Whoas and wows

Should I start with the good or the bad?

Never mind, good always wins.

We are in Washington d.c., our nations Capitol!!!!!!!

How amazing is that?

So far we haven't done much more than hit up Costco, but still, this is great!

We drove up today and it was a stressful drive. My husband and my sister in law are Champion drivers but us island folk are just not used to these east coast roads and traffic. Plus, bad drivers wreck even the most perfect trip.

I would say they should be shot but I am often a poor driver(tonite I ran a red light, flipped a u, and forgot to turn on my headlights at 12:30am) so instead I will beg you to pray for them instead. I don't think they mean to ruin driving for the rest of us.

So, we made it in one piece and we are staying at the most amazing row house on capitol hill. It sleeps 30 people and we have it almost maxed out. My father in laws family has come together from around the nation to celebrate his amazing life, impact on our lives and to mourn the hole he has left behind.

So that's good.

One more good thing, and I am over the moon that I can type the following sentence, it's just that good.

I went to a sports bar to watch the bears game at 10 at night with an 80 yr old nun who served in the Vatican and drank us under the table.

So many amazing things in that sentence right? First, I went to a sports bar. We couldn't get the game at the row house and it's filled with die hard Chicago bears fans so I offered to be the dd. At 10 at night because there were still 10 people at the house who could be responsible for my sleeping children. That's an opportunity that doesn't come around very often.

Second, the nun is my husbands great aunt and an outstanding lady. She drinks this vanilla vodka and ginger ale drink that tastes like ice cream. It was easy to drink me under the table because I had soda, but seriously, she held her own against my husband and his brother and that's saying something.

Here comes the bad and the ugly. There are rat and raccoon traps around the house and I am seven steps past jumpy and probably won't be able to sleep for fear of furries coming to get me.

Irrational - yes.

But it's still happening.

Anthane ugly.

We have now officially hit the stressed/sad/overwhelming part of the trip. The family drama began at the bar tonite and it is hovering over like a dark cloud waiting to unload in the morning. My husband and I have both not been sleeping well so we're on edge and out of sorts. This made me a bad mom yesterday and him a bad dad today. We regained some points by apologizing to our sons but it still sucks that as adults we can let our emotions take control like that.

My sons are behaving like angels for the most part but every bed time has been a nightmare. Its a messy dance of bathroom and water needs, toy and brotherly distractions, fighting, playing and the inevitable "he whipped me in the nuts." I dread 9pm like no other time that I have ever encountered.

Why is it bad to drug your kids again? Please refresh my memory.

The tension is so thick and the stress is so intense. I really hope we can leave it behind and try to make the most of this opportunity to view our nations history. I am still in pieces over stuff from my own side of the family and with one of my sons so I am holding it together the best that I can. I don't think I'm succeeding.

There you have it. Well, little tidbits any ways, of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Right now it's after 1 in the morning and the nun is counseling my husband and brother in law outside. Some of the other fearsome forces in our family are still going strong downstairs. I think I better hit the hay in my room upstairs with double bunk beds that sleep 6 and where we will fit 7and try to get some semblance of rest and hopefully improve my behavior tomorrow.

Stay tuned to see how this soap opera unfolds. Family that read this, please don't call me out and get me in trouble for blog gossiping.

Want to share your family soap opera so we can commiserate?

P.s. I should also tell you two more fun facts.

1. We fit 8 people in a 7 car van. Someone said, "this is going to be an awkward ride home." when the argument began at the bar. I said, "it can't get much more awkward, youre riding in the trunk."

2. I already forgot what I was going to type here.