In an ideal world, I would like to do a recap of the weekend on my blog every Monday so that I could always remember a few of the moments we spend with family and friends. The weekends fly by at our house and then the kids are off in a flash to school, leaving all kinds of mess in their wake.
It takes me a couple of days just to catch my breath (and do all the laundry), so I miss the opportunity to stop and just savor. To hold on to a memory or two from our days at home.
But since it’s Tuesday, not Monday, I figure I’ll be behind all week and I might as well enjoy the unusually warm air and sunshine on this seventeenth day of the new year.
We started the weekend with celebrating Vitara’s 18th birthday. She is our exchange student from Indonesia. We had a family dinner one night and then she had lots of friends over on Saturday.
We made about 10 pans of enchiladas and Mary Polly made a giant bowl of guacamole. Plus chips and salsa of course!
The American students insisted the exchange students see Napoleon Dynamite, which we had to agree is a classic must-see for American teenagers. Simon and Ben were thrilled with the movie choice as they both have a special appreciation for this film that encapsulates what it’s like to live with their brother.
Saturday night, Mary Polly and I got dressed up to go out for a special girls’ date with some of our bestest friends for dessert at the Capital Hotel. We had a blast getting dressed up and laughing together. We ordered four different desserts and practically licked the plates clean.
Mary Polly and her friend, Kindell are over halfway through the seventh grade, and since that year was so very difficult in my own life, we are celebrating just getting through! Mary Polly and I went and bought shoes to go with her dress and it was our very first shopping experience together that did not end badly. No tears from either of us! Fingers crossed, but I think we might be on the downhill slide!
At church on Sunday we celebrated the ways we are different from one another and the progress our church has made in 16 years on the road to being multi-racial. Also we talked about how far we have to go.
I got to sing in the choir which is one of my most favoritest things! We sang a simple chorus called Let the Walls Come Down that will be in my heart in days ahead. Daddy preached and it was beautiful. I so much appreciate his heart for issues of race in the church.
Then yesterday was Martin Luther King, Jr Day. Taido did some writing. I did some reading. One of my favorite teachers keeps me up to date on new books for kids and her class is reading Peace, Locomotion this week. It’s a sweet, sweet book of letters from an older brother to a younger sister written while they are both residing in separate foster homes.
Also, I made it to a new yoga class (check that off the New Year’s list!), most of us went to the park and played and there was even some box sledding. Hooray for getting out and moving in January!
And of course, no weekend is complete around here without a round or two of Settlers of Catan. Buying this game for Ben’s birthday last spring was the best investment I’ve made in years!
Hope your weekend was lovely and that there is sunshine in your Tuesday!
Saw you four at the Capital Hotel Saturday. I spent a good deal of time writing a little story in my head about what you were up to. Reminded me of good times with my mother.
Aww, that’s so fun! The girls spent half of our time visiting the huge bathroom. So cutie!!