not allowed to sleep before

​The hardest part is trying to stay awake so your kids don’t freak out if you sleep before them.
 
After driving 8 hours south back to home and staying there for 24 hours before driving back up again for 8.5 hours, I’d think I deserve some sleep, even if it’s before them falling asleep, dammit.
 
My oldest does not handle that well. I originally said I needed to nap, my body is so tired and I just want to sleep (I seriously feel nauseous from being awake). He goes on a Spanish Inquisition mode asking me, how long? How long do you think you’ll nap? What if you fall asleep before me? Why can’t you nap in the same place as we are right now (never mind the tiny space we are already in)? Why do you need to sleep now before me? Do you think you can let me sleep with you? Why don't you lie down here and nap while we're together?

"lie down next to us and sleep here."

“You know what? I think I’ll just go to bed. I need my sleep, right now, I’m feeling ill just from being awake.”
 
*cue in an hour of battle already*
 
Here I am typing away, trying to stay awake and considering putting toothpicks between my eyelids so I don’t fall asleep before any of them do.
 
I give it another hour before they all finally fall asleep, and by that time, I'll be wide awake. While we wait....

aidan snaps a shot of his daddy before heading back to meraki

my hubby and i 630 in the am

it was the drizzle that was getting into our eyes, not the sun that's causing oisin to squint.

I had to go back to my home area for two things, an appointment scheduled in August and there was no way I could miss it (or have it rescheduled to before our departure two weeks ago). I also needed to go to a local DMV in California to replace my stolen license. 

I showed up an hour and 5 minutes before the DMV door opened... I was like the 40th person in line already.

# 13 is my favorite number :) I was out of DMV by 8:40, not bad considering their track record.

I admit I was nervous about my boys when we were to go back to Mer. I was afraid that I'd face a mutiny. They surprised me this morning with being excited about returning back and when we got back, they were like... home sweet home!!! Oisin wanted to take over with dinner, Aidan wanted to decorate his bed space and Eitan wanted to have tea (our new nightly ritual).

Well. Lookit... 

Everyone's asleep and I am wide awake. Lucky for me, I'm that tired and am gonna hit the sack. Thanks for keeping me company and saving me from poking my eyes out with toothpicks.