Welcome to my life..my family..my world..unedited.

I finished up some work tonight and dropped it off (along with some cookies) at the office.
I need a break and I’m taking one.
Unplugging, logging out of Yahoo Messenger, letting my phone go to voicemail, ignoring my work email.
I need a break. I’m taking the next week to be with my family; to spend my energy on enjoying these last few days before Christmas and Christmas day. To refocus and refresh.  To move on.

I found this little note I wrote myself while we were on vacation in DC.
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July 1, 2009
Today the boys went to explore an area of the hotel grounds while Mike and I finished our dinner. We were seated in the outside area of the hotel restaurant and it had a beautiful stone stairway down to a fountain and grassy area. There was also a cute little gazebo beyond, plus a few seating areas. It wasn’t far away (literally down some stairs – as if they were in the yard at home and we were on the deck) but my heart clenched a little watching them walk away. Aloud I lamented the fact that they were being so sweet with each other and I didn’t have a camera. Mike oh so gently reminded me that us sitting together, watching our boys was OUR moment and we didn’t need a picture to remind us how sweet they could be, how they really did look out for each other, or to remember the scenery.
Sometimes that husband of mine is just brilliant.
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(I actually received that message as a text from my cousin who leaves nearby – it was crazy because I got it right as we were getting settled in our hotel room!)
We planned on leaving early on Monday morning to get a good start and get into town before it got too late in the day.  The boys slept really well, so we were loathe to wake them, especially since Mike was still lazing around!  We finally got on the road around 8 or 8:30.  I’ll tell you this much…Ohio is BORING.  Pennsylvania is very pretty but mountainous and I get a little freaked out driving in them.   Not to mention, there was like a 90 mile stretch when we were on the turnpike and there wasn’t a Service Area (or whatever they call them! In MI, they are Rest Areas!) and we were ready…SO ready for a break!  But, we made it and it wasn’t horrible.  Matt even took a nice long nap; I dozed off a few times – mostly when Mike was driving, hehe.
Since it was rush hour-ish when we crossed into Maryland, there was a bit of a backup, but we got to the hotel pretty …