Back from the beach

So, we got back from the coast last night, after staying an extra day and then getting delayed because of an oil spill on the freeway. We had a great time -- went swimming, shopped, ate lots of good food, suffered PMS, played with the boys at the beach, tried to keep them quiet in the hotel, watched teenagers train to be lifeguards, ate too much ice cream, was a terrible example of sibling rivalry with my sister, survived that, splashed in the ocean, avoided stepping on jellyfish, rented a bike surrey, consumed too much caffeine, swam some more, rode a carousel, walked to a park, shopped some more, took the boys to the zoo, ate some more, and came home. Thanks, Mom, for a fabulous vacation!

UberDad concealed the extent of his progress on the floors while I was gone, and I (mostly) believed him. He met us at the car when we arrived home, and walked me to the door, apologizing that he hadn't gotten farther with the installation than the bedroom. But by that time I knew he was exaggerating (plus I could see the installed floor peeking through a gap in the living room curtains). He had all but two feet of the floor installed, and the rest he and our home improvement guru friend Alif finished this morning. They've done a fabulous job so far, and the wood is just gorgeous. I felt like one of those weepy homeowners returning to their transformed abode on Extreme Home Makeover.

Scott's taking the weekend to rest his sore body and do miscellaneous tasks (like making room in the garage for all the extra lumber) that have to be done before he can begin the finishing process on Monday. The boys and I will be sleeping at my parents' house for at least another week before the bedroom furniture can be moved back in. I have tons of pictures I want to share, but I'm using their computer so it might not happen right away. Chances are good that I won't get to blog much this week, so be patient with me.