Weekend

We had a great weekend.   Friday as soon as the kids walked in the door Ryan grabbed a few (like 20) last minute things for his Winter Campout and we loaded the van with all his supplies and all the kids and headed to meet up with Chris.  My friend had called to warn us about the Stau on the 5 so we headed through Walldorf and met at the Esso where Chris grabbed him and all his stuff and took him the rest of the way to the church while I took the other five to get their passport photos.  Their travel passports are expiring… yikes.  $660 to get them all replaced, oh and more for the pictures.  Chris got home before me and unloaded the van of Eagle Scout pick ups and put a pizza in the oven for Friday Night Movie Night.  The girls were so excited that we got to watch TWO episodes of ONCE UPON A TIME.  Chris worked on taxes… with the sale of two homes last year our taxes are just a bit trickier – but nothing that my man can’t handle.

Saturday we slept in.  At 8:30 I woke up to the distant sound of kids running around and my mind started to make lists and flow in all different directions and I just laid there... wide awake.  I’m turning into my mom.   I figured that this was ‘bonus’ time and that I could use it to go edit pictures so I got up, got showered and ready, grabbed a yogurt and headed to the computer.  

The kids love a good Saturday where we don’t go anywhere.  I hardly saw them between Wii games and organizing all the doll clothes and playing house and setting up play tents to completely cover the floor in Megan’s room.  Katie got some project work done and played Wii with the boys since they always want her to play with them and she never has time.

Meanwhile Ryan had a blast camping in 28 degree weather.  Chris had told him to pack all of his clothes and then when he was finished to think about what Mom would want him to wear and pack again.   I had spent Thursday night sitting on his bed while he packed just so I could be sure he’d be warm enough – and because I hardly see him these days and actually miss him.  He was warm enough, thanks to extra socks and blankets and had a blast eating his tin foil dinner, playing capture the flag, exploring the ‘haunted preschool’, and playing tons of MAFIA.  They had camped in this same location before so when I came up to Ryan’s room on Thursday night he had already been telling Matt about the haunted preschool… an abandoned building with tables and chairs and even a Monopoly junior game left half played… and told Matt not to worry because our house is protected from ghosts because of this super big flag with a Y on it which sits above his bed.   Oh my, what kinds of crazy things is Matt learning from this guy.  Thanks for that, Ry.

At 1:30 Chris and I left for the afternoon and evening while Katie and Emily babysat for 9 hours.   We headed to K-town and met Ryan, whose coach/YM president had picked them up from the campout and taken them to their basketball game.  It was such a fun game to watch.  They’ve had some close games and some really not close games, but no wins.  But they are a team of guys who (for the most part) have really not had a lot of experience playing and thought they’d give it a try together.  It’s been a fun season.  They’ve all learned a ton and they played a great game, gaining their first win.  Ryan shot and scored his first 3 pointer but usually he plays right under the net.  Go figure that Ryan would be one of the bigger guys on the team.  

From there Ryan showered at the gym and got ready for the Seminary Super Saturday/Dinner and Dance at the Stake Center.  Brother Aston took him over there as Chris and I needed to head to President Adams house for a Bishops and Wives dinner with President and Sister Adams.  They are just fabulous.  It was a fun night with soup and sandwiches, some training and some games.  After the dinner we headed back over to the Stake Dance and danced the last couple of slow songs together before we divvied up the Heidelberg youth and took them home.   It was nice that our three K-town events were all in one Saturday and that Katie and the kids are so content at home.   Making money so she can finally buy the iTouch she wants is quite a motivation… but she just generally likes to take care of the kids and comes up with the best activities for them.

Sunday night Katie and Emily gave us a family home evening that they had prepared together on SERVICE.  They had looked up what FAITH IN GOD requirement and which VALUE EXPERIENCE would work together for a good lesson.  They each played the piano for our opening and closing song, we read some scriptures, acted out a story from the bible, played hang man, and pulled situations out of a jar to talk about how we could serve others.  Then the girls made brownies for us, for Chris and Ryan’s home teaching family and for our German neighbors.  Those girls are something.  It was completely planned without me knowing a thing about it.    So fun.   We’re having to have our Family Home Evening’s on Sunday Nights these days since Chris and Ryan head off to Basketball practice on Mondays.