Weekends

Two weekends ago, we had a really craptastic weekend. Be very glad that I was never able to do a full post about it because it would have been whiny and self-serving. Zach returned home from a business trip with the swine flu and then was in bed all day on Saturday. It was cold and rainy all weekend (like it's been EVERY weekend, it seems). We couldn't go anywhere, couldn't see anyone. I was annoyed and angry at the whole situation, even though it wasn't that bad and wasn't about me and I really had no right to complain.

Once last weekend rolled around, I was ready to make up for it. I had a spa day on Friday (my day off), and then Zach and I had a date night at Bettola. Everything about that day was fabulous (except for the never-ending rain). Saturday morning (still raining), we packed up the whole family and met some friends at iJump, which, as their website will tell you, is the largest! indoor! family! entertainment! center! in Birmingham. iJump didn't disappoint, despite the throngs of people and undoubtedly large quantities of germs. The children loved the inflatables, the obstacle courses, the giant slide, etc. Julia had fun in the toddler room, and Will LOVED playing games in the arcade and winning tickets to be redeemed for tiny choking hazards. The best part was, it wore them out so much that they both collapsed for excellent naps when we got home. It was a good thing, too, because the fun wasn't over for day. That night, we had Allen and Kathryn and their family over for dinner. The boys played really well together, and the little girls were really cute. I told the girls that they better learn to like each other because we were pretty much going to force them to be friends.

By the time Sunday rolled around, I was exhausted from all of the fun, but it wasn't over yet. It was time for the circus! While Julia stayed with a babysitter, Zach, Will, Bubs, and I headed to the circus. We had a good time, but Will didn't seem as enthralled by it as he did last year. And we had an issue with the never-ending merchandise opportunities, but that's another story for another day. Will missed his nap for the circus, although he hasn't been napping very much on the weekends anyway. But, he was worn out, which didn't help the situation. That night, we had an early dinner with my mom at La Paz and then all went to bed as soon as we could.

I was glad we had such a fun, full weekend, but it seems we may have swung in the opposite direction. In trying to make up for the previous weekend, I packed too much into the next weekend. While it was fun, it was tiring. And, I think I forget that the children, especially, need some downtime. While it makes me stir-crazy to sit around our house, that's what they need sometimes so they can recharge after a week at school. As with everything else in my life, I'll have to work to find a balance.