The Fast and the Furious

We leave today for an Arkansas "birthday trip" for Kayleigh. We're going to vist the fam so Kayleigh can spend birthday time with everyone who can't drive all the way to Dallas to see her next weekend. We're bringing along Gamma and Papa, so the merriment will be complete.

It's going to be a jam packed weekend. We won't get in until late this evening, and knowing the girls the way I do, they'll be so jacked up on being the centers of the universe that it won't be easy getting them down to sleep tonight. We'll be staying with my lovely sister in law who always opens up her house for the tornado that is our family when we come to town. Baxter's parents will be there too, so it'll be a full house. Tomorrow, we'll head on over to Aunt Kitty and Knuckle Roy's house where we'll get the very first glimpse of the growing stomach (Kristen's too) and glow of the mini meow that's on it's way. That's right people, I'm going to be an aunt. I've waited in eager anticipation since my sister's wedding day for these months. Part of me wants to laugh as she retells the stories of wretching in the morning and evening, but that just wouldn't be right. I'm supportive and wonderful, so I can't do such a thing. And when she can no longer see her feet (they'll be so swollen, she won't be missing much) I'll rub them for her. And when that baby gets here, and she 'll be one of the best moms around, I'll finally get to see what I've been waiting for. Then I'll swoop in and take away her little one and hog it the whole time I visit, just the way she used to do with mine. It's the circle of life. But I digress...

We're taking Horton family pictures tomorrow night, (for once I'm not behind the camera!)and there should be enough people to wrangle all my children. Usually, I hate trying to get the girls to cooperate for photos. The usual progression is first, they make ugly/funny faces at the camera, then when they're told to just smile, they sulk and turn away from the camera, then eventually they run screaming away from the camera with tears and snot flying from their face, and I'm left to sit and wonder why I even bother. But with so many people to help, surely it'll go better this time around, right?

After pictures, we're doing cake and ice cream for Kayleigh. She'll get presents (probably too many because she's spoiled), and then they will all be so hopped up on sugar and wrapping paper fumes that they'll be up for another 12 hours. And we'll finally settle them down just in time for the drive home on Sunday.

Then, we'll get home and I'll do laundry from our trip, and start packing for the week long adventure that is teen camp. (7 days, 5 people, how much packing is that again? no, I don't want to think about it yet).

This almost makes me want to go outside and drift in my minivan...That'd be a release.