Hangovers and Homesickness

It's a cruel twist of fate that I end up MORE homesick directly following visits from my family. I guess it's really just an issue of realizing (or re-remembering) what it is I'm missing out on. I have a pretty fabulous family and would so love to be able to see them all more often!

Cousins' Weekend was last weekend and we had a blast. A couple key personnel were notably missing from the weekend festivities (eh um, Erin and Josh, and of course Nick away at school), but it really was wonderful. With that said, I learned a couple valuable lessons throughout the weekend:

• I am not 23 anymore. (As much as I like to convince myself otherwise.)
• Hangovers as a parent suck REALLY BAD!
• Dieting (aka. salad) before a big night of drinking is NEVER a good plan. And did I have a RedBull? Ugh, never a good idea.
• Dry heaving in your backyard (because all bathrooms are full) is actually not glamorous.
• Early 20's is REALLY YOUNG (yet adorable, innocent, fabulous and completely enviable).
• 9 adults, 2 kids, and 1 dog in this small house might just be pushing it. (Beach vacay next year?)
• The best cure for a terrible hangover is definitely sweat pants, mindless TV, and lounging with your equally-lazy loved ones!

I love all of you and am so lucky to have such fun, crazy, intelligent, like-minded cousins who I genuinely enjoy hanging out with. Now if you all could just move down here...

please?