Absent With Leave. What a great idea. After a year at home with the kiddos, I just needed a break. That's not to say that Devon doesn't, but he does have some luxuries as the sole wage earner in the household these days. 
- An office, downstairs, with a door
- Travel outside the home, including some nights in hotels
- Conversations with adults about things other than poop, pee, and Jordan's current healt
- An office, downstairs, with a door. Oops, did I mention that one again? Well, it might not seem like a huge benefit, because he's supposed to be working when he's in there, but I happen to know for a fact that if he wants to talk to a friend on the phone or take a little mental break during the day -- he can!
Anyway, I noticed over the last 2 months that I kept wishing for Devon & the girls to go away for the weekend by themselves, so I could have a little peace & quiet, and to try to get a few things done that I never seem to be able to touch, since little fingers, barf, and almost constant attention seem to forever get in the way.
In the end we realized it was more practical for me to get away than the three of them, and with December in the rear view mirror, I loaded up the car and headed up the gorge (the Columbia River Gorge). Of course I left on Thursday, the day after our "blizzard" -- and due to the freezing temps some of the roads were still brutally icy (I even saw a city bus sliding diagonally on 78th Street as I was leaving town).
But, despite the cold, it was a really gorgeous day
*. There was a touch of snow everywhere, and as I drove farther towards the Cascades it only got sunnier & more clear. I landed in Hood River, got a room at the historic little hotel in town (that has free wi-fi in all guest rooms), and settled in. I brought a few projects, which I started but didn't necessarily complete (I guess I would have needed a week there to finish them all), I watched alot of CNN, caught up on my
Grey's Anatomy, and just hung out. The only time I had to go out was to feed the meter on the street every 3 hours (no hotel parking!), and to get some food or go for a walk when I was feeling holed in.
I admit it -- I didn't get too much sleep. I would have liked more sleep (as usual), but to be honest, why would I want to sleep away that glorious, solitary time? I mean, I got to do things for
hours at a time, completely
uninterupted!! I didn't call people, or answer my cell phone, or anything. So, consequently, I was up until the wee hours of the morning both nights I was there. My how I lost track of time while not being set to the clock for Jordan's feeding & medicine schedule, or pulled away from my chores to play more Play Doh or Marbleworks with Avery. [I do love playing, I just don't like doing things in 2 minute chunks all day long].
But, after two nights away, I was ready to head home this morning & get back to Devon & the girls. I missed them terribly. I even tried to convince Devon to bring them out last night, but he didn't, and it was probably a good thing because the roads were icy, the room wasn't overly big, and I was up until 04:00am just painting --
uninterupted.
While I was away I was inspired to get a space downstairs set up just for me. So, I dragged in the old table and chair from the duck barn (aka storage barn with ducks on the front, hence the nickname) and am setting up my own semi-corner of the world downstairs (unfortunately there's no door, though). I don't know how peaceful it'll be, because all around me are Avery's "energy & exercise" toys -- her scooter, her roller skates, her indoor trampoline, and the (otherwise unused) exercise bicycle. I've been trying to convince her to go downstairs a couple of times a day to do her running & jumping until the nice spring weather gets here
**.
It was well worth the trip, but now I'm back to reality: A rambunctious 3-year-old chatterbox (with a typical 3-year-old attention span), a "lazy," scheduled Jordan, a busy Devon, and a house full of laundry & chores (I finally took the outside Christmas lights down today & got all the decorations all put away from their staging spot on the back deck and in the new mud room).
Go Gaels (daddy's new favorite outfit)!I think I'll have to do this again, but a little sooner than next January!
*The weather the last few days was very reminiscent of Alberta weather. Bright & sunny, but cold & snowy. Both Devon & I commented, and we both have very "warm" feelings for the deceptively blue, sunny winter sky of Edmonton. Of course, you could never tell from looking out the window if it was going to be +30'C or -30'C. . . .**It still cold, and still a little snowy, so Avery went out today to play in the snow! That doesn't happen too often. Usually its just cold, rainy, and very slippery, so this was a super big treat. 
That's not to say she has it down, though -- her choice of shoes was less than appropriate (Crocs!), and she didn't realize she wasn't supposed to throw snowballs at the windows, or wash them with her gloves. I think she learned the throwing snowballs at the window from grandpa Earl at his house in November. 
15 May 2006 (4.5 months old)
2 July 2006 (with Leslie)
1 August 2006 (with Avery [2.5 years old])
6 September 2006 (8 months old)
17 September 2006 (8.5 months old)
12 October 2006 (9.5 months old)
3 December 2006 (11 months old) 
