Here it is, Monday morning, and I didn’t sit down and write like I meant to last week. So, there’s no time like the present, right?

I think I”m going to take that as my new mantra. NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT, FOOL! JUST DO IT!

First, our trip and the grandparents visit, just so I can mentally check that off in my head.

The trip was faaaaaabulous, dahling, absolutely faaaaaabulous. We went up to see two fellow HSBR-ers get married, and a lot of our HSBR internet friends were there, some of whom I hadn’t met before, so it was really cool, both to meet new faces, and to see the old ones again. Saturday while James and Bill went off galivanting on a beer run, Ronna and I went to the mall and I probably agonized her by asking a zillion times, “What do you think of these?” and then changing my mind – outcome: I got some new sandals which I adore, but sometimes make my toes numb. Probably not a good sign.

The wedding was beautiful. I beleive they originally wanted an outdoor ceremony, but it was COLD and drizzly all day, so it wasn’t to be. However, the room was beautiful, with a glimpse of the drizzly hazy outside that was really very stunning, but of course, not as stunning as the bride herself.

It was the first real chance I got to use our new camera, and even though the light was low at the wedding, I think I got some very nice shots. It really made me want a big long lens (don’t be a perv) and a flash that I can bounce off walls. I love to people-shoot, and weddings are perfect for that, but with the basic lens that we have, I pretty much had to get right in people’s faces to shoot, and then they’re not being normal and natural anymore, they’re very aware of the camera and that’s not as fun.

After the wedding there was much hanging out in the hotel bar, but I was pretty tired and a little hung over (yes, already) and plus the guy playing his guitar and singing was a little too much like tom petty vs. bob dylan. I wish now I had stayed up, because everyone left the bar and went to Poster’s room to try some scotch. James tells me that he’s going to get some scotch sometime. I guess he enjoyed it.

Sunday we got up, packed up a bit, went down to breakfast with everyone, including the bride and groom, talked and hugged lots and then we checked out and came home.

There was some stress the night we left. Ethan is no dummy. Last time Grandma was in town, I was in the hospital for pancreatitis for a week. The time before that was when Jocelyn was born and she came to watch Ethan while James and I were breathing and pushing and getting epidurals (ok more me than him but you get my point). So, again, the boy’s no idiot. When he heard Grandma and Grandpa were coming, he asked me, “Are you leaving?” to which I could only answer, “Not today!” So he knew something was up. He seemed to take it pretty well when I explained what was going to happen before bedtime, and bedtime went smoothly. About 35 minutes after everyone was in bed however, he started wailing/crying. I went in and he immediately informed me tearfully that he wanted DADDY, not me. So I called James in and we both stayed and heard about how he doesn’t want us to go. It was sad. We got him settled down and he was asleep not long after, but leaving after THAT was really tough.

Of course, I managed through it all somehow. AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND, WAHOOOO!!

Monday morning we went to the zoo, for all too short of a time period. My brother Larry had to go to the airport at 2pm and that was all the way out in dulles and so we left after only 2 hours, much to Ethan’s dismay. We did see the baby panda, however, who was out with his mommy lazing around and being shy with all the folks watching him. He had his back to his audience for the most part, but did lay on his back and looked at us a few times. We also saw the giraffe, and the daddy elephant, some cheetahs, and a very large frog (which was just in a little pond in the cheetah exhibit). The kids had a blast. My folks were around for a few days after that, and sucked up as much grandkid cuteness as they possibly could before they headed out. It was a very nice visit.

I will have to continue about this last weekend at another time, so I will post a few photos in the next post, and continue on about last weekend another time, hopefully tonight.
-amy wants her bed.