My visit with my brother...

...was totally kick ass! We had such a great time!

When he comes, he usually only gets one night with us, but, this time he was able to get here earlier in the day.

He got here at 12pm - which gave me three glorious hours with my big brother WITH NO CHILDREN around!!!!!

Wooohoooo!

You see, my stinkin' brother is a kid magnet - I was gonna say he's a rockin' cool uncle, but, it all started looooong before any of us became parents!

Even when we were kids - and there were babies around whose attention I desperately wanted to catch, because I've always loved kids and babies - I just couldn't - because they were all enamored of Mic!

So what that boils down to is this: when they are around, I really don't get to say much of anything to my brother. LOL!

So the two of us hung out, really for about four hours, because we actually didn't come home until after the kids were already home from school. I had informed them in the morning that we might be a little late.

So anyway, he picked us up a coffee, and I made us some sandwiches and I showed him some stuff around the house, that I wouldn't get to with the kids around - one of which is the neighbor's house across the street. It was built around 1845, and there are many trees and tall shrubs in front of it, so last time Mic was here, you couldn't see the house all that well. Now with all the greenery gone - you can see the house great! And Mic and I both just really dig stuff like that!

Then we had a blast driving around, talking, and seeing some of my favorite places. I also showed him the kids' schools, and then we went out to my MIL's place to see the horses. One of the horses was completely obssessed with Mic and wouldn't leave him alone, even 'lipping' the back of his neck - it was so funny!

Then we went to the top of the 'mountain' (we are Colorado people, so even though some out here do qualify as such, they are not mountains to us..heehee) on MIL's property on which my hubby and his bro hung a tree swing fourteen years ago. It is really cool, because it is right at the top, and as you swing out - you are going over the descent of the mountain. Very scary - I am so glad I have never seen my children do this, I've never gone up there when they have. Which is really good, because Mark says he pushes them really high! No thank you. I don't want to see that!

We really had such a great time, a nice bro and sis time - but, then, it was time to go see on the kids. We drove up, and the kids were riding bikes/scooters in the college parking lot and screamed with delight when they saw us! They followed us to the driveway and swarmed the van like a pack of hungry wolves! Hungry for their Uncle Mic! Heehee!

They played with him all night - basketball, hideNseek tag, gameboy, etc.

Mark came home and cooked us a nice dinner, which MIL had come over to enjoy with us.

And we had a lovely evening.

Mic had to get up very early and Patrick had exams the next day, so we were all a bit anxious to get to bed at a somewhat decent hour.

I think we finally called it a night around 10:30 or 11.

And I think I've cried every day since. It's Saturday, he left on Wednesday...

It was so kick ass to see him, but, I think with his visit being a week before Christmas, it is kind of making this first holiday away from home harder on me.

You know, like - if I hadn't seen him, I could 'shut down' that part of myself somewhat, so as not to freak out with sadness over not being with them. But spending time with him left those 'doors wide open'! If you know what I mean!

Not that I would ever EVER give up a chance to see him, and who knows - I mean, I expected Christmas would be hard anyway....so you never know. I might've cried every day before Christmas anyway.

I'm just so damn glad he came during the day when the monsters were away - that was totally KILLER!!