The kids & I visited my Mom for 3 days in the next State over. It was so great to see her. She moved all the way from the West Coast and already it’s made my life easier (she's watching the kids next week!!).

#1 Fantasy: Driving back home I had a fantasy that I could stop in at Target (we don't have one in VT)solo with the two kids in tow to do a little shopping for them, maybe a few cute things for me & the house and then we’d be on our merry 3-hour-drive-home way.

Reality: 1 year old Ivan is in a very clingy Mommy phase meaning he can sit in a cart, he can only be held by me (I was hoping for a Momma’s boy, be careful what you wish for…) and 3 year old Sylvie is in a very must-touch-everything-mode, which meant she was not sitting in a cart either. Needless to say, I did a panic shop where I grabbed some kids clothes on sale & got some mascara for me.

#2 Fantasy: Since DH was solo for 3 days I thought I was coming home to a much cleaner house. You know maybe the bathrooms scrubbed, the folded laundry that had been sitting in the chair for a week put away, some grocery shopping, nothing crazy, but just wiped down.

Reality: House looked the SAME! Toy room still piled up with umm toys, laundry still in the same place, not much food (I made the kids tuna sandwiches without mayo, yuck), counters still had crap on them, etc.

I guess I have to readjust my expectation level. Remember when fantasies used to be a lot juicer then “oh dear God, please let the laundry be put away.”?