Re-entry

It's been six long days since we returned from our ten day spring break vacation to Palm Desert. Just yesterday I finally unpacked all of our suitcases. When we woke up to snow this morning, my heart skipped a beat or two.



I admit it, I've got the post vacation blues. The re-entry into real life this week has been a bit difficult. No energy for chores, no motivation to leave my house, still no food in our refrigerator. Hopefully this week will be better.

Yesterday Tony told me he has been checking my blog everyday, waiting for a new entry. Cole and Rach keep telling me I need to blog about different things that are going on...but strangely, I have no words. I can't remember the last time I have been in such a fog.

We did have a wonderful and very relaxing vacation. We are used to spending Easter with my entire family, but this year it was just our little family of five, plus my mom. Quiet, but oh, so nice to have so much quality time together.

Some of the best parts of our week:

• Rachel received a phone call from her friend telling her that she had won the class election and is now the Class President. Yeah Rach!
• Tony's sister FINALLY had her baby...sweet little Laura Jane.
• The smell of citrus blossoms in the air.
• 90 degrees, blue skies, green grass and spring blossoms at every turn.
• Our niece Haylee being selected as a principal dancer for Disney's High School Musical 3. 1000 were invited to try out, only eight made the cut! We are so proud. Can't wait to see her on the big screen.
• Green Shamrock shakes from McDonalds on St. Patty's day.
• 2 awesome books read poolside
• Waffles, Whip cream and Fresh Strawberries.
• California Pizza Kitchen: 3 Times
• Sweet Corn Tamales
• Friends in town to join us for Easter Dinner
• Miles' first Easter Egg Hunt
• Money filled eggs from Grandma and new snugly pillows
• Shorts and Sandals
• Being outside all day, every day.
• Pedicures with Grandma
• Cole golfing with his Dad.
• Cole saving Miles from a near drowning.

There were a few bad things that happened, however:

• Breaking my foot trying to rescue Miles from his near drowning.
• Mom having to fly home a day early. Yuck!
• Rachel scraping up her face, mouth and arms trying to do back-walkovers into the pool.

It seems that no matter how often I spend time in Palm Desert, I am always anxious to return. Lazy, unscheduled days, spent enjoying my kids and laughing with Tony. Many meaningful conversations with my mom and enjoying her taking such good care of me. What's not to love?

Family Matters

I wrote a guest post for Segullah today. You can read it here.

A Real Live Peep Show

Received this in an email from my friend Chelle.

I can't stop laughing.

Chelle has given up blogging for Lent, so I wanted to share it with you here.

Enjoy!

Stowaway

Tony and I are very blessed in that my parents own a vacation home in beautiful Palm Desert, California. We are lucky enough to be able to travel down there in the winter months for a break from the gray and cold.

Most times we travel with our children or extended family, but usually both Tony and I will sneak away with friends for a girls trip or boys weekend.

This year we decided to make it a couples trip with a few of our close friends. Tony called it a Biking Trip with Conjugal visits. I'm trying not to take offense as surely there is more to my presence than that.

After all, I did make all of the dinner reservations, heated the pool to perfection, and squoze him a fresh glass of grapefruit juice each morning.

As the time drew near for our little getaway, I found myself becoming more and more anxious about leaving my baby. I have never left him in all of his fifteen months and somehow I couldn't imagine six whole days without his sparkling, brown eyed grin.

My anxiety was seriously ridiculous. I had hired a more than capable babysitter who I trust implicitly. I knew we needed the time alone together (not what you're thinking), and I knew I needed a little reprieve from the constantness of motherhood. And yet, I just. couldn't. do. it.

With Tony's blessing....actually with Tony's strong encouragement, I decided to bring the little guy along. I'm so glad I did. He is such a great little traveler and I think I enjoyed my trip more knowing he was okay.

We had a wonderful weekend spent laughing and lounging with our dear friends. Aside from a small debacle with the water heater and one panicked call to search and rescue, it was a very relaxing trip. Thanks to a darling local babysitter, Tony and I did enjoy a lot of alone time....and Miles quickly bonded with each of our friends, constantly charming his way into their arms and laps, which gave me a welcome reprieve from mom duty.

Fifteen years from now when Miles is a teenager, trying his best to distance himself from his dear old mom, I will show him this post, and remind him how I couldn't bear to leave him, even for a few short days. Somehow, I don't think it will impress him all that much. But I imagine someday, with a baby of his own, he will know exactly how I felt.

For a great read on Tony's biking adventure and First Blog Post Ever, click here.