I leave for vacation this Saturday. I've spent so many months waiting for July 15th to get here, now I can't believe it's so close. Tonight we are getting together with the other family we are going with so we can get everything straight. I think we are planning to leave early, we've been told by several people that we need to get down there by lunch time no later because the traffic is so bad.

I've been married for almost 14 years so JR and I have been on several vacations through that time. This is the first time ever that he has said he can't wait to go, that he really needs a break. Things here at work have been crazy, we are trying to start a new house but with all the rain it's been hard. We dig the basement, it rains and floods the hole, then it caves in so we have to dig it back out. Then it rains again. We're actually pouring concrete there today, thank God. But then on top of everything else, the guy who was going to be the foreman for that job, doesn't want to be foreman anymore. He says it's too stressful to be foreman. So that means JR will have to do it. All our other foremen have jobs in progress right now so we can't pull them. JR is very frustrated because this kind of thing always happens every time his dad is trying to get him more into the business part of things, not the building part of things. This has happend several times over the past 5 years, I'm starting to wonder if it's happening for a reason.

But either way, JR is ready to go away. His parents will be leaving for their Alaskan cruise before we get back so he won't see his parents for 3 weeks. Of course his father is all stressed because we are about to leave which he does every year, he also stresses out when he's about to leave. So I'm just staying at my desk for the rest of this week and keeping to myself.

I'm hoping this vacation goes well. We've never gone away with another family for an entire week. I feel bad for my son, he'll be the only boy amongst 4 girls. He's always the only boy. I think I'm going to mention tonight that if they want to have a family day that we won't be offended. But then I'm afraid I'll offend them if I say that. I mean, maybe they want to spend everyday with us or something.

We're also going to plan a long weekend at Hershey Park in August. I love that place. I don't ride rides but I just love Hershey Park. It's so family friendly.

My sister found out on Friday that she's going to be a step-grandmother. Her stepson and his girlfriend are having a baby. They planned it too and have no plans to get married. It's so weird to think of my sister as a grandmother, I laugh every time I think about it.

I'm getting a manicure and a pedicure today. I need both badly, my feet are looking a bit rough and I can't go on vacation like that. Plus I need to make sure both my fingers and toes have the same color. I'm anal that way.

What's up with the gas prices? They have risen 16 cents in 2 weeks. It figures with us traveling all the way to Duck, NC. Grrr...

Val - I just want to thank you for your words of encouragement. You always make so much sense and I always feel better after your comments. You have a way of breaking things down so that I can see why I'm feeling the way I do.

Well, I need to go earn my paycheck and stay out of my fil's way.