Hardly believe that two weeks have passed since POTUS and I became bosom buddies, because it seems like just yesterday. Yet SO much has happened. Allow me to catch up....
On Thursday, February 10th --- CJ's BIRTHDAY --- she was sick as a dog. She started the day off (okay, really it was 12 AM) with horrible vomitting. She was miserable and pathetic. It was so sad. She had been looking forward to her birthday for months. She spent the day laying on the couch and not moving. We had to cancel the little birthday dinner we had planned with our friends and deal with just getting some sips of water in the little thing. She did rally a bit after dinner since we had her open her presents, but then quickly crashed for the night.
Here's our FIVE year old. Can't believe it.
Barbie was the big hit for the night.
Alexander at age 17 is going to hate that I snapped this picture of him. But I love it!
On Friday, Zack left bright and early to go to his Dad's to take him in for a doctor's appointment. While he was gone for the day and overnight, I tried to nurse CJ back to health and entertain Alex.
Saturday: Zack got home after lunch, helped me clean and disinfect the house, and then prepared for our guests for CJ's belated bday dinner. We had fun hanging out with the adults and the kids (CJ full of energy again) had a ball playing, eating cheese balls and then dinner/cake.
The Birthday Girl. This is her third celebration. Hope she doesn't get used to this treatment!
How about the cake I made? She requested strawberry. I delivered.
The princess cap was a present. Amazing how she so quickly knew what to do with it and how to pose for the picture. Where ever does she get it???? ;-)
Here she is with friends, Taryn and Clare. The rest of the boys were too busy eating cake and ice cream.
I was off to bed early that night, since I was leaving for the airport at 5am to go to Las Vegas until Wednesday. Too bad, since CJ woke up at about 11pm with more stomach issues. Fun times.
Sunday: I leave at 5 am. Zack is now Mr. Mom. The kids and he hang out most of the day and take it fairly easy. The kids love it when it's just "Dad-time". Why wouldn't they? They skipped church and took a field trip to the pet store and each bought new video games for the Wii. I just can't compete with that!!
Monday: Goes pretty well. CJ off to school. Alex at school. Zack to work in the morning. They have plans to go to a friend's house for dinner. All should work smoothly.
Shortly after 10pm that night, Alex calls downstairs for Zack to come up to the bathroom. He is getting sick and now he has the vomit-bug. Luckily he made it to the bathroom, so Zack thought. Until... Alex says, "Daddy, you need to go into my room."
I was in Vegas having a great dinner with co-workers when I got the following text: Alex is sick now. His room looks like a gory horror film scene.
So, well, that was Monday... and most of Tuesday.
Mon-Tues.: Meanwhile in Nevada, I was doing great. Enjoying the 70 degree sunshine and jumping back into the saddle again as a professional. Since some of you who read this don't know, allow me to explain. For the last 3 years, I have being working as a part-time marketing consultant. A college friend of ours started his own business and I have been the "marketing department" for the company. It's been wonderful. I work from home on my own schedule and can easily say that I am too busy because my kids have to go to the park. It's been perfect.
We went to Vegas to show off a new software product at a tradeshow. So, here I was trading my mom comfy clothes for business attire and heels. It makes you realize how comfy those slippers and sneakers are when you are on your feet for 8 hours on a concrete tradeshow floor in heels.
This is our booth. It was a meat manufacturing and grocers association conference, so MegaMoo was making the rounds on the floor. I, obviously, needed to have a photo.
Here we (Nick and I) are at then end of the show. I insisted that we drink a Yard o' Daiquiri while walking down the Vegas Strip back to our hotel.
Wednesday: Zack is still nursing the ailing Alex, trying to get some work done, and sending CJ to school and a friend's house to play. He really stepped in as Mr. Mom with some serious gusto. Sure he was tired and hectic, but he was a rock star! In retrospect, this is good for me. If no one had been sick, he may have thought this was easy and fun. Which could lead to thoughts of him wanting to stay home while I go back to work full time. Well, I just can't have that! It's only a few short months until the pool opens. NOTE TO SELF: Do NOT go on a business trip this summer.
Thursday: I am home and Zack is on a plane bright and early to DC for work. This household is getting a bit crazy. All of the kids are now well and energetic.
Friday: Zack is in DC and then takes the train to Baltimore. I wait for after school and pack the kids and dog in the car to set off for Baltimore. We went to spend the weekend with our very good --- and very fun --- friends.
We had a great time hanging out with our friends eating, drinking, laughing and being merry. The kids (they have two boys) had so much fun that I really didn't see much of them. Every now and again they would pop up and request some food.
Left to right: Wrenny, CJ, Van Pelt, and Alexander.
Everyone went Duck-Pin bowling on Saturday morning.
The kids loved it, but I think that Nate and Zack got the most out of it. The whole weekend was a great escape for us all.
Sunday: We head home together. It had been a long two weeks of criss-crossing paths. I think we all did rather well, even with CJ and Alex working through that horrible 48-hour virus. The only thing a little worse for the wear was probably the carpet in Alex's room. But we can fix that.
It was a whirlwind of planes, trains and automobiles; good friends; hard work and fun times, but there is something to be said about being home, in your PJs and snuggling on the couch as a whole family just to watch Kung Fu Panda for the 100th time.
It's good to be home.
