Vacations are the Greatest thing EVER!!!

Okay - so I got to take the WONDERFUL opportunity to take 2 whole weeks off of work to enjoy a 2 part vacation.  One on my own, for the first time ever since becoming a Mom, and the second half with my WHOLE Family.  I mean WHOLE, not just Jason and the kids.  My parents, ALL 7 of my siblings and the spouses and their kids.  What FUN!

We've actually been home since Sunday 10pm, but I've been so utterly and completely exhausted that every ounce of energy I could find was used to get thru my work schedule.  Luckily Jason was smart enough to take Monday & Tuesday off too, so he got some vacation recovery time.  Lucky git.

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Keeping in mind that this blog is for me and mine, I try to respect my extended family as well as our friends, so when asked to keep specific details private, I do.  So let me do some very Vague bragging that will ONLY make sense to those this involves, most likely.

I was able to enjoy the THRILL of going to visit a family VERY dear to us, and enjoy every single one of their amazing, loving, crazy kids - and LOVED every single moment I could be there. Important to note: this was the first time I've ever left my kids for more then 24 hours (other then to give birth to another kid). It was to help this family celebrate the adoption of THEE most adorable little one that I have ever seen (not including the 5 most adorable kids ever because they're MINE ;o).

I took a zillion pictures, went to sleep each night on west coast time and woke up on east coast time clock; realized JUST how much energy I no longer have to keep up with ALL the kids  -- WOW what a difference it makes to visit ALONE instead of having Jase and all the kids to balance out their mob.   I'm using EXTREME restraint not to post a single picture here folks!  But to this wonderful family that means the WORLD to us, thank you thank you THANK YOU so very much for letting me come and spend the week with you, for loving me so much that I missed you as soon as I got to the airport, even though I was SO excited to be going home.  Talk about torn.  I am thrilled I was there to not only enjoy the court date for the adoption of such a great child into your family, but to enjoy going to the temple with your family as well!! :o)  Know that Jase & I and the kids ALL love and miss you SO very much.  Thanks for the fun, and ALL the hours of laughing till my face hurt.       ps....I'm never hiding on top of a fridge again ;o).

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My family reunion was TONS of fun.  Thanks to Andrea I am extremely eager to gather ALL the different family members photos and create a yearbook style book on blurb.com.  I think I'm going to do one experiment book to see what the quality is, but they claim to be "bookstore quality" and Andrea loved hers she made of her blog, so I'm pretty darned excited and the idea.

I will have to reunion blog later.  Kids and dinner are a callin.

Have a GREAT Weekend Everyone.! ! ! !