Sunday, February 14, 2010

It's Been A LONG Weekend in Lake Woebegone

Somehow, looking at the calendar did not really prepare me for this weekend.  We started with two snow days on Wednesday and Thursday, then Friday the kids had off from school - except for JC.  Because the high school was closed for a bomb scare in December, they had a makeup day.  Rachel and William and I spent the day running around getting ready for Rachel's birthday party Saturday.

Saturday was the party.  We took 6 of her friends to see Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, which, while we enjoyed it greatly, took substantial detours from the book.  Of course, we had gotten party favors and planned the party based on the book - and none of the stuff we used made it into the movie.  None.  Except the gold drachmas (we used chocolate coins).  Oh well.  The kids enjoyed the movie, and gobbled down blue cake (Percy's favorite color), ambrosia (food of the gods, you know.  We used blondies), and nectar (ok, there was nectar in the movie but they never actually mentioned it.  Our version was apple juice).  My favorite was the red rubber balls, for distracting Cerebrus when you're trying to sneak into the Underworld.  Even that didn't make it in!  So we explained everything for the kids that hadn't read the book, and the kids who had thought it was great.

After we finally got rid of everyone we had pizza with the family that had come to help as chaperones (because John is out of town), and they went home about 7pm.  We had left for the theater at 12:30.  It was a LONG afternoon.

Sunday, we had Sunday school and church, and had to go to a birthday party at an indoor pool (for one of the children of the family from Saturday, actually).  Of course, despite my nagging, the kids did not actually try on their swimsuits until Saturday night.  0 for 3 fit, of course.  So after Rachel's choir practice ended at noon, and before the party started at 2:30, 30 minutes away, we hit Target and McDonald's and scored lunch and 3 new swimsuits.  Rachel has now outgrown the girl's suits (at least at Target) and fit pretty well in a women's small - except for styling.  I had to search high and low for the one tankini that was modest enough and yet not matronly.  Fortunately it fit well enough (although she was a little uncomfortable with the neckline), so we lucked out.

That party ended at 4:30 (or rather, I hustled the kids out at 4:30), which gave us an hour to drive home, drop the boys, hit the bathroom, and drive 20 minutes to Rachel's dance class.  Fortunately that gave me almost an hour to sit in Starbucks and knit.  Home from there by way of Burger King (yes, a less than steller nutrition day, sue me), and an hour to chill before Rachel had a babysitting job next door from 8 to 11pm.

It's kind of like doing a puzzle, fitting it all in.  I much prefer "a wide margin to my day", but sometimes, you know, it just all clumps together.  Tomorrow holds a tuba lesson, dungeons and dragons for the older kids, and another batch of cookies for William's Valentine's party.  We ate the first batch - I figured they wouldn't hold from Wednesday 'till Tuesday very well.  And then, hopefully, everyone back to school on Tuesday.

They're predicting snow for Monday night.  Just shoot me now.

1 comment:

hokgardner said...

I'm disappointed to hear that they've changed so much of the Lightning Thief in the movie. Ella and I both loved the book and were looking forward to seeing the film.