Vacation Schmacation!!!

We are presently on "vacation", until the 18th. We're visiting my family in Erie, PA. I use the term vacation very loosely. In many ways it is vacation. I haven't had to think about meals each night (thanks mom), I have extra helping hands with the kids, and I don't have to think much about housekeeping, other than toy clean-up & laundry. It's also really great to have Dave around a lot, and the kids enjoy playing with their daddy. He's enjoying some fishing time with my dad, brother & grandpa.

Last week we spent 4 days with my parents, and my brother & his family, at my uncle's hunting camp, in the Allegheny National Forest area, of Northwest PA. It rained every day we were there, and the temps barely got above 70. I certainly didn't pack appropriately for this vacation. I packed one pair of pants and one sweatshirt for each family member, but I forgot to pack a sweatshirt for myself. The rest of our suitcases consist of summer clothes...it is August, after all...I was always led to believe that was still summer....silly me! The kids warm clothes were pretty dirty by Saturday, as they had to wear them over and over. Oh well, it's the camp, and who cares! I felt bad mostly about the rain. Aunt Andrea is the "Super Duper Fun Aunt"! She brought lots of toys for the kids, a sliding board, a giant bubble maker and a swimming pool. Needless to say, the pool was only filled up by the rain, and the kids could not go in it. We really did have a great time, though. It's just fun to be together. We left camp Saturday and are now at my parents house.

Sunday, my poor mom came down with a bad cold, and has been struggling with that this week. Her blood cell count is low, after having chemo, so she's very susceptible to virus'. She always rises to the occassion, and spent Monday at the Zoo with us. Last night Alayna awoke several times during the night, and today she is congested, with a low fever. My sister-in-law was supposed to take our family pictures tonight, at the beach, but we've cancelled those plans. I just hope & pray Alayna's cold is short-lived, and that no one else catches it, so we can enjoy the rest of our vacation. Either way, it's great to be home, and it will be hard to leave. I'm certainly not looking forward to another 9 1/2 hours of screaming kids in the van, for the trip home. The ride should take 7 1/2 hours, but with all the stops, feedings for Joel, etc...there were two extra joyful hours. No one was happier to get out of that van last Tuesday, than Dave & me. We love our kids, but we had had it. :)