We got home by 8 so Jonathan could go his friend Jason's for "fight night." (They watched some boxing match.) A bunch of guys from Sunday school were there.
below: lots of testosterone
The first Saturday in May is always our church's "CareFest" day. Our church partners with eight or nine churches in Wheaton to send out teams to do landscaping and painting and other odd jobs for public buildings in the community. Our Sunday school sends out a team...years ago it was a bunch of adults and now it's a bunch of adults and kids. Haha.
We went to Calla's soccer game first thing in the morning and then headed straight to CareFest. Calla had a birthday party for a school friend from 11am-3pm to American Girl in the City and so I left CareFest early to drop her off. It sounded like a pretty amazing birthday party to me! I wish I could have gone! ha!
The rest of the day Saturday we did yardwork at our house and then i cleaned up the interior because we were having guests after church.
After churchon Sunday, we invited "the Africans" from our Sunday school class to come over for lunch. I consulted with aunt Corinne on the menu! She said "MEAT!" so I did BBQ pulled pork sandwichs, baked beans, a pasta salad, a green salad, and other picnic-like food. It was a little chilly outside so we ate indoors but it worked out ok.
"The Africans" consist of a family from Ghana (they have one daughter), a man from Uganda and a man from Rwanda. They are in Wheaton studying at Wheaton college. They were so fun to get to know better (although we had already heard their testimonies and life stories in Sunday school this spring).
Sunday afternoon our guests left at about 3 or 4. That worked out because Calla had a choir rehearsal that afternoon. Almost as soon as she got home, Jonathan had to leave for youth group. It was his last youth group get-together of the schoolyear.
The kids and I spent some time that evening enjoying the outdoors.
Monday, May 4 we took Calla to school and then Kelsey had her last tap class. We will miss spending time in that hallway with friends! I didn't anticipate Jay enjoying "tap class" as much as Kelsey. He loved hanging out with his buddies Claire and Bitty while their sisters were in tap.
Monday evening was supposed to be Daddy's first softball game. It was rained out! The kids were so bummed. I told them there were lots more games on the schedule. ha!
Tuesday we had our usual morning. We took Cal-Cal to school and then Ben and Molly came over to play in the morning. Parker took a nap and once he woke up and Ben and Molly went home, the kids and I headed to the grocery store. We alternate between Aldi and Mariano's. They call Aldi the "quarter store" (because you need a quarter for the cart) and Mariano's the "cold store" (apparently it's cold). I like Aldi because it's so quick (and cheap) and Mariano's because it's so lovely. (-:
Tuesday after school I had a meeting with Calla's teacher to nail down some details for the end-of-the-year picnic for 1st grade. I had signed up to be in charge of the picnic. Eek. After the meeting wrapped up, the kids and I headed to Calla's soccer practice. I am so thankful Calla's soccer practice is at a park because the park equipment always kept Kelsey, Jay and Parker busy during the one-hour practice. Parker was still not walking regularly (only a few steps at a time) and following him around the woodchips at the playground was not my favorite activity. Get up and walk son! (Remember he had taken his first step on April 1st. I am not sure why it was taking him so many weeks to get "revved up" for full-time walking!)
Tuesday evening after dinner was baths and then some hangout time. Parker's favorite hangout spot is definitely Jay's bed.
Wednesday morning felt like a free morning since I didn't have Place 4 You for the first time! We are "on break" until the fall. (Although I miss the weekly discipline!)
Instead we slept in. I usually have two extras on my pillow by 7:30.
We took Calla to school in our pajamas (well, she wasn't in her pjs) and then came back home for the morning. I got a handle on my laundry and Parker worked on maintaining his bad cold. He was clingy and cranky a lot that week. In retrospect, we blame the addition of two more bottom teeth. He spent most of May popping out those teeth (#5 and #6 for him).
Wednesday afternoon, Kelsey was feeling a bit bored so I had her friends Kelsey Ann and Anna over for a play date. Wednesday evening we didn't have Awana of course. I was so glad since Parker was being such a pill!
Thursday was a big day for Calla! She had a field trip to the Morton Arboretum and then Girl Scouts after school. Whew!
I was supposed to have my "sharing day" at BSF but I didn't have a babysitter lined up (childcare is not available for sharing day) and it was just as well since Parker was still cranky and clingy. We stayed at home instead.
In fact, the first we left the house that day was for Calla's girl Scouts meeting. I was a parent volunteer, which is always a little debatable since I feel much more like a pain than a volunteer (chasing Parker around through the whole meeting). The troop leader needs a certain amount of adults at each meeting so I really just count as a beating heart. That I can do.
below: Girl Scouts in bad lighting
Thursday evening Bubba pacified the crankies in the bath.
Thursday evening Jonathan tried to keep the kids at bay while I packed for vacation! We were so excited to be heading out the next day! YAY!!
