Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig...

Well, we survived Colorado.  Rather, Colorado survived us.  Mostly.

My mother is missing a camera, her water bill will be astronomical thanks to a toddler who is suspected of turning on the tub and LEAVING IT ON for more than 2 hours, and her dachshund has a gimpy back leg that may or may not have been the result of a certain careless toddler (the same who was kind enough to turn on the tub).

The kids did get to bathe in the joys of having a grandmother who catered to their every emotional, physical, and dietary whim, they got to experience the joy of picking out a soda from their great-grandmother's antique Coke machine, they got to harass gigantic dogs in a gigantic yard, they got to see fossils in Woodland Park, black holes in Denver, zombies in a mall crawl, the triumph of a post-marathon grandmother, and they got some great face time with cousins, uncles, aunts, etc.

I got to sit on my butt and hang out with my folks.

Everybody was a winner!

Except for maybe the water bill... and the dachshund...

Alas, it came to an end and we are back east, where the drivers actually use the left lane for passing and they put far too much cream cheese on bagels.  :-)

While the trip was a complete joy to experience, there were a few down points:

1. We saw the burn scars from the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires.  They were sobering, sad, and they have changed the landscape in ways I'm still trying to wrap my brain around.

2. Colorado drivers are terrible.  Virginia still holds the spot for most terrible place to drive, but my beloved CO is a close second.  I was thrilled to be back behind the wheel straight out of the airport where people go 70 mph in a 45 mph zone like normal Americans and the left lane is truly JUST for passing.  Well, that is, until someone with NJ plates shows up and acts like a blind, deaf, quadriplegic student driver.

3. I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see.  The upside to this is that I didn't see anyone that I didn't want to see, either.  You take the good, you take the bad... ;-)

4. I'm pregnant, so everything from moving from my bed to the couch to sit and do nothing all day took monumental effort.

5. Two weeks goes so much faster when you don't want it to go anywhere.  Again, the upside to this is that I'll be hugging and kissing my beloved husband by tomorrow evening, and that is pretty stellar.

Well, I'm off to choke down my prenatal vitamins, lament that nothing tastes good, pop some popcorn, and watch something lame with the kiddos.  I'll spend tomorrow morning in total panic while shrieking at my kids to clean up before my husband returns.  He left the house in immaculate shape, so I'm feeling the pressure to keep it that way.  :-)