Volkswagon Bug

Who knew that a bug could create a family memory?

That's right, a bug. A huge (well maybe not that big), black, shiny, noisy bug made a family memory for the Leshinskys last night.

It all started at about 10:30 pm when Rachel and I were in my bed, all relaxed in pajamas -- the clothing of choice for this vacation -- watching Haunted Hotels on the Travel Channel (very exciting stuff here). I was almost sleeping when all of a sudden we hear this really weird noise.

First I think it is part of the TV show we are watching. But then I realized that the buzzing noise is in my bedroom. Then this thing starts flying into the TV screen! But it didn't have a normal pattern like a fly or a mosquito or even a moth. It would slam into the TV screen and bounce off and drop to the floor.

We really couldn't see anything because the lights were off and we had a couple of candles burning. So I flipped on the light and Rachel starts screaming and jumping under the covers!

So I get up (Rachel is now yelling out, "where are you going? don't leave me!"). I am not going to let this stupid insect scare me. So I went into the bathroom to get a magazine to swat this thing.

Then we sat on the bed to wait. And wait. And wait. Suddenly this huge thing flies up off the floor from under the furniture and starts flying toward the lamp then toward the ceiling and bounced off the ceiling and hits the window shade and falls down behind the bed.

Everyone once in a while it buzzed and flew up to the ceiling again and back behind the bed.

It was too fast for me to even get to. So I went downstairs to get Grace (our cat) while Rachel was whining, "please don't leave me alone with that thing!" I was giggling all the way downstairs.

Poor Grace was sleeping and was dazed when I carried her upstairs. We sat on the edge of the bed close to where we last saw this bug. But we eventually gave up.

Joel came upstairs, we were both tired and went to sleep.

I was in this really nice, deep sleep and suddenly Joel leaps out of bed and is making weird noises. I was sleepy and not sure what he was doing. Finally I found my voice and asked him. He said, "that Volkswagon bug was in my mouth!"

That is all I had to hear. I burst out laughing. I knew that was really gross and I would have been terrified if I woke up to find a bug in my mouth. But I couldn't help but laugh. I was laughing so hard that I had to share this information with Rachel. So I went into her room and told her to come into our room. I said, "Daddy has something to tell you."

So he did and we laughed even harder. Then Adina woke up and joined us and we told her the story. We laughed again!

This went on for about an hour. We were all cuddled together in bed, laughing and talking.

We never did find the bug, but it certainly is a moment in time that will stick with us!

Vacation Brain

There is definitely a different mind set when you are on vacation.

The pace of living changes. Time takes on a different meaning. Eating patterns change. Sleeping patterns change.

But then again, that is what vacations are for. To completely change your patterns so that you can regroup and recharge your batteries.

I completely enjoy staying home on vacation with my girls. We slept late every day. Everyday we cleaned up a different area of the house. One day it was the laundry room. Another day it was the pantry. Yesterday was Adina's bedroom. Wow, now that was a task that took six hours because we had to go through every single drawer and dump it out and get rid of whatever doesn't fit and then we did the same with her closet.

Once we finish, we get a fabulous feeling of accomplishment. It makes me laugh because these accomlishments are so simple but feel so wonderful.

So different than accomplishments at work. At work we expect to have milestones and check off the to do list from now and then and then at the end of the year we look back to see what we have accomplished.

But in our home lives, we don't usually think about milestones or to do lists. But if we did, we could look back and see all of the floors that we had scrubbed or the loads of laundry that we washed and dried. Not as impressive, but equally as or more important since it prepares us and creates the very foundation for the rest of our daily living. We can't possibly go to work in dirty or wrinkled clothing. We can't go to work hungry because we forgot to go shopping for food. So we do all this prep work at home. But when both parents work full time and have kids, the free time doesn't exist. Every moment matters. Every moment is programmed.

That is why I love the free time in my own home. If I don't want to get out of pajamas -- I just don't. If I want to watch TV until my eyeballs fall out -- I do. But the best part is that my two sweet girls enjoy doing nothing equally as much as I enjoy it.

So, my vacation has been a break from thinking in fast motion. Next week that will change, but I will be ready. I may not move as fast as I normally do, but I will be rested. At least for day number one!!

So for now, I am off to drift back into my vacation brain.