Puke-A-Rific

Sorry for the time lapse between posts. It's been a busy week. I had to fill in for a vacationing co-worker, plus take on some unexpected additional duties at work. I was glad for it, because it meant I had something to do. Our managers still haven't gotten organized enough to give me my account list, so my days are very, very long and boring. Evenings, on the other hand, zoom by. I've doubled up on my master's classes, and it's proving to be tougher than I thought, especially with the kids here. There are days it's all I can do to not snap my laptop in half in sheer, unadulterated frustration. And that's saying something, because I love my lappy.

After work on Friday, we loaded up the boys and our bags and took off toward the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. It was an okay drive, but all four of us were in foul moods by the time we made it to a hotel approximately four hours later. I couldn't get the "free wireless internet" to work, which stressed me out because I had homework due at midnight. K1 was not a bit excited about having to share a teensy tiny bed with N (can't say I blame him. I wasn't excited about having to share a teensy tiny bed with Steve, either. We have a king-sized mattress and plenty of wiggle room at home.)N was his usual "can I" "can we" "hey dad" "I want" self, and Steve was just a big cranky turd. Things calmed down after the turd exploded at K1 and we were all sentenced to a night of uncomfortable sleep.

Overall, the day at the park went well. It was the first time K1 and N had ever ridden a for-real roller coaster, and they were pretty wigged out about it. They sure picked a good one for their virginal ride ... it was one of those where your feet dangle and you go upside down a couple times. I'll admit it - I was a bit queasy when we climbed out of those seats. I haven't ridden a coaster in several years, but I've never had problems with nausea before. It wasn't too bad, and it went away after I sipped on a $3 bottle of water.

Seriously. $3 for water. Each.

We did a few more, then we hit this ride called the Corkscrew. It. Frigged. Me. Up. It was the roughest ride I'd ever taken, and I was feeling rather disoriented when it was over. I had to sit for awhile before I could do anything else. Once I recovered, though, things were okay. I refused to get on anything else that included anything remotely close to topsies and turvies.

We decided not to stay another night and instead drove home that evening. I suppose all the motion of the day had a weird effect on my body, because when I lay down in bed later that night, every ounce of me felt like I was still moving. Up and down, side to side, loop-de-loop. I rolled onto my side and just about lost my chicken nuggets, if you know what I mean.

Sunday was mass chaos. Steve's brother, sister-in-law and two young boys came over for a visit. Jake is 4, and Garrett just turned 2. I'm not sure, but I think it was the first time most of the boys had met each other. Did they ever hit it off. And by "hit it off," I do mean hit. My little house looked like a boxing ring. There was running. There was screaming. There was madness and mayhem. There was me, trying my damndest to not get pissed off at the running, screaming, madness and mayhem (I failed, by the way.) The kids had a blast, and I've been repeatedly told that that's all that matters.

The jury is still out on that one.