A Mental Snapshot

We had a little summer weather preview this weekend.  Temps soared into the 80s and we spend the WHOLE weekend outside.

I didn't take any pictures because we were very busy, so I'm going to write some details so I can have a mental snapshot years down the road when I can't remember what it was like to have 3 young children.

Saturday the boys were up early, as is becoming the norm.  We had breakfast and then worked on getting some stuff done inside.  Daddy got home from work and we headed outside.  Chris tilled the garden while Kaden and Connor played in the sand box and watched.

After a quick lunch, Kaden headed back to the shop with Daddy to get his mower fixed.  The battery wouldn't charge when we brought it back up from the basement for the summer.  Chris put a new battery in it, and now we are good to go.  When they got back, we picked up sticks and Chris started dethatching the yard.  We grilled burgers for summer when it got dark, and headed to bed, exhausted.

Sunday I got up and showered for church.  Chris couldn't talk and wasn't feeling well.  All the dust and stuff from the outdoor work we've done lately (the last 3 weekends in Omaha and now at our house) has been horrible for his allergies.  He decided not to go to church, and I chickened out.  I told him he had to keep Connor and I'd take the other two to church.  I can do all 3 to the grocery store, to the park, to the track meet, on a walk, but I wasn't ready to try church.

After church Kaden and I grabbed some groceries.  We came home and had lunch, then headed to Bomgaars to buy garden stuff!  Picture this:  Connor wasn't done with his hamburger from lunch, but he wouldn't sit down to eat it, so we took it with us.  Picture him in his carseat, last little bit of hamburger in hand, fighting heavy, heavy eyelids.  Then, picture him sitting in the cart at Bomgaars, looking around at all the stuff, happy as can be, still working on the hamburger.  Pretty stinkin' cute.

After Bomgaars we worked outside.  I cleaned out the Blazer while Chris finished dethatching the yard and bagging the grass.  The boys rode around the yard, Kaden on his John Deere mower and Connor on his little Mater.  Ellie slept on a blanket on the patio, enjoying the fresh air and warmth.  I ran to Kathi's to look at a double stroller she had gotten for me from Facebook.  I took Connor with me, hoping he would fall asleep in the car and take a nap, but no such luck.

I decided we needed a double stroller after we walked to the school to pick up Kaden from the Good News Club on Thursday.  I put Connor in the stroller and wore Ellie in the wrap thing I borrowed from Amy.  It worked wonderfully, but I don't think either Ellie or I will be comfortable doing that when it is ninety degrees.    Kathi started to look for me and found one for pretty cheap.  I just couldn't fathom putting everyone in the car to walk to lunch or the pool this summer when they are so close!  Now we won't have to.  After I brought that home, Connor wouldn't get out.  He loved sitting in it.  Ellie spend the rest of the evening sleeping in the stroller (with a few trips inside to nurse) while we uncovered the roses, vacuumed the Blazer and did other outside projects.

It was an amazing weekend.  Even though we worked hard and I was tired, it was so nice to be home as a family and to be outside working/playing together.  I love that the boys would come help with whatever project I was doing.  They aren't the greatest helpers, and of course they never want to help when I ask them to, but I really think that including them in our weekend projects teaches them a lot about work ethic.

So, there is a long boring post about our weekend.  It is really more for my future self than for anyone else, but hope you enjoyed it if you made it this far :)