This week

Greg went out of town last week.  To San Antonio for the big TIAA conference, which is the biggest industry conference.  He goes every year.  He left Wednesday afternoon and got home Saturday late afternoon.


Pros of Greg being gone:
1. No cooking.  The kids had oatmeal on Wednesday, quesadillas on Thursday, and a picnic on Friday.  I ate leftovers all week.
2. Fewer dishes.  No making dinner means I only have to rinse out a few bowls.
3. Fewer messes.  One less person in the house, means one less person to pick up after.
4. More TV for me.  Greg and I have taken to sitting on opposite ends of the couch and watching different TV shows on headphones on our computers at night.  But with him gone, I put my Downton Abbey up on the actual TV and didn't have to listen to him make fun of it.

Cons of Greg being gone:
1. I have to take the kids every where with me.  For example, I had to take them to Young Women's on Wednesday night and they were horrible.   Henry threw a giant tantrum because I wouldn't let him turn the lights off.  Rex banged on the piano, drew all over the chalk board I was using, and in all other inappropriate ways drew as much attention to himself as possible.  Even the Young Women commented on how naughty he and Alice (who was just following Rex's example) were being.
2. I go crazy.  It must be Greg's pheromones or something, but when he's not around, I go crazy.  Like on Wednesday, I flipped out at the neighbor girl for punching Rex.  Grant it, she shouldn't be punching Rex, but usually I handle situations like that better.  Instead, I told her to go home and not talk to us until the next day and made my kids come inside and called my mom and my sister to complain.  Then at Young Women's that night, I wanted to slap of few of the girls in the face because I was so sick of their petty drama.  And then I flipped out at an email my midwife sent me about state-mandated tests that I'm refusing to take.  It was not good.  I'm not usually that crazy.  I also had to take all the kids to Rex's baseball practice on Thursday and piano lessons on Friday, all of which led to some late nights for all of us.  By Friday, they were asking to go to bed.
3. I have to share beds with toddlers.  With Greg gone, my bed becomes a free-for-all for every little creature wanting to kick me in the stomach and pick my nose while I'm trying to sleep.  Not cool.
4. No adults to talk to.  There's a difference between having a condensed phone conversation and having an adult around to say whatever silly thing pops into my head.  There's something about that instant gratification that I miss.
5. I missed Greg.  In case you were wondering, I kind of like Greg and just like having him around and missed him not just being here.

Friday, I planned to take the kids mini-golfing and then to the park to play and picnic after Rex's piano lesson.  But the mini-golf was closed and the weather was a little cold and super windy, so we gave up and got frozen yogurt to celebrate the kids not dying/me not killing them while Greg was out of town.  And to make it even better, they actually  ate their frozen yogurt this time.  And then Alice pooped for like 20 minutes.  One of the workers kept knocking on the door trying to figure out who was in the bathroom.  It was a little embarrassing.

Saturday the wonderful Becky Wheatley offered to watch the kids so Greg and I could go out.  It was glorious and much needed after a few days apart.  But I ate way too much and was sick the rest of the night.  Oops.