Fun Busy

It seems this blog is becoming nothing more than "my week in review" lately. I guess the weeks are just flying by and before I know it another week has past. This coming week is no exception to the "busy" rule. It is packed full of St. Patrick's Day festivities at school, choir rehearsal, swim classes, Ben reading for the school mass, an athletic banquet for Joey, a birthday for Tommy, and the start of our spring break which will see us taking the kids to Wisconsin Dells (must pack) for a couple of days and then Todd and I will be off to Mexico for a few days (must unpack from WI Dells and then repack).

Busy. But a good kind of busy. Fun busy.

This past weekend was fun busy too. Friday night was our free night. We didn't have anything scheduled. I love nights like those. With the weather being back to the 20s (a good 25 degrees below the average for this time of year) we had a nice fire in the fireplace and snuggled together to watch movies.

Saturday Grace had a birthday party to attend and Ben had his Boy Scout pinewood derby. He was super excited to show off his storm chaser truck. Yes, while most boys are asking for race cars, sports cars, or even SpongeBob, Ben asked his daddy to make him a storm chasing truck. Ben and Todd scoured the internet and Ben chose a truck with his hero "Josh" standing in front of it. I tell ya, this kid is destined for meteorology school.

All the kids and parents alike were impressed by the truck and Ben (or let's be honest, Todd) took home a trophy for design. It wasn't the most aerodynamic car there but it still managed to win a race or two. Ben was a happy camper. And Todd was just happy to be done with it.  ;)

Still, the excitement was not over for the day. I had to sing in a concert that evening and because there would be a very special guest that the kids would enjoy I decided this was a good concert for them to attend. Tony Memmel (a pretty amazing guy, not to mention talented) and his band would be performing with the Symphony and Choir and I knew the kids would get a kick out of hearing rock/pop music being performed with a full orchestra. 

It always cracks me up to watch people's reaction to the kids as we walk into the theater to take our seats. You can tell that those who are seated near us are wary of such young kids in an adult venue. It almost feels similar to what you might experience when you bring a baby on a plane. No one wants to sit by the baby on a plane and no one wants to sit next to four young kids at a symphony concert either apparently.

The first half of the concert was the Scheherazade performed by the orchestra. Because I didn't have to sing until the second half I was able to sit with Todd and the kids. Even though this was not the kids' first symphony concert I was still a little nervous as to how they would behave (they were SO HYPER right before the concert) for the formal orchestra music when three minutes into the first song Grace turned to me and said, "I'm bored." Oh dear. The first half did prove to feel a little long for them but they still sat nicely and quietly. They were happy when intermission came and they could get up and walk around a bit. I assured them that the second half would wake them up a bit and hold their attention.

Sure enough, after the concert the kids ran up to me full of excitement and told me how fabulous it was. They loved it. And stranger after stranger came up to Todd and I to congratulate us on what wonderful and well behaved children we have. Todd told me that the kids sat perfectly and were enthralled all throughout the second half.  And apparently all the people sitting around them were not only appreciative of such well behaved kids they all had to tell Todd and I how much they enjoyed sitting near them.

Todd and I took the kids home and even though it was already far past their bedtimes we rewarded their good behavior with popcorn and ice cream and a little bit of a movie. By the time they got to bed is was about 10:30 and they were exhausted. Pretty much all of Sunday (after church) consisted of us trying to catch up on missed sleep. Everyone was overtired, a bit cranky, and grumpy from yet more cold weather.

Now we are back to our regularly scheduled program with a bit of prebirthday/preSpring Break rushing around thrown in there. It will be a hectic week but I console myself knowing that in one week, after all the madness and rushing around, Todd and I will be headed to Mexico for a few days of bliss on the beach.