Retroactive Post

I am very excited to be posting about our weekend...now that it's over!!! I didn't want to announce to the world (though my 'real' friends knew) that Jon was out of town, well, out of country, actually, and we were home ALONE!!!

Jon has never had a travelling job, and we've never really travelled separately, so I've never really been left home alone before!! I'm very grateful for the regularity of having him home, but I must say that I was secretly a tad bit excited about having a little bit of time to myself!!!!

Jon went to San Quintin in Baja EARLY Thursday morning, and the kids and I braced ourselves for a long weekend of hanging out and finding VERY free things to do!!! We weren't gonna be able to spend even a dollar during this particularly tight week. Well...Friday, Jon's parents surprised me by overnighting us an envelope with some Fun Money for the weekend!!! She sent cash b/c she didn't think I'd cash a check--she's probably right--but she insisted on us eating out and finding some fun things to do! I was SO excited--kinda made it more fun for me to plan the weekend alone with the kids!

I must say that this post would have been way much more fun with pics--and I almost bypassed the eating out and fun to go buy a camera instead--but that's not why she sent it!

Our weekend was filled with fun and friends--I loved it! Friday we met some of my friends at the mall to plan some class activities. The kids played in the play area for a long time, but I think they had a lot of fun! When we got home is when we saw our surprise envelope, so we quickly started talking about dinner plans! The kids wanted Red Robin and then ice cream, so I called my friend Heather to see if she wanted to meet us. We had fun walking around Bridge Street. This weekend worked out perfectly for us to hang out b/c her husband is taking a course right now and was studying for a midterm ALL weekend!

Saturday we ate lunch at Chick Fil A and played on the playground. Heather called me to see what we were doing, so she and Kaley met up with us for lunch. Then the kids took a short nap and I woke them up to take them to a show. I am so excited about finding this!!!! So...at the Space and Rocket Center, there is that new HUGE building with the sideways rocket... Well, in that building there is a 3D movie screen. Right now they are showing an animated 3D film called Fly Me To the Moon. The background plot is the Apollo 11 mission that landed on the moon, but the movie's plot is about 3 little boys/flies who want to go the moon so they find a way to hitch their ride onto the rocket. It is SOOOO cute!!! And the best part? Kids SIX and under are free!!! Usually 2 and under, but not here! So, with my $8 ticket all 3 of us got to watch! We put on our silly 3D glasses and watched--it was so cool! Lawson kept putting his hand out to try to touch them b/c it looks like they're right in front of you! The show was almost an hour long, and then when you exit the theater it puts you in that huge building with the sideways rocket--we spent almost an hour just walking around and looking at the rocket and the other exhibits. I highly recommend it! :)

After the movie we went to walk around the pet store for a while and look at the animals, then we at at Tellini's b/c on Sat and Sun kids eat for $1. And, well, because they have all-you-can-eat breadsticks. And because I was picking! :)

Sunday we had a good day visiting with friends at church and going to a Honduras meeting, then after evening church Heather and Kaley met us at the park for a little bit before it got dark. It was a beautiful evening and the kids ran like wild ones and definitely tired themselves out!!!

Monday we headed back to the park to meet with some other friends who just moved to Huntsville a few months ago. The kids all played together so well, and I enjoyed getting to know a new friend a little better!

After a picnic dinner in our living room floor last night, we cleaned up, got ready and went to the airport to pick up Jon! The kids were SOOO excited! We sat and waited as so many people passed--the kids started to say that Daddy was never going to come out that door!!! Finally, he did though, and I will always treasure the memory of both of them hopping up, screaming DADDYYYYYYYY and running way past the "Do Not Enter" sign to go hug their Daddy that they were so excited to see!! (I'm glad the TSA did not see them as a security risk and ruin our special moment!!)

I really enjoyed my weekend with the kids--they were wonderful all weekend. They slept great and acted surprisingly well and we had so much fun together! But I must say that I am so glad that Jon is back safe and we are together as a family again! This is the way it's supposed to be, I'm sure of it! :)