Weekend

The kids' rooms are cleaner than my living room right now. This morning Princess said "Tag! Don't forget to clean your room just in case the House Fairy comes by to visit." They spent all the time they could, getting things straightened up before school which made my little heart go pitty-pat I tell you what. They are most certainly getting a surprise from the HF today.

On Saturday I went to support the Army-dillo (sounds like armadillo) by walking in the 2 mile race to support the Sentinel Foundation. The person doing the registering at the PX assured me that lots of families with kids walked. Well, someone forgot to tell the rest of the families that, so I ended up being the only walker. Man came with me... but I'm not sure why. Duty? Obligation? I told him he didn't have to come but I was taking the kids and we were going to have a good time. He wasn't happy to be there. His argument: "I have to walk for PT every business day of the week and now someone wants me to pay to wake up early on a Saturday and do more PT?" We got a t-shirt out of the deal though. I carried Tag part of the way (poor little asthma lungs), pushed a two seater stroller, and we had to get off the road several times as the 2 mile runners passed us up going and coming, and then the teams passed us up, and finally the 10k runners started passing us up just as the finish line came into sight.

I actually forgot to turn in my racing tag to be scored. I took it over to the score board and the man there got a little flustered. I said "don't worry. I was dead last. We crossed after 47 minutes." "Oh, well, that's ok. Just put it over here." We were a good 20 minutes slower than any other 2 mile participant so we ended up on the score board anyway. The 10k winner looked twice as old as any of the young military there but he won by several minutes. I was most impressed.

There was that family.... kind of in the way, the wife was overweight, the kids slow and one looked sick, the soldier is injured, BUT THAT'S OK. Do you know why? We Army families may not win races, but we finish them. And supporting the Sentinel Foundation was the point of the whole party, right?

The kids played in a bouncy castle, Princess and Tag got to ride Pistol the horse, Tag did some rock wall climbing, and the horse guy asked me if I'd like to try riding Pistol. I said sure, why not. Left foot in the stirrup, swing the right leg over... fail. I made the saddle slide around the horse. My face burned as I refused to look at all the athletic young things surrounding me and my foot got stuck in the stirrup. I laughed and tried to make it look intentional. Um, which it was....n't. The horse man said he could just tighten the saddle and get me up there with a heave. I laughed again, told him I'd try later in life using a mounting block, and let it drop. After that I was all funned out and we went out for Ice Cream. Which always helps bruised egos. Especially if it's a cute little place called (I kid you not) Marble Slab. We go there because the ice cream is just as good, they have cards that get you your 6th cone for free, and they have military discounts. Double dark chocolate ice cream with caramel chip mix in... bliss.

After we got home I mowed the lawns. It's dry enough now that we don't have hurricanes every week that I was breathing in a steady, thick cloud of chaff and dirt. Allergy heaven.

A shower and a batch of rolls later, I was off to the dinner before Women's Conference. I met new people as well as some from California. That was a bit surreal. There was even one sister there who was in CA as missionary, then she came back to live, met her fiance, and now she's living here with her husband for his training. It was just an odd circumstance.

As I was leaving the conference, several of the ladies kept staring at my chest. Which was unspeakably weird. Women can always tell when someone is staring at their chest no matter how discreet you think you're being. I finally looked down to see if I had grown a third bosom only to find the Freida had somehow managed to open my button up shirt right where everyone could see my bra. Lots of my bra.

The next day at church was the first day of our new callings as Sunbeams teachers (which was actually quite delightful. We re-enacted the parable of the Good Samaritan), Man got to be the ward chorister (during which Freida started screaming to high heaven, which meant I had to leave three kids in the chapel with a calling-bound husband and a room full of very kind people who are still largely strangers). I also got to play the piano for singing time which everyone assures me wasn't as bad as I thought it was but I know lousy piano playing when I hear it. I kept a stiff upper lip and did my best to play despite deficiencies and shaky hands, and the kids didn't seem to mind too much when they'd suddenly go acapella.

All in all, it could have been a really rotten weekend. But we had fun and made the most of things. And I got a re-reading of Ender's Game in which was awesome. I gave myself the luxury of a frozen lasagna for dinner one night and fish sticks for another night. Much cheaper than eating out, for sure and it was nice to have a bit of a break.

So, back to the grind. Except I feel like I'm resting today more than I got to all weekend. And I'm watching season 4 of The Office while I fold laundry. Woot!