I Can't Believe It's Been So Long . . .

I am sure that there are people who have probably stopped checking my blog -- it has been so long since I last wrote. It has just been so busy. Chris got home -- finally. He had the normal Chris travel problems. Cancelled flights etc. . . He and his buddy ended up renting a car and driving home from New York to get home at 3am instead of sometime the next afternoon. He was tired but we were all happy he was home. Of course, then we had to spend the next day driving to the airport anyway because we still had to pick up his checked bags and drop off the rental car -- Oh well. We did get to go by Toys R Us while we were out and Zeke used his birthday gift certificate. He got a video game ( on sale of course ), and a really big remote control Jeep that will go ANYWHERE.

The next day we had to drive out again because I had my next appointment with the midwife. Chris and the boys went along and everyone got to hear the baby's heartbeat. After my appointment we headed to Ft Meade -- Thank goodness the traffic around D.C. was good and we made clear to the other side of D.C. in no time. We were supposed to meet a work friend of Chris' but we got there to find out he was detained by work and unable to make it. So, we cruised the mall and bought Caden some new shoes and then went to the bookstore where everyone got to pick out a new book. It turned out to be a fun -- if not VERY long -- day.

The next few days went by uneventfully with work and play, unpacking and cleaning etc. . . . Then, grandma came to town so Mommy and Daddy could leave town for a little R&R. We drove down to Shenandoah National Park and then after spending a couple hours driving through the park we cut out to the highway to head for our Bed and Breakfast. Grandma and Grandpa recommended this outstanding B&B in North Carolina just east of Asheville. We spent 2 days relaxing and enjoying ourselves with massages and big breakfasts -- cooked by someone else. We also drove 5 miles down the road to Chimney Rock and hiked all over the place. It was really pretty but holy cow -- I think there were something like 5000 stairs up to the top -- maybe we should have taken the elevator. Unfortunately the adventurer in me wouldn't think of taking the elevator. It is funny how even when you are "getting away from the kids" for a bit you never really get away. I think I called grandma no less than 3 times a day and we were constantly talking about how much the boys would like this and we should take the boys here or there and we even looked at getting gifts for the boys but decided against it. They will get there souvenirs when they go there one day. I am sure we will go back.

Amazingly grandma survived the boys the dogs and the stink bugs while we were gone and didn't even seem too tired when we got back. The boys all really liked having grandma around because there was a whole lot less school work to do and they got to go to the local park to play EVERY DAY. She even gave them ice cream after diner -- I told her she was spoiling them, but so far they haven't gotten the idea that mommy is as nice as grandma -- They haven't asked for ice cream once since we've been home. HAHA.

Chris worked at the home office Friday and we have spent a good deal of the weekend cleaning, working on the house and lawn, starting back with school work, going to the park, and watching lots of football and NASCAR. We had football games on Saturday which both teams lost, but both the boys played really well. I was very proud of them. Zeke has been working with Chris at home on some thing and he is finally starting to get what he is supposed to be doing. His coach has been really impressed with the improvement he has made in the last two weeks. He even got a tackle and had his name and number read over the load speaker this week. YEAH ZEKE!!

Life is so much easier with Chris at home. Sometimes I feel like the difference is with him at home we live life and with him gone we survive life day by day.