No Rest for the Weary

It seems appropriate that on one of the busiest weekends we've had in a while, we lost an hour somewhere thanks to Daylight Savings Time. However, as rushed and busy as this weekend was, it was also very enjoyable. It started with me meeting a friend for a glass of wine Friday night and staying out much later than I had planned, which led to an early morning on Saturday. Jayson had to go into the office, so I took the girls to the gym so I could get a little bit of time to myself before the busy day, and also so I could shower without three girls running in and out of the bathroom, pulling the shower curtain back, and yelling, "I see your butt!" Besides, the girls love the gym. We are very fortunate that our gym has excellent childcare. Charlie is in a room with other kids her age, and on Saturday, a student of mine who I trust very much was working in the room too. Lydia and Audrey go to the area for the older kids where they can run around and play games or sit and color or play with toys, etc. On this particular day, they apparently were allowed to run around the basketball courts, and Lydia told me she ran 100 miles. I told her that probably wasn't true, but she assured me her teachers told her it was 100 miles.

After the gym, we went directly to Lydia's skating lesson. I thought ahead and packed sandwiches to eat in the car on the way there. Skating was pretty uneventful. The hardest part of skating lessons is the actual walk into the building because there is a huge parking lot that is very busy and I feel like cars come out of nowhere. Usually Jayson and I both go or one of us stays home with Charlie, but with Jayson at the office, I was with all three, and I'm pretty sure plenty of people stared as I made the girls hold hands and walk in a row and snapped at them if they got out of line. I know it seems extreme, but on the way back to the car, Audrey got behind me and out of my sight for one second and it seemed like there was immediately a car behind her.

From skating, we went back home to get Jayson so we could head downtown to the birthday party our friends were having for their sons. We first had to stop to get the gift (we didn't realize until a couple days before that we would be able to make it), then find a spot by the Irish pub where the party was being held. It also happened to be the same day of the St. Patrick's Day parade, so there were drunk college students in matching T-shirts everywhere. Jayson and I finally got to sit down and eat while the girls happily played with the other kids.

On the way home, we stopped for a few errands (pick up some hockey tickets for a game in a couple weeks, grab some dinner, grab a Red Box movie, coffee at Starbucks because we got a half-price coffee with Jayson's receipt from that morning.)

When we got home, Charlie was exhausted after skipping her nap so she ate and went right to bed. The other two stayed up with us and we watched Hugo. I was ecstatic that they loved it because it means we have moved into watching movies that are actually good and Jayson and I can enjoy them along with the girls. Surprisingly, neither of them fell asleep during the movie, but I think they did as soon as we got them in bed.

Today we debated skipping church, but were able to get things together and made it. After church, we made a stop for ham and rolls and then came home for lunch. Lydia and Audrey begged to clean the windows, so I acted like it was a big deal, and of course I let them. Then it was nap time and quiet time. Audrey watched Hugo again. I made Lydia take a nap so she was rested for her birthday party in the afternoon. After naps, we ran to Target for an addition to the birthday gift and some diapers. Jayson took Lydia to the party and I took the other two to the park. We met back at home just before bedtime and got everybody to sleep.

That was a long post about a lot of things that probably sound pretty boring, but it's a typical weekend for us. I like weekends like that because everybody stays busy and it seems like the busier we are, the better the girls are. Plus, it creates memories and experiences for them and for us.

Sunday Sillies

I love my job, but I cherish the time I get to spend at home with my family. Sunday afternoons are one of my favorite times of the week. This Sunday after lunch Jayson watched football, Charlie napped, and Lydia and Audrey laid in my bed with me and watched Finding Nemo. The intent was to get Lydia to take a much-needed nap, and it worked. And I got to sneak one in to. Until I woke up to Audrey in Lydia's face whispering her name and trying to wake her up. Luckily, I woke up first and shooed her away.

Often, Jayson and I will just sit back and watch all three of them run around like crazy. Today, Lydia and Audrey were playing some game where they ran from the living room to the play room and back to the living room over and over again, giggling and squealing. Charlie followed them with one dress-up shoe on, clomping down the hall once as they made their rounds at least three times to her one.

We also love to hear them talk to each other and to us. I could go on and on about the funny things they said this weekend. Audrey is obsessed with brussel sprouts and begs for them with every meal. She likes to pick out the smallest one she can find and say in a high-pitched voice, "Look at this cute little baby one!" Charlie says "NO!" to everything and has started repeating many, many words and phrases. Lydia is hilarious. She has been giving her phone number out to boys at school. Today a bunch of people walked past our house and we talked about where they might be going and Audrey suggested they were going to the fair, to which Lydia replied, "The fair? Fair's over, kid." Lydia also asked me yesterday if I wanted to hear all the bad words and I said I would, so she said, "STUPID!," and I replied, "Oh yeah, that's one is really bad!" Then she said, "HATE!," and I said, "Yes, you're right, another bad one!" Then she said, "SHIT!" and I suggested it might be best not to repeat that one.