Week with 2 children

Milla and Sean are off enjoying Nana and Grandpa Dave this week...although I have yet to speak with them.  But I assume they are having a fabulous time.  Apparently when asked if they wanted to call mom and papa they said that papa had told them, 'Don't call us.  We'll call you.'  I have yet to verify if this is true.  I do miss them being around.  I thought Rin and Thomas were the loud ones but it's been pretty quiet around here without the older bunch so I may have been wrong.    Sean is the earlier riser in the house that I hear moving around beginning at around 6 or so every morning.  Last week he peaked into our room at about 6:30am.  I pretended to be asleep for a few seconds (yes I do do this on occasion when kids come in...), but as he was about to close our door I spoke up, 'Do you need something buddy?'  He says,'Oh, I just made Papa and you breakfast in bed and wondered if you were up yet.'  Such a sweet kid.  Oatmeal and bananas never tasted so good.

So I've been trying to do some special things with Rin and Thomas this week as I have them to myself.  Spent some time at library, the school playground with some friends, and went to the pool yesterday.  I think I enjoyed the 1/2 mile walk to the pool as much as the pool itself just getting to chat with the kids.  When we got there we found a group of boy campers had bussed in for the day.  Not a girl in sight.  We rented one of those foam floating 'islands' (shaped like a hippo) as Thomas and Rin still can't stand with their head above water in most of the pool.  The boys were friendly, but as I was trying to help Rin swim several of the campers kept hijacking the hippo, pulling Thomas away with them.  Finally just gave up and let the hippo go it's merry way to whoever wanted to play with it.  Maybe most people are used to crowds at the pool, but we generally get a good portion of the pool to ourselves here in La Grande.  On the way back home, Rin (my typically negative commenter) says, 'Mama, this has been alot more fun without Milla and Sean than I thought it would be.  You've been a much nicer mom this week'.  I'll take that as a compliment.

My big project this week is to get an 8' circular brick patio put in in the backyard.  So much fun...I thrive on good old fashioned labor.  Have all but a 2 ft section in the center finished.   Why is it, though, when you go in a lumber store that, as a women, you get treated so differently?  I went asking for bulk sand for under the bricks and the employee tells me they don't have any (even though I knew I'd just seen a pile of it outside).   He assumed I needed sand for a sandbox (which only comes in bags)....not the grittier stuff which is what I wanted.  Ah well.  Truth be told I don't usually know exactly what I need. :)