A Weekend

This weekend is a long weekend here in Canada. Monday is a day off, which is much appreciated by everyone.

Last summer, our best couple friends moved west, to Vancouver Island. Seeing as it was Robbie's best friend, it's been rather hard on us, and sometimes, it seems like we have no one to do things with. James and Jen were kind of our go-to couple, as their oldest daughter is only a year-and-a-half younger than Elodie. Of course we're lucky enough to be blessed with as many friends as we have fingers and toes, but in this part of the country, a rat race is definitely played, and it's hard to make time for leisure.

So for Christmas this year, Elodie and I gave Robbie a trip to Vancouver Island to hang out with his best buddy and his family. So on Thursday, he flew out, and Elodie and I started our Mommy/Daughter weekend. So far, it's nice. I always love just hanging out with Elodie, just the two of us. Our family has a really good routine, and sometimes it's nice to toss that right out the window. And that routine has been tossed.

I took Friday off work. We picked up my cousin's two-year-old son so he could have some fun time away from his new baby sister (it's been kind of hard on him). He and Elodie had a tonne of fun, racing around the house, destroying Elodie's bedroom, eating the most kid-friendly lunch EVER (goldfish crackers, mac & cheese, cut-up hotdogs, corn on the cob and strawberries), and playing at the park. After dropping him off after a solid four hours of playing, we went to my parents' house to visit my grandparents who had just driven in from Saskatchewan.

Gramma, Elodie and I went and got some things for dinner, and then when Elodie knocked out in the car on the way home, we decided to go for coffee at Tim Horton's. Elodie stayed asleep for most of it, and only awoke at the end to have a doughnut. We had dinner with my grandparents and parents, and then we went home. Elodie fell asleep in record time, and I followed suit.

Last night, at about 3:00 a.m., I woke up to find a little clammy-footed, snoring kid, two dogs and a cat in my bed. I kicked one dog off and let the rest stay. In my defence, the dog I kicked off is 125 pounds of drool and hair.

In all, this weekend has been one of lazing about, doing what we feel like when we feel like it, heading for impromptu trips to the park, not cleaning up after ourselves (much. I have run the dishwasher once and wiped down the stove and counters), not worrying about getting out of our jammies first thing in the morning, and generally enjoying ourselves.

Today, we have dinner with my whole family (parents, grandparents, brother, cousin and his family). Tomorrow, we're going up to Sundre to see Robbie's step-dad and his family. One brother, two sisters, their families, and then four step-step sisters and their kids (Robbie's step dad remarried after Robbie's mom died to a woman with four girls. What does that make them to Robbie? We figure step-step sisters). It's going to be *crazy* busy, but I always enjoy hanging out with them. Then tomorrow night, I'll drop Elodie into the safe care of Robbie's dad, and I get Sunday night and most of Monday to myself while Elodie goes to the High River Parade.

Robbie comes home on Tuesday. By then, my house will be a mess, my clothing piled up to the ceiling, work screaming my name, but you know what? There's next weekend. Long weekends are for relaxing with your family, and that's just what I intend to do.

Have a wonderful, safe weekend, everybody!! Don't drink and drive!