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Once a year my grandparents make the nail biting trip down from Brookings Oregon to Sacramento to visit the family for a week. This isn’t the cute, pretty, foresty part of Oregon. This is the part of Oregon that’s so far away it butts up to the North Pole. It’s a three day drive for my grandpa (they stop a lot to say the least) and the family worries the whole time. This may be the last summer they make this trip just due to it being so far and my grandpa being no spring chicken.

Last week they were down, which means it’s family time! My grandmother (like a lot of yours here) LOVES to shop. She doesn’t drive, doesn’t like to spend money, but LOVES to shop. This all means that… 1) I always drive, and 2) We only go to thrift stores. Now I love a good deal as much as the next tight wad and I actually don’t mind thrift stores… but after my sixth in one day, the smell was getting to me just a little. Ok, a lot. I would whine more, but truth is I scored some great items, including a Prada bag, so I’m shutting up now.

I actually had a good time! I’ve learned through the years to leave my opinions at the door. Shut up and drive (as the voice in my head says). We never talk about politics or religion, so the day runs smooth. Celebrity gossip is often the topic of choice. If I try to actually talk about anything I do, their eyes glaze over (even though they sweetly still nod like they get it). If you don’t work a 9-5 job at a place they’ve heard of… it’s just too confusing.

My aunt threw a great family party on Saturday. People I hadn’t seen in years were there. There’s nothing like a group of family to make you realize things about yourself. Here’s what I learned after a week with my family.

~I adore my husband and would rather spend time with him over anyone else in the world. My aunt is #2 on that list. My son is around #38 (kidding! Kindove).

~I am a control freak. I think I was a little in denial about this. I have to make an actual effort NOT to be so around other control freaks so they can take a turn being controlling. This is very draining for me after a while. Like holding a large weight above your head all day. I don’t like it.

~I have NOTHING in common with my older generation (grandparents). NOTHING!

~I don’t like wig shopping or seeing my grandmother without her wig. Don’t ask.

~DNA is amazing. How can all the women in our family laugh the same way at the same time or say the same thing at the same time? This fascinates me.

~A 14 ½ year old can annoy you as much as any two year old. Interesting!

~A 14 ½ year old can spend $20 in two seconds while you ponder a $5 decision for an hour.

~It takes two teenage boys five minutes in a swimming pool until one of them gets hurt.

~The video game Rock Band can be played through two songs until it becomes really annoying. Especially with someone under the age of 10 on vocals.

~It doesn’t matter if your Sony Cybershot lands on a carpet. Dropping it will still break it (my new one is on its way… pink to match my phone).

~I can drink white wine ALL day. As long as I have 1 glass of water between glasses, I won’t get too drunk. Good to know!

~A movie can cause motion sickness till you puke. Never knew that before!

~We may not know the names of the streets, but my family can get you ANYWHERE in the Sacramento area, especially if where you’re going is anywhere near a Ross.

I love my family very much and honestly had a great week. It felt really good to just be home and enjoy my own little family again though. I don’t think I’m driving for a week now!

The pictures are durning the week. My son licking the cake batter bowl. Short red hair is my aunt, long red hair is her daughter, guy w/ glasses blowing up a huge beach ball is my husband (what a sport!), me and my husband together, older man is grandad, older blonde woman is my Nana. Then everyone playing Rock Band.