All is Calm, All is Bright

This week has been....busy.  Jason's youngest sister came into town with her husband last Sunday and they were here until the day after Christmas.  I should probably preface all of this by saying that our house is not very big.  It looks like it from the outside, but reality is very different.  So, they came to stay and that was fine, but you would be surprised how two people can make a place feel smaller, especially when there are already 3 people, 2 dogs, 3 cats and a bird in there.  Then his sister got a puppy for Christmas.  Add one more creature.  My dogs were NOT pleased with the puppy, so that was interesting.  They mostly stayed downstairs until the puppy left on Friday.  Then, on Friday Jason's other sister, her boyfriend and their 3 year old came to stay with us.  Still, 3 additional creatures in the house, and one of them is LOUD.  My nephew could break glass with the pitches he reaches sometimes.  Again, the dogs were mostly not amused, since he likes to pull on tails and ears and wrestle.  So, there were all of the accouterments that accompany a 3 year old, and the house was a TOTAL disaster because our tiny living room was taken up mostly by the giant Christmas tree.  But, everyone left yesterday and now the house is once again quiet and calm.  My dogs aren't in hiding, my cats haven't evacuated to the high ground where they are safe, and my husband hasn't been slapped in the face by a toddler in like 2 days.  Visits are nice, but getting your house back is nicer.