The Toy Box Years: Dear Summer.....The Time Has Come. We're Breaking Up.

The Creators of the Toy Box Years

The creators of the Toy Box Years are my two beautiful daughters and wonderful, handsome soldier husband.

"Nani" (our oldest) is a 11 year old 6th grader who loves Taylor Swift, ballet, books, fashion designing and sewing. Ask her what she wants to be when she grows up and it changes daily to anything from "an artist" to "a teacher" to "a singer/dancer". Nani is also currently fighting a battle against brain cancer -- recently diagnosed in June 2016.

"Nudgie" (our youngest) is a very smiley, very happy, very giggly, very spirited 8 year old 3rd Grader who's favorite toys are anything that gives mommy an anxiety attack - ladders, stepstools, the climbing wall at the playground. Like her sister, she has a love of reading and coloring, loves gymnastics and still provides mommy lots of snuggle time!

"My Marine" is my high school sweetheart. We've been married over 20 years and met when we were 17. (You do the math....) His favorite toys are Blackhawk helicopters, the lawnmower, our steam cleaner, and microbrew beer bottles. My husband is also my hero in that he proudly serves his country as a Blackhawk crew chief (hence his favorite toy!). And need I say that there is nothing hotter than my man in uniform!

All About Me......

Once upon a time I had a career and worked in the corporate world. Once upon a time, I dreamed about leaving that all behind to follow my true calling -- being a wife and mommy.

The first part of my calling was fulfilled in 1995 when I married my Marine (now soldier) and my love. Little did I know that being a military wife would change me in so many ways and that because of that, I would have an extended family all over the world from Japan, to California, to North Carolina.

The second part of my calling took a little doing, but I finally achieved that dream in 2004 with the birth of our first child, followed 4 years later by her baby sister.

So now, when someone asks me what I do for a living - I simply smile and say proudly that I'm following my calling - I'm a mommy and a wife -- and I couldn't be HAPPIER -- I'm living in the Toy Box Years!!

Dear Summer -

It's September and Monday is Labor Day......which traditionally marks the end of summer. And do know what that means? The imminent arrival of Pumpkin Spice Latte Season and your quick departure. Stop hanging on......you've overstayed your welcome.

While I have had some fond memories of you, there is more that I will not miss.....at all. So I give you my list of things I hate about you.....

Scorching High Temperatures
Unless I'm living in the middle of the Sahara desert or have recently relocated to the gates of Hell, there really is no need for multiple days of 90/100 degree temperatures. I just LOVE feeling my face melt off as I take that short walk down the driveway to my mailbox.

And forget going to a hot yoga class. I can just walk into my garage to look for a box of rice. 20 seconds in there and I've dropped 5 pounds.

The heat just sucks the life and motivation out of me. I have no desire to do anything.....cook, clean, wear clothes......which leads to.......

Boob Sweat:
My fellow well-endowed sisters know.....and you understand. Most people, when summer starts, stock up on sunscreen while my large-breasted sisters and I are stocking up on baby powder, extra deoderant and Neosporin. The struggle is real my friends.

Shaving:
Why is it that stubble looks so sexy on a man, but the minute one stray little hair shows up on my legs, armpits and nether regions, I'm considered unclean and untouchable?

So, I go through the shaving ritual every 2-3 days....covering every visible area with shaving cream, contorting myself into positions that My Marine only wishes I would use behind closed doors and then praying to God that I don't knick a major artery and bleed out right there in the bathroom.

And I have three words for you.......bikini line stubble. (And all the girls said Amen!) Screw it. September 1st -- I'm done and the razors get packed away until Memorial Day.

Other things I hate about you, Summer:

Bikini Bodies, Tank Top Back Fat/Arm Flab, Flat Stomachs:
There is nothing like the arrival of the summer months that will make a woman hate her body more. We're already self-conscious about all the things that make our bodies "special", but let's add days where we have to wear less clothing that does nothing but amplify those "special qualities". Screw that.....bring back fall where I can cover myself from head to toe in oversized sweatshirts and "distressed" jeans. If Old Navy made a burqa, I'd buy it.

Bugs:
Memorial Day is also known as the day that all the nasty bugs of summer gather and plan their attack for summer. Bees, wasps, yellow jackets........swarms of ants that decide to hold a family reunion in my driveway. Flies so big that you can hear the swooshing sound of their wings as they circle round and round your plate of watermelon. Then they tease you by flying so slow that you think you have a chance of swatting them......only to speed up again. I swear I hear them saying "Nice try ya bastard!" as they fly off with my dog. And let's not even talk about mosquitoes...... I'm convinced those bastards are just doing recon for the coming Zombie Apocolypse.