Chocolate Fountains, and Togas, and Football, Oh My!

Since Tadman has changed sleeping patterns and now goes to bed at 2 a.m., wakes up at 7:00 when the sun rises, then plays himself into exhaustion and falls asleep on the floor at about 5 p.m., then wakes up at about 8:30 and eats dinner by himself until it's time to go to bed again at 2 a.m., it's more convenient to get to water aerobics now. (He used to like to sleep in until it had already started.) I went again on Friday--yes, that's twice in a row--and there was a substitute instructor who was just as fun as the regular instructor, but just let me blend into the other students instead of introducing me! Sometimes anonymity can be nice.
When I came out to the parking lot to drive home I had a super flat tire on the rear driver's side tire of my van. I called Greg but he was with a client (it's always a mystery his store is slow when every time I call him he's with "a client"), so luckily my mom and sister were still at the Y for the water aerobics class and they gave me some quarters for the air machine at the gas station and made sure I got there o.k. My van is just slowly falling apart, but thankfully it still starts whenever I need it even though it's dented and the windshield wiper fluid won't spray and the running board is bent and now the tire's flat, but it still starts! Whether it's quarters or laundry services I need, my mom and sister are still coming through for me.
In the afternoon I made my way to project day at Katie Thatcher's house. We had a great tasting healthy soup provided by Karla, and then, get this, a chocolate fountain with little fruits and cakes for dipping. I've never experienced a chocolate fountain on a Friday afternoon before. I thought they were strictly for weddings and parties, but Katie parties on Friday afternoons--yes! Most of us worked (me, very little) on door decorations for teacher appreciation week at Joplin. Cindy Whiting is working on several doors simultaneously, bless her heart. Those teachers might go unappreciated if it weren't for the ladies at that project day.
Later I took Parker, Tadman, and Kate to McDonalds to meet Misty Newson and her kids. It was great talking with her while the kids played and enjoyed themselves in the indoor playground. Once again, it's great to be surrounded by concerned and helpful friends keeping me engaged and going places.
Misty's daughter Daysha accompanied Kate and I to Kate's soccer game next. Kate played a very aggressive team that dominated her team a little bit, but the great thing about 7-year-olds playing soccer--they think every game ends in a tie. And they're always more excited about the snack than the game! Kate tried her best, did a great time making big kicks as a defender, and had a great attitude throughout the game, so it was a success.
Our family had another early Saturday, as Hunter had an 8:30 basketball game. I let the other kids sleep in because it was such a great rainy Saturday morning, and I thought I'd love to sleep in on that kind of morning, but since I couldn't, I slept in vicariously through them, and man, when Tadman's asleep, