Randomness

We've had a great weekend with our kids. Last Thursday, Erica and I were set to go to her school's monthly Math Night. They put about forty games out on the lunchroom tables and you can play any game you want. Heaven for me! Rob walked in the door about an hour and a half before math night and I asked if he minded if I took Erica out to dinner - just the two of us. He graciously complied to eating leftovers with the boys and off Erica and I went to Johnny Rockets. We sat at the counter (we had a great view of the milkshake machine ;) and Erica asked them to do their traditional "Stayin' Alive" dance. We had a blast! Especially because they let me order a kids meal. I'm so cheap! I used to eat at Johnny Rockets when we lived in Tokyo and so I've always had a special place in my heart (or stomach) for JR ('s fries). We then had a little time to waste, so we headed next door to Barnes&Noble. Then off to Math Night, where I tried not to let my competetive side kick in as my five-year-old and I played Rush Hour (see picture), Blokus, Blink (see sidebar), and put together a puzzle soccer ball. We had a great time! I think it would be fun to get a bunch of mom's together with girls Erica's age and go out for an evening. Anyone interested?


Friday night our community center was showing "Ratatouille," a hilarious animated movie which Rob's parents introduced us to and gave us for Christmas. Since it would be a "late" night, I once again got to take Erica while the boys went to bed. We got to eat popcorn and more importantly, REDVINES.

Saturday we got to go on a date, during which my darling husband helped me match cardstock to 12x12 paper in the 14 minutes before JoAnn's closed. LONG LIVE CARD- MAKING! We also hit our favorite used bookstore - it was fun to visit a different location. I got a hardcover Mary Higgins Clark book for $1! I also found some Valentines books for my kids that were less than $2. Books are a general family weakness. Or strength, depending on how you look at it. One day, we hope to have an entire room dedicated to bookshelves. For now, they are in boxes inside, outside, under beds, in closets, and on various shelves. I have kids books alone in four different locations! We also discovered Zoopa, which is a soup/salad/pasta bar that was somewhere in between a Souper Salad and a Sweet Tomatoes. Oh, how I wish we lived by a Sweet Tomatoes!

Today, Rob worked from home. I let the kids take over the house with a huge homemade fort that consisted of the Exersaucer, pop-up soccer goal, IKEA tent, bouncer, piano bench, and all the couch cushions. They even snuck in their own food storage stash! I realized that by the time Erica gets home from school on a typical day, I'm trying to keep the living room clean and make dinner. I'm always telling them not to make a mess. Since today was a holiday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day - which Erica and Robby can tell you all about - including what he believed him and how he was assasinated), I let them have at it. Rob also took Erica out to play basketball and to ride her tiny bike while he "jogged" beside it. I guess Erica's had a big weekend!!

It's been a busy quarter for me with E&R's swimming lessons, E's ballet class, Jacob's naps, driving to preschool and Kindergarten, and volunteering to help with the Elementary school yearbook (YAY! Finally can dust off those publishing skills from high school). It's been busy and at times I feel like I'm toting a circus, but it's so much fun!!

I really appreciate my family lately. My kids are adorable. They say the funniest things, but whenever I want to blog about them, I can't remember what they say! Erica's favorite phrase is "oh dear!" It's so funny! Especially when she repeats it over and over. Robby has been quoting "that guy at church...Brother Stanfield" telling us all about the spirit world and that Brother Stanfield's name is like a scarecrow standing in the middle of the field to scare the birds away. Get it? Stanfield. :) Jacob is getting cuter and cuter. He is looking a lot older. He's learning to dance and push himself up to a kneeling position on our little stool. And my husband is fantastic. I got lucky. So did he. :)