Blog Break: Lending a Hand

I had a small blog break over the long weekend.  Son Number One and I drove up to Tennessee to see my sister and help out with the twins while my Mom had a break. I realized two things while I was there: a) I'm so so glad I don't have twins and b) I really miss writing when I don't do it every day.

I did not bring a computer, so I did not write at all. I didn't even work on my novel, although I brainstormed almost all the way home.  (And I did get in about 30 minutes of work last night before falling into bed!) 

Number One came down with a virus the second day he was there, so he quarantined himself to the apartment and watched hours and hours of television.  He told his brother last night that his favorite thing was playing with his 5 year old cousin and watching T.V. for a whole day.  Wow--I'm such a great parent!  If I was a parent of twins and two older kids, then my kids would probably sit in front of the T.V. all day long. 



Incidentally, I think I've owned those snowman PJs since college!

I also came off my exercise schedule completely, which is a big no-no.  I have to try harder to work it in next time I go up (in February). The first day there, Ali and I walked and I pushed 80 pounds of kids in a stroller up a big hill.  That was a great arm workout.  Then the sleepless nights came, and crying babies, followed of course by coos and smiles that make it all worth it, and I just did not feel like exercising.

I did wake up one morning at 5:30 and hopped on Jeffy Poo's spin bike.  Talk about sore.  I took a nap that afternoon, and I woke up to my calves burning.  I guess I don't work those muscles running or in Taekwondo.  I felt it, even though I only got in 20 minutes.

With all of those sleepless nights, I should have finished reading my book, but I didn't.  Instead, I watched almost the whole 4th Season of Parenthood. 

My Aunt Lynn and my cousin Shanna came up from Kentucky while we were there too.  We had Nuvo Burrito (the Gulf Coaster is fantastic!) and chatted, sharing stories of my grandparents and our childhood and of course, holding babies and playing with the bigger kids.  My Aunt Susan and her husband David joined us the next day for a bagel breakfast.  I just love my family.

My cousin, Shanna, is an extremely talented designer, and she transformed my sister's living room just by moving things around and using the pieces Ali had in different ways.  It looked like a completely different room when she left.  Amazing! 

I do have to say though, waking up at 4:30 this morning and going for a jog, then coming home to type away on my computer felt so good!  I am so used to my routine.  I guess, I like Number One, really enjoy the natural flow of things.  Of course, I'm going to miss the sweet smiles of my precious nephews, but I'll get to see them in a month, and hand them back when I go.