Back to the Crazy

Ridiculously comfy robe and slippers.

It's been something like seven years since Jason and I had a couples-only vacation.  No kids, no kids, and uh...no kids!  We spent four glorious days in Old Town Alexandria, VA.  Leisurely lunches and dinners everyday at beautiful restaurants. Thai food, sushi, seafood, yum! Starbucks galore.  Running along the Potomac.

A romantic river cruise.  Catching up with FS/DS friends. Raiding the mini-fridge at our hotel. Wearing the ridiculous, yet oh-so-comfy hotel-provided zebra robe while watching overpriced pay-per-view movies.  Sleeping in late.  And more Starbucks.  In fact, Starbuck went with us on vacation.  Sweet little pup enjoyed the kid-free time, too.

Such a difficult choice.

But like all good things, it had to come to   an end.  And with the end of our vacation was the return of the "crazy." Oh, back to reality we go.  Back to the prep for our Cairo move.  Which is only 2 weeks away.  Back to UAB, HHE, and OMG (yeah, that one NEVER gets old, right?).  Back to being consumed by non-consumables (Oh, yes, I DID go there! I got more jokes where this came from, folks.  Lots more.)

[Side note: I guess we're actually really lucky not to be consumed by consumables like my friend at A Daring Adventure.  I'm pleased not to drop $3K into toilet paper and Downey fabric softener.  My stock-up for our non-consumables assignment Cairo includes my favorite store brand diapers for Kellen, a few good Yankee Candles, and Luna Bars.  I know where my priorities are. Thankfully, not in t.p.!]

A VERY difficult choice!

Back from VA and getting ready for the dreaded packout.  We've done it twice before. But not for an international move.  So I'm a wee bit stressed, I'll admit it.  Thankfully, the stars have aligned just right and granted us a freebie:  Kids are going to be in school here in OH next week starting Wednesday and we don't packout for another week and a half after that, so....I can organize without the big kidlets vulturing all over me. Sure, the baby will be around, but honestly, by the time you get to the third munchkin you start to realize that life was truly easier with just one hanging on to you.  I can go through the big kids' stuff and *cough cough* "ORGANIZE" (translation...throw some of their excess stuff OUT or send to a donation center).  I can pack suitcases for us to live out of for 5-6 weeks.  I can FINALLY decide what needs to be air shipped with our UAB.  Let's see...#1: Espresso Machine.  #2: Uhhh....Everything else, I can figure out later.

So long vacation, you were super awesome.  Hello [dreaded] packout! But soon, yes VERY soon. We'll be in Cairo.

I promise, PROMISE! To take some pictures of our "organized" piles of stuff as we get closer to PDay (That's Packout Day, Peeps!). I KNOW you're dying to see the crazy.  But until then, enjoy the non-crazy...

On our Potomac River Cruise.  Awesome.

Happy to be back to this...

...and this...

...and of course, this.