March Madness

The boys are off this weekend for the kickoff of what may be our craziest month ever.  Karl took Henry to Minnesota for the festivities in honor of Gene & Joyce's 70th (!!) wedding anniversary.   Ingrid and I are staying at home because when we booked the travel arrangements we had just endured the less-than-pleasant Christmas flight with Ingrid and I was in no mood to repeat it.   Of course, now that the weekend has arrived, I wish we were in Minneapolis too.  But it sounds like the guys are having a blast.  Eric also flew in alone, so they're having quite the boys' weekend.  Apparently they went out for a two-hour dinner and stayed up until 10:00 last night and Henry was totally awesome the whole time.  I miss them, but I love that the boys are having so much fun on their adventure together.

              

Weather permitting, the boys will be back tonight.  And then a mere 13 days later, Karl and I are going to Paris!  We had been contemplating a trip without kids but couldn't decide on a location, then Karl ended up with this trip to Paris for work and -- voila -- the decision was made.  I haven't been to France or spoken French in 12 years but my love of baguettes and tarts has not waned in all those years.  Carol and Dave, God help them, are staying with the children.  I'm super excited about having some time alone with Karl, eating ten consecutive meals without getting up for more paper towels, and being back in France.  I'll come back alone and Karl will stay on for a few days for his meetings.  I remember when a trans-Atlantic flight alone seemed like a terrible slog, and now I think -- seven uninterrupted hours to read!

Finally, I'm spending the last weekend of March in Austin with my college friends.  We were overdue for our not-quite-annual reunion and going somewhere moderately warm was the runaway winner in the location vote.  I'm psyched about Austin because it had been on my list of places to visit, but it was probably never going to be our top pick for a family vacation.   Hooray for another awesome food destination and a weekend with the girls! 

Three trips in one month, the first time we've left both kids alone with grandparents, and the first time Karl has had both kids alone for more than three hours -- madness!