AbbyNolanMaxAva: Day 1 (or technically, 3)

Technically, I guess this was day 3, but days 1 and 2 were spent heading up to Minnesota for a funeral for my sister-in-law's father-in-law, so this was really the first day I've been home. I have to say, not bad! The kids slept in until 7:30, which is unheard of in the summer months. But, it was dark and rainy outside so I think that helped. Once they got up and got moving, we got Abby to school and Nolan, Max and I headed to Costco. Max feel asleep on the way, and then we go there... and there was no one there! Apparently they open at 10, not 9:00. Ugh! So, since Max was sleeping, we just headed back home. We stopped at daycare to pick up information sheets for Max, since he'll be moving into the one-year-old room on Monday (ONE YEAR OLD ROOM! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?). They want to try to get him to give up his morning nap. Ha! He sleeps every day by 8:30. I don't think he'll give it up yet!

After daycare we headed to the post office to mail goggles back to Megan and Jake (sorry, Lisa! You should have them soon!) and then headed home. The boys "helped" me clean up the basement, and then I worked on some puzzles with Nolan. After that it was lunch (two hot dogs for Max, three for Nolan) and then Nolan did some more puzzles and Max went down for a nap. Nolan relaxed and I did a little bit of work (I have 4 hours of consulting work to fill!) and then we played Crossbows and Catapults. I think I'll leave that game to Dave from now on. Then Nolan went outside and Max got up and I put away laundry and packed away Max's 6-9 month clothes.

And then Nolan, Max and Cody (neighbor boy) walked to pick up Abby from school and then we hung out outside with our neighbor Rocky, who just had knee surgery and so is home with their two boys, which is very convenient! Then Dave got home, I came in and made dinner (yes, I did. I made ravioli, and no, not from scratch) and then after dinner went for a walk with Jenny and Rocky and the kids. Then we came home for bath and bedtime, and I went running with Jenny. Then I did some more work, took a shower, and now, here I am posting! Up to date with my first day at home! (Don't worry, I won't be nearly as detailed about it from now on.)

I think staying home will be strange. I have all this time, and yet none at all. You feel like you should be able to get things done, and I just don't think I will. Plus, I stayed home to spend more time with the kiddos, not more time to clean, right? We'll see.

So the true days 1 and 2 that I was off work we went up to Minnesota for the funeral. It was a long drive, but we wouldn't have missed it. Dave's sister's father-in-law was a really nice guy, and only 77 years old but with bad emphysema. His nickname was eyeball because he took pictures of everything, and he even had his camera with him in the casket. He always sent everyone in every picture a copy of the picture, too, which was really nice. The kids even did very good on the ride. We only watched one movie in the new van the entire trip. We stopped for lunch with my mom, which was nice, and then headed up there. We spent some time at the wake, and then took our kids and then Lisa and John's kids back to the hotel so they could focus on the wake and all the people. The kids swam for three hours straight! They were exhausted. Then we did a little more swimming on Wednesday before we headed over to the funeral. Unfortunately, we were only able to stay for the funeral and couldn't go to the cemetary or the gathering afterwards because the funeral started at 11 and lasted for an hour and 45 minutes and we needed to hit the road. But, we got the kids fed and all three fell asleep for over three hours on the way home! That was very helpful.

The best story, though, was that Nolan was completely beside himself that we weren't going to the cemetary. He had lost it, like he'd been waiting in church for so long and did so good just to go to the cemetary. We couldn't figure out why that was such a big deal until he said "But that's where they put the people in the ground?" Dave said yes, and then Nolan started crying again. We asked what was wrong and he said, "I wanted to see the hole and see him put into the ground!" Oh my. We convinced him that you don't actually see the person put in the ground. And then Dave promised that when he dies, Nolan could watch them put him in the ground. Then, Nolan asked if he could watch when I die, too. Sure, why not? Strange kid!!

But of course, funerals always bring out death questions. The kids are worried about Max for some reason, and they keep saying that he won't die until he gets old, right? Right, I say. Not until he gets old. And every time we have the conversation, I just pray that we won't have to explain to them any other way.

Anyway, I thought I would throw some pictures up here of the trip...

The kids loving the new van...