catching my breath

This weekend was ridiculous.  I hate when our schedules are so packed that you can't even be in the moment with anything because "EVERYTHING" is taking up every ounce of your brain.  We started Friday night with our annual ugly ornament contest in the 'hood - which I'm excited to announce that we won - after participating for many years!  Looking back, even though it was another line item on the calendar, that party was pure relaxation in comparison to what followed.

Saturday morning, we took Riley to the gym at 8 AM.  By 9, Finn, Logan and I were at Finn's pancake breakfast at school.  At 10:30, we picked up Riley from the gym and went to Finn's basketball game, with Grammy and Jim, until 12.  Mike and Finn dropped us off and went to get haircuts - Mike was really starting to look like a cross between Max Hedrum and Conan O'Brien.  After what might be consider lunch, we packed up with our good pals, the Marienthals, and drove out toward DeKalb, to our traditional tree-cutting stomping  grounds.  Two unbearably frigid treks through two different farms resulted in zero tree choices; they were all too small!  We ended up buying from a tree lot at the second farm!  We went home and tried to decorate, but it was so late that we got little done and rushed the kids into bed so that we'd get a good night's sleep before the 5 AM wake-up call for Riley's meet.

 

 

 

 

Sunday at 2:39 AM, Finn arrived to tell us that he'd thrown up all over his bed.  Every hour, for the next several, he vomited more; his little body wondering what the hell is going on.  His ID Reaction, which had been almost healed, flared into craziness and all the spots became dark red and scabbed.  At 5, I woke Riley, did her bun and headed out, without the rest of the fam, to the meet.  I hate sitting there watching alone - it's so stressful!!

Riley rocked it like never before, raising her personal best by one whole point!  She scored 9.3 on floor (personal best), 9.225 on beam (personal best), 9.150 on bars and 9.125 on vault.  I can't describe the excitement on her face with each flashing score - I was one thrilled mama.  She has worked her butt off for a meet like this!  There was a stinging disappointment later, when she learned that at this particular meet, they don't announce places or scores, they just give everyone the same trophy.  Our non-drama girl sobbed for an hour when we got home, but later, a good friend let us know that she was listed at the meet as placing 3rd All Around out of 56 girls that were not separated out by age.  AMAZING!  She felt better, needless to say. 

 

We rushed home to decorate as this was our only chance before Christmas.  This year, and every year from now on, we've decided to have an "Uncle Griff Tree", in the living room.  Aunt Michelle generously donated her pre-lit one to our efforts.  The kids made ornaments for it and left notes and we hung things on it that remind us of him.  Yesterday was also Griff's birthday.

By 6:30 PM, we met up with Nana and Tony, Grandpa and Irene, Grammy and Jim, Tom, Michelle and Ellie to see Logan's Christmas Choir Concert and it did not disappoint!  She is so adorable and growing up so fast.  I couldn't believe my first little babe was standing up there, tall and proud and singing her heart out, with her requested straightened hair.  How did she grow up so fast?  Finn laid in my lap like an infant though, so at least I'm still needed!!

 

We ended the  night at Potbelly's with Nana and Tony before they headed back north.  What a whirlwind!  Today, with Finn home, I'm trying to catch my breath, make last purchases and get a stronghold on what lies ahead.  It certainly feels like the holidays.  Looking to this weekend:  Finn's school holiday festival, another choir concert, basketball game and meet, another Christmas party, a birthday party and an invite for drinks with friends.  Will I survive?  And when am I supposed to bake cookies?