And all was right again

This past weekend we went visiting up to Eau Claire. My Uncle John, who lives on Guam, came for a visit and my Aunt Judy was hosting a family reunion of sorts. In short, there were a lot of people of the, well, older set. My mom is the youngest of her siblings by about 16 years, and all of the cousins are mostly older than that. So, that made me kind of spring chicken-y at this party. But the food, oh the food! My aunt always does everything just right, and this is no different. She served food they loved... imagine the best food in the church pot luck. The best salads with fruit in them. Everything that shouldn't had fruit. And raisins. Maybe that's just what makes it food for old people by my standard, I'm not sure.

But still it was a nice weekend. It was great to see my uncle (who I saw every other year growing up, but now haven't seen since my aunt's wedding in Colorado three years ago), and I regret some not seeking him out more at the party. While the guest of honor, he still has a way of heading off a little bit, a little bit out of the lime light. But I did get to see my cousin Dan and his wife Katie, who I haven't seen in awhile, and their two kids, and my cousin's daughter Sara, who I went to a graduation party for earlier this summer, but didn't actually get to talk to much, so it really was a great time.

My mom and dad, my sister and family, and our family all had separate hotel rooms. So, Saturday morning and evening we kind of stuck close to home--or hotel as the case may be. But on Sunday morning we decided to check out and swim at my mom and dad's hotel. I headed to church with my mom, with the plan that we'd get back and I'd go swimming with the kids a little (Ava is swimming! With floaties, but still... swimming!). But the best laid plans... my mom's car wouldn't start after church. So, we called my dad and AAA and the tow truck was on his way. My dad took me back to the hotel, the tow truck came, and my mom's car started. On its own. Geez! Good, but crazy!

By the time we got back to the hotel, the kids were done swimming. Bummer, but oh well. We got everyone changed and headed to lunch, and my mom asked if Abby wanted to stay with her an extra day. (My dad was driving my brother-in-law's truck home. Long story. Really boring. My mom had planned to stay until Monday to hang out with my Uncle. Which she did.) So, Abby stayed with her. Swimming, donuts for breakfast, shopping, applebees, dairy queen, you name it!

And then... they stopped at Wisconsin Dells. On their way out after they stopped, my mom's car died. Luckily on a side street, but at a stop sign. A police officer came and pushed her to the side again, and she once again called AAA. And waited for the tow truck. (Now it's fuzzy for me... I wasn't there!) Long story short, my mom and Abby rode back from the Dells in the tow truck.

BUT... about 45 minutes out, the tow truck blew a tire! So once again they were on the side of the road. They tire guy could come fix it, but not for another couple of hours. No way! Luckily, the tow truck guy was able to fix it enough to drive the rest of the way. Mom and Abby left Eau Claire around 10:30 this morning, and I picked Abby up around 7:45 from my mom and dad's between the heat and the ride and the tow truck and everything else, that's a LONG day.

My mom said Abby was great, and it was nice to have a distraction. Even though I wasn't home all day, it's funny when the kids are gone. It just feels... off. So, now that I have all of them back home again, safe and sound, it all feels right again.