Home sweet home

We made it home in record time today. My plans evolved from hitting the road early into a leisurely breakfast at the Farmer's Market with Team Indi, Team Auntie E, Uncle C and his new friend S. We even managed to get all seven kids posed for a picture with the pumpkins and ornamental ghourds before we left. So we didn't leave the market until 11:30am and of course the first thing Bean wanted to do was stop for a poo. Luckily I needed to fill up the van before we left the city so we filled up the tank and emptied our bladders before hitting the road.

The kids travelled pretty well. There is always a lot of asking "when will we get there" and of course there tends to be bursts of whining about one thing or another, but for the most part the trip was smooth. We stopped for another potty break and a Wal-Mart / McDonalds break en route and made it home with time for the kids to wind down, have a nice big bath and a story with their Papa. We returned to a very clean house...what a treat!

It was a great weekend. Too quick. Amazing how rushed three nights feels when you KNOW you have to return on a certain day. I certainly could have stayed another day to relax and let the kids run around together, but work calls in the morning. Both kids had a great time. Schmoo and K (who will be four later this month) were thick as thieves. Bean did his own thing for the most part, unless Cousin I was around and then they were inseparable. They have truly become such good little friends. It was nice to see Auntie E, even though it felt like we hardly had more than a five minute conversation. Such is life with small children who require attention. Nice to see Auntie T and N, who continues to look bigger and bigger every time I see him. It was good to get a final visit in with Grandma Lady before she migrates south for the winter. We had a great family lunch on Friday and a play down at the park. And we got to meet Uncle C's new "lady"....what a treat.

So it's back to the grind tomorrow. Papa hits the road at 6am for a two night business trip, back on Wednesday night. It looks and feels like the cold air of fall has arrived in town, so we'll be bundling up in the morning.

More pictures tomorrow....after a big sleep!