We just finished a lovely four day weekend (Jon took Friday off, plus Memorial Day here in the U.S.). I was surprised just how lovely it was, and I'm hoping this bodes well for the summer. As I've said before, weekends are historically not fun around here. Probably because our expectations for rest and relaxation are too high and at complete odds with our children's needs for constant attention and activity. We need to be better about hiring babysitters, or maybe just enforcing longer quiet times because the kids will just not leave Daddy alone for one minute. He can't even go to the bathroom without Isaac banging on the door wondering why Daddy has abandoned him.
Possibly it was a good weekend because we hit the right balance of productivity, activity, and inactivity. Or maybe my expectations were incredibly low. So what did we do?
Friday was all about the cars, as we took them to the shop to prepare them for the upcoming 28-hour drive in July. While car-less, we went on a short walk and worked on the yard. In the afternoon Jon took the kids to the skate park in the afternoon while I headed to the hardware store. I love hardware stores. So full of possibilities.
Saturday the kids got hair cuts. Anna was very specific about the length she wanted her hair, and it turned out quite nice. She looks older, like a real kindergartener. Isaac still suspects the trimming will hurt, and typically scowls through the procedure. At least he sits still.
The weather was perfect in the morning so on the spur of the moment we ate lunch outside at a nearby restaurant. (I can't speak for everyone, but for us one benefit of having slightly older kiddos is an increase in spontaneity. And I mean that in a fun way.) All this occurred at a local outdoor mall, which had recently turned on its water feature, and after lunch Anna had a great time getting soaked to the bone. Isaac was content to watch. He's pretty timid about such things, but maybe next time he'll take the plunge.
In the afternoon I went on a great bike ride, just as the winds began to pick up in a big way. They still hadn't died down by dinner time, but since I'm stubborn I decided to go ahead and grill the burgers. Paid the price, we did. Within about five minutes the temperature inside the grill shot from 300 to 650 degrees, with flames licking the top of the lid. Jon figures that the high winds may have created lower pressure inside the grill sucking out extra propane. Whatever the reason, we ended up with hockey pucks. Still better than cleaning up the grease that would have covered my kitchen, I say.
Sunday brought church and a farewell lunch at my aunt-in-law's house. All of our local family attended, and it was fantastic. Jon's aunt, besides being a culinary treasure, really knows how to throw a party. We played volleyball, used water guns, chatted up a storm, ate tons of food, kicked the soccer ball, brought out the croquet, and even wandered over to the train tracks to watch a locomotive steam through. Isaac is still reminiscing about that last one. I just love our family, and I'm so heartbroken that we're leaving. This is why I'm glad we had this get-together early on. Any later in the moving process, and I would have sobbed throughout.
Monday morning we went on a short (distance wise, about 3.3 miles) and long (time wise, about 2.5 hours) hike. The trail was fairly flat, with a view of both the mountains and plains. I was glad to be somewhere with a view of the big sky and the openness that defines our neck of the woods. I anticipate the same mildly claustrophobic feeling we had in Connecticut to be present in Maryland, so I wanted to experience the opposite. Looking far off into the distances feels restful somehow, for both my eyes and my brain.
Back to the hike: The kids did quite well. All told Isaac only needed to be carried about .75 miles. I completely forgot to bring the toddler backpack, and will not make that mistake again. The boy is getting heavy and doesn't relish riding on Daddy's shoulders. (Meanwhile, Anna is unable to understand why she can't ride on Daddy's shoulders no matter how often we explain it to her.) Isaac inherited some super cute and sturdy hiking books, which he loves and which were perfect for this trail. (Such a surprise when preference and utility meet up in a toddler.) I will never forget his big eyes and appreciative smile when he looked at the mountains and said, "Those mountains are big! They are as big as me!"
Later that day we went to another BBQ and hung out with friends, as well as people I wish we had time to know better. Again, I'm glad these group gatherings are happening early on. On the other hand, given that I accidentally turned on the sprinklers while a bunch of people were in the front yard, perhaps it's a good thing we're moving on....
Today, Jon is back at work and the kids and I are back to our usual stuff. Preschool is over, which is both nice and challenging for obvious reasons. Now that the buyers are a sure thing (read: they cannot back out without losing their earnest money) I feel I can make some plans for the next couple of weeks before packing begins in earnest. Nothing very busy, but it will be nice to do some fun things and see some fun people.
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