Back to the grind...

So hubby, my daughter, puppyboy and I went to VA for the weekend. What a wonderful time but I am so sad today. We left NC on Thursday night around 7:15 p.m. and arrived in VA around 2 ish on "Friday morning". I know it sounds "ugh" but it really wasn't a bad drive. On Saturday we all had lunch with my Mom (she had to work) and then we took the kids to the neighborhood pool. My daughter didn't care much for the water, I think she would really like it is we had the chance to go more often, but we don't have access to a pool in NC so I can't blame her, at 22 months, for fearing it. Come to think of it, I'm glad she fears it at least a little. At least she doesn't try to walk right off into the edge of the deep end as my mom tells me I did when I was little. On Saturday we... well... what did we do... I can't honestly really remember and on Sunday, yesterday, we left to go home around 4:30 p.m., leaving us to pull into the driveway around 11:15 last night. It was a nice long weekend, however, the nice long weekend ended way too soon, leaving me teary and sad today. #1. I miss my "VA" family and #2. I am very sad that I will not have the chance to even think about seeing my "TX" family until next summer. The moments I remember the most this weekend are those spent talking. It's fun to get together, reminisce and tell stories and learn things about those close to you that you didn't already know. And oh yeah, if I do say so myself, I made the most wonderful oatmeal chocolate chip cookies this weekend. I have been craving them for weeks now but don't have all the stuff to make cookies at my house, so I hadn't been able to but since Mom & Dad's house is full of all the necessities I baked some up and boy were they yummy. I have the recipe and plan to bake more sometime soon! Also, at Mom & Dad's house it is always the BEST EATS of all time. Steak, Kabobs, homemade french fries and Klondike bars! ALL the yummies!

I think one things that I will take away and laugh to myself from time to time about it how INCREDIBLY funny my nephew, T, is. That kid, now I tell you has a promising future in stand up and the best part of it all is that he does not intend to be funny, which would make him not funny, it's just natural. For example:

My hubby was upstairs in the bathroom shaving. T came up and was flicking the light on and off. Hubby jokingly says to him "if you don't stop that I'm going to tell your mom". His reply... "or you could just give me a wedgie". Now that's great.

Then there was the time that T asked my hubby if he could stop his work (he had house drawings to do on the computer for work - he is an AutoCad drafter). Hubby replied that he was really busy right at that moment. T replied that he could "always stop for family". Wake up call... for the record, Hubby agreed and obliged.

Another time, my sister, Mrs. Happy, was telling him something she did or did not want him to do. His reply... "end of discussion". And the best part of it all is that is was not disrespectful, it was not rude. It was just sweet, innocent, hilariousness.

T was full of the best comments and tidbits to add to conversation all weekend long. Quite the entertainer. I get the feeling that he gets it from his Dad, Mr. Happy, who, although I've only met once, I'm sure has just the same delightfulness about him. After all, I have heard that he is "delicious". lol.

E, my niece, is also quite the cutiepie. She is so mature for her age and my daughter absolutely ADORED her. They had the best time (my daughter did anyways) playing together. I mean come on, who else on this earth could my daughter possibly get to climb the stairs with her over and over and over again just cause she was too sweet to say "no" until after the 100 millionth time? Too bad its a 20 hour drive from our house to TX (yes, I've already mapquested it and looked at the price of plane tickets for next summer) or else she would make the most wonderful babysitter here in a couple years!

I've also been amazed, even further than I was before, regarding the similarities that my sister and I have despite the fact that we did not grow up together. At the pool we discovered we have the same bodies (lol, sorry sis) and although some other things may be considered coincidence, the similarities move right on down the line from parting on the odd side (although my Mom does this too) to which pickles are the best.

So I had the best time, seeing my Mom, my Dad, my brothers and sisters and my niece and nephews. I love them all so much and wish for many more visits.

Until then, I think I'll be sad... Here's to a better afternoon than this morning.