May Day

How can a holiday (is May Day an actual holiday?) that involves leaving baskets of flowers and goodies anonymously for friends and family also be connected to dire situations on the high seas? Not logical.

I slacked on the writing every day thing. And the every day thing was actually every WEEK day anyway. And did anyone notice? I feel no guilt about this.

We had a great weekend. Clover and Evan were up and Scott F was here too. Lots of cousins, an equipment auction, a lot of food made AND consumed, games, games, games, and even a walk in the woods. Not one of those weekends that leave you feeling rested to face the week ahead. More like a sliding into Sunday evening in an unsuspected fit of exhaustion that suddenly rears its ugly head and requires an hour of mustering up the courage to get off Mom and Dad's sofa and go home. A weekend that requires all your energy (in a good way) is a weekend well spent.

I spent yesterday in my pajamas doing calm and slow things. How slothful. But that is one of the upsides of being a pregnant stay at home mom with your husband away. I did try to hide behind the open door when I opened it for Orianna's bus. (Which is difficult with a glass front door.) I might feel okay about staying in my pajamas, but I am not okay with the bus driver seeing me IN my pajamas at 3 PM. Hypocritical.

Justin got home last night around 8. I stirred myself finally to get the house cleaned. I felt like I should have the house calm and welcoming for Justin. Or at least not the disaster of toys and cloth scraps that it was when he left. The kids helped, grudgingly at first, but then they got into it and had to make me come SEE how clean their room was getting every 5 minutes and ask if it was time for a break yet. They are pretty nice kids.  As I was just about done cleaning it, I suddenly realized I was sending all the wrong subliminal messages to Justin. I was feeling sort of super-mom-ish, having a clean house and all the kids alive after him being gone for 6 days. But there was a slight chance that he would think "Bet has it all under control. I really don't need to help her with housework--I would just be in the way." Still, the house is all clean, which is nice.  

There was noisy rejoicing to see Daddy again! The kids had just enough time for some pictures of Colorado before bedtime.

I think I will now go sit on the sofa and stare contentedly at my clean house for awhile.

This is a random smattering of pictures from this weekend. I forgot my camera on Sunday, so I might actually get some pictures from Olivia and Ashley and put them up. But don't hold your breath.

Gilbert and pizza Friday night

The boys

The girls 

Somehow, even this young, Gilbert and Lincoln seem to understand that Elliott is where it is at, not the girls.

Ashley helped the kids do a clean up, walking around with bags, fighting over who gets to pick up the trash along the road. "That is my trash. I saw it first." Kids.

Talking

And more talking

Brainpop.com which is a huge hit that my kids discovered this weekend.

Gilbert was wading in puddles happy as a clam. Then he stumbled. And continued to be happy as a clam. 

Mommy, on the other hand, wasn't quite as excited. After a bath and new clothes that Clover had just brought up for Gilbert, he was clean as a wink. And then Lily came in with a crushed, newly discovered chicken egg in her vest pocket. She had to wear a pair of Elliott's hand me down pants and for some reason, was hugely embarrassed about it. 

Hanging out around the brain pop. I am not sure if it is called that because connections and wisdom just POP into your brain after being on there or because it is like soda pop--junk food for your brain. The jury is still out. 

Lily talking to Daddy. Yeah, I have a corded phone. It was my Grandmothers. Seriously, if you knew how often I used to run all over the house trying to locate one of the 4 cordless phones that may or may not be ringing due to a dead battery, a corded phone would make perfect sense. 

We had snow on Friday. Bits of it hung around until Saturday afternoon. It was a cold weekend. "Yankee wither." (We had a Benjamin Franklin tape when we were kids that said that and it is still the phrase that pops into my head when the weather is not behaving itself.)

Seriously, I think March was warmer than April. And now it is May and in the 40s. But things are looking up! 60s tomorrow and 70s after that. Open window weather finally!!!!