So last week was mostly just focused on getting my energy back. In the process, of course, I spread the joy and Jeff came down with The Cold. Yes, it gets capitals....it was that bad. I was able to cobble together a coaching staff for the game he missed (thank you, God, for parents who participate. I hope I am never again one of those who sit in the car....). It was kind of an ugly game, too. A real test of our parental responsibility to focus on the fun and not on the unfairness. Some of us passed with flying colors (thanks to being clueless), others of us had a harder time. Some of us failed miserably and I try not to hold it against them. Jeff was well enough to make it to the last game of the week on Thursday, barely, but thankfully, as the weather was beautiful and the kids were a joy! We have several, okay ALL, of the kids on the team who want nothing more than to be catcher AND pitcher. Some of them got their opportunity that night and boy was it fun to watch them out there! Talk about some big grins!! We have determined that visiting grandparents are good omens, especially if the grandchild it pitching.
Friday was ANOTHER gorgeous day and I could barely contain myself! Stuff is really starting to grow in the yard now and I uncovered some seedlings that Ben and I had planted earlier in the year that had been stashed in the sunroom, so I took the opportunity to fill some of my millions of little pots that survived the recent rash of garage sales and even got ruthless with the strawberry pot out front that was overflowing with Hens and Chicks. Okay, I am going to just say it. I do NOT like Hens and Chicks. Apparently I am in the minority and I have to say that I tried to like them. I really did. I have even replanted some of them in my front garden, but I finally got over the guilt and pitched the rest in the garbage. There were TONS of them in that pot. It is a 3foot pot and every one of the little pockets was just drooling chicks. Ick. So I ripped them out and planted the leftover nasturtiums and marigold seedlings that Ben and I had planted. Then, since I had four or five pockets left, not to mention the top, and the weather was STILL beautiful around 4 p.m. (not to mention that I was on my own, since Jeff had ferry duty and Mac and Ben were at their dad's), so I packed the dog in the car and headed to Ace hardware where I met a super sweet lady who helped me choose some trailing alyssum (i am a sucker for trailing alyssum) a miniature sunflower for the top and some really cute purple babies breath that can't go in the pot, but I had to have it anyway. To top it off, when she saw me drooling over the gardenia by the register, she clipped off two blossoms with a wink and tucked them in with the rest of my purchase! How can the day get any better? Honestly??
Well, we did end the day at the canal, so I guess there was some wiggle room.
The next day, I woke up (sun AGAIN!!) and walked my out-of-shape body down to Alderbrook and back, noting all the beautiful, happy flowering plants that were growing wild and healthy on the side of the road, that I had just barely kept myself from spending $$$ on at the nursery the night before. Absolutely beautiful. By the time I got back, Jeff had gotten up, moved out to the bulkhead and a sunchair, and then proceeded to fall back asleep. Thus started the pattern that he would play out for the rest of the day. Nap, wake, change to another chair/position, nap etc. We did have a fun visit from Gary with the boys and the babies. While the older Washburns fished, the two younger ones and I played in the grass and sampled grass, oyster shells, styrofoam noodles and porked out on Gerber cheese doodles and hummus. Yum! By the time they headed home for naps, I was ready for one so joined Jeff in his rounds. By late afternoon we were both well-rested, well-read, and sunburned. It was awesome! Capped off the evening with some red wine, peanut M&Ms, and a game of Scrabble. Even Floki was pooped!
Sunday we woke late and headed back home, with a stop for some good coffee and a dog biscuit at our favorite coffee stop in Belfair. Jeff then stayed at home and proceeded to get to work on the doors we have been replacing in the kids' hallway while I went to church so that I could help sell raffle tickets and get the scoop on what was happening with the rest of the world. I love our little church. Even though our pastor is on vacation, we always have somebody interesting to fill the void, and it is such a cheerful little building on a sunny day! On the way home I picked up the boys so that we could later go back to church and help decorate luminarias that will be set out along the track during the Relay for Life next month. Mac especially enjoyed designing one for his 3rd/4th grade teacher, Mrs. Stevenson, who is currently battling cancer. Ben unleashed his inner Picasso with a set of watercolors and was a prolific luminaria designer. I basically just wrote the names and handed them over to his whim. Then it was back home to strip down to our bathing suits and wash the car on the front lawn. Whoops, did I say "we". No way, it was beautiful, but I left that stuff to the boys. The best thing I think I have ever heard was Ben saying to Mac, "that was better than playing the Wii!!" WHOOOP!!!
By the time Noah and Lydia got home Sunday evening, after a busy weekend with their mom, we were all thoroughly weekended out! Now, on to the rest of the week! The kids are continuing with the MSP, this year's version of the dreaded WASL. I secretly think that most of them like it because I am encouraged to pack snacks for extra brain power. Ben does tend to have a little more anxiety than the rest of them, but he and I had a discussion about it being the devil that causes him to feel nervous and make him think he can't do it. God wants nothing more than for him to be successful! So then we discussed ways to "get behind me, Satan"! That was actually a fun discussion. He was able to tell me all about the ways that Satan tempted Jesus after John the Baptizer baptized Jesus and He went out to spend 40 days in the wilderness, and what Jesus told Satan to defeat him. I was so proud of him! Somehow, Lydia got in on part of the discussion so now whenever Ben says he is nervous, Lydia pipes up "Just tell that devil to get beHIND you!". Hee hee!!
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