7 Quick Takes Friday, v. 52

~1~

I've been a bit slack in writing in this space for the last month. This is usually about the time that I resolve to write on a more regular basis. But I'm not going to do that this time. I'm sticking to my plan of not writing just because I feel like I have to and instead writing because I want to. It's been nice, almost like a vacation, but not really. I actually have a ton of ideas swirling in my head, so I will have to get them out at some point. Or not. What is it about sitting down at the computer to write that makes your brain go completely blank?

~2~

Despite my lack of regular writing lately, I somehow managed to get a blog award recently (thanks, Nancy!). I need to write a post to share it and answer a few questions. I learned of this honor just before a trip I was taking, so it's still waiting to be done (one of the many things swirling around in my head). But wanted to at least mention it and share my surprise! More to come.

~3~

A trip? Yes! It was a work related trip, all the way out to San Jose, CA. It was so nice. The sun was out the whole time I was there, I could leave the hotel without a coat, there was a ton of stuff in walking distance of the hotel, and I got to visit with so many wonderful people and meet many new people. It was almost a shock to my system to come back and it be so cold. And then it snowed here on Tuesday! Snow!! I was starting to think about spring and got jolted back into winter. So not fair.

~4~

While I was away, my heroic husband had to single-parent it for seven days! The whole morning routine on his own, the whole night time routine, including baths, on his own, and everything in between. He's such a great dad. And I could tell he was exhausted by the end of it all.

~5~

And yet, he still got them out of the house on Saturday morning and took them to the mall for a walk. While they were there they ran into some unlikely characters. I was sitting in a session in a massive ballroom at my hotel when I got this picture sent to me on my phone:

~6~

I'm glad to be home. I don't mind traveling, but the actual days of travel are so tiring. Especially when practically the entire day is spent sitting in airports and on airplanes, which is unavoidable when traveling to the west coast. Oh, so glad to be home!!

~7~

I have to share what happened Thursday afternoon that I found kind of funny. I was picking up the boys from daycare and as we headed out the door and down the stairs, another mother and her child were in front of us. Her child seemed a little older than my two since he was able to walk down the stairs on his own without holding her hand. So here I come behind her, carrying one of mine and holding the other by the hand while he starts down the stairs. She looks up at me and offers to let me go in front of them because "it takes us a little while to get down the stairs." I just smiled because her words are the exact same words I use when I'm the one holding other people up with my two children. But the funny thing is, her and her child were moving along much faster than we do. We are the slow ones, I can assure you of that. And of course, her son managed to work his way down the entire flight while we were still only about 3 steps down. They were out the door and she had him in the car by the time we got to the door. So yeah, I had to laugh, I know I'm way slower than everyone else coming in or out of that place. 

To anyone who thinks you're holding me up in any way, please know that you most definitely are not! It takes me at least three times as long as anyone else to get my children in and out of school each day. And that is no exaggeration. Efficiency with twins has so far eluded me.

It's taken me some time to come to terms with that. I used to get frustrated that the parents who showed up after I did were in and out and gone long before me. And it doesn't matter how many children they have and what their ages are, I'm still the slow one. But I'm mostly used to it now (mostly) and have learned to ignore other's abilities to get their children gathered up and in the car so efficiently. One day, though ... one day!

Hope you enjoyed these Quick Takes! For more, go visit Jen at Conversion Diary!