Home Sweet Home

After almost two weeks off from work and visiting family/friends in Missouri, today it was back to reality and work. Blegh. The first day of work after a semi-long vacation is always the worst. You get out of that "work mode" and into "vacation mode," and while switching to "vacation mode" is wonderful, switching BACK to work mode is not quite as fun.

It would take a decade to write all about the trip Chris and I took to Missouri, but here are some of my favorite "highlights":
- Spending time with Chris, Erika, Andrew, Esther, and Barf on Erika's porch while drinking one too many Schmirnoffs.
- Watching "Rave to the Grave" at Andrew and Esthers (HA!)
- Having Chris try on funny outfits at Erika and Barf's clothing store, "Retro Revolution."
- Having coffee with Esther, Jesse, and Michelle (and of course Chris.)
- Chris and I hanging out with Esther and Jesse playing Mario Party. (Our team, "Pure Evil," won!)
- Going out to The Flatbranch and The Wine Cellar to celebrate my birthday early.
- Playing hours of Scattegories with Chris on the screened-in-porch.
- Playing my first ever game of Scrabble with Chris (I won! Hehehehe!) :P
- Cooking "Fettucini con Lemon and Red Peppers" with Chris. (It was pretty tastey, while also quite lemon-y!)
- Going on a hike at Rock Bridge State Park with Esther (aka Resther) and getting lost- ending up at an elementry school and having to walk back on a narrow, winding road.
- Hanging out with Brana, Michelle, and Jesther at Comfort Inn while watching a GREAT thunderstorm! (And having an angry, red-faced man pound on the door!)
- Everyone going to eat at Sophia's and playing Bacci.
- Going to Devil's Ice Box

Unfortunetly, this trip home also made me a little sad because a.) There's a very good chance that this was the "last" time I'll see my grandparents, b.) It was the last time I'll ever be able to go into my family's house of 20 years, and c.) Leroy's death. Yes ... those are sad things. I don't like sad things. :( But overall, the trip was great.