A Full-filling Weekend

I don’t know about you, but at about 8:15pm on a Friday night, my mind starts racing. I start thinking about all the things I want to do/accomplish on Saturday. It drives Brian a little crazy, because my list is far longer than the hours of the day can accommodate. It’s our one day of the week where we can be productive or have any kind of substantial outing. We had a packed, event-filled weekend. And even though we didn’t get everything done I wanted (Samantha’s room is still unpainted and the family room wall is still not sanded), I still had a sense of accomplishment.

Saturday:
8:30am- I take off for a morning run. Given how much we had to do that day, I decided it would be most efficient to run the 2 ½ miles to the grocery store, pick up the few ingredients I needed for a dessert I needed to make and then run home. You know how it goes, you always see additional things you need at the store. So I packed an additional 6 pounds on my back for the 2 ½ mile run home. Good training strategy, right? Next time, I’ll forgo the bananas—they don’t travel so well.

10-am our home teacher (friend from our church who pops in once a month to make sure we’re doing well) visits before he jets off to Hawaii tomorrow.

11am- Brian and Ella go birthday shopping for my birthday festivities on Sunday. I make dessert for Ward Halloween party, Sam goes down for a nap.

1pm- I leave for a baby shower

3:30pm- We prepare for Halloween party. Ella dons nail polish, lip gloss and blush. She is floating.

5pm- Ward Halloween party. We were a little bummed because the party is traditionally held on a farm in Potomac, owned by a family in the ward. It got rained out and moved to the church. However, it was complete with costume parade (we contributed the ballerina and the flower)

and piñata breaking.

All the kids were darling, well-behaved and had a great time.

Sunday:

Ella starred in the Primary program at church and we celebrated my 31st (!!!???)birthday. Brian treated us to a fabulous dinner of broiled salmon, feta/tomato pasta, steamed carrots and apple cider. My parents, grandma and friends Kimberlee (visiting my Mom from CA) and Leslie also joined us. It also happened to be Leslie’s birthday, too! I insisted she blow out the candles with me. My Mom came through with the PERFECT cake. It’s the only type of birthday cake I’ve ever had since childhood. Chocolate cake, chocolate frosting and mellowcreme pumpkins. My only requirements for cake. Yes, I know, those pumpkins are disgusting, but it’s all about tradition.

I was spoiled with gifts—two lovely tablecloths from my Grandmother (I’ve been in desperate need for a long time and have never done anything about it--see sad looking tablecloth above), a new outfit from my parents, jewelry hand-picked by Ella

and an iTunes giftcard and iPod sensor to track my mileage while I run. I'll be looking like this woman on the back of the package in no time!

All the right things to take me into my next year!

PS- Thanks, Gary and Rhonda for the wonderful bulbs--Ella and I got them in the ground on Friday! I'm excited for my Fritillaria next spring!