The relatives come, the relatives go, everyone rise and sing tally-ho...

So the visit with Mom and Grandma went quite well. (It's not technically over, since they're still in town, but they'll likely head straight from the hotel to the airport tomorrow to prepare for nasty snow navigation.) All was relatively quiet, with a lot of hanging around the house with the wee ones and being familyesque. Furthermore, the weekend was pretty much drama-free, other than Nik vomiting yesterday morning without warning and Abbey refusing to eat a skin-free drumstick at tonight's dinner and turning it into a full method-acted portrayal of Unbearable Torment.

We also got to discuss rafaela's visit this coming Friday. Ai yi yi... *holds brow, shakes head* Suffice it to say that she's happy that I have a female friend. Very happy. Oh, let's not mince words: too happy.
Mom: Now, is she married?
Me: No.
Mom: Oooo! Is she in your age range?
Me: Define "my age range."
She and Grandma later tag-teamed me, telling me not to wear a flannel shirt or a pair of jeans or anything like that (rafaela on the phone last night: "Ehh. A flannel shirt and jeans sounds good."), and admonishing me to—sing along if you know the words—"get my hair cut." She was very careful to layer everything with disclaimers all over creation, like, "So if you two get together...AS A SOCIAL THING..." Um, Mom? When you're suggesting that Tennessee might be a good place to live once Kristi's settled wherever she's going to settle, the disclaimer doesn't stick terribly well. I'm just glad she stopped herself on whatever that "sperm build-up" comment was going to be...

But all in all, a good time was had by all. Mom showed everybody the place on the Alabama gulf shore she and the Bob-man are building their house, and we ate, and she gave me my Christmas present early (which I must maintain a state of denial about, I'm not allowed to use it until after Christmas), and...well, and it was a good thing. A good thing, indeed.

*exhale* Now, on to next weekend preparations...