Weekend in review

Chopped up memory of the weekend but I will try. On Friday morning, Rob, Nick and I went to Ellie's school for the 3rd grade awards. Ellie was given the Helping Hands award for her willingness to always help out her teacher and classmates. We were very proud of her. It hasn't been an easy year for Ellie because she has worn her heart on her sleeve and has had to deal with things that no 8 or 9 year old should have to deal with. I got a certificate for being room parent and a box of candy.
We came home and I started packing for Michigan while Rob went up to Glenview to pick Nana up. We all sort of rendezvoused at the house at the same time. We got on the road as soon as Ellie got off the bus and didn't really run into much traffic. We stopped in Michigan City to have lunch and get gas and then were back on the road. We got to the cottage and got settled in. It was cold and wet - again!
Nana and I went shopping for groceries for the night and morning. We came back and I got dinner together while Rob and Nana played with the kids. The kids watched Megamind. We had a nice dinner together and Ellie fixed us all ice cream for dessert. Rob got the kids to sleep while I visited with Nana for a bit. Rob and I watched Little Fockers but my eyes were stinging so I sort of just listened to the movie.
Dean arrived after we went to bed Friday night. Saturday it was still cold and foggy. Nana, the kids and I went into St. Joe to hit a couple rummage sales and finish our grocery shopping. I introduced her to Aldi because Walmart's prices totally went up. Ellie found a weaving loom at the one sale and Nick found a Thomas dvd.
We came back to the house and had no real choice but to be inside. Ellie got to work on her loom and after about the 6th time re-weaving has the beginning of something. Nick is very happy in Michigan because the basement is a play area with toys he hasn't played with in 9 months. The kids commissioned both Dean and Nana into games, Clue, Battleship and Yahtzee. Rob and Dean got the grill ready for our inaugural grilling.
I got the rest of dinner ready - watermelon, corn, asparagus and we grilled burgers and hot dogs. We walked down to the soda bar for ice cream and I have to say it was bone chillingly cold. The breeze off the lake was incredible. We came back tot he cottage to eat our ice cream and warm up.
We got the kids to sleep but Ellie came down to say that she thought she heard a bat flying around upstairs. Rob went to check but didn't find anything and just stayed a bit longer with Ellie. I was able to get half way through a book this weekend - the first time in a bit I had both the patience and time to sit and read.
Today was another cold day in Michigan - I don't think we hit 50. The kids played more games with Dean. Rob took them into town to return our movies and to let them play a while at the park. Poor Ellie ran into a beam at the park and required ice upon their return. Nick got a mosquito bite last night on his forehead that today looked like someone hit him in the head with a baseball. Can you be allergic to mosquito bites?
I was able to get laundry done and our beds made while Rob was gone with the kids. We had lunch and cleaned up and then we were on our way home. We stopped in Michigan City again but only for a quick potty stop and a gas refill. Ludicrous how gas is more than .50 less a gallon there. We made good time on the way home not running into to much traffic - I guess this could be the advantage to expensive gas. We went straight to Mom and Dad's house for dinner. Jo and T were there and Jo is sporting a new hairdo - very cute. Mom had quite the spread for dinner - pasta and meatballs, strawberry salad, sauteed kale, corn pudding, pineapple and strawberries. A bit of all of our favorites. We got to visit for a bit before it was time for us to venture home and get the kids clean.
The kids had their bath and then we watched some tv before getting them ready for bed. Nick is scared about starting camp tomorrow and began telling us he didn't think he would make friends, then he moved onto he didn't want to go on a boat ride, then he flat out didn't want to go. Rob ended up telling him stories about when he was in camp.
My feet are really feeling funky this weekend. More pins and needles feeling than normal. I submitted my abbreviated story of my journey to a 'faces of stupid cancer' project. I am looking forward to summer and just having a normal one this year. Visualising my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree
If you have time tomorrow night, check out this link to an awesome show: http://bit.ly/me665G