Finding a better rhythm

Last week ended a little better than the previous week.  Perhaps it went more smoothly because there were zero evening activities scheduled?  Or perhaps it was because I only subbed for 1/2 day on Thursday (at Ethan's school this time!)?  Or perhaps it helped that Matt had Monday off of work and decided to work from home on Friday?

For whatever the reasons, it worked better.  And partly because of this better balance during the week, we were able to enjoy a few extra activities over the course of the weekend.

Friday night we decided to have a campfire, albeit a cold one.  The field behind our house was finally harvested on Friday afternoon so I thought it would be fun to have headlamps and flashlights out there while we waited for good coals for roasted marshmallows.  Things started off well, even with a brief opportunity to view the stars.

But then the fire was having a hard time getting started ... and then Kate came down with a stomach ache ... and then Anna got cold.

However, some of us enjoyed a few smores and some of us enjoyed the goofiness of Ethan that evening.  Everyone was definitely feeling more chipper on Saturday morning after a good night's sleep.

Saturday afternoon the girls and I met up with some friends to see the high school musical production our school did this fall.  Their performance of Annie was spectacular.  The talent of some of these teenagers is impressive.  We all enjoyed ourselves and the experience was made even more fun by all of the familiar faces we saw.  Although this outing was very last minute in nature, I'm glad that we did it.

Meanwhile, Ethan and Matt went to another kindergartener's birthday party.  It sounds like it was a fun experience, but our boy was pretty wiped out by the end.

Sunday afternoon we hosted our monthly "mom and me" book club.  This time around Kate chose the book Wish by Barbara O'Conner.  The sweet story encouraged this group of elementary/middle schoolers to think about what a family really is.  After our discussion and snacks, the kids thoroughly enjoyed their time in our basement :)

Here's hoping for a smooth few more days before a long weekend, during which we don't have to travel anywhere this year!