strange feeling

Dr. Dave is gone for the weekend. It's weird to not have him home at night. The kids cried when he left this afternoon. I will admit I almost did too. The worry-wart in me thinks that something bad will happen while he is gone. He is having fun though.

Dave loves pig-tails, when the girls wear them and me too. ;) I thought I'd send him off in style this afternoon. I really should take the 10 minutes needed to do my hair more often. I felt a little different, a little fancier, all day. I know the Mister noticed my hair even if he didn't say anything. He was running around trying to pack while his friends waited for him in the living room, so it was understandably a little crazy. Dave has been working on 2 different things lately that have come together this weekend. First, he has been training to do a mini-triathalon the end of May. Holy smokes, it's May already. One of Dave's patients, who was going to participate in the Wildflower Triathlon in Monterey County this weekend, asked him to swim her leg of the relay. He is excited to try the new wet suit and do his first race tomorrow morning.

Second, Dave joined a chiropractic group that travels to various events around the area to provide support for the athletes and participants. He has done 2 events so far and is already seeing a little boost in business, which is the end goal. Plus Dave's having fun at what he does and that is the best part. His group had planned on going down to Wildflower to support the event before Dave knew he could swim, so he is stoked to do both!

Even though we miss our Dad/hubby tons, he is having a fun, productive weekend with colleages "camping" in a double wide trailer.

Dan & Lauren and Tom & Kristy came over for dinner and a movie to keep us company tonight. The kids love getting crazy with their uncles. They watched movies on the couch and played while the girls sewed in the kitchen. Kristy and Lauren made blankets for friends' babies and I started making rice bags for Dave to sell to patients.

After the kids went to bed and everyone left I realized how eerily quiet the house is right now. I actually stopped and thought about what I should do. It's too early for me to go to bed, especially after eating 3 chocolate chip cookies, and Dave's not home to talk to as usual. During the day when the laughing, screaming, fighting gets to be too much, I dream about time to myself with total silence. Now I have it and I'm a little lonely.

What should I do? My top choices are blog, (which I'm almost done with), wrap up in a cozy blanket and watch a chick flick without getting up to take care of someone else, read until I fall asleep in the precious silence. We'll see. I might do all three.

Typical morning lately

M: Logan would you like some oatmeal or cereal for breakfast?

L: Mmmm..... a meat sandwich!

M: So you want some oatmeal?

L: No, a meat sand-wich!

M: You can have a meat sandwich for lunch. We're having oatmeal if you don't decide.

L: Okay....oatmeal.

M: Do you want cinnamon in it?

L: Gross.

* 5 minutes later when oatmeal has cooled *

M: Mr. Cooper! Here's your oatmeal.

L: Bop (my nickname), I'm NOT eating this oatmeal. (Grrrrrrrrrrr!)

M: Eat your oatmeal. It's got brown sugar in it.

L: I HATE brown sugar!

M: No you don't. That's what cookies are made of.

L: I hate it!

This kid is beyond frustrating with food sometimes. He finally realized the oatmeal on the table was his only breakfast.

I am a picture nerd. Capturing part of my kids personalities, catching that elusive smile that I fell in love with from the Mister, or freezing a moment in time that would otherwise be forgotten makes me so happy.

We were leaving Toby's Music for Minors concert at J's school last night when we walked past this cool mural wall. I had to stop for a few snaps. When I glanced at this picture in the camera last night I couldn't wait to get it up on the screen. I love it. This is so Toby.Sydney discovered airplanes last week at Toby's T-ball game. Whenever we are outside now she points up and says, "Pay!" for airplane. She knows the sound of an approaching jet and won't stop until we find where it is in the sky. This is what happens when all the kids except Syd see an airplane. I didn't even see until later that it looks like Syd has a halo above her head. It's appropriate since she is our sweet angel. All the kids love showing her new things and rejoice with Mom and Dad in her milestones. Kids are the best!

We had one of those bounce-from-one thing-to-the-next days yesterday. I think we were home for about 3 hours all day. I'm glad my schedule does not demand more of those days. I really don't mind having nothing pressing to do and making my own schedule for the day.

We started with a trip to Home Depot with Uncle Tom (my brother) to buy new countertops and kitchen sink for an apartment. Tom is doing all the work I can get for him here at the apartments. It's a slow time for construction so he's grateful for some work. I think Tom is almost done with all he needs for his contractor's license which is exciting!

On a related note, my Dad is still out of work in the same field. Construction is understandably slow in this economy, and Dad has been looking since the beginning of the year. Toby always remembers to "bless Grandpa Bob that he can get a cool new job" in his prayers.

Between piano lessons for Jess and her friend Jaime, errands, T-ball, and Toby's concert last night we were running the rest of yesterday. It's feels good to be busy and super productive sometimes.