What I did on my early summer vacation--part 1 . . .

Here's a little teaser picture from my early summer vacation. 


C and Mom with artisan ice pops from Rutgers Famers Market


It was just a stay-cation that includes visiting family(5) and a birthday party (add 4 more) over a course of 12 days. It's been 3 days since the last visitors left and I'm still exhausted and trying to synced back into my everyday life. I guess it doesn't help that I got a head cold on vacation. 


Pre-vacation Preparations
Now this may seem a simple task for anyone else but WG and I have been using our house as a messy giant storage receptacle over the last year with the restaurant. We have had no time to sort, organize and toss out. 


On top of everything, I'm really bad at sorting. I create too many different piles, I can't just stick to 3. But I was able to make 3 boxes of stuff for Goodwill and packed away many "like" items [you see the problem, I even know the terminology and still can't get it done] in bins for storage, and of course, I was running out of time. 


I started too slow--you know, looking at every item, wondering . . . "can I make my next great craft/art project out of it?" or "who would love it as much as I do?" [I know, I know, these are early signs of a hoarder.] Then the restaurant got in the way [baking, baking, waiting table, waiting tables, waiting tables, crying, baking . . . long story for another time]. 


So I decide volunteer my family members to help prepare the house for their visit. Nice!!! 

Guest Arrival Schedule
Tuesday: niece from almost Canada on her way back to CA
Wednesday: sister and bil from CA
Thursday: mom (birthday girl 1) and dad from HI

Guest Task*
Tuesday--niece: helped move bins to the basement and clear the dining room
Wednesday--sister and bil: moving furniture around to fit aero bed in downstairs bedroom and breaking down boxes; niece continued to help me with baking for the restaurant
Thursday--mom and dad: menu planning for Saturday's party;  mom, sister and bil: breakfast and lunch food shopping; mom, dad, sister and niece helped with baking for the restaurant.
Friday--everyone is here who's staying over and my house is cleaner than it has every been in a long time.

* The key to this is to have the area that the first guest will be staying in to be liveable. 


First up on Friday's schedule: Home Depot to get my garden kit and some tools [gift from my sister and bil] and Rutgers Garden Farmers Market to pick up more food [I guess we like to eat]. More to come, including pictures.