Back to Reality

We made it back from vacation pretty much unscathed. Had a mishap that involved the washing machine + two iPods in which miraculously the iPods WON. . .for the most part. Lesson of the day is to double-check your pockets (ALL pockets) before doing your laundry. Maybe we should take that to mean that we shouldn't, under any circumstances, do our laundry when we are on vacation. I actually don't mind doing it on vacation when their are facilities available (as in a big laundry room in the house we were renting). I'm sure it has something to do with the small loads and limited amount of clothing at the children's disposal. They actually like wearing the same thing a few days in a row when we are camping and in all honesty I think my son would wear the same clothes (and underwear--ICK!) daily if I let him. Ah, to be 10 again! I guess I will really know when he starts "digging the ladies" as soon as he willingly changes his clothes without me harassing him.
So yes, we've returned from paradise (the beach in Oregon with blue sky and no wind is truly amazing. . .and we had it for a whole week!) and ready-or-not we're jumping back into reality, albeit "Summer Reality." Many days I'm not sure who loves summer reality more, the kids or me. At best it is a tie, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I love it just a tad more as there is so much they don't see from our "Normal Reality" that I am able to put on the back burner in the summer. I'm sure they have a host of reasons involving the things they can put on the back burner too. It's probably a draw which is fine by me! The reality of Summer really is a very special time around our house and my hope is that we can all savor every moment we have.

Leaving Reality

I love vacations! It's truly refreshing to leave your "regular life" behind and get into a completely different routine. There is something extra special about a vacation where you don't have to DO anything. For me this is going to the beach. Of course there are still meals to cook and sandy clothes to clean, but we don't have to have a schedule. I love that! No itinerary, no obligations, no expectations to be here or there, just good old-fashioned relaxation and time away. Leaving reality, if only for a short time, is what vacation is all about. It's no wonder everyone loves Disneyland so much.

Joining Reality

I decided to start a blog today. I know. . .I'm about five years late and several dollars short! I'm not sure what compelled me. I've thought about it over the years as this phenomenon has become increasingly popular. Perhaps it stems from my slight addiction to Facebook (I was late getting on that bandwagon, too!) and the fun I've been having with posting status updates. That sounds a little self-absorbed now doesn't it?! For the record, I do love reading my friend's posts as well. :) Maybe it's just so I can get everything (or at least some) of what is going on in my head "down on paper" as they used to call it. What would it be now, "up on screen?" In any case, this will allow me to chronicle my thoughts and feelings about the reality of being a "regular mom."