Because It's That Time of Year

Vacations are fun, then the inevitable return to reality sets in and it's all over.

Actually, I didn't do to bad as soon as I got home, so reality didn't set in until Monday approached. Aaah, Monday, Monday-Monday.

I was all set for work. Okay, I was willing the clock to go faster so I could go to work because an entire week without any time away from kids will have that effect on a person. But, Babygirl was up most the night with a cough, runny nose and fever and I found myself the night before my return to work sleeping all crooked on the couch with the lights off and TV on hoping another gagging-throwing-up inducing coughing spell didn't kick in.

It didn't.

But, I figured a run to the doctor was in order to make sure nothing else was settling in and figuring we would go, be told she's fine and I'm just another paranoid mother and that I could still go back to sanity work.

Ha! We ended up going to the hospital for X-rays to make sure there was pneumonia and filling a prescription for a liquid steroids (and in honor of my extremely over-protective husband I will not suffer you my disgruntles with giving my 2 year old any form of steroid!)

Needless to say, she's fine (thank God!) and I even got a good night's sleep. I just hope nobody else gets whatever it is!

Vacation is Over

Aside from taking a few days off here and there, we are not vacationing people. We've never made big plans to go somewhere for a week and do, well, nothing. This is mostly because my husband is a homebody. He can't stand doing nothing, ever. And he all but has an anxiety attack when entering a big town let alone a city, as a passenger.

So, anytime I've gone anywhere, it's usually without him. Since we've been together, I've been to Niagara Falls, Disney World and on a Disney Cruise, and even visited Gettysburg without him.

Then, we had kids and even I didn't leave home much. And, since having kids, I've gotten closer to my younger sister, who lives four and a half hours away. Thank God she's in Lancaster, an area rich with history because I think that's the only reason he convinced himself it would be okay to come along when I decided to pack some clothes, the kids, and me for a three day vacation.

The drive down was pretty uneventful, which with kids, is a blessing! We did nothing but order in some pizza and sit around the first night.

The second day found us up early because my son was excited to in a new place and my daughter was anxious about being in a different place. We packed the kids in the car again to check out a house that was built in 1719 with nearly everything in tact - they did have to replace the stairs from the first floor to the second but kept the stairs from the second floor to the third so people could see how one step use to be made out of one log.
And, we were lucky: There was some type of school field trip so there was more going on than usual with folks dressed in 1700 attire and working in the various buildings.
I got plenty of pictures of buildings, the blacksmith working, a fiddler, and much more; and, we managed to blog my son's screams for a balloon or wanting to return to his aunts house for over two hours before he finally bit his sister and I dragged him back to the car!

We tried to visit a train museum but got there 15 minutes after they stopped selling tickets despite the website saying they closed 15 minutes after we arrived. Yeah, we were none too happy about that!

But, it gave me time to zip over to another town and buy some fudge. Hmmmm. Fudge. Double Dutch Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Chocolate, and Turtle Caramel and Nut. I'm not sure if a block equals 1 pound or half, but I got four and we devoured the last of it this afternoon - barely two days, I think it's a new record for us.

Then it was over. We stayed until after lunch on the third day before packing it up and dragging our son who was determined to stay and a sniffly-nosed little girl to the home she'd been longing for since we arrived.

We got home in record time and I managed to not only unpack everything from the car but actually empty the suitcase, start a load of laundry, and balance my checkbooks from all the vacation debits of site seeing and junk food purchases, included eating out way too many times for my waistline.
I was all arrogant about how being the Queen of Returning-Home when I realized I still had a load of laundry in the dryer to fold, work sheets to wash, and the last of our garden to tend to.
Obviously, back to life as usual.

The only thing good that become of this (aside from visiting my sister) is that despite all the crap I ate while gone I managed to weigh-in the same when I got back as I did when I left. Woot Woot for me!

Now, to bed, because vacation is officially over and I'm back to work tomorrow!

