Keeping up with...Family (Weekly Wrap 9/15 - 9/21)

Friday (9/15) Thankfully everyone slept thru the night and we all got up and out to where we needed to be this morning.  I was home most of the day and got a bunch of stuff done around the house while everyone else was at work and school.  Friday afternoons I pick up AJ from school and I'm really enjoying our time alone together in the car.  That is probably the most he talks to me, probably because there are no distractions.  Soon after we got home, I left to pick up Daniel and Zak as well.  The boys settled in for some video game time while I got dinner ready.  Zak had soccer practice tonight so Adrian took him there while I hung at home with the other two and finished dinner.  After a delicious dinner, we did a few more things then got the kids to bed. 

Saturday (9/16) We started early with another full day of soccer.  AJ played first and Adrian took him to the game while I got the other boys ready.  AJ's team had a come from behind victory and they all played really tough!  After his game, I met them in the parking lot and Adrian took Zak to his game while I took AJ to the high school where he was volunteering as a ball boy for the boys' varsity team.  AJ had a great time helping out at the high school and was especially excited that he knew one of the boys on the team.  He became friends with a boy at sports and art camp this summer and he is on the varsity team for our high school.  It was a sweet reunion for them!

While AJ and I were baking in the sun at the high school, Adrian was watching the other two boys' games.  Zak's team dominate and won by a ton.  Both teams actually scored a lot, not too much defense going on in that game.  Then they had a short break before Daniel's team played.  Although they played tough, Daniel's team lost in a tough match up.  The boys all had fun though and that is what we're focusing on this season anyway.

After all that soccer, we came home and relaxed.  We were all wiped out from the sun so we got a few things done, watched part of the OSU game and rested.  Then at night, our babysitters came over to hang with the boys while Adrian and I headed to Easton.  We had a great date night restaurant hopping!  We started with dinner at Condado, a restaurant Adrian goes to with his co-workers all the time but I have never been to.  The tacos were awesome, we both loved what we picked.  Then we headed to Cooper's Hawk to do our free wine tasting and pick up our monthly bottles.  We tasted some new wines and found two we loved - Vino Verde & Twice Oaked Chardonnay.  Those were the two we took home with us to enjoy over the next few weeks.  We finished up with dessert at Jeni's ice cream, always delicious!  When we came home, we finished up the OSU game and then finished up Suicide Squad.  It was a really good movie, way better than we were expecting!

Sunday (9/17) We all woke up feeling very lazy and not wanting to do anything.  So we decided to blow off our whole day and not do a whole lot.  We skipped church and swim lessons and just hung around the house getting stuff done and relaxing.  It wasn't our most responsible decision but it sure was fun!  We got everything done around the house, relaxed a lot, played some board games and video games and watched some football.  Unfortunately neither the Jets nor the Cowboys won today so that put a bit of a damper on the day.  But even a bad day of football is still a good day!  We finished up our day by starting to watch the Emmy awards.  We enjoy watching them but it takes us a few days since we only have limited time each night to watch them.

Monday (9/18)  We were well rested after our day off yesterday and ready to take on our busy week!  Zak got us started super early again, waking us up around 4:30am.  I don't know why he doesn't like to sleep, sometimes I wonder if he is really my child.  Everyone got up and out to school and then I came home and did some work around the house that we didn't finish up this weekend and also to get us ready for my upcoming retreat weekend.  I picked everyone up from school and we headed to the Y for my Zumba class.  After class we raced home, had a quick dinner of meatball subs and then Daniel and I were off to his soccer practice.  While we were there, Adrian took AJ and Zak to the high school girls varsity soccer game to watch one of their babysitters play.  The girls won 11-0 and Avery scored 2 goals!  Everyone enjoyed themselves at the game, they even got to enjoy ice cream from the Graeter's ice cream truck that was there for the game.  When everyone got home and to bed Adrian and I continued watching the Emmy awards.

Tuesday (9/19) Thankfully everyone slept in until a normal hour this morning and we still got out to work and school on time.  I dropped the boys off and ran a few errands to get ready for the weekend.  Then I headed to teach my two Silver Sneakers classes.  After class I came home and did a few things to get us ready for the busy night.  When the boys all got home from school, they grabbed a quick snack and we headed over to AJ's school for his parent teacher conferences.  I enjoyed talking to all three teachers and learning a little more about what AJ is doing this year.  His Math teacher continues to be impressed with his skills and how quickly he picks up the lessons.  His Science teacher said he participates a lot and gave us some tips on how to help with his homework.  And his Social Studies teacher enjoyed hearing him talk and getting to know him better since he is very quiet during class.  She gave us a preview of what they'll be learning this year.

After the conferences we headed to the book fair where each boy got to pick one book.  AJ picked "Dogman," Daniel picked "Dogman 3: A Tale of Two Kitties," and Zak picked "Pete the Cat: Trick or Treat."  Then we ran home and grabbed a quick dinner of tacos for the boys and fajitas for the adults.  After dinner, Adrian took AJ to soccer practice while I stayed home with the other boys.  When they got back from practice, we got the boys to bed and then settled in for night three of the Emmy awards.  I'm hoping to finish them up tomorrow before I'm gone for the long weekend!

Wednesday (9/20) We all got up and out to school on time today and then I came home and started packing for my weekend away.  I ran a few last minute errands and then started packing up my stuff.  I picked up the kids from school and then we headed to the Y for my Zumba class.  It was brutal hot outside and we were roasting on our walk home from school.  But as we pulled into the Y it started raining and when we came out it was significantly cooler.  We were all really thankful because Daniel had a soccer game after class.  It turned out to be a nice night to sit outside for the game.  Unfortunately the team was not feeling it and they had a rough loss to the first place team in our league.  But the kids seemed to have fun so that's what's important to me.  When we got home we got the kids snacks, show and to bed and then we finished up the Emmy awards. 

Thursday (9/21) We got up and out on time again.  We were so early getting Daniel and Zak ready that we decided to walk over to school.  I'm thankful we did because they are doing construction on that street and the line looked like a big mess.  After dropping them off I went to teach my two Silver Sneakers classes and then came home to finish packing and get ready to leave for the weekend.  I set up as much of the boys' stuff for tomorrow as I could and then I headed out to teach my Zumba class and head up to Oak Harbor for the weekend.

Adrian took the boys to Zak's soccer practice while I was at Zumba.  It was super hot but the kids did really well getting through it.  The coach said it was good practice for the weekend because it's supposed to be super hot for their game on Saturday.  They went home and did their normal night routine while I headed north for the weekend.  It was a mostly nice drive, although the twists and turns of the country roads in the dark were not fun.  I got here right around 9:30, unloaded my car, chatted for a bit and then headed to bed.  I'm so looking forward to resting, relaxing and catching up on some stuff this weekend.