Home sweet home!

The girls and I headed to Pennsylvania on Thursday for what has become somewhat of an annual tradition - us making a trip somewhere to see family and leaving Jason at home to make progress on various winter projects. We initially had anticipated this being a boost in the back kitchen cabinetry project but we have scaled back our goals for this winter, nixing that project altogether for this year. Instead, he worked on his upcoming conference workshop, a cleaving bench shop project and, as weather allowed, the garden fence.

I'm not sure it's an annual tradition that any of us particularly like (being part on purpose) or that we hope to continue in the future, but it is handy to not have to find animal care, and if I'm needing to free Jason up to work on other things, it is a nice opportunity to see and do things we wouldn't otherwise get around to. This trip was no different - we were so glad to connect with my nephews and niece and also take in a birthday party for a nephew on Jason's side of the family. And, like most excursions of this nature, while I feel very glad to have done it and we come home with many good memories of good connection times, I am so very grateful to be home safely, singing "I love my house, I love my nest, in all the world this nest is best..." when we got to our driveway this afternoon.

My least favorite part (echoed by the girls) was all the time spent in the car. I do not enjoy driving on 81 (or 581 or 283 or 30 or 222 or 76 or 276 or 476 or 83). I do not enjoy flying down a road surrounded by metal with lots of others doing the same around ne (especially when my background noise is an overly tired 2 year old screaming). Thankfully that was only on our way home when we were almost home...

Now that said 2 year old is getting a LONG and much needed nap in our bed and doesn't seem interested in waking up. She missed Jason and last night cried when others were leaving my brother-in-law's house for the evening and we were not also going home. But when she woke prematurely when we got home, she didn't even want a hug from daddy. It wasn't time to wake up yet! I think her next wake up will be much better and she'll be super eager to see him, as were we.

The girls and I got to play lots of games with cousins the past few days, which was one of the highlights mentioned on the way home. We also had fun looking at some old pictures and videos together. I think all of us have a touch of cabin fever as the only stints outside for us were when we went to the birthday party and went to and from the car (other than Kali going outside to run up and down the side walk and climb a tree at one point). The party was at one of those bouncy house places with slides and all sort of fun and a good dose of over-stimulation for all! Terah threw a fit when it was time to go, but thankfully the place was so loud that I'm not sure how many even noticed! The place was called Jumpin Jacks, and on the way Kali had talked about doing jumping jacks there. Terah was a little distraught when we were driving back to realize that we had all forgotten in the hubbub to actually do any jumping jacks! I thought she would sack out on the way back to their cousins' place but she was too entertained by her party favors bag and putting ALL of her tattoos on.

She still much prefers falling asleep nursing (than being lulled to sleep in the car). She slept well overall while we were gone - except the 2nd night was rough, particularly when she was melting down in the middle of the night crying, "want Ivy." It's hard to reason with a 2 year old in the middle of the day, let alone in the middle of the night when she is asking for her cousin who is 4 hours away in Virginia!

So, as I expected, I'm so glad we went, and I'm so very glad to be home. I feel like I want to stick my hands in the soil for awhile. It was nice to go into the root cellar and check my 3 waxed cheddars that will be ready for testing soon! It was also fun to look out and see all the posts planted for the expanded garden fence, making it more possible to envision it. The mountain in front of me was a welcome site as well. Most definitely home sweet home! Now better go wake our littlest gal so I get some sleep tonight - as I did not have an afternoon nap and feel a tad travel weary!