Friend Time.

Sorry for being the worst blogger - it's been a busy week. Really, it's been an embarrassment of riches when it comes to us getting time to hang out with our friends. We've had several backyard-y parties in the past ten days, which I always love. The adults sit outside and watch the sunset and drink booze drinks, and the kids are in and out, playing dress up, riding scooters, doing art projects. We had a friend sleep over last weekend and went to a pool party at another friends house, and last Sunday our neighbors came over for lunch, and after the kids finished splashing around in the wading pool, Lisa and I got in the pool and drank beers in the sunshine, thus living our absolute best lives.

Plus, we have to check on Spike and Yogi every day. Now that they're all healed up from being fixed, they're ready for lots of loving. The kids are mostly gentle, though about every ten minutes we have to tell someone to put a kitten down. Yogi Bear is the biggest mush and doesn't react to anything, even Adam manhandling him like a rag doll. Now that Spike is fixed, he's turned into quite the lap cat, which Ellie of course loves.

Ellie got student of the day one day last week, and her teacher said it was because Ellie is a good listener and is a kind friend to everyone, which absolutely warms my heart to hear. In an area that's very focused on looks and status (even down at the kindergarten level, believe me) I'm glad she's extending friendship to everyone in her class. She's a good little egg. And reading more every day!

Adam had a Mother's Day presentation at his school this past Thursday (because next Thursday is parent teacher conferences) and it was so darling. They sang us a couple of songs about how much they love their moms, and then we had scones and got the crafty little gifts they made - a little towel with their hand print as the blossom of a flower. He also drew a picture of me and said that his favorite thing was that sometimes I give him a cookie after supper. I especially love that my four year old calls it supper, because as Tim would say "that's Midwestern as hell."

I also deeply enjoy this picture from last week at the Hat with our friends, because the kid will eat next to nothing some days, and everything is yucky, but he went to TOWN on those onion rings, and I myself wouldn't eat an onion ring until I was well into my twenties (still would rather have french fries, sorry Mom.)

Last night we were up late with friends, having tacos and relaxing, and this morning we had to wake them up for swim class, which they did well at, despite the drizzly weather. So today I'm hoping for big long naps, because we're dropping them at date night at the Y for the full five hours this evening. Farewell, suckers! Time for your dad and I to go hang out with grown up friends!