Back to life as we know it!!

This fall has truly been a whirlwind!  I was gone from the coast THREE weeks!  It was WAY TOO LONG! and of course, it went really fast too!!

First we went up for Miss P's birthday and L&J's vow renewals.  Then I headed to Nebraska for my fall trip to see Mom.  I managed a side trip there to Des Moines for the AQS show - awesome!!  It was a whole lot of fun.  I have many pictures I need to put on the blog - soon, I promise, soon!!  Home from three weeks away - you can't imagine the to-do list, even in a small condo!!

We were home five whole days ... then over to see A&J2, Mr D and Mr K, then back up to Portland to babysit for 5 days while L&J went to Vegas for their actual anniversary.  Miss P and Mr M were fabulous.

The very first day the question of when mom and dad were coming back came up many times!  So I made a chart.  NOTE:  this works very well!!  If you find yourself babysitting for more than overnight, I highly recommend it.  I simply took a piece of art paper, folded it in 6 columns.  Labeled the columns with SMTWTF.  At bedtime each day, we sat at the kitchen table, listed things that we had done that day, and both kids "X"ed the bottom of it.  One day down!!  Example:

Sunday
timed bike races in circle
Connect 4 tournament
went to Dollar Store
Spaghetti for dinner
... and on until you fill the column

We looked at it every day, counted the blank spaces until mom and dad got home, it did go pretty fast!  And when mom and dad got home, we gave them the chart and they got to see what we did every day!  Win-win!!  Miss P is in 1st grade ... the very first thing written on the chart by her - on Sunday - was on Friday's space she wrote, "Papa and Nana gone!!!"  I think the "or else" was implied!!

We had such a good time, but we were all ready for mom and dad to come home!!  5 and 7 yr olds just need to get back to their regular lives, with mommy and daddy and their dogs!!!  And 61 yr olds need that too!!!

We got home Friday night.  Saturday DH left for his month golf/poker game/watch sports on TV until your eyes bug out weekend!!  I enjoyed getting back to life as I know it and then .... Mr M's cold attacked me!!  DH had gotten it while we were still up there.  I'm always hopeful that I'll miss getting it when DH comes down with it first ... but I always DO get it!  Poop!  This is such a busy week too.

I subscribe to "Ripples" - you can too!!  Click here to subscribe  I met this young man when I was working at the University.  He gives a dynamic program.  I've been getting his weekly emails for  - oh, my goodness, 6 years now.  All have been good inspiration, but sometimes there's one that really hits home ... today's did.

Today's "ponder" quote:

Once you have decided you want the present moment to be your friend, it is up to you to make the first move:

Become friendly toward it, welcome it no matter in what disguise it comes, and soon you will see the results. Life becomes friendly toward you; people become helpful, circumstances cooperative.

One decision changes your entire reality. But that one decision you have to make again and again--until it becomes natural to live in such a way.
-Eckhart Tolle

Go make friends with the present - whether you have a bad cold or not - and be prepared to make the same decision tomorrow too!! ... and the day after that!!  Yep, that's the step I always forget!