Aw, I finally see the light at the end of a very long, very hectic trip that we've been on since... I don't remember how long it's been, but it feels like about 100 year now. The past year has overall been one big blur, filled with move after move (after move), mixed in with kids' sports season after season, and throw into it a touch of home decorating...
I feel that I have become a horrible friend to many of you; not intentionally, but because by the time I finally can catch my breath, it's usually around 11-11:30 and I don't think it very "friendlike" to call that late. BUT I think we're finally calming down (even if it may be short-lived).
Last night, my son's baseball team lost their tournament game, which brought on mixed feelings for my family. We were sad for them, since they lost it in the last 5 minutes of the game, but also relieved because it meant NO SPORTS for the next month or so. Whatever will we do with having every night back again??? (Maybe get to know each other again, after a long absence?)
This week is the last of the crazy after-work commitments (I'm being carefully optimistic, as I write that). The boys have a birthday party tonight and I have a hair appointment (where I'm sure I will get a "talkin' to" for waiting so long). Tomorrow we have to finish packing, then Friday we are leaving at 3:00am (UGH- NOT my idea) to drive out to Delaware and spend a very relaxing week away from everything that gives me grey hair here in good ole' Indiana (work, life, work...). I am DETERMINED come hell or high water (which, you never know, may happen, since we're staying right on the ocean) that I WILL relax, dammit!
Then, starting after we're back, I want to have get-togethers again. We have this nice, big house that is great for hosting stuff and we have yet to use it for that. I've missed having people over- we used to get together with everyone often in the old house. But, once we put it on the market, the get-togethers ended (in fear of getting a last-minute call for a showing)... And we haven't picked it back up again because of all the crazy, hectic schedules we've led.
I'll try to post while on vacation, but please understand if it doesn't happen... Relaxing also means NO ELECTRONICS for me; I feel I'm glued to the computer all day at work, so I'll see how it goes while at the beach (sand and computers don't mix)...
So, what explains my very long absence from Blogworld? Did I fall off the Earth? No. Did I spend the last two-ish months trying to escape from aliens who abducted me? No, not really. Did my children lock me in my room, with no possible way of escaping? Ha, I WISH... No, the only way of explaining why I've been MIA for so long can be summed up quite well by three words: Little League Baseball. And I know that if there are any parents out there who have fallen prey to this hellish nightmare, they will immediately understand why I fell into a black hole for so long.
The boys begged and begged us incessantly to sign them up for this so-called "recreational league" and against my better intentions, I caved and let them play. I too played baseball (and mostly softball) for a few years while growing up. And even though I'm sure my schedule was not nearly as horrific as their's turned out to be, I still remember spending alot of time at the ball field.
Well, because this year the weather wasn't nice to us and many of the games were rained out, the powers that be within the Little League decided they should reschedule the rain games. BUT instead of say, extending the schedule a week or so, they came up with the ingenious idea of cramming several games into the same week, with double-headers galore... not to mention the 8-9:45pm games scheduled for the first graders (because that's when seven year-olds are really on their game, right?).
You can't tell I'm slightly bitter, can you? Yeah, I thought it was a bit obvious...
For the past two months now, baseball has consumed 97% of our waking lives (the other 3% going towards work). We've spent up to 5 days/ nights (any combo of the two) a week living at the ball fields. Most nights, I find myself rushing out of work, cussing my way through rush hour traffic, so I can meet up with the rest of the Fam at the fields, where we spend the next 2-4 hours.
Besides living my own personal hell (otherwise known as baseball), we have been up to a couple fun things, as well.
My nephew, Eric, was married over Memorial Day weekend. Aidan was ring bearer and looked oh-so dashing in his tux. He milked his GQ style for all it was worth, too. He had committed to the goal of dancing with each woman at the reception ONLY ONCE, and managed to work his way around to a good majority of the ladies there. I got my ONE dance with my little man, and that was it- cut off after that.
Aidan loved dressing up (this from the boy who went through a phase of wanting to wear a shirt and tie everywhere)-- he thought he looked like Indiana Jones in his tux and was terribly disappointed when he found out that no, the tux was not his to keep, and yes, it would be going back the next day.
The other bright spot to the summer so far was Babypalooza 2009 in Chicago. My college roommate, Tammy, found me a while back (thanks to Crackbook, I mean Facebook) and we've been corresponding ever since. Soon after we reconnected I found out that she and her husband, Chad, were expecting TWINS (!!!) and Conni (my other college roommate and close friend) and I were invited to her shower.
Last Saturday, we drove up (and then back same-day) to her shower, which was held in this very quaint restaurant, La Crepery, where we then spent all afternoon stuffing ourselves full of some really great food (and I drank quite an impressive amount of mimosa). It was so great to see her again after 15 years, and to meet her hubby and friends. Made me want to move to Chicago, actually... until Conni and I hit the traffic from the Blues Fest.
So, please excuse me if there aren't very many postings until the dust clears (which Thank God it's starting to)-- I feel like for now I am just in survival mode until we get done with baseball and then off to our vacation... Hopefully I can post some great vacation pics once home again...
