Mid-CenturyModernMoms: Vacationing at Home: Part 1

Like everyone else in the world, we're feeling the pinch of the economy. But not as badly as many people (yet). Since hubbie is terminally ill and I doubt that he'll make it another year, I convinced his sister (such a wonderful SIL) to visit with her family.

The original plan was to have the 5 of them stay with us. We certainly have the space to fit people into lots of places, but SIL asked her old college roommate- who lives on the other side of the town- if they could stay there, and that was much better. It allowed hubbie to decompress each night and not blow his top. In other words, it was a hectic few days, but I felt like my mom in kvelling over all of the kids getting along so nicely.

(Linguistic note: kvell is a Yiddish word that essentially means to take great pride in.)

Abe had already had a few days at home to veg out on playing video games on the computer, so he was in a good mood. Also, Rose had a day off from school to start relaxing before the family descended upon us.

SIL, BIL, A (boy, almost 10), N (boy twin, 8) and T (girl twin, 8)- oh is was so good to see them. It had been 2 years since I last gave my niece and nephews a hug and oh, how they've grown! And oy, are these kids smart, or what? They had just gotten a Wii for Chanukah, and of course, we have one, so all of the kids headed for that when they hit town.

Then the dads and then the moms got involved and it was a real family experience with lots of laughing and giggling! The 5th night of Chanukah and now we're lighting 7 chanukiyot (Chanukah menorahs). And presents all around!

The next day we went for family pictures. N says to me "Why do we always take formal pictures when we visit you?" But the kids were all great and there are going to be wonderful pictures of the combined families. Supposedly the pictures are the Chanukah present for the kids' grandma, but I certainly wanted them too!! Then off to the Science Musuem for the day. And home for a family dinner for 11 (because grandma brought her boyfriend along). Slight issues arose while cooking dinner- but not from the kids!! (Hubbie and his mom and then he yelled at me, of course, because it's ALWAYS MY fault.) More Chanukah candles and more presents!!

We had planned an outdoor day at Old Sturbridge Village. It's a recreation of what rural life was like in New England in the 1830s, with costumed people living the parts.

We went anyway and got wet walking from place to place until the rain stopped and even was fairly warm! But we all had a great time. There was almost no one there, so the kids got to ask as many questions to the crafts people or other workers as they wanted and certainly they could see everything that anyone was doing! Dinner at an Italian restaurant and back to the house for more Chanukah candles and more presents!!!

They had to leave on Sunday morning (boo hoo). The rest of their vacation was going to be in New York City, staying at the boyfriend's apartment. So they gave the suitcases to grandma and the boyfriend who were driving back to NYC and we said good bye to them as they went to the train. I miss them already!

It's back to work for me now for a few days while everyone else gets to laze around at home. But it definitely was a successful first week of school vacation!!