peppermint indiscretion

Thursday Grandpa and Grandma invited the big kids to spend the night at their house so they could leave early Friday morning to go fishing.  Thursday seemed like a blur of breakfast, lunch, and dinner to me. Maybe because Grant can seriously sit at the table from breakfast, till noon, till night eating bowels of dry "ceedee'al" or cereal as others call it. Thank goodness we had hot dogs in the freezer when dinnertime for the rest of the kids snuck up on me.

 Here was a nice moment...Grant and William having a snack together on the back porch (probably cereal.)

Friday the kids returned. Only Bethany caught a fish this time. I felt pretty lethargic all day, but by evening I found the courage to go school supply shopping. Sam was so excited to get out of the house he gathered everyone into the van on his own. We had a nice time out together. I stopped at Five Buck Pizza on the way home.  The kids were very appreciative. Friday turned out better than I thought it would.

Saturday, found more courage... for bike shopping this time.  And did I need it.  With school starting at the universities, Walmart was busier than Black Friday. Sam and Ben intended to ride their bikes to school. I felt bad for the boys when after their first trial run they called from a gas station to say it was just too far. I hate dashed hopes, but who wants to go to Middle School drenched in sweat?  I felt bad... but I'll admit also a bit relieved not to have to worry each morning. They'll use their bikes to ride to the library and the mall nearby.

Sunday evening we got a surprise visit from our friends Jackie and Isako.  They have a friend who works for Stouffers and gives them free frozen foods every week.  I've been grateful for their sharing the wealth in our direction.  Sunday night it was an enormous container of peppermint ice cream. William was the first to discover it.