from the night before, we had to stop at another BUC-EE’S before making our way home.

It was a great trip.  I love those girls!!

And then once I got home from my runaway weekend, I had to take some pictures of some cute, well behaved kids.

I had to dig out my garden.  Apparently the weeds mutated while I was gone.  I had Adam get out the weed whacker to help in the rescue mission…and then we switched to chainsaws.  It was carnage, but at least I can see my bean plants alone in their row now.

I also had to get a pedicure—it was time.  And then the next day I hit one of my newly painted toenails on a shopping cart and cracked the nail—it hurt so I had to bandage my big toe with half a dozen bandages.  It wasn’t as bad as I first thought it was.

And then I’ve been running—or trotting—up and down hills lately.

And then I’ve had to hide from the 100-plus degree days—I learned my lesson in Houston!!

And then I had to experience the Fourth of July and all it’s glory.

And then I had to access the damage from an apparent windstorm that blew through the farm.

And then I had to track down a calf that made a surprise arrival (four months after it was expected).

And then I had to go on a date with my husband to a Wichita Wignuts game.  Wait, that sounds like I was forced to go.  I assure you I went willingly and had a lovely evening.

So Mom, I’ve been a tad busy lately.  But thanks for the concern.

Don’t worry, I’ll start working on making up the rest of my missed assignments today…after I get my poster of Donnie put up in my bedroom.