Vacation fun

In light of the 3 birthdays (plus Mother's day) this month, we decided to do a family trip instead of having a bajillion parties.  I've been wanting to see some caverns, so we chose Luray since it's close, and has 23 acres.  Plus it's fun for even the littlest kid, even if they don't understand exactly what it is.

They have headsets so you can do an audio tour at your own pace, with a separate audio description for kids taking the tour.  I loved it because we were able to go at our own pace, and the kids totally had a blast.

After the caverns we headed next door to the maze.  My feet were killing me, and I hate mazes (since my sense of direction is, like, nil), but I thought the kids would like it.  Marissa seemed to enjoy it, and Charlie just kind of wandered around, but Phoebe became pretty pissed about 5 minutes in, since it wasn't easy figuring out where to go.  I found it hilarious that she kept insisting we just tell her which way was the "right way."

Tomorrow I think we'll hit the battlegrounds, provided the weather holds up (*crossing my fingers*). I'm so tired from all the walking, I think I'll need a vacation from our vacation.

Since I'm going on and on about it

I’m elated (ELATED!) that it’s been sunshiney and warm lately.  Of course, now that I say (type?) this, it’s going to snow.  For a month straight.

We’ve been having so much fun playing and planting and just sitting in the sun that I haven’t taken very many pictures, but these few pretty much sum up what I’ve been missing.

Family portraits

When my mom bought the family portraits they gave her a disc which releases the copyright, so we can print, upload, and otherwise deface the pictures with abandon.  It’s nice since we don’t have to wait for the actual prints.  Some of my faves:

The best worst weekend ever

Yesterday we went to take family portraits.  I had to stay up late late on Friday (after work) to make the girls some dresses for the pictures, so I was really tired on Saturday morning.  When we got to the picture place it took awhile, and then it took awhile before the proof sheet was ready, so we did some shopping for the party today.

The kids started to lose their shit after awhile, since they’d gone to sleep late on Friday, and woken up early Saturday.  Truth?  Bryan and I were doing our best to hold our shit together, too.  The kids hung out in the car with Bryan while my mom and I looked over the pictures, so we could finally, finally leave.  We were ITCHING to get out of there. Looking at the pictures and deciding what to get?  Took over an hour.  I almost cried.

By the time we were done it had been hours and hours since we had gotten up — we were all exhausted and hungry.  We grabbed a quick bite, dropped my mom off, and headed home.  I took a nap for a solid 3 hours.  It was not nearly enough, but at least I had some energy to get more stuff done.

So I got up, and started cooking.  I made 36 deviled eggs, about 12 pounds of German potato salad, a pineapple upside down cake, and a hummingbird cake.  I was up until 4am.  I know, right?

A side note about the hummingbird cake — I had never heard of it, but my mom ordered it for dessert at the restaurant on her birthday.  The next day one of my magazines came, with a recipe for the cake.  I’m insane, so I offered to make her one for the party.  It has three layers.  I only had two pans.  It took awhile.  I’m a good daughter, and one crazy mo-fo.

I’m still not done with everything, though.  I have one last minute dish to throw together this morning, to be cooked at my dad’s (green bean casserole).  I’m debating taking a shower before heading over — god and everybody is supposed to be there and I want to look nice — but I’m thinking I can probably skip it.  I’m just too tired, and I don’t care if I head over there smelling like onions.  They’d better smile, like it, and eat my damn cake.

Visit

My mom flew out on Monday for a (short!) visit — it’s been ages since we’ve been able to see each other.  Luckily she was here for her birthday, so we took her out to a family dinner.  The kids were shy at first, and then fought each other to sit in her lap.

She stayed the night with us to spend some time with the kids, so I let them pull out their mask projects and get to painting, with Nanny snapping pictures left and right. 

We’re spending the day with her again tomorrow, and then there’s a huge party planned for Sunday.  I think everyone we’re related to within a 100 mile radius is supposed to show up.  I’m looking forward to it, but I wish she could’ve stayed longer, and let me monopolize her time a little more.  We talk on the phone at least once a day, but it’s definitely not the same as eating brownies and watching movies until the wee hours of the morning.