It feels like we've been gone forever

Isn't it amazing how when you're away from home, jamming several different activities into each day that it feels like you've been gone forever, when really you've only been away for a couple of days? That's how it feels today. We had a very successful shopping day yesterday. A special thanks to Grandma Lady for hanging out with Bean for the afternoon and taking him on a train ride, giving him ice cream and various other treats. We had a surprise lunch visit with my cousin, his wife and two girls who happened to be in town for the Cirque du Soleil show. We haven't seen them in three years so it was nice to have a quick catch up. Schmoo and I were able to buy up a storm at the mall in only 3 short hours. In fact, by the end she was telling me to stop shopping because I was going to run out of money. We had a tired Boston Pizza supper with Grandma Lady before bidding her farewell in the miserable rain storm. It actually felt like winter.

Today was another busy day. Thankfully the skies cleared and summer returned. By mid-afternoon I was sweating in my jeans and sweater that I had put on in the morning. We had a leisurely morning with our hosts, Nana W and Cousin R. I had intentions of taking the kids to Ikea and Best Buy with me, but when Nana W offered to keep them here, I jumped at the opportunity for some stress free shopping. I returned with lunch for everyone and then packed the kids up for our visit with A and her little guy J, who are in Cowtown visiting from England. They had another friend there to visit them, with her two daughters which worked out great because the kids became fast friends and spent the next few hours running around together, giving the moms a chance to chat. We came back to Nana W's house for another play with Cousin R and the little boy cousins, N and C came with their moms for supper.

We rushed out after the grown-ups Vietnamese takeaway supper to go and see Kung Fu Panda at the movie theatre. Nana W and Cousin R came with us, making it a real outing. The kids were pretty excited and Bean did great until his popcorn ran out and then he spent the last 1/2 hour whining that he was hungry. We managed to make it through the movie without too much of scene and now I've tucked them into bed. Hopefully another late night will mean a bit of a sleep-in tomorrow. We've got another busy visiting day tomorrow before we head back home on Sunday.