Post-Cruise Crazy

We only had 6 hours of driving on Saturday, so we got home easily by 4pm.  Craig emptied the car and vacuumed and cleaned it (bless him for that!) while I emptied suitcases and did SO MUCH LAUNDRY.  Seriously, usually I do laundry even on vacation, but there was no (cheap) way to do that on the ship, so I didn't even try.  That first night home, I did five loads!  I also ran around trying to clean up the messes we were in the process of making and getting the suitcases all put away because in just a few short hours...

Craig's family was coming to visit!

His brother, Jason, was in Virginia for work, so he'd asked before we left if he could stay with us while he had some down time after the launch, so that meant their parents had to come, too.

They all arrived at 7, and the house was not too embarrassing, and we got to show them all our pictures, so that was very fun!  Craig and Jason stayed up WAY too late chatting, but I was so glad they were having a good time together!

The next morning was our ward conference, which meant Craig had to speak (poor guy!) and I had people from the stake visiting while I did primary music, so that was slightly more nerve-wracking than usual.  And then I did duck out of Smith family time to take my much-beloved Sunday nap.  When Craig had to leave for a fireside, Tom and Donna and Jason all headed out, too.  I put the little kids to bed and basked in my spacious and quiet house.  Nothing like squeezing seven people into two rooms or less for a week to help you appreciate home!

And Monday was back to being busy again!  I'd told Kendra she could choose a day for the family to celebrate her birthday, and she picked Monday and a crock pot meal for dinner.  So I raced to the store to get the ingredients and get everything in the crock pot as fast as I could!  Then I did manage to go on a quick hike with Adam, then back to work in the kitchen making her cake.  And while that was baking, I actually put away all those loads of clean laundry, and wrapped Kendra's present.  Whew!  And then choir practice that night!

She requested red velvet s'more brownies and I was delighted to comply!

We got her these cute origami fox earrings

That's at least four loads of laundry all sorted and ready to be put away!

After all that craziness, I was really excited to just relax for a couple days, but then Tuesday morning while I was getting the kids ready for school, I got a text from my neighbor.  He had Covid and wondered if I could watch his 2-year-old for a couple days while the nanny stayed away, waiting to make sure it wasn't going to spread to the kids.  

Now, I love Zevi to death and I'm always happy to help out.  But really, all I actually wanted to do for those two days was keep working on the laundry situation and take lots of naps.  But they really needed the help and it's not like I had actual plans to keep me from stepping up.  So I got to spend Tuesday and Wednesday with Zevi (and after school, his brother Noah, too)!

Here he is very cheerfully not napping for me!

So it was a busy return home.  Things are finally settling down a bit, though, which is why I've finally found time to blog about it all!

Also, today is March 1st, which means I have officially survived January and February!  {Big Sigh of Relief}