Vacation is Over and I am Hobbling Like an Old Woman

We were gone on vacation all last week. It was our annual trek up to the lake. A trip that usually should take about 6 1/2 hours and we always manage to make it closer to ten. This year was no different. We stopped every twenty minutes for potty breaks as is our Laundry Family Custom. This year we stopped at a particularly fancy spot. Treasure City. Oh. My. I have never experienced a store quite like that one. The kids had plenty of hard earned cash to blow, they had been doing odd jobs all summer and mowing lawns, just for this specific moment in time. We left with many small purchases. My three favorites? A mini metal pistol key chain. An overpriced model ship. A ring made out of a polished rock with googly eyes. The ring takes the cake.

Once we arrived we spent most of the week on the beach, soaking up the sun or the clouds, depending on the weather. We didn't care. The lake temperature was in the seventies. It was Fab. U. Lus. It was great to see Ann and Eric again. Ever since they moved to Ohio, we have looked forward to this week together at the lake. And we ate pancakes. Lots and lots of pancakes. Or at least I did.

But the week ended sorely. Literally. For the first time we tried a little water skiing behind the jet ski. We borrowed a pair of youth skis and let Tyler and Noelle have a go. Noelle was such a trooper. She tried for awhile but just couldn't get up. Her legs were pretty tired so we turned it over to Tyler. He got up first try. Punk. The next day I thought..... "Hmmmmm" I've never water skied before. That might be kind of fun! So I headed out with Nate pulling me behind the jet ski. After forty five minutes or so of trying, I gave up. Apparently you need abdominal muscles to water ski. I have none. I am now fully aware of other muscles that I didn't even know I had. My forearms hurt, my biceps hurt, my hamstrings hurt. It's ridiculous really.

After all the fishing the kids did, Jack (4) is obsessed with fishing. He has been asking all day long when we can buy him a fishing pole to play with in the house. Finally he got so frustrated with my dismissive answers that he looked outside at the rain and said. "Mom! It's raining outside because you won't buy me a fishing pole!" Yes son, that's how the weather works. Parents everywhere, heads up. If you want sunny weather then you must give in to all your children's smallest whims.

Now today I am hitting the unpacking with a vengeance. I WILL NOT leave these suitcases laying around for a week. (Mostly I'm just saying that to myself as sort of a pep talk.) School starts on Thursday. We need a little routine in our lives. No, we need A LOT of routine in our lives. I am so ready.