Returning home

Brian and I just got back from a lovely weekend with my mother's side of the family.  It was a celebration of my grandfather's 80th birthday/family reunion/baby shower.  It was wonderful to see everyone and catch up on what's going on in their lives.  Also, my youngest cousins are growing like weeds.

Eventually, the weekend came to an end, as all good things do, and the time came for us to go home.  It was a long drive back (made even longer by some heavy rain).

Fortunately, this rain was followed by rainbows.

Anywho, last night we finally arrived at our house.  The lawn was looking a bit shaggy (even though Brian mowed just before we left) due to all of the rain we have been getting.  The house was a bit stuffy, as we turned off the AC before we left to cut down on our bill.  It was late, we were tired, and we still had to unpack and do laundry.  But we were home.

There is something so wonderful about being home.  I love my family and I enjoyed spending time with them, but coming home is amazing.  We got to sleep in our own bed (sheets laundered and freshly made before we left), eat our own food, sit on our own couch, and use our own internet connection (which is A LOT faster than hotel wi-fi).  But I have to say... the best part of coming home is getting to use our own toilet paper.

Yes, the toilet paper.  Brian and I are generally pretty frugal.  We buy store brands, use coupons, and wait for sales like nobody's business.  But the one area of our lives where we are willing to pay top dollar is toilet paper.  We prefer Quilted Northern.  And nowhere, not the hotel, not my parents' house, not a gas station, even came close to our accustomed level of toilet paper.  We aren't so picky that we would bring along a roll of our own TP everywhere we go, but it does make coming home all the sweeter.

And finally, our dogs will be returning today after a nice stay in a kennel.  They will come back clean, shaved, and a bit spoiled.  Life will return to normal until our next little adventure.