Blubber

The winter holidays are officially over. My parents started putting some of the Christmas decorations away, the New Years Eve party plates were cleaned up and the Carlson Duo (Troy and me) are getting ready to return to the Twin Cities after a nice long vacation with family. That basically translates into me being a hot mess while driving away from my parents' house. I knew it was coming, I mean the holidays can't last forever, but every time I leave their house, I am a blubbering fool.

This entire trip has been a fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants kind of trip as far as planning goes, which is actually kind of unusual for us. So, when my mom asked me this morning what our plans were for today, it was a valid question. It was also the kind of question that makes me aggressively clear my throat multiple times as I try to contain the tears that are threatening to spill over because the answer to her question is that we are leaving soon. My family knows how I operate. All at once I started hearing words of encouragement - with the exception of Laura's boyfriend whom I probably made very uncomfortable but probably was not surprised due to the similarities that Laura and I share in the emotional department.

"Eric and I will come up and visit sometime in February!! That is right around the corner!" Laura said.
"Dad, Beck and I are going to plan a trip up next time Rebecca has a long weekend off from school! Won't that be fun?!" My mom offered.
"If we have snow, you can come back for Presidents' Day and go snowmobiling!" My dad suggested.

Though these are great offers, they didn't stop the tears and I quickly hugged my family and left before my blubbering got out of control. Then I cried all the way to the Carlson's house where we were spending the day before trekking back up north. Thankfully, I have an understanding husband who lets me cry and pats my leg as I try to inconspicuously try to dab at my eyes, collecting the rogue tears who escaped.

I have heard the phrase that families are like fish, after a few days they start to stink. Sometimes that is true. Sometimes going home can be hard for me because after all, I am a grown up now and I do things my own way at home and have to have my whole motherboard reprogrammed when I go back home. But then things start to fall into place and new patterns start - thus cue me crying about not being able to drink my Dunkin Donuts coffee with my mom and Laura in the mornings.

I guess the moral of the story is that no matter how old you get, sometimes all you want is your mom and dad. In the spirit of trying not to dwell on what is over, I am going to take this opportunity to comment on some personal highlights of our Christmas vacation:

1. Troy's parents gave us the whole Willow Tree nativity set which I am thinking about setting up for the month of January just because I love it so much.

2. Laura and I started saying, "Yak!" every time we thought something was disgusting. The correct way to perform this is to lean over and pretend to yak while you say "yak." It's funny.

3. Mama K and Fussy Pops gave me a sewing machine for Christmas. I am already envisioning my new fall line.

4. I laughed so hard at Troy while we were at the cabin that I keeled over in the hallway. Complete loss of motor functions.

5. Wings Etc.

6. Hitting up Kalamazoo. Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo. Every time I am there, I think of Tim Allen, one of many reasons why I love that town.

7. Playing Speed Scrabble with Mom and Dad and adding new words to my lexicon that my dad made up.

8. Golf cart rides around the lake.

9. Melissa Mladinic.

10. Enjoying the use of a shower that is no farther than four feet from our room. This one is huge, we are already spoiled to this luxury.