The day my muscles and sweat glands got a run for their money.

First, and foremost, I just wanted to say thank you to each and every one of you who have linked up so far to the Blogger 411 link up {you can link up for the next 7 days!}. I am overwhelmed with how big of a hit it was for you all, and I am most thankful that everyone enjoyed answering the questions as much I did! The blog world never fails to amaze me. I am jumping around trying to visit as many as I possibly can :)

So again. Thank you...

And. Back to scheduled programming......

Today {last Wednesday}, I experienced what one would call a day of physical activity. And no, I didn't put on my tennis shoes and run the 5k, or attempt the 30 day shred. Although both are on my lifetime to-do list....that... just so happens to not exist.

Moving on {now that we have established how anti-exercise I am... and no I'm not proud of that}, let me delve into the details of this story, why don't I. And while I gather up my thoughts.... feel free to go grab some coffee, juice, water, or your version of a BLL {whatever that might be}.

It's quite the story. Long but definitely full of some great life lessons learned.  Just a typical mom day story plus 4 extra children and two other blog moms. Okay... so if you put it that way... it might not be so typical. But to me? It seemed like just another day on the mom journey.


Oh mom journey. The places you take me. The things you make me do. The muscles I use {and don't}, and the activation of the sweat glands. Beautiful.

And on this particular Wednesday afternoon, I experienced all those things.. plus more.

You see, miss Allie and I have been bloggy friends for quite some time now. Quite some time. And when she and I started planning this "bloggy meetup" I honestly never thought it would actually happen. A. due to schedules. B. due to the distance. You see she lives 4 hours away. Four. That's like halfway to China.

But when theres a problem... there's always a solution. I learned this in math class. And the solution for us? Was to meet halfway. And? Bring bloggy friend Kayla as well!.....

1+1+1=3. Then add the kiddos 3+1+1=5. Two hours+Two hours=China.

I mean, when I break it down in numbers and foreign countries, it's got to make sense to you, no? Lets just put it this way... we had a lot of kiddos and 3 bloggy moms who were driving halfway so we could all finally meet, our kids could fall in love, and we could experience first hand the.sweating.of.the.britches.

So that morning? I'm scrambling like a teenage girl going on her very first date. Are my legs shaved? Is my hair straight enough? Oh crap my toe nails don't match my nails... forget the fact they are also chipping. And my makeup? It has to be perfect.

Isn't meeting moms for the first time... or any other girl-friend nerve-wracking? I caught myself a couple times during my packing and unpacking and outfit changes, saying "wow this is kind of ridiculous."

I do finally get ready, believe it or not. I have to wake up the sleepy toddler from her morning nap, haul her booty in the car, and off we went.

The great part about it? No entertainment was to be had. This child of mine surprised me yet again by literally not making a peep the whole trip. She didn't even sleep. Just content at looking at all the truckers driving by. The red truck. The blue truck. The truck with the big belly harry old man who keeps driving next to us and tilting his head all the way to the side to stare into the car. Move along.


As I arrive to this zoo.... I have to admit, my expectations were... at the lowest low. Mainly because the road that it was on... made me believe that I was about to enter doomsday. And probably be the big harry trucker man's dinner.

But? It was surprisingly nice. And it helped that when I met Allie and Kayla, I totally felt like I had known them forever!

So we entered the zoo, yet again not sure what to expect. And what do you know... pleasantly surprised! The set up was really nice. Felt so tropical. And the animals were set up very close for viewing. I mean... the monkeys. All ten million of them. 


New zoo name: MONKEY EXHIBIT.

And then we entered the maze. The maze. We never grabbed a map {mistake number one} and we never asked questions {mistake number two}.... all of which lead us to the maze of near death.

You see. Here I am, pregnant, hauling a wagon full of 3 children who's approximate total weight was estimated to be 85 pounds in the heat that was hitting 1 minus 90. Oh becky and your math. That equals 89 degrees. So? I was doing fine.. until about 45 minutes into the journey {yes 45 minutes} when we hit this path that was not wagon friendly, MOM friendly, or woman friendly not to mention the hills.

You basically have to be a sumo wrestler to do what I was doing. And although I have some guns on me, trust me... I'm not suited for the job.

Thus, we quickly realize that this journey doesn't seem to have an end in sight. We keep going... and going... one turn leads to the next... one zoo animal to the other. A monkey here. A monkey there. A chimp. Oh and throw in a random giraffe. Which is all fine and dandy... but where are the water stands?! Where are the dippin dots? Something... anything....

We eventually ask for help. A boy helps us. But not before we walk for another 20+ minutes, and pass 20+ more monkeys. And this pregnant mama? On the verge of passing out dead.

But hallelujah we make it. We stuff our faces full of delicious, terrible for you, pizza and cheese fries. Chase the toddlers. And listen to this lady yell at her grown up children in front of us. It was lovely to say the least. Good thing I was in good company.

And to top off the trip, we take the kiddos on the carousal ride {which I was hesitant to at first since E hates rides}, and we enjoy a couple of round, and round, and round trips on the peacock that we nuzzled up in.

I'm proud to say my daughter actually, maybe, possibly enjoyed it. I know she did enjoy all her little boyyy friends. And me? Well I loved being around fellow young fun moms like myself. 

And in the end? We walked out of that zoo feeling like we just won the olympics.

The mice versus maze olympics. We made it out alive. Barely. But alive. And to think I didn't even have cheese waiting for me at the end....

Fortunately for me and E? We made a stop through the starbucks drive thru on the way home to grab ourselves a small cup of Strawberries and Creme frappacino.

And in the midst of drinking my cup of heaven, I started to consider the thought of trying out for the show Survivor. As long as I'm allowed to bring some water, food, and my child and husband with me... I think I could do it. No wagons or monkeys allowed. But for now? I'm packing up my muscles and turning off my sweat glands for the night. They've had enough use for the day. Week. Maybe month....

And yet, I have a feeling that I have a long 20+years of sweatin bullets and reaching sumo-wrestler status.

Oh mom journey. The things you do to me.