Cheap cheap

Well, hubs and I and the kiddos got back yesterday from our fun-filled weekend in Austin. We stayed at a really nice (and cheap!) hotel near the airport. Our room was actually a suite, so we had two queen beds, a queen sleeper sofa, and a kitchen. Plenty of space for us all to spread out. And it was cheap! About half the price of the one we wanted to stay at on Town Lake, but they wouldn't let us because we have five people in our family and we'd have to get two rooms and I was like, what?, three of those people are KIDS, whatever dude, I don't have $400 a night to spend on that, but they were like too bad, so sad, dude.

Stupid Austin fire code.

We got to Austin Friday night around 11:00, checked in and went to bed. Then the next morning we got up and went down to the lobby for a free hot breakfast (this hotel totally rocks; have I mentioned it's cheap?). After that, we got cleaned up and dressed and drove south to a little podunk town for a school district fundraiser thingie where our friend's band would be playing.

The band was definitely the highlight of the day. It took them awhile to get set up because they had to fit their "stage" (a tarp on the ground) amidst a grove of trees. Then the lead singer had a little trouble with his guitar wire. But once they got started, they ROCKED! I loved watching my kids singing along to the music. During the set, the lead singer called my daughter up onto the stage, and oh my goodness she was in heaven. She's now officially changed her "want to be when I grow up" plan from teacher to rock star. Ruh roh raggy...

After the concert/picnic/fundraiser thing, we went for a drive around town. We'd lived in this town until just a couple of months ago, so I guess we were reminiscing a bit. Wait, reminiscing? HAHA - we've only been gone two months! Losers!

Anyway, we went by our "old" house to see how it looked. It looked exactly the same, except that the new owners put a folding chair on the front porch, plus the cars in the driveway were different. heh That's about it. We were hoping to see some of our neighbors, but no one was outside.

After the drive down memory lane, we went over to our friends' house for dinner (our friends are married, by the way - *he*, who I'll now call "C", is in the band; *she*, who I'll now call "L", is his wife and my best girlfriend). And what a feast it was! We had awesome Korean repast - bulgogi, kimchee, rice, wasabi sauce - and were very very full when we left the table. Then C started making Cosmopolitans - and I had FOUR. Okay, I'm only about 5' tall, so that much alcohol should have made me sick.

Instead, it made me happy! Oh so happy! Everything was funny. Dog dumped out the trash? Funny! Babies crying? Hilarious! Bump my head on the way to the bathroom? BWAHAHAAAAAA!

Plus, *I* became funny! Everything I said, L laughed at. Wait, you don't think it's because she had a couple of Cosmos herself? Naaaaah.

The next day - not so funny. But totally worth it.

We got home around 4:00 yesterday. We put nearly 400 miles on the rental van. Oh, the van! It was a Nissan Quest, and it was awesome. Beautiful silver color; large interior; better gas mileage than even our little Saturn. My next van will be a Quest. Of course, I'll have to win the lottery first, but that's been my plan all along.

Spent last night vegging on the sofa and watching Rush Hour 2. I just love Jackie Chan. Chris Tucker I can live without, but the little dude can come live with me any day.

Oh, the other thing we did last night was hang new Roman shades on the French doors in our bedroom. It's about dang time we private-ized that room! Neighbors do NOT need to be seeing my boudoir. The shades look beautiful, and best of all, they cost me just $7 each. The clearance rack at Lowe's? Cheap!

So ... here it is, Monday again. Mini-vacation is over, hubby is back at the soul-sucking site he calls "the office," and my beloved van has been returned to the rental agency. Sadness prevails.

But wait - school starts tomorrow! Freedom and peace within my house! Woo-hoo! (Sorry kids, I love ya, but summer is OVER, do you hear me?) Whew, I got a little nuts there. Always happens when school starts. However, this year, like the last two, my freedom will be short-lived. I register for classes tomorrow. College is fun, but I am looking forward to graduating. At the rate I'm going, though, I just hope to finish before my 7th-grader does.

Have a great Monday, everyone! And remember - cheap is gooooooood.