2 nights with no kids!

It has happened only one other time.  And it was for one night.  And it was for the twins club sale...so it really didn't count whatsoever.  But this time, it SOOO counted!  My in laws put in a LONG overdue offer to watch the 3 younger kids for us (G and J are still with my parents).  We asked for one night, they offered up 2 nights!  Now, we have had the opportunity to go out of town without our kids when my parents have watched them, but to be in our own home for 2 nights without kids was the best thing! The totally unromantic things we got done was thrilling!

Stop # 1: My in laws house......dropped off the kids and went on our way to celebrate an early anniversary dinner.  In 2 days we will have been married 15 years.  And quite happily too.  I love that Bill guy! He's a pretty silly guy, especially when he's acting like he's all that and a bag of chips!  See what I mean?  How can you not giggle at that?!  He's uttering some silly accented model talk.......

Kind of weird when we get a great picture but kids are missing......

Stop #2: The Elephant Bar Restaurant.  Never been there, not really the type of food I would readily pick, but man was it so good!  I ordered a chicken teriyaki plate and Bill ordered Mongolian Beef.  We shared and left very full.  I was happy that we found a new place for special dinners out.

Stop #3: Wal-Mart.  About as unromantic as it gets folks, but once there are more kids in the family than adults, even this type of adventure was something to look forward to.  And Bill was a man born to shop.  It's probably a good thing we only get to shop there together a few times a year.  The basket fills up fast and it adds up just as fast!

Stop #4: Home.  And on to the big job of cleaning up our own room!  It is the last place we land at night, after food prep, laundry, dishes, refereeing, computer issue solving, time out watching, slaving away at jobs that require way too much time....and it is the place a lot of stuff gets dumped.  Preschool work, items that need to be returned to stores, books that need to be hidden for gifts given at a later time, magazines that arrive in the mail and then get set in stacks for when we get 'time' to read them-hah, that's a good one-stacks of other 'stuff' that require my attention that I can't give...those kind of things.  And honestly, Bill and I often feel hypocritical for getting on the kids to clean up their room when ours needs the exact same attention.  I have an easier time excusing that one than Bill does, but nonetheless, it's true.  After spending a grand total of probably 6 hours over 2 days, I am happy to say things have been put away, surfaces have been dusted, photo frames are visible again and I feel good about leaving the door open. 

The next day we stopped at 3 different houses checking out some craigslist items.  SO much easier to do without kids!  We are in the process of changing sleeping arrangements for the kids, with Luke moving in Eric's room and Gregory moving back into his old room with Jacob.  That's a lot of mattress shuffling when the time comes to actually make the moves....we're also trading out mattresses from this house to the lake house and vice-versa.  We sure create a whole lot of work for ourselves!  We will be shopping at IKEA on vacation to get all of Laurel's room furniture and the items the other rooms need.

Stop #6: Sam's club...shopping for snacks and items we need for our trip.  This time I was the one putting stuff in the basket.  You know the rule to those type stores, you can't leave without spending over $100...at least  for our size family!  I think we've got enough snacks to last quite a while-even if we got stranded somewhere....we'd be good for DAYS!

Stop #7: Costco to pick up some posters I had made for G and J's room.  I chose a whole bunch of pictures from last summer to current and had 4 20X30 posters printed up to hang on their wall.  Very cool and I think they'll like them!

Stop #8: Pick up of craigslist item.....strapped to the top of our big truck...on our way to stop #9

Stop #9: Fuel.  Must eat ice cream.  Must stop at Cold Stone!!!

Stop #10: Home!  We watched the movie Extraordinary Measures with Harrison Ford.....boy was he grumpy in that film, but we still eeked out a few tears!  Happy ending too.  Way better than the movie Bill picked the night before-Daybreakers......so gross, please don't waste your time!

And now Bill is picking up the munchkins and we'll then be off to a birthday party for my good friend's sweet little one year old twins....followed by a 3V3 soccer game!  Tomorrow the boys will be home YIPPEEEE!!  Cannot wait to see them and give them a big ol squeeze.  Hopefully Jacob hasn't grown 2 inches or he'll probably be as tall as me!