The Weekend - I Mom So Hard

Brian was scheduled to work Friday and Saturday this weekend, but he ended up having to work Sunday as well, so I was flying solo with the kids all three days.  As always, when I have them alone I like to get out and about so we’re not cooped up too much and this weekend was no exception.

Friday evening we knew B wouldn’t be home until 11 PM or so, so after work I grabbed both kids from school and we headed downtown to meet my parents at our favorite BBQ place in town.  The Friday night concert series also cranked back up again here, so after dinner we headed to check that out.  During the spring and fall when the weather is nice our city does free outdoor concerts right smack in the middle of our main downtown area.  They close off the roads, the bars and restaurants set up beer stands on the streets, and everyone brings lawn chairs and sits out in the streets and the median to listen.  This week was the season opener and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people at one of those ever and we have been coming for years.  It was packed out!  The band was a Prince tribute band and they were actually pretty good, so maybe that’s why so many people showed up?  Who knows.

While we were down there my aunt, uncle, and cousin spotted us and came to hang out as well.  The kids climbed all over my uncle like a jungle gym (they love their Uncle Greg!) and they also hugged all over my cousin Shelby.  She came home from college for the weekend and the kids were happy to have her back.  They hadn’t eaten dinner at that point and all of the restaurants were packed with really long waits, so they decided to head to one of our favorite local pubs in midtown.  By that time it was already after the kids’ bedtimes, but since B was going to be working for a while longer, we just decided to YOLO and go hang with them some more.  Anything to delay the inevitable bedtime struggle.  ;o)

At the restaurant, my mom ordered an ice cream brownie for all of us to share, and after the kids had their fill, we headed home.  The kids were both so exhausted that bedtime actually ended up being really easy and they were both sound asleep by 9:45.  Since we had been off galavanting all evening I still had to get everything prepared for Jacob’s early soccer game the next morning, and once that was done, I grabbed a pint of Halo Top and plopped down on the sofa with good ol’ Coach Taylor and the rest of the gang from Friday Night Lights.  Yes, we just watched that entire series from start to finish last year and yes, I’m already going back for more.  But only when B isn’t home… I believe he thinks I’m crazy for already wanting to watch it again.  But I mean – COACH TAYLOR!!  

B got home a little after 11 and we went straight to bed because Saturday was an early morning.  Brian had to be back at work bright and early and Jacob had a soccer game at 9 which meant we had to be there by 8:30, so we all got up almost as early as we do on the weekdays.  In addition to the normal stuff we have to bring to the soccer field, we also had snack duty this weekend (go figure, the one weekend that B couldn’t be there!) so I also had to haul a bag full of snacks and the cooler full of Gatorades.  The kids were fortunately both very cooperative, and we arrived at the fields at 8:20 with Jacob’s soccer bag, our lawn chairs, the cooler, and the snack bag in tow.  Sheesh.  My parents and my uncle all came to watch and they all arrived just in time to help me carry it all to the field.  It really does take a village, people.

My FIL, MIL, and step-FIL also met up with us for the game so Jacob had a big crowd to make up for the fact that B couldn’t be there.  He was heartbroken that he had to miss it, but I kept him filled in on every second of the action.  Jacob was a bit more aggressive in this game and he ended up kicking the ball a lot more than last week.  He still doesn’t want to get right in front of somebody to try to steal the ball away from them, though.  When I asked him why he said, “I don’t want to get kicked!”  Haha.  I guess I wouldn’t either so I can’t say that I blame him.  ;o)  They ended up winning 6-1 so they are now 2-0 for the season!  Woo hoo!

We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out at home.  Olivia took a good nap, Jacob did some homework, we watched a little bit of TV, and I even laid down on the couch for a few for a little cat-nap because my allergies are officially kicking my butt again and I haven’t felt well for the last few days.  Fortunately it’s nothing like the horrible allergy attack I had back in May, so my allergy shots and 3,000 allergy medications I’m on seem to be keeping the worst at bay.

Saturday evening we went to church and Jacob carried the book up the aisle for Children’s Liturgy again for the second week in a row!  For the longest time he was too shy to even walk down to the front of the church for Children’s Lit and now he’s practically sprinting down the aisle and volunteering to carry the book!  Makes me so proud!  On the way down the aisle, Olivia tripped and fell flat on her face, but girlfriend is not the least bit sensitive or embarrassed by those kinds of things, so she hopped right up and kept on trucking with a smile on her face.  Bless her.

After church I stood around outside chatting with my family and Jacob and Olivia ran out all of their sillies in the grass, and then it was time to head home for the game!

On the way, we stopped by Bojangles to grab some chicken and biscuits and we got home just in time for kickoff – another win for us, by the way!  #GoDawgs

Brian ended up coming home around 9 so the kids finally got to see him for a few minutes, but then he broke the news to me that he was going to have to work all day Sunday, too.  Sigh. 

Since B had to work and my MIL didn’t cook, the kids and I decided to go have a Sunday Funday of our own instead of staying at home all day.  We kicked the day off with homemade pumpkin waffles, and got some cleaning and homework done before getting ready for the day.  

When I was getting the kids dressed Olivia begged and begged me to wear the floral top that you see in the picture below.  As a matter of fact, she has been begging to wear it all summer, but it's a bit on the heavy side so it's just not appropriate for the summer heat.  It was her favorite top all last fall and winter and she has literally worn it more times than any other top ever.  Well, I thought for sure it was going to be too small since she hadn't worn it all summer, so I explained to her that we didn't need to wear it because it wasn't going to fit anymore but she kept begging and arguing so I finally gave in.  She was thrilled to say the least and sure enough, she was right... it still fits perfectly.  

A few minutes later I was in the bathroom curling my hair and she came strolling in looking all smug, and I said, "Hey girlfriend, what are you doing?"  And without missing a beat she said, "Looking cute."  She then started twirling around and around as if to rub it in, and she followed that up with, "It's just perfect!"  

Y'all.  This girl.  

We went to Five Guys for burgers and fries for lunch and then we made a few stops – Pier One and a local boutique in search of a couple of gifts I need to get, and then we went to Carter’s to grab a couple of things for Olivia to finish off her fall and winter wardrobe.  This will be the last year that she doesn’t wear a uniform so we have to make the most of it!

After we were done shopping Jacob requested to go to the park that has a huge lake so we headed there next.  They played on the playground for a bit first, and then we walked to the lake to see the ducks and geese.  Right when we got there a family had just pulled up with a big bag of feed for them and they let the kids grab the feed by the handful and throw it out for the ducks and geese.  They were everywhere.  After we fed the birds for a while we walked through the woods to look for painted rocks but we didn’t have any luck finding any.

The rest of the afternoon was spent watching Secret Life of Pets (I let Olivia skip her nap because sometimes bedtime is just better that way) and then we headed to my parents’ house for dinner.  Brian arrived home just in time to join us for dinner, and the kiddos and I were happy to have him back after barely seeing him all weekend.  Olivia and I had made a Pumpkin Marshmallow Frozen Pie so we had that at my Momma and Daddy's and it was delicious!  I'm going to enjoy all the pumpkin while I can!

And just like that, another weekend has come and gone and it’s Monday again.

*Linking up with B Loved Boston for Weekending, My Glittery Heart for Hello Monday,  More Pieces of Me for Hello Monday Linkup, and HoHo Runs for Weekly Wrap.