Fun But Crazy Busy

Another fun, but crazy week has now past us by.

On Saturday, an uncharacteristically cold and rainy day, we went to our friends up at the top of the mountain by the Appalachian Trail for dinner.  Aidan and Catherine play so well together!!  We had a most enjoyable and relaxing evening up there.  Flank Steak, potatoes and fresh green beans with Cheese Cake and fresh Strawberries for desert.  Wonderful!!  We plan to get together with them again on Labor Day weekend. . .our next opportunity.  Crazy busy summer schedules for us both!

I took Aidan to Free Skate before his Mini Mites games last Sunday and we practiced cross overs, backward skating, fast skating and hockey stops.  Aidan really enjoyed himself, and for the first time in a while, has been asking to go to Free Skate again.  He had gottn to the point where he didn't want to go.  So, we might go again this Sunday.  And I think I will talk to a couple of the other parents and see about play dates on the ice.  Why didn't I think of that before?????  duh.

On Monday, Pat had to work two shifts:  7:00 am-3:00 pm and then 11:00 pm-7:00 am.  He needed to nap in between shifts, especially because he had worked 7:00 am - 11:00 pm the day before.  So, I picked up Aidan from Camp and thn took him to the Ice House where we plunked down our BIG MONEY for him to be in Mites this coming fall.  Whew!  At least I had been saving for a while for that one.  I didn't have it all saved, but I did have a little more than half.  I'll start saving for it sooner this year.  Anyway, after that, we went to Subway (Aidan has fallen in love with Subway's Ham and Cheese Sandwiches and eats the entire thing!!) where we got our usuals and then came on home to be quiet (imagine a six year old active boy being quiet during his bath!) and then bed.  Somehow, we didn't awaken Pat--Thanks be to God!

On Tuesday, Pat picked up Aidan from Winwood and then went to Grandma and Grandpas and the men got hair cuts and then we all met for dinner.  Aidan was my little Shagmeister before:

He was so cute with shaggy hair!!  I was hoping it would just be shaped up, but it is much shorter than this again.  Ah well.  He is still my cutikens!

Grandpa looked much better on Tuesday.  He has a follow up doctors appointment today and we're hoping for a good report.

On Wednesday, Aidan had his Mini Mites Skills Class and he excelled.  Itwas obvious that our play-work on the ice on Sunday really made a difference.  He kept talking about Free Skate on the way home, which is why I decided we will likely go on Sunday before his games.

Thursday I had a hair cut and Pat fixed dinner--way to go Daddy!!!!  And now it is Friday.  Aidan has a Talent Show this afternoon so I will skip lunch and head over to watch him this afternoon.  No idea what he will be doing!!  Should be interesting!

In other news, our garden has been producing a lot in spite of the heat.  I am having a bumper crop of tomatoes this year and have been making tons of salsa.  I'm thinking of canning it.  I will be doing some pickles in another week or two and some stewed tomatoes.  Our peppers have been coming on strong too.  And, this year we have such a proliferation of Blackberries!!  Every evening Pat and Aidan have gone out and gotten a bowl full.  Ihave been washing them and saving them up in order to make a Blackberry Cobbler. . .so yummy!!!  And they are even great on plain vanilla ice cream.  Yum!  I loved Aidan's choice of bowls to put them in last night:

And, in my spare time, I decided it was time to clean out closets and dressers.  My housekeeper is on vacation for the next two weeks, so it's really the perfect time to tear things apart and not have to worry about having it all back in place before she comes to clean.  So, this week I emptied Aidan's closet (completely this time) and his dresser. . .into the Family Room where I couldn't ignore it.  Whew!  I went through a lot of it last night and started putting some things away.  However, I still have large pile of clothes that Aidan will need to try on, hopefully tonight.  I have three piles:  keep, donate and toss.  It's that simple.  And I'm sticking to that. . .especially now that I have gotten all of the early on things out that h wore when we picked him up at the Baby Home; his first PJ's; his first shoes. . .and I came across the slippers my sister sent him that he just loved!!!  I had to wipe away a tear when I saw them. . .especially when I saw them next to his curren slippers!

My baby is really growing up. 

Anyway, I'm hoping to do my closet next. . .

Next Friday is the first day of the Tax Free Weekend here in Virginia.  I love taking advantage of that in order to get us all new shoes, Aidan's school supplies and school clothes.  And this year I will gethim anew backpack: it's time to move up to a larger one.

So, Happy Friday and I'm still trying to not be whiny about the weather. . .unsuccessfully.