Tis the Season ... for Festivals

I know it's been a while, but I'm going to do you a favor and pretend like I've never been gone

There are many things that are guaranteed every year, around this time of year, in these parts: cold, very cold weather (with snow very soon to follow); hunters that move-in for drinking weekends and reckless shooting (and obliviousness to the locals disdain); and festivals.

The last weekend of September marks the beginning of three of the most popular festivals filled with carnie foods, craft booths, and loud music, bringing in folks from surrounding counties, Pittsburgh, and even Ohio.

My hometown hosts the weekend long Oktoberfest in its little town square and despite being a small town, it is a tourist town so it attracts much attention. I believe it began with some German roots that I doubt are even recognized by those who prepare or come but I really don't know, I never go.

The town my office is located offers Autumn Leaf Festival (ALF) ten days full of fun, contests, car show, bike show, kiddie rides and music every night, food, and part of Main street being shut-off every night. It's a blast trying to maneuver through the throng of people trying to get their next box of chili cheese fries, hot wings, and funnel cakes. It's even funner trying to make a deposit after 5:00 since my bank is at the part of town the road is shut-off.

Of course, the entire week doesn't even compare to Friday's Farmers' and Crafters' Day when all of Main Street from 2nd Ave. to 8th Ave is shut down with detours on One Way streets so everybody and their sister can put up booths on the side of the street so anybody who didn't pay to put up a booth can walk down the middle of the street and meander through the bulging crowds to get to the next booth.

And, trust me, despite the rain, the crowd didn't disperse in number all that much.

Then there's the hometown of my youth. They celebrate Applefest because Johnny Appleseed wandered through at some point in his ventures of planting apple trees; obviously, they're one up the town I currently live in.
It's only three days, but they actually offer more food booths then the other towns combined, craft booths all three days, free apples, and, of course, all the other fun festival stuff.

It's been a long time since I went to the Applefest and this year I initially planned to run in their 5K (it's a new hobby of mine). Then I woke up none to impressed with my earlier ambition and fought down the guilt of disappointing all the people I bragged to that I'd be running.

Then, I did what any other woman in my position would do: I went shopping. The normalcy ended there. I chose to shop at the Applefest. And, I opted to take my two year old daughter. Yes, I am brave.

Several hours later I returned with a tired little girl, frustration that I kept going around in circles looking for a particular fudge booth I so arrogantly thought I be able to find again, and $47 lighter. Oh, and one large bag heavier, filled with a Spiced Cranberry soy candle, an apple cookbook from the town, and

some loose leaf chamomile tea and herbal tea pot and these two really cute snowman and snowwoman.

I also came home hungry for some not so healthy food that I couldn't justify spending the money on since I spent so much on other stuff; so, I came home and cooked some hot dogs, sauerkraut and french fries.

It was a good day. Made even better when the kids went to sleep. And now I'm watching Into the Wild with my husband.

Don't I Know You from Somewhere?

Summer's been busy. Hectic. Fun.

Like every year, we have our garden. Unfortunately, like most years we don't plant everything that we want because we run out of time. So, no tomatoes. Oh, and no peas because apparently I planted them to deep and the poor bastards rotted before getting any sun.

Work's been crazy busy, despite the economy. I'd like to think it's a testament to how great a massage therapist I am, but that would just be arrogant.
I hosted my first ever charity event at my studio and couldn't believe how much fun I had doing it. Already working on some ideas for around Christmas.

The annual visit from my younger sister had come and gone. I think we spent more time in the car this year then anywhere else - which only cultivates the re-appearance of cellulite I've been hard at work these last few months trying to shed. With all the cash flowing through my fingers and food going to waist you'd think I was on vacation too.

Boyfoot's hit a new level of hyper. and annoyance. Pick. Pick. Pick. Pick. Pick. Babyfoot's starting to fight back. It's kinda funny when she walks up to him and snaps the back of his underwear. He doesn't like that.
And so that begins . . .
Not to mention, all the rain that's been locking us inside. Oh yeah, to toddlers who like to pick. and whine. In the house all day. I'm lucky I still have hair on my head.

You'd also think I would be blogging more.