Weekend

Much, much to talk about... things were CRAZY busy this weekend, and I'm still trying to recover...

Friday night, we had Shabbat dinner. Shabbat is my thing - we have a big sit down family dinner, Marc blesses each child individually, we thank God for bringing us here to this place in this time, he sings a me a little love song, we bless the bread and the wine and the candles. And as much as the kids complain at times, begging us to do the "short version," on Friday night, I insisted on doing the whole thing, and it was lovely. Sarah (who had been the most vocal about wanting to keep it short) ended up pulling her dad back to her for an extra hug after he blessed her. I told the kids that Shabbat was one of those things that was only as special as we make it, and they seemed to really understand what I was saying. It was wonderful...

Saturday morning, we stayed home and tried to get everything ready for Sam's birthday party. I baked a couple of cakes, tried to pick up the house (failing miserably - what's that old quote? Cleaning while the kids are little is like shoveling during a blizzard?). We headed up to Green Hill Park for around 1:00 - but the party (which was supposed to start at 1:00) didn't really get going until close to three. But it was a great party, I think everyone had fun. Sam doesn't like parties - he just doesn't. Big crowds of people make him nuts, and he spent a lot of time with his face pressed up against mine (just because he's figured out that if his face is nose to nose with mine, people can't kiss him - which they will do if he's just laying his head on my shoulder). He LOVED his presents, and then we did family pictures down by the lake. After the party was over, Becky and Greg stayed to help us lug all the stuff home and we went out for Chinese food. Sam got really grubby at the party (all the candy from the pinata and sweaty from running around...) but he fell asleep in the car on the way home (had gone all day with no nap) and I couldn't justify waking him up just to bathe him.

Sunday morning, we got up super early again, and dropped the kids off at Annie's house. Marc and I are part of a Clark University Marriage Study (for which we get free marriage therapy and about $500 over a five year period). It was time for our annual check up - happy to report that we are very healthy - marriage wise :-). The one area that we need to improve on is spending time alone together. We're going to work on that, I'm going to make more of an effort to schedule "dates" and time alone... so if you'd like to sit for me, just let me know ;-).

Then we picked up the kids, came back home and packed up for the pool. I tried (again, in vain) to pick up some of the clutter, and then we picked up Lilli and Sarah, and took all five kids (because we had Glennys too) down to the pool in Clinton. We had a GREAT time - my sister and niece joined us there, my father in law came down, the kids swam and swam and swam. There's a little wading pool and a bigger pool for older kids and adults. The only kid who won't go in the big pool is Jess, but the other kids kind of bop back and forth between the two. I bring my chair with the sunshade and a book and just hang out at the wading pool and Jessie bops around in there, she's so sweet. Sam loves swimming with Daddy, so I get a real break from him there ;-).

After the pool, (Annie had come to pick up Glennys, and my father in law and sister/niece went home) Marc, the kids and I went to my mother's house. We had a cookout, ate outside, and it was just the most lovely, peaceful relaxing time. And then, of course, Sam fell asleep in car again - and slept again covered in grime, sunblock and sand. I wash as much as I can while he's asleep... but he was still pretty gross. Fortunately he took a bath first thing this morning and is my sweet smelling boy once again :-)