it's very quiet around here now

The Californians left around 6:30 this morning, arrived home around 8:30...14 hours in the minivan with four kids, including the wee lad who needs to stop and eat every three hours or so...but they made it safely home.

Yes, I was a bit weepy earlier today.  Solemn even perhaps for a few hours.  But still.

In the past week, we had at least one night of RockBand. 

One night of HedBand (a kid's game with blue plastic headbands and pictures of animals/things on cards that fit in a slot on the headbands so you can guess as quickly as possible what picture is stuck to your forehead). 

One morning of pedicures. 

One morning breakfast of pancakes and bacon and french toast and juice with all the grandkids and their parents and Jr. 

One morning/afternoon of present exchanging, complete with oohs, ahs, and much commotion from the massive nerf gun war that occurred after the locals gave nerfguns to everybody.  (Seriously.  There may have been 20 different nerf guns and ammo everywhere.  I mean everywhere.  Stuck on windows, doors, walls, pictures.  My gramma's grandfather clock.  Perhaps funniest moment of the weekend when Jessie laughed so hard she cried after she turned and fired back on Stu with her gun still in its package.  That'll teach him to shoot her, right?) 

Then there was the afternoon of the baby blessing with 48 family members and friends who brought happiness, good feelings, and enjoyed heaps of food. 

And of course, a different girl (or boy) every afternoon or night falling asleep on my lap. (I have that effect on people.) 

It was so great.  And it's quiet now.

And yet, Christmas is still coming.