Day 1: We drove to Sister #1’s house, arriving a bit late due to construction detours. Nonetheless, we had a great time playing with the kids and chatting. Peter joined his cousins in their baby pool (fully clothed).

After BIL #1 came home, we dined at a local Italian restaurant which has the best pesto salad dressing in the whole wide world. Nephew #1 kept telling us about buffalos. We drove to a La Quinta, barely avoiding a huge thunderstorm, and enjoyed the obligatory night in a hotel. (This was the kids’ requirement for vacation.)

Day 2: It was too rainy and dreary to go to any attractions (did I mention we brought the dog along?) so I spontaneously called my friend Kim, who lives about 45 minutes away from Sister #2. We dropped in on her at work and spent an entertaining few hours catching up. Then we drove to Sister #2’s house, managing to get lost trying to find it. Our cell phone service was out, and we didn’t have much luck with the local gas stations. Finally we figured it out, and as we rolled in to their driveway I realized I had directions stored on my Palm. D’oh!

Day 3: We spent enough of the day outside that Moon and I were a little sunburned. Peter and Nephew #2 played in the kid-sized pool (in swimsuits, thankfully) while Moon and I sat on the swing and talked about life. All of us took a walk to Target/Starbucks, where we stocked up on supplies and obtained a nice hot latte for me. In the evening, Sister #4 and her family joined us for a cookout, and BIL #2 brought his cousin as well. We enjoyed the cousin’s company so much that we plotted ways to introduce him to Sister #3 — who’s not on the market, exactly, but she’s not married, either.

Day 4: We decided a trip to the mall would be fun, and we all piled into Sister #2’s minivan. And Moon slammed the van door on two of the fingers of my right hand, as I mentioned in an earlier post. At the mall we found a long black overcoat at Hot Topic — perfect for Moon’s transformation into a vampire for Halloween.

After lunch, when it was time for us to go, we said our goodbyes and Niece #2 burst into tears. When we had first arrived, she had asked Pete, “Are you going to stay forever?”

Sometimes I think a family commune would be ideal.