Weekend Update

We had a very full weekend, not the least bit related to Easter festivities. We did make it to church yesterday morning and I really enjoyed the worship time, praising God for the resurrection of Christ and thanking Jesus for His sacrifice on my behalf. I was thinking over the weekend, though, that I wonder why we don't have more Easter traditions? We spend weeks getting ready for Christmas and have so many opportunities to explore and embrace the joy and substance of Christ's birth, but Easter seems to come and go at our house without much notice. I hope I can make time before next year to dedicate more thought to the significance of the resurrection and how we can mark it.

So our weekend was pretty ordinary, but very productive. The girls and I did grocery shopping on Thursday, making it to two stores to maximize bargains. We also had A's follow-up thumb appointment to squeeze in there. The doctor said that her thumbs look great and he was pleased with their mobility. He cleared us from his care with the final instruction to rub some mederma scar cream on the incision site every day once the scabs are gone. A is still a little timid about using her thumbs, but I think it's because the little band-aids limit movement. Hopefully, when the scabs are gone and we stop putting on new band-aids, then she will work them a little more and get good strength in them.

Friday morning we went to an Easter party for playgroup. A brave mom from our church invited everyone over to her backyard for messy fun, including egg dying and painting. We had a good time, except for the busted lip that A got when she walked behind a swinging friend. She complained that her teeth hurt for the rest of the day, but was fine the next day. She also scraped her foot on the sidewalk while riding tricycles with a little friend. Could have been avoided if she had been wearing shoes. Which was part of Thursday's shopping marathon that I forgot to mention...

Her feet are being difficult. Her size 8 crocs from last year are wearing blisters on the top of her feet, but the new size 9 sandals I got to go with her Easter dress fell right off. I certainly don't want to spend money on shoes that won't last the summer, so I was conflicted on buying more size 8's. I had looked at several stores for a good summer solution, but to no avail. So we also worked in a trip to Payless on Thursday and found a pair of 8.5 sandals that have velcro over the toe and over the ankle, so we can grow this summer. What a hassle!

Back to Friday. Playgroup, lunch, nap, then J came home around 3pm and told me to take off. I only hesitated long enough to find my purse, then I disappeared until it was time to pick them up for home group. I made it to a natural foods store that I've been wanting to explore and picked up some pure cocoa butter that I've been wanting to try instead of my usual lotion. Also got to hunt the local Goodwill stores for a cassette player. Yes, I'm looking to buy a cassette player. I'd like to get some books on tape from the library for A to listen to and we no longer own a cassette player. I thought I'd be able to pick one up pretty easily, but I guess cassette players are even too old for Goodwill. But I had fun window shopping with only my own thoughts to keep me company. Then I picked up the family and we headed to home group. That was a good time of catching up and praying for each other. Our leader showed the crucifixion scene from The Passion of Jesus Christ. We still hadn't seen that movie. I'm so sensitive to gore, that I know I can't watch it. But I feel like I ought to, that I need to understand the brutality of Christ's sacrifice for me. I did manage to listen to it, but my eyes were closed for big chunks of the scene. I saw enough to have a few images burned into the gallery of my mind for a good while.

Pause for intermission. This has turned into a marathon post, so feel free to take a break, go get your caffeine of choice, and return as time allows. Back to the show...

Saturday morning, J got up at the crack of dawn. That sentence is no small feat and those that know him would venture to guess it had something to do with electronics. They would be right. He was in line by 7am at our local Best Buy for the new Apple iPad. They didn't open until 9am. We live in a college town. It was Easter weekend. I called at 7:30 am to learn that he made some new friends with the other 6 (count 'em, s-i-x) geeks who had anticipated the mad rush. One of the other men's wives even brought coffee from Starbucks for the weary, thirsty sidewalk campers. What a boy won't do for a new toy!! I'm supposed to mention some sort of disclaimer that Phodder really neee-eeeded the iPad for new app development. True, they do already have customers asking for iPad apps. And he redeemed himself by knocking out honey-do's for the rest of the day.

Our main project on Saturday was cleaning out the garage. It's only been, you know, almost two years since we moved into this house. I think it was high time to unpack the last boxes and make room for at least one vehicle. We're quite proud of our progress:

J made me take a picture of the labeled baskets and said I had to put it on the blog so everyone could see how neurotic I am. Honestly, though, I did it because I know we--ahem, he--is more likely to put things back where they go if their homes are unmistakably identified. Anyhoo...

We finished up with that in time to give the girls baths, because they were filthy from playing outside all day. After supper I did something I never thought I would do. I ironed my preschooler's clothes. Her Easter dress was quite scrunched from the washing, so I dutifully ironed two layers of pouffy skirt and three little ribbon bows. I remembered why I don't do that when I buckled her into her car seat the next morning and had to wad it all up between her legs to buckle her. Fortunately, I had the wherewithal to take the pictures before we left. Isn't she lovely?

C even managed to be photogenic. Ignore the dirty sock on the floor.

Sunday afternoon was very relaxed. J worked in another fix-it, this time on the tire swing in the back yard. I trimmed up a vine in the back yard that was hit hard by all the cold weather. Then we sat and stared at each other and hoped against hope that the humidity this weekend is not indicative of the summer forecast. Cause it's too early to be so sticky already.

Today has been another full day. I cycled toys for the girls, put away C's winter clothes and got out spring clothes, did half a dozen loads of laundry, and made a run to the bread store. Oh, and I typed up this crazy long post which only my mother and mother-in-law have actually persevered to finish. Now I must stop typing and actually publish the post before another day comes and I have more to report. Sleep well on this bedtime story. Unless you really did ingest caffeine earlier. Then you're sort of out of luck. Read the post again; that should do it.