Friday Favorites

I feel like we must have done something this week...


1. Saturday, we took the three younger kids out to dinner and then to a park while the older girls babysat their twin boybie cousins. The park was just the right thing to cap off our evening, and I'm so glad Rophone was there to man Edith so I could take some photos with my phone.

2. With as much anxiety Bud has about everyday sorts of things at times, it was great to see him climb that space net fearlessly. I mean, when it comes to exploring and climbing things, the kid has no uncertainty. He climbed the toy in mere seconds, every step and handhold made without hesitation. He is completely confident because he feels in control. As much as Bud enjoys soccer and other team sports, he doesn't really like the jostling and roughness that can take place. So, he tends to stick to the outskirts of the game where he can kind of run happily and not be involved in the out-of-control part of it all. 


I have been wracking my brain, trying to think of something that would be a better fit for him, and I think the perfect solution will be getting Bud into rock climbing. He will get exercise and will still learn to work as a team (with his belayer), but will feel like he is in charge (a much more comfortable place for him). I can hardly wait to sign him up when this soccer season is over. The possibilities I see in this for Bud make me happy. 


3. On Sunday, I took the kids over to my folks' to hang out and eat ice cream. The treats were good and Edith could have stayed in the swing quite happily for several more hours, I'm pretty sure. 

3. The boys were so sad to have to leave their grandparents' house on Sunday that we managed to wrangle an invite for a sleepover on Monday night. They had a great time, and I really enjoyed having two less kids to get ready for bed that night. The waffles my mom made and invited all of the kids over to eat the next morning saved me having to fix them breakfast, too. I think I like sending my kids to sleep over at someone else's house. 


4. Tuesday night some friends invited us to come to a 'family night' at their vacation spot. It was so great to see our friends (but I'm lame and didn't get a photo of them) and the kids had a fantastic time. I should probably do a separate post because I have so many photos, but I'm not. 

Pen, hatchet throwing

5. I went to get my new 'teeth' put in on Wednesday morning. I was kinda bummed that the shade was a little dark compared to my other, newly-whitened teeth, so they're making me a new set. On the other hand, this 'practice' pair allows us to fiddle with the shape and size a smidge to get them just right. Now I'm excited, thinking that the finished product will be better than I'd hoped for. Then, on to orthodontia! 

6. Wednesday night, Rophone and I went to the big city for me to get a haircut. We took Edith along so she could have a little date with us. It was so much fun being out as a threesome. I loved how excited Edith was to try on a pair of jeggings we found while at the store. She happily let me strip her down and then did a little dance for her dad to show the pants off, and it was hard to pull her away from admiring herself in the mirror so we could put her back in her own clothes. Buying the pants for her was a must, of course. I tell you, that girl is a shopper!

7. Rophone took my car to get new tires and got it all registered this week. He takes such good care of me. Thanks, Rophone!

8. This morning, my folks and I took the three younger kids up to a reservoir in a nearby canyon. Bud expressed surprise when I decided to shower after my workout this morning, and when I explained that I was doing it because I was sweaty and stinky, he replied, "Whatever. But, if I were you, I would have waited until after the reservoir to shower." I laughed a little, thinking that I wouldn't get that dirty just watching the kids. Guess The-kid-who-has-been-there-before-without-me was right. As I walked down the hill to the reservoir, trying to catch up to the boys who had raced ahead, and heard one boy yelling, "Help! I'm stuck! I'm stuck!" and the other one sobbing, "I lost my shoe! It's stuck in the mud! I lost my shooooo-oooo-ooe!".... well, I knew another shower was in my future. In some spots, the bottom of the reservoir was a wee bit mucky. See?

Yes, I'm holding Big's rescued shoe...

Luckily, Bud was good at extricating himself when stuck. Here he is freeing himself while Big remains stuck up to his thigh (Yeah, it was trying to help Big get out that got me stuck and helped me admit that Bud is, indeed, a wise boy. Definitely another shower..).

I'm glad that Edith, at least, was smart about where she walked. She spent most of her time looking for pretty rocks and taking them to her grandma.

All in all, despite the mud-trauma, it was a whole lot of fun. The scenery was beautiful and I just enjoyed being out. I sometimes forget how much I love it.

9. It has been such a good week! And, to top it all off, Edith and I sang an Alphabet Duet tonight. We love to sing together. 

Wow! This is a really packed Friday Favorites. It's probably time I get off my duff and do more mid-week posts, eh? I'll try to be less lazy....