a week "off"!

I have a bunch of vacation time so I took G's April vacation week off.

Can I start by saying, I picked a week with  nearly perfect weather.  Sunny every day (I think).  A few days were in the 80s - April. Maine.  Pretty GREAT!

The week started on Friday afternoon when I cashed in a Christmas gift:  A night off (no kids) in an Inn in York Harbor, ME.  Can I just say: LOVELY!?  I walked the beach at sunset. Took a nap. Ate a wonderful dinner including awesome lobster/corn chowder - best ever!, read a book, fell asleep.  Listened to the ocean in the night.  Just wonderful - and so refreshing!

Saturday - I rose early, met my Mom and traveled to Rhode Island (first time there) and attended a quilting class and convention.  I learned a new applique technique.  Finished early. and returned to pick Mom up. IKEA trip. Home.

Sunday - church. Low key.

Monday - Beach day with the fam.  A little hike on the rocks and K even found a kid-sized cave.  Amazed at the gross motor skills of 3.

Tuesday - ? (will have to check the photos)

Wednesday - Kids went to a day camp for gymnastics - First time I'd ever dropped all 4 kids off and LEFT.  I came home, ate breakfast and tried to relax for 20 mins!  Then started a series of errands which included some new underclothes for me, 2 pairs of shoes, some cool ethnic kid artwork and...2 new couches!  Ours are nearly wrecked.  Prepared 6 freezer to crock pot meals for when work resumes!

Thursday - Play date - run nonstop day.  2 appts in the morning followed by Z's play date with Zac; then G's with M.  1 hour break ended with us at the neighbor's checking out a new to us desk - nice! and home to prepare for friends and their 3 babies for dinner - McDonalds.  Fell into bed.

Friday - Home playing, out for errands and Japanese buffet!  Home for another play date for G with E.

Saturday - Had a FUN time in NH.  Stopped in Kittery and hit the Hanna sale, McD's, and then to the Children's Museum where we met up with 3 other moms and 5 other kids.  Played for 3 hours and then 2 on the playground.  The girls were soooo impressed watching bridal portraits in a nearby park.  Then, to a local hotel to swim and eat.  An mini baby shower for a friend awaiting "River". Late night drive home and kids were asleep in less than 30 seconds!

Favorite Quote when preparing for our NH trip:
"Mama, is it a good idea to take my pillow pet with us to Virginia?" - K
"I'm not sure if the pillow pet will do well in Virginia because we are going to New Hampshire." -me

!?!?!?

Sunday will include church and prep for our return to "normal".

Getting paid to stay home and be a Mom was wonderful.  I so wish it could happen more often - although trust me, I'm thankful for my wonderful job.

OK, night. :)

Today is the day...

That my son's heart will get broken a little more when his beloved sister goes for her twice a year visit with her Daddy. He longs for a Daddy. She has one that isn't super involved. I cringe every time she talks about her Daddy in front of hime because I know it just hurts his little heart.

Please pray for Z-man today.

Please pray for G as she goes to her Father's house for 4 nights. She's older now. Can't remember the details of being at her father's house and is a little nervous.

Pray that her father has wisdom as he cares for her.

Ugh. This is what happens when adults break promises they make to and about children...broken hearts/emptiness, etc.

On another note - we are enjoying our time in AZ! Visited with their former daycare provider yesterday, went swimming, and went to dinner at our friends' house (they have 2 boys so that was great!).

Family Adventure: Road Trip

A great weekend was had by all. Auntie, kids and I did a road trip to Southern AZ. I haven't spent a lot of time down there and with the impending move, I didn't want to miss it!

We left on Saturday. Went to Tucson. Drove around (J had never been there). Ate at a funky place - yummy, yummy, healthy food - near UofA. Escaped the location as a jumbo container of bleach fell.

Drove to Benson, AZ and went directly to Wal-Mart. Why? The hotel we'd booked that said they had a crib - um, didn't! So, now we own ANOTHER one - I don't even like (bad fabric). Might return/exchange it. Tried to take a nap. Wasn't successful. Went into the "hot" tub that was slightly warmer than the frigid pool. Kids had fun. Went to Deny's for dinner. Can you believe it? It was close, easy and open late.

Morning - ate at the hotel - continental breakfast, a warm hot tub, no crib but two beds and a bathroom all for $49....wooohooo! Middle of nowhere. We woke up. Jumped on our beds. Laughed. Got dressed. Packed up and headed out.

First stop: Tombstone. Got there just in time to see a gun fight. Ate a fried/unhealthy lunch while we watched the fight. Got the kids ear plug - G was impressed with those. I was impressed that the kids didn't get scared. Took some pics. Walked around the town. Saw people dressed in period clothing - I thought that was neat and on a different trip (no kids), I'd have had so much fun just photographing them. Pretty good lighting and all! Got ice-creams (thanks Auntie!). Ate outside while Z cried/screamed. Threw his away. Nap time? Headed out. Z slept in the car!

Drove all around the "middle of nowhere". One wrong turn but then we were back on the right trail. Landed in Patagonia at a lake 7 miles out of town. Rented a boat. Drove/floated it around for an hour or so. (Kids still hate the boats - Z a little less than G). Headed over to the beach area. G LOVED swimming with Auntie. Z - um, looked like a big bath tub to him = tears! He eventually warmed up. He liked throwing mud, rocks and sand the best but eventually went in first with Mama and then with Auntie. I realized it was their first time swimming at a lake! Good times.

Back into the car. To Nogales, AZ - saw the border but without passports in hand, we headed North. Stopped at San Xavier Indian chapel place. Nice sunset pics (and a pee stop for G). Headed north. Was unsure where we'd sleep but eventually realized that we were close enough to home to make it. Did a drive through McD's for the kids (can you believe it???). Ate at home and to bed for all but not before watching fireworks out the window - Scared the crap out of the kids!

And a place I'd visited and I'd forgotten...
Great weekend. My kind of trip. Adventure! Exploration. Little planning. History, water, gun fights, a lake, a boat, an Indian Reservation, some photography, ice-cream, jumping on beds, laughing, sunsets, simple family fun! And, did you know that there are vineyards in AZ? Yup!