We're Back!

We are home! We arrived safely (in the rain...ick!) last night and while we are enjoying being back in our own home, I don't think we were quite ready to be back yet. Who knew that a week of upper 70s and sunshine would make us want to stay?

I have 200 pictures to sort through, but I hope to get some of them up later this evening. First though, I have two suitcases of laundry, grocery shopping, getting Aiden to school, and returning library items to get done before I can do any more blogging. Don't worry - you'll get every detail of our fabulous vacation as soon as my work is done!

Ahhh, No Time!!

I have not forgotten you, my blog readers. I have much to talk about and no time to do so. We fly out tomorrow and I feel quite overwhelmed with the large amounts of laundry, packing, trip organization, and general housework that still needs to be completed in the next 24 hours. I always overwhelm myself with vacation preparation, but this being the first time we've flown with both kids and the longest stay in a hotel with them EVER, I'm nervous on top of trying to get everything ready. Plus, I have to work tonight and I just see it as something that's taking up precious packing time. Hopefully I can make it through without being too antsy!

I will have my laptop with me and I will try to give you all a little update while we're there. Maybe even with some pictures. California, here we come!

Buttermilk

I forgot to write about this earlier and was just reminded of it:

For St Patrick's Day, we were making an Irish dinner and part of that dinner was Irish Soda Bread. For soda bread, you need buttermilk. I had picked some up at the store while Aiden was at school and I introduced him to it when I was prepping the ingredients. Now Aiden LOVES to help cook and will call himself "Chef Aiden" while frequently asking me, "What's next, Chef Mommy?". So Aiden was putting each ingredient in the bowl and when we got to the buttermilk, he pours it in and says, "Better-milk. It's like milk, but better." I tried to tell him that it's BUTTERmilk, but he wouldn't accept it. Oh well, it makes for darn cute memories!

Maybe I Should Just Get It Replaced

It appears as though I may have my second broken nose. Thankfully, it seems to be a very small fracture, which just requires time to heal.

I was playing with Nathan yesterday when he rammed his head full force into my nose. I felt (and heard) a CRACK in my nose, then overwhelming pain taking over my entire face. Usually if one of the boys hurts me somehow, I try very hard to breathe through it and not make them feel bad about it. I try to just remind them that we need to be careful around other people because we could end up hurting that other person. But this was too much. I laid screaming and bawling on the floor for a few minutes and then, as soon as I had some bearings back, I ran into my bedroom to cry it out for a while. I think the boys were too shocked to say or do anything.

I gave it some time to swell and bruise so I could see where the damage was done. There was a definite bruised line all across the bridge of my nose among the rest of the general area swelling, with a small jagged bruise in one small spot. I barely placed my finger on the jagged bruise and screamed out in pain again. So I was able to isolate where it was fairly easily.

Having broken my nose in the past, I know that unless it's obstructing my breathing or my nose is obviously...um, moved, a doctor visit wouldn't do me much good. They'd give some heavy narcotics (which make me sick, so I wouldn't take them) and tell me to give it time to heal and be careful of my face. Now I can tell a small change in breathing on that side of my nose, so I will keep an eye on it, but part of me thinks it's just swollen from the impact.

This is the second time Nathan has fractured some part of my face within the past six months (the first was my cheekbone, which hurt for 8-10 weeks before it finally felt healed). I've heard countless stories of moms who end up with fractured faces from their kids doing this, but I didn't really think it would happen to me! Oh well, I just have to be thankful that they are very small fractures and nothing that requires surgery (those are the worst stories!). But for now, no one touch my nose. :^)