Peaches Prattlings











{May 29, 2017}   Sunday… what to do?

The sun comes up too early in Hawaii! And it screams at you to get up! Could be why the day seems to last so long. And I’m not complaining by any means!

We got up, breakfast, relaxed, played with Mollie, finished laundry, watched Bad Moms, got PSM to the airport for his trip to Guam. Miss him already. 

Off too met a realtor to look at some houses, nothing to report yet, just looking. Saw some great options, look at that view!

Then some domestic stuff at Wal-Mart, I know, you’re jealous,  ha ha. Chill out at home with some chips and salsa and relax for the evening.

Tomorrow is laundry, packing, I have to think about clothes for two months and two international trips in between! Maybe throw in a little beach time! 

Life is rough!



Why, beach, brunch, beach, game night, of course. 

Up early, go to the beach to see the high surf and surfers, beautiful morning. Then breakfast at a new place we’ve been wanting to try. 

Grocery store for supplies, home,  pack the car, remember the dog, go to the beach. Enjoy beach. ahhh…

Home, shower, change, head to E&D D’s house, MRB and two of his daughters were there when we arrived. We hung out, ate some food, watched MRB’s oldest daughter in a dance competition that was being live streamed, then got down to business. 

Game night. We played a game that pitted weird wizards against each other. There were cards, points, dice, strategy, dead wizard cards, treasure cards, confusion and fun. Looking forward to the next time!

Home, chill, sleep. 

Tomorrow’s a new day inn paradise.



{May 27, 2017}   Just another day…

Its Friday here in Hawaii and I’m home. Sigh.

The day started too early, as it does when I come home. Asleep at 1am, up at 4am, nope, back to sleep, up at 5am, snuggle and catch up, then reality. 

I made a quick breakfast, then PSM left for work and I opened my laptop. I worked for a few hours and then had to reboot my pc, so that was a good excuse to sit in the hammock and take some pics. I posted on Facebook a few photos and that I came up with a title for a book “My Life Doesn’t Suck!” 

Then it was back to work for a few hours, PSM came home, we chilled out, then mani/pedis for two and dinner at a new place, Eating House, the food was good.  Grilled Brussel Sprouts and cauliflower with pine nuts, the raisins cut the bitterness of the brussel sprouts,  PSM had tomato bisque.

Dinner was grilled tofu rice bowl with bok choy, onions and mushrooms for me and fried chicken on goat cheese polenta with asparagus. The asparagus and goat cheese polenta, wow! 

We ended the meal with malasadas with caramel sauce and a bite of frozen yogurt for PSM.  

Home for a movie… let’s see how long we last!



This is my sister’s house, what’s that?

741am, the texts started, “how’s it going?” All good. Some kids were up at 645am, others about 730am. Auntie J was in the basement, there’s no sleeping in…

Good morning little people, so cute! All slept well, made it through the night, even a milestone was had! And what did their parents do while they had an empty house? Cleaned the cabinets, went to the mall, went for a walk. Whatever it is mommies and daddies do when their kids are out for the night!

Two kids went home, four went to Sunday school.  GES had a brunch at the temple, the rest of us had breakfast and relaxed a little. I walked to CVS, um…i got a haircut yesterday, sparklers showing, had to fix that!
Kids home, play in the bouncy house, friends for a quick visit,  bounce, snacks, I did my hair, 35/40 minute process  [color, rinse, shower, dress], out the door. A cheering section for EJS’ lacrosse match, great match, they won, she scored! It was great to see her in action! 

I don’t know if it’s like this everywhere, but the referees stop and teach the kids why they stopped and coach a little. 

Back to the house, friends over, lunch, more bouncy house, crafts naps, myself included for a few. 

Laundry, pack, play, detergent down! MGS, our tiny acrobat… crawl behind and grab what you find! dinner, play, bath, bed.

Goodnight kisses for all,  I’m leaving very  early in the morning. 

What a weekend! I need to get back to work so I can get some rest!



Is that enough for one day?

Straighten the house for the party, wash the pollen off the porch, it is spring after all, everyone was in on the act. The bouncy house arrived and the girls, GES and I had a little fun. 

Then it was soccer practice for EJS, MGS off to lacrosse practice, finish setting up. EJS and ACS back for lunch, EJS has a mini play date,  MGS back, I headed out to get a haircut, EJS and ACS off to travel team try-outs, people arrive for MGS’ birthday party. I jump right in to the fray, love seeing friends and all my little loves. 

Some one-on-one time here and there, catching up, playing with the kids, activities, crafting, pizza, pinata, cake, buh-bye! 3-5pm 530pm and they were all gone!

Then the cousins, S&S S and E&S R stayed for a sleepover. EJS went to a birthday party sleep-under, that’s where they stay until bed time and go home. 

We watched Sing, had popcorn and sang. My favorite part,  E said “come snuggle with me Auntie J” how could i say no? 

Then it was sleeping bags, “wait, I can’t sleep until I see EJS”, love that! Then zzz. MGS had two in her room and EJS had another two, the siblings split up for the sleepover. Let’s see how much sleep happens! 

Now, that’s the way to party, wouldn’t you say? Just another Saturday at my sister’s house…




{May 15, 2017}   Back to reality

Not a bad place to be, I must say. 

My flights back from Hawaii uneventful, didn’t sleep from Honolulu to Minneapolis, par for the course. But I did sleep from Minneapolis to Chicago which was one of the best hours of my life!

Straight to the office I had a meeting at 10 a.m., great to see everyone and catch up and know that my goal was accomplished, I wanted to look like I’ve been somewhere!

Meetings, work, training session at the gym, they tried to kill me! it was a dumbbell routine which I am going to tell you all about my new workout program very soon!

Then I went and met DLP, we got our claws and paws done, mani/pedi for those of you not in the know, then went to the Little Beet Table for dinner, i had my first cauliflower steak! got caught up had a good time and then I’m going to collapse in a few minutes.

Tomorrow is a big day,  someone is turning 7!!!



{May 15, 2017}   Happy Mother’s Day 

It’s Mother’s Day. Are you a mom?

Did you have to think about that? Moms come in all shapes and sizes. Some are born to do it, some fall into it, some choose to do it and some, surprise! And don’t forget fur baby moms! 

I have children, instant family, I used to say. I became a mom the minute I met my kids. Get this… within a month of becoming a mom, step-mom for anyone who is slightly confused,  my feet grew! What? Yeah half a size! I went from 7.5 to 8! 

I like to joke that I got all of the joys and none of the stretch marks!

I missed the wee stage with diapers and potty training, oh there are stages I am sorry I missed, the first step, the first tooth, but I was there for other firsts and that was fabulous. I watched my kids thrive, shine, blossom, achieve milestones, drive a car, first boyfriend and girlfriend,  get a job,  graduate high school for starters and now, both my kids are successful adults. Both married and my baby had a baby. TYL is a mom! She celebrates her first mother’s day! And oh, does motherhood suit her. Thank you for giving me a beautiful baby boy to love on and be a part of his life. 

I have people in my life who have welcomed me into their lives in a grandmother and auntie role. 

KAB and CS didn’t have to let me in,  but they did and oh do they make my heart soar! Baby A, who’s not a baby anymore, his baby sister EB, LB, my first granddaughter, the first to call me JJ and now her little sister, LS. Watching their moms is amazing, the way they teach their children and help them navigate life, wow. 
My sister, who gave me the most amazing little nieces, I didn’t realize what being an aunt does to you,  it’s a whole different level. What a mom she is, nurturing, teaching, calming, celebrating, thriving,  she amazes me every day. I still remember the day, when I was living with them, sometimes three adults in the house, um, you can imagine…’we got this, you be the cool aunt’. done! Do you know what it means when I hear they won’t go to a movie without Auntie J?! 

My friends who are these amazing mom’s, LBK, her three girls were the first to call me Aunt J, I love when get to spend one-on-one time with them, it’s rare, but wonderful. Bright, goofy, full of life, dramatic, athletic, I can’t wait to see what’s next!  Oh yeah, don’t forget the two fur babies!

SDL, well, you know what I think about her! We still can’t figure out what life was like before Miss A! I’ll never forget the email “Auntie G, do you want to see your niece?” Tried to hold back those waterworks! And Boogie Bear, what a cat!

TS, so much she’s done to have an amazing daughter in her life, KS, bright, funny, caring and now a teacher. Well read, traveled, spoken, that’s almost all to do with TS. She also is amazing for being allergic to cats and had her grand kitty, Molly living with them!

JCT, she’s raising an amazing daughter, SAT, smart, funny, shy, talented and… she just became an aunt to get brother’s new baby! She’s also a fur mom to two goofy pugs.

CWB, friends since middle school! Lost touch, got in touch, lost touch, got in touch. No time had passed and I so love talking to her about her daughter, SB and hearing them interact while we’re on the phone. She is so good, all she’s teaching her daughter about life, compassion, love, caring, giving. Wow!

LGR, we’ve known each other for over twenty years, seen each other go through some stuff and now, to watch her raising her daughter, a bright, precocious, funny, inquisitive little girl and big sister to a fur baby. I love spending time with them! 

KWH, she even posted on Facebook she didn’t think kids were in her future, we went through some similar things as step moms, it was so good to have someone who understood. Now, Baby J is just a love and not a day goes by that KWH isn’t amazed and thankful and joyful.

RJS has two fur babies that I get to spend time with and she officially became a mom and grandmother, when she got married to get long time love a few months ago. 

I’ve also had the honor of being a fur mom to a range of furry babies, even my friends fur babies call me auntie! 

GES and I had an amazing mom and she taught us what it was to be a great mom. Hugs, birthday parties, education, snuggling, loving, caring, generosity, being genuine, living life to the fullest, silliness. I see that and so much more in how I jeep raise my kids, how I interact with my kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, children in general and I see it in my sister the same way with her kids and all the kids that call us auntie. 

There are so many more women in my life who are moms, of two legged, four legged, whatever legged who are amazing and deserve nothing less than amazement and admiration and love. 

What an honor to be a mom, in whatever capacity you are. We are amazing and I love you all for it. 

Happy Mother’s Day. 



Today we saw and heard a celebration of a person’s life. 

We were on the beach with friends and there was a collection of tents, as is par for the course on the beach here. They had a lot of people, food and music.  There were also quite a few conch shell blowers. 

As we all listened, this was a celebration for a guy with the same first name as PSM and another guy with out group. We all joked, asking how they felt about the tributes to their lives. 

Then there were several groups who went out on surf boards, paddle boards, canoes, race crews, boats, all going out past the jetty to spread his ashes.

It was a very nice tribute to a man who wss important to a lot of people. The conch shell blowers had different tributes. 

The celebration started before we got there and was going on after we left.  Hawaiians know how to celebrate life.



Today, May 9th, one of my best friends did something fabulous!

As you know, I call her Super Dooper L! She truly is a Super Woman! She walked with her fellow classmates in their cap and gowns to receive her diploma to say that 18 months of hard work, sacrifice and determination were all for this moment.

SDL decided almost two years ago that she was going to go for her EMBA, Executive Masters in Business Administration. Wow! That’s a mouthful in itself!

She took on the challenge, a single mom with a full-time job. She enlisted help from family and friends to help her on the nights and weekends she had school. CKM, her sister, parents and even me, when I could, spent the weekends with Miss A. And you know how jam packed her weekends are!

During this whole time, her role as mom never wavered, some nights she didn’t get to her studies until 10 or 11pm, bed at 1 or 2am, up early to get her on the bus on time. 

Travel with school to Chile and still made time to make a Halloween costume when she got back, with two days to spare!

Birthdays, Mother’s Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Riding Shows, school stuff, nothing was missed. I told you super duper!

I’m so proud of my friend, for so many things, but today, for graduating with honors.  Of course, I expected nothing less!

What’s next SDL?! Congratulations!



{May 7, 2017}   I am Groot!

I WANT A BABY GROOT! SOMEONE GET ME A BABY GROOT STAT!!!

We went to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 tonight, it was fabulous! It was me, PSM, A&B R, M&D R and L ,who also happens to be Mollie’s vet, we love her, her husband works with PSM, it’s a win-win.

The cast and cameos were awesome and surprising, sprinkled in here and there. Kurt Russel was fabulous, still smokin’ hot! Perfect to play the role he was cast in and if I told you more, it would give away the secret. And the CG for his younger self, wow!

Do I mention the cameos? Oh, why not, I’m not telling where, who or why…David Hasselhoff, Ving Rhames, Sylvester Stallone, Rob Zombie and don’t forget Stan Lee, of course! Interestingly, he was in more than one place in the movie, a rare double Stan Lee sighting.

There was action, romance, well, sort of, adventure, space travel, snow, wait what? Yup, snow, I said to PSM, look, it’s Boston! A dorky, self-centered race of people dipped in gold, video games and another great soundtrack, of course!

It was a story about friendship, a story of families, which come in all shapes and sizes, not just the ones you’re born in to, the ones you make, self worth, self discovery, redemption, maybe a even a little pure revenge, and the love a boy has for his mother. It reminded me a little of the new Star Trek when a Vulcan boy teased Spock about his mother…you don’t talk about Star Lord’s momma, gonna get your arse whopped!

And…Baby Groot. Just watch the opening scene and you are hooked. Who knew there could be so much said in three little words “I am Groot”.

Worth it? YES YES and I AM GROOT [translation “Heck YES!]



et cetera