Grumpy.

I think that this July may go down as the worst month for blogging ever.
I can assure you that the reason is NOT what my usual reason for not blogging is. I have my hands full enough as it is. Shame on you for even THINKING that!!!
And it's not for lack of wanting to blog or trying to blog. The pace of life seems a bit more frenetic than usual. Even for here.
We got back from our vacation tonight. This is probably why I'm a bit grumpy. I just want to go to bed - but the cats are sooo happy to see us, Caroline won't sleep ("I don't like it at home. It's boring. Can I go live with Nina & Pops?"), I'm a bit anxious about work tomorrow and (as hard as I'm trying not to) I'm worried about my Grandfather who feel and broke his hip this past week.
My parents were super troopers (not to be confused with these), keeping Sam and Caroline while helping to manage Sugar Bear (who fell Monday) and graciously maintaining an open door policy for any family that needed/wanted a place to stay/eat while Sugar Bear was in the hospital/rehab.
As tired and grumpy as I may be, I really think it's them that deserve a vacation to recover from their vacation.
Jim, Nathanael and I did have a good time in Washington & Baltimore. It was so hot down there that 80 degrees felt downright chilly when we got back to Worcester tonight!
I hope to put up more pictures later, but I'm not sure when that will happen. I want to put together a scrap book from this past week for the kids. This is a major undertaking for someone as un-creative (really? Is this a word) as me. We'll see how it goes...
Here are some pictures...
Look at these sheisters...it's a wonder anything gets done around here!

Here's how we kept cool before leaving for vacation. And yes, this does prove that Caroline regularly does have "jazz hands", that Sam will NOT get wet in the sprinkler and that Nate is one chunky monkey!


We went to the Natural History Museum in DC JUST to see the Herkimer Diamond display. And yes, again, I grabbed a group of total strangers and game them a five minute dissertation on Herkimers. They tolerated me very nicely. I think I saw Jim like this, though. =-)


We also did a quick trip to the Air & Space as well. I was having fun with satellites until I saw this:

Seriously? Slighted by even the Smithsonian?!? No wonder we have a complex here in Worcester.

And because Nate was an "only child" for a few days, we were able to get some really, really cute pictures of him. Nina & Pops got some great shots of CJ and Sammy as well, but I'll post the ones of Nate tonight...




And that will be all...I'm toast.