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Curling Up With Family

Good morning.  Wow, we had a great family weekend!  Aside from some minor meltdowns and tears here and there, we had so much fun.

It started with a dinner to celebrate Adam's birthday Friday night at my in-laws.  Unfortunately, Adam's mom got an idea to try to find Adam a healthier version of his cookie.  Now I love that idea, but Adam doesn't want ANYTHING but his usual Mrs Field's ginormous cookie for his birthday.  This year his mom got him a cookie from Two Moms Bakery, and got them to make an oatmeal version (that probably wasn't any healthier anyways except they used butter instead of shortening like I am sure Mrs Field's does.  Adam was distraught.  He doesn't any oatmeal or anything else in his birthday cookie.  I ordered him one from Mrs Fields on Saturday.

Saturday morning we hung out with my bro and his family and visited the Withrow Park Market across the street from their house.  The girls and my niece and nephew had a great time eating ice cream and getting their faces painted.

In the afternoon, Alana's best friend came over and Adam and I had drinks with her lovely parents at our place.  Unfortunately, Little A was in a snit and refused to play with their son, who is going to be in the same kindergarten class with her in September.

Saturday evening, my in-laws took the girls for a sleep-over and Adam and I ate dinner, watched some shows, and went to bed.  Our usual date night.

Sunday morning taught my spinning class at the JCC.  I had to modify my usual Sunday morning strength training routine because several major body parts were seriously hurting.  I tried out an Asylum DVD Saturday morning and...Whoa!

Adam had mentioned that the girls wanted to go swimming at the JCC Sunday afternoon.  I tried to talk them out of it.  I suggested a bike ride, a walk, a park visit.  But they were insistent.  I gave in finally.  I did have a new bathing suit to wear and the JCC has a saltwater pool, so at least there is no yucky chlorine smell.  And the JCC change rooms are awesome.  Not at all like the yucky ones at Christie Pits.  Also, as Adam pointed out, the JCC is much less of a meat market.  It's mostly bubbies doing the side stroke and young families rather than teens and 20 somethings strutting around in their bikinis.

Since we were going to be in the water and seriously testing my tolerance yet again, I decided to do something else to push myself out of my comfort zone: I gave in to my curls. There was no point spending time straightening my hair out if we were going to be getting in a pool.  Don't mind this awful picture with red eye and lock of hair in front of my left ear that looks like I have side burns. I don't.  Really.


I can't say I like my curls.  But I did try them out again yesterday.  It certainly does save me a lot of time in the morning! I am not sure this will be a long-term thing, we'll have to see.  My hair is still wet out of the shower and I'm debating whether or not to blow out my curls or leave them.  My ambivalence has not been helped by Little A who has told me several times that she doesn't like my hair curly. 

Anyways, I have to admit it was nice to see the girls having so much fun at the pool.  I didn't enjoy our swim really, but it was alright.  By the end I was just freezing my arse off.  But this did make the walk home more pleasant as I didn't find it too hot like I did on the walk there.  And the girls gobbled down a healthy dinner of salad and salmon because they were so hungry and then went to bed that night without any fuss because they were so exhausted.

Yesterday we had a park play date with friends we hadn't seen in ages.  In the afternoon, we took the girls to Indigo to buy some books and toys with gift certificates they were given for their birthday that we hadn't yet gotten around to using.

At the end of some long weekends, Adam and I just feel worn out and exhausted, but this was a really great one!  Furthermore, a great weekend usually means the first morning back to real life is extra challenging because the girls are sad to see their 'home days' come to an end, but so far they've been delightful this morning. 

As I start another week seeing clients dealt such a lousy hand in life or struggling with serious mental health challenges I am counting my blessings.  And as I express my gratitude for having such a wonderful life, I can hear the kids erupt into an argument downstairs so I better go.  Have a great Tuesday.

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