Holy Week from... well, okay, still from Utah... but crazy!

First off - no, I don't know WHERE all my time went... really.

My Mom came to town with my recently returned missionary Brother whose english language skills have returned quite nicely. Maybe even better than BEFORE he left for Santiago... or maybe he's just not afraid of me anymore??? Also in tow were Grandma B (because that distinguishes her from the OTHER Grandma... whose last name also begins with B...) and Uncle Mike. Just two of their in town nights were spent at my house since they'd rented a Condo for the week - which means that while my house was clean for their arrival (well... reasonably so... they arrived the same day I got back from the family reunion... I had a wonderful excuse for that pile of laundry!) it was not so clean during the week... shoot, why bother - it was just my sister (who flew in from NY) hanging at our place!

But wait, that's not all!!!

Also visiting (but not staying at my house... except for brief drop by and cool off visits) Aunt P, Cousin S + baby, Cousin K + 6 kids, Aunt P (the other one) and her grandkids, Uncle D & Auntie H and 5 of their children who we got to see before they up and move to England in... ummm... 4 days? Did I miss anyone? Oh, well... Uncle R, Aunt C and their assorted children/children's spouses/children's spouse's parents/and children's children that we mostly saw at plays but convinced at least a few to come eat the amazing amount of food that was prepared here Saturday afternoon. Seriously, our menus are always the same fare: Meat of some sort, potato salad (with too much celery in my opinion), pink fluff, etc.... but what we lack in creativity we make up for in sheer VOLUME! Do NOT ask me right now how my diet is going... you REALLY don't want to get me started... I'll let you know when I'm back within 10 pounds of goal again... but don't hold your breath. (Hmmm... come to think of it, maybe if I DID hold my breath I could lose a few ounces?)

a little swimming, lots of card playing, and a few shows at the Neil Simon later and my entire week has passed... and what have I got to show for it? ticket stubs... dirty towels... scrawled scores on notepads showing that I won... (I threw away the ones where I lost)

Oh - and I have two new t-shirts...

The first: a nice blue shirt with a cute smiley that says "I'm in Charge" - because our reunion theme was all about us being in charge of our own happiness and attitude. I love it... even when all 66 reunion attendees were wearing it... kind of felt like we ought to march on Washington right then and there!!!

The second: a vivid illustration of the difference between the families that Q and I come from... His produced the "I'm in Charge" shirt... and mine... a yellow shirt proclaiming "I'm just one big freaking ray of sunshine aren't I?" Seriously... his family could be an afterschool special... mine? We'd be more likely to show up on Jerry Springer :)

hey, I'm not complaining - we have LOTS of fun in the meantime :)

So, there it is... my official apology for missing out on all your bloggy updates - for ignoring your new recipes and tips on how to simplify my life... I think the only blog I managed to stay in touch with was Shelle's - which reminded me how petty all the little things are... so my heart goes out to her family - and I hold my own a little closer. or a lot closer.

I'll be around again... sometime...

I'd guarantee that I'd catch up this week... but the boys are participating in a missionary week... which means no TV, no internet, no iPod, etc... I'm not sure if I will be more help being "supportive" and joining them in their ban - or if I should just send them upstairs and enjoy the fact that I won't be battling them for computer time :)