What A Weekend

My head is still spinning from this past weekend.  I am still riding a high.  I didn't think so many wonderful things could be crammed into one weekend but it was fabulous. 

Friday started off slowly (compared to the rest of the weekend anyway).  The kids got home from school and ran around like crazy banshees while I got supper ready.  We ate and off I went to the dress rehearsal for the concert I was performing in on Saturday.  The rehearsal ran just over three hours and I got home around ten o'clock.

Saturday was jam packed with so many events that we didn't even get to fully  participate in some of them.  First off, it was Todd and my 11th anniversary.  Yippee!  Unfortunately, we had no plans because we were TOO BUSY.  In the morning Joey and I worked on a massive project he has for school while the other kids played outside.  Then we had to bustle him off to a birthday party for his friend.  Todd's cousin was getting married and my sister in law was graduating from UW Oshkosh.  All four kids got super late naps because we were giving them a special treat to come and see the symphony concert that night, and we knew they would be up pretty late.  When they woke up we fed them, dressed them, and then quickly got ourselves ready for a fancy night out. 

The concert I was singing for was a formal event requiring long evening gowns.  I think the last time I got this dressed up was at my best friend's wedding 10 years ago.  I felt so fancy I actually wanted to capture it on film.

Then I got a little silly.
 

And Todd and I even got a picture together thanks to Joey.  Sure we had to take about 10 of them because most of them were blurry, but he did get a few good ones.  In this picture you can tell Todd is done.  We were getting dangerously late to getting me to the theater and he wanted to go.  Still, a nice pic.

Anyway, that night was amazing.  The crowd was so receptive.  It was all such a rush.  And knowing that my kiddos were all seeing this magic happen for the first time, a huge full orchestra, in a gorgeous theater, with a 100 person choir, all dressed up, made it even more special.  Their little minds were blown watching me up on stage singing a solo.  It was a big deal to them.  And it meant so much to me. 

I was worried how they would do sitting quietly and still for almost two hours but they were angels.  They were 4 of only 5 or 6 kids in the whole theater.  Todd said that everyone around him was awed with how good they were. 

I was so proud.  And when I walked out to greet them in the lobby after the concert they looked at me and just about exploded with excitement.  They said the sweetest and most loving things, complimenting me and hugging me.  It was awesome knowing that they got to see me in a whole new light.

I was riding a high after the concert.  Todd and I took the kids home to put them to bed and my mom (who was sitting with Todd and the kids at the concert) followed us back so that she could stay with the kids and let us go out for a little bit on our anniversary night. 

We only went out for a couple of hours but it was much needed and appreciated.  It really capped off a wonderful night.  It was perfect. 

The next day, of course, was Mother's Day.  It was the most beautiful weather I can ever remember for Mother's Day. 

I spent the morning out on our back patio with the kiddos, drinking my coffee and watching the birds.

(These are my non-glamorous pics.  They are sans makeup, contacts, or even a hairbrush.  You may want to avert your eyes)

We ate breakfast, got dressed, and went to church.   After church I took my mom to lunch at a favorite restaurant and then we went to a movie together.  It was so wonderful to spend time with just my mom and me.  It was a perfect Mother's Day gift for her and for me. 

After the movie my mom dropped me off at my in laws house where another Mother's Day celebration was taking place.  We spent all of our time outside, eating way too much delicious food, and hanging with family.  The kids skipped their naps and absolutely wore themselves out.

Now it is Monday morning and I am dragging a bit, but happily.  This morning is rush, rush, rush to get the kids ready for school, the grocery shopping done, my run in, and the laundry put away before it is time to pick up Ben.  I am looking forward to life slowing down soon but it really was a great weekend despite the craziness.

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?