Use the Force.

Yes, hello, hi. This may be my last week of blogging, because I'm not quite sure I'm going to make it out alive. It's the last week of school, which means a different activity every day, leading up to last day on Thursday. The other fun thing is that on Thursday we have to take our stupid cat into the vet for the day, because otherwise we'll run out of insulin while we're gone and he'll croak, and I have a dentist appointment that I planned six months ago in the afternoon. And we have to do laundry and pack and make sure our house is okay to leave for nine days. And this morning the check engine light popped on in my car. Plus my delightful three year old is being a grade A jerk weasel, who throws fits and gets dragged screaming from parties, and finds every last nerve of mine and rides it like a show pony. HOORAY! I joked to Dad last night that if he was my friend, he'd make me a bleach and tonic.

MOSTLY KIDDING. I'll stick to my scrawny mules. But I'm going to drink a whole pack's worth. I realize this happens every time we travel - even though the kids do well on the plane, and we have more adults than children, the week leading up to actually leaving has me totally bonkers beneath the surface at all times. SO FUN.

Plus we had a busy weekend this past weekend. Our friend Penelope turned five, and she had a big Star Wars themed birthday party a local park. It was drizzly, which was actually a nice change from standing outside in the blazing sun. They hired a bunch of performers to do Jedi training, and they trained those kids for THREE HOURS. Many balloon light sabers (many... many... because balloons plus grass is not a good combination) and then learning to fight with pool noodles. I was amazed at how long the entertainment went on, and was glad that they served food first. There was also a jungle gym there, for Party Pooper Extraordinaire Adam to play on. And he had a good time chasing Tim around the soccer field, kicking a tennis ball. Ellie loved it - yesterday she told her friend at school that she's a real Jedi now.

Learning from Rey

Fighting with the birthday girl

Adam, trying to cut down his own father.

After nap time, we watched the newest Star Wars. Ellie curled up with me for part of it and goes "mommy, in these movies, the kids kill their parents. I promise to never kill you." Thanks, my little padawan.