what's that? the sound of silence...

Wow. Who could remember what peace and quiet was like? After seven straight days of visiting family, which included 8 children in the median age range of 3-4, the house is very quiet this morning.

And I'm exhausted. I feel like I've been Mother Hubbard to 20 children this week--fixing lunches and dinners, doing towel laundry, cleaning up dishes, wiping down counters, getting cups of juice every two seconds, peeling oranges, wiping up spills, saving the dogs from antagonizing toddlers, finding more rolls of toilet paper, arranging rides, serving as the site seeing guide, and all the while even going into the office most of the week.

I dropped Mom, Dad and Richard off at the airport at 6:30 am this morning, following a late night of goodbyes with my brother's family. I don't think they left my house until after midnight, and every single kid was still wide awake. And the twins...I don't think they ever lost juice. Most of the nights, I would retire to bed and everyone else would still be up watching tv in the living room.

Andrea and Jeff really lucked out that their apartment is too small to be the hosting hub for everyone.

But, all in all, it was a good week. Mom was her dazed self, though I had to admit she did pretty well and didn't have too many "moments." Rick did say to me, "your mom seems like she is in an alternate universe." Yep. Pretty much.

I worked all day Monday while everyone stayed around my house and hung out at the pool. On Tuesday, I worked from home in the morning, which was just as well, because trying to get all of the kids ready to head out to the zoo took forever. The zoo was great. Thank goodness for our discount, otherwise it would have been p-r-i-c-e-y. And the sun cooperated too. Wednesday was another half day for me, and in the afternoon, I took Marianne and Dave and their two kids to the Seattle Center and Pacific Science Center. Saw the Colossal Fossil exhibit. I was pretty impressed with the options to keep the kids occupied there. Plus, I think Rick and I need to go back and see Harry Potter on IMAX. Thursday was "work" all day. Did I mention that I was hosting a concert and Toad the Wet Sprocket was headlining? One of my all time favorites -- and lucky me got to do a meet and greet. Very cool people, and had a chance to talk to Glenn Phillips, the lead singer, for a bit as well. No one from the family came to the concert. Matt and Katie and the kids headed over to Whidbey Island, Marianne and Dave hung out at the house with my parents and Richard. And Rick had to work. On Friday, everyone had their plans. Marianne and Dave left that morning, Matt and Katie were meeting up with an old college roommate of Matt's and his family. Mom, Dad and Richard went down to the Museum of Flight, and I got to see a colleague for lunch who was in from out of town.

Things that will stick out in my mind about this visit:

• Kyle, the 3 year old, harassing the dogs and Beaux ended up biting him, twice. Some kids never learn to leave 13 year old crotchety dogs alone.
• Avri, the very sensitive 10 year old, who reminded me all week that I was her favorite aunt, and at one point, broke down in tears because she said she was going to miss me.
• Watching Rick interact with twins who thought he was the best thing since sliced bread
• Taking pictures of Hattie, the 7 year old and Avri as they took a quick spin around the block with Rick on his Harley.
• Cringing at the family photo session when Mom was jumping up and down like a lunatic, singing some jingle, to get the kids to look at the camera.
• Dad "showing" Rick how to cook his burger on our own grills.
• Seeing Beaux walk all over Kyle as he lay passed out on the floor one night, and didn't even stir.
• Megan, just over a year, at the zoo, dancing around while the other kids beat on the drums.
• Julie, another 3 year old, who would grimace and make faces if she didn't like your answer to her.
• The twins, Abby and Belle, wanting to scoop poop with me in the backyard using the pooper scooper.
• Matt and Katie and their clam expedition and cooking them in the rice cooker.
• Me getting an emergency instant message while at work from my sister looking for a plunger at the house.
• Rick and I finding time to escape away on the Harley and taking a ride down to Newcastle Golf Course and seeing the sunset.

We went through 170 paper plates, probably 200 paper cups, countless pounds of ground beef, cases of Diet Coke, Sprite and Pepsi, at least 15 band aids for the kids, and several loads of towels from the pool and hot tub.

Thank goodness the house cleaners are coming on Thursday. Now let's just pray we have sunshine this weekend.