Weekend Blur

     I can't remember when the last time was that I had a "normal" weekend.  It has been years for sure.  This weekend was the usual crazy blur.  They are so busy and go by so quickly that it's really hard to take the time to enjoy them.  And a lot of times I just pray them to be over fast and to get through the litany of activities.  This weekend I tried to really just enjoy everything.  It began Friday night with Kaitlyn's much anticipated sleepover.  Since she has started Middle School she seems to have a lot of group sleepovers (almost every weekend).  Before Middle School they were always just a sleepover with one girl and not nearly as frequent.  So it was our turn to host.  I tried to hold her off...."Daddy just had knee surgery" and "Gray doesn't sleep through the night"  but it was clearly my turn and I didn't want the other Mom's thinking I was a deadbeat sleepover host.  So of course I dreaded Friday night and kept telling myself to just enjoy it.  Two girls, Emily and Erin, came over at about 5:00pm.  It was a dark, cold and rainy day so they couldn't play outside at all.   They both came bearing treats.  Emily brought Tasty Cake cupcakes and an incredible mix of fresh chopped fruit.  Erin brought her homemade chocolate chip cookies.  And Gramy sent Papa over with her signature pretzels with blue and white M and M's for Penn State (we are going to the Blue White game this coming weekend!).  I had an assembly line prepared for the girls to make their own pizzas.  We had small boboli pizza crusts, mozz cheese, parm cheese, pizza sauce, black olives and pepperoni.  They had so much fun making their pizzas.  Erin's had a smiley face and Emily's had a pepperoni pyramid.


Erin, Kaitlyn and Emily assemble their pizzas





While the pizza baked, the boys rumbled in to create their own pizzas.  We had Zac, Brendan (Zac's best friend), Brayden and Gray take over the table...



Brendan is very proud of his pizza

     The kids ate their pizza and then proceeded to have a dance party in the living room.  It was quite funny, especially since Brendan, Zac and Brayden weren't supposed to be allowed to play with the girls.  However the girls accepted them into their circle and they all danced together.  Good times!  After the dancing the girls went upstairs to Kaitlyn's room to paint their nails and chat.  Brayden kept trying to break in but he wasn't too successful.  The girls then came down to eat some more...chex mix, cookies etc. and drink Sprite.  Then it was into the family room to watch a movie.  All week I explained to everyone, including Jason, that once 8:30pm rolled around, the family room was the girls and we had to hang out in the living room.  The girls were going to watch a movie and then sleep in the family room.  They chose to watch Romano and Beezus (or is it Beezus and Ramona?) and they actually welcomed Zac and Brayden into the lair!  As long as they went up to their own room when the movie was over.  So at 11:10 pm, Zac and Brayden headed up to their room.  The girls chatted awhile and were all asleep before midnight.  What was I dreading about this?  It was such a fun night and they didn't disturb Gray at all.  Plus they are at the age that they really don't need my help much at all.  The girls had to wake up bright and early because Kaitlyn had a 9 am Volleyball game.  So I took Brayden, Gray and the girls to the BYC field house and we all watched her game.  They lost but Kaitlyn did a great job (especially serving).

She's number 7


     Saturday morning, Jason woke up with a nasty stomach bug.  He basically stayed in bed all day, getting up to get Advil, and then slept through the night.  When he woke up Sunday, he felt a little better and was off to see the patients that he didn't get to see on Saturday.  He worked until about 2 pm.  Kaitlyn had Confirmation rehearsal (she makes her Confirmation on Sat. April 30th) at 3 pm so I ran her there.  I couldn't believe that I didn't have any other kids with me-that never happens!- so I ran a few errands before picking her up at 4pm.  Sunday evening I made my Vodka sauce for dinner and the kids loved it.  I used to make it a lot before we had kids.  When I was pregnant with Kaitlyn I would make it nearly weekly towards the end of my pregnancy.  I would be in the liquor store every week buying those little bottles of Vodka!  The guy working there must have thought I was crazy, waddling in their 8 and 9 months pregnant to get my Vodka!  The recipe is so simple and with how the kids loved it, I will be making it more.  You saute about 8-10 cloves of garlic in a couple of TBSP of olive oil for a few minutes.  Then you add 1/2 cup of vodka.  Let that simmer for a little bit.  To that add 1 cup of heavy cream and bring to a boil.  Turn it down a bit and add 2 Cups crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes OR tomato sauce (I used crushed tomatoes this time).  Let that cook for awhile and then add some salt and basil (fresh is best).  Serve over the pasta of your choice and top with some grated parm.  So good! 

Jason with his queasy stomach enjoying it-not the best choice when you are sick!

Kaitlyn really enjoying it!

     So another crazy weekend has come and gone.  I really am going to try to relax more and enjoy the time-even if it is so fast paced.  Spring Break starts this Thur. and lasts until the Tue. after Easter.  We have jam packed weekends in store...travelling to Penn State this weekend for the Blue White Game, off to York on Easter Sat. for dinner with Aunt Kris and Uncle Kevin and then to Leesburg, VA for Easter with Aunt Cheri.  And the last weekend in April, Kaitlyn makes her Confirmation.  Whew, when will it slow down?

Random picture of Gray enjoying his favorite window seat