Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Where I've been, what I've seen, what I've done.

The past two weeks have been such a fast-paced blur. I feel like I've been everywhere. I haven't, but I feel like it.

My family drove out to see us and to try to see as much as humanly possible in one trip. It was good to see them; it was good to see so many places and things.
Although I now need a nap just thinking about it.

We met them at Gettysburg. We beat them there as they had some car trouble and accompanying miracles. We killed the extra time with Mr Renn and Sir O in a train museum, and the Captain and I nursed in the car. Yeah, you're jealous. I sort of didn't take any pictures this entire day. Oops.

Next Day we ventured forth to the Shady Maple and Amish Country. The camera again disappeared into the nether regions of our diaper bag as I had my hands full with two overstimulated kids. That evening we had Sir O's first birthday shindig. It involved ice cream and Sir O making shrill sounds.

Day 3 - Washington DC. Camera never surfaced. That is so not like me, I know. My hands were full. Minimal sunburn-age, and I'm so happy the American History museum is finally open.

Day 4 - Church and Valley Forge. I took lots of pictures this day on my mom's camera. Too bad that doesn't help here......

Day 5 - Taking Philly by storm. (took a whopping 4 pictures) Sir O begins this business of throwing ridiculous tantrums over stupid things he can't possibly really care about.

Day 6 - Drive to upstate New York. Stop by Aaronic Priesthood restoration site and Whitmer Farm. Sir O begins to express his stir-craziness by running around like a maniac and trying to destroy important historic artifacts. I get upset with Mr Renn for being interested and learning things, because I didn't get to.

Day 7 - Visit the Smith Farm and Sacred Grove. I try frantically to keep Sir O from pulverizing other people's spiritual experiences. I spend 45 minutes with him in the parking lot waiting for everyone else to finish. I find myself in a bad mood. We visit Palmyra Temple, Hill Cumorah visitor center, original Book of Mormon publication site, and see Hill Cumorah pageant. After a David Copperfield-esque ascension in the play, Sir O decides that he's now terrified of Jesus as well as Santa and Fireworks. Terrific.

Day 8 - Venture to Niagara Falls. Ride Maid of the Mist. Very cool, but I wouldn't recommend riding it while holding a fussy baby. Very distracting.


Bid my family adieu and head to Henrietta, NY to meet up with Mr Renn's Sister's Family and his parents. By popular vote, we spend the evening at ChuckECheese where Sir O gets a second birthday party, is terrified of the mouse, and runs around like an overstimulated headless chicken. In retrospect he decides he loves it and asks to go back.

Day 9 - revisit sacred Grove, where a smart Mr Renn makes sure I get a few moments to be by myself and reflect. Part ways with family and start the long drive home. Spend almost 90 minutes in a traffic jam. Mr Renn about lost his marbles. Crash and burn once we get home.


Day 10 - Up and at 'em! Drive back out to Amish country to meet up with Mr Renn's other sister and her fam. The last of his siblings to make it out to see us. Sir O enjoyed the make-a-friend (or make a tractor) workshop at Cherry Crest Farms. We were treated to dinner at a farm-restaurant and Sir O embarrassed us by his hyperactive tantrum-ing.

Day 11 - Church, where it was my week to teach a lesson to all the kids in the primary. It's all a blur. Sir O got his 3rd birthday cake/party and got to play with his cousins at home.

Day 12 - I stay home and unpack, take the Captain to his Surgery pre-authorizing Dr. apt., make important phone calls and lick my wounds while Mr Renn's Sister's fam drives around Philly. We treat them to Zwahlen's and I am impressed by their Napoleon.

Day 13 (Yesterday) - Spend 1/2 day with Mr Renn's sister & fam at Longwood Gardens then see them off for Virginia. Attempt to make a dent in cleaning the apartment. Get discouraged.

Day 14 - (Today) - Smother the desire to curse my kids for waking up so early, vacuum, make a board game for sir O out of packing Styrofoam. Realize the carpet is now covered in Styrofoam granules and needs to be vacuumed again. Sort laundry, procrastinate making the trip down 3 flights of stairs to start it. Lay on my bed and let the captain play with my face.

That about sums it up.
Does it make you tired? It made me tired.
Photos and Videos here.

6 comments:

Amanda said...

It sounds like you were channeling your inner Energizer Bunny!

I didn't no the Captain needed surgery. Did you post about that? If you did I must have missed it. I hope everything goes well.

Now go take a nap!

--jeff * said...

yes,you've made me tired, too. but i commend you for making the time to share it with us.
and i wish i could have seen so much of that, too!

it's interesting how, when people come to visit (or, when we go to visit), we feel a need to cram in as much as possible to every moment, then make sure we squeeze it all out.

and i'm glad you got some quiet time in the sacred grove.

Stacey said...

That is a lot of going and doing. I can see why you are exhausted, but it sounds like a lot of fun!

The Hodges Family said...

Good job at a quick re-cap! Looks like lots of fun memories but exhausting end of story. Hope things dont take too long to get back to normal after Grahams surgery. Love you and think youre doing a great job Em!

hairyshoefairy said...

"After a David Copperfield-esque ascension in the play, Sir O decides that he's now terrified of Jesus as well as Santa and Fireworks. Terrific" I think this is my favorite line. Peanut is pretty much the same way. Her list also now includes a real-life Cinderella. Yeah. Also? What is with this tantrum-ing? It's full force in our house, too. Makes me bonkers.

It sounds crazy and fun and very familiar. That basically how things went when people visited us in Cali. Got a lot to do and see and only a short time to do it. And you visit the same places a million times.

And I agree with Jeff. I'm glad you got a little personal time in the Sacred Grove.

Martha said...

I am absolutely exhausted after reading that! Wow! I'm so glad you got out and about, though. And hopefully the good memories will be sweet to look back upon and the others will make good stories for the future.

I didn't realize the Captain needed surgery either. I think you may have told me, but I completely forgot. Best wishes for that. Where are you having it done? Will Mr. Renn be around or do you need some help? I hope all goes well. :)

btw, I have my military pass finally! We can now go to the Please Touch, so after the Captain recovers we'll have to head back to the museum sometime (either with or without husbands).

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...