The REAL Truth About Kiki's Visit

This post was mostly created for Kiki's husband, Ben, and her sweet children, Booker, Lincoln, and Maizie. I just wanted to let them know the REAL truth about Kiki's trip out here. It's only fair. While she missed each of you dearly, it was quite apparent to me that what she longed for most was the responsibilities at home like laundry, cleaning, cooking, and paying bills. You will see lots of smiles in these photos, but don't be fooled.

We had a heck of a time convincing her to come with us to historic downtown Powell on a sunny day and to look in cute, cute shops and buy a couple things and eat muffins. She just wanted to stay at my house and go over the family finances on her laptop.

She's smiling here, but it's not real. She misses her stain remover and her mop.

You should have seen us trying to get her to come to Jeni's so we could eat this: Brown Butter Almond Brittle: based on the traditional Norwegian dessert krokan. Browned butter gives depth to salty, sweet almond brittle. It was like pulling teeth. She insisted that there were socks that needed to be mated and pots to be scrubbed.

Ben, I really truly hoped that this picture from her trip would not surface. For reasons I will not go into here, and under circumstances beyond my control, it is appearing in this post. You will see what appears to be a very attractive man in the bushes. It was simply a moment of weakness on Kiki's part --- a moment of seduction --- I want you to know that I was there though and NOTHING HAPPENED.

I don't have pictures of all the events, but one night we went to dinner at Figlio's and I just KNOW she was miserable having to eat authentic Italian fare, engaging in only adult conversation, having someone cook her meal and clean her dishes. It was painful to watch.

One night we even gathered at my house and ate chocolate covered strawberries and potato chips and lounged on the couch, just us girls. Poor Kiki, she just had this look in her eyes all night long that said, "I just wish I could clean up dinner right now and then bathe my kids and then brush their teeth and then make them go to bed and then pick up the house instead of sit here and talk and eat food with my girlfriends."

You want to know the kicker? It about killed her to sit through a sacrament meeting with her only responsibility being to hold sweetness known as Bexley. She longed to dig through a bag to find something to quiet a crying child or to run someone out in the hall before piercing screams filled the chapel.

I'm hoping someday, somehow, I can convince her to take a girls' trip again. I just don't know if it will happen though. Well, Kiki, I know I had fun anway! And remember how I told you that the laundry and dishes can wait...that they would be right where you left them (no offense Ben) when you got back? I was right wasn't I? :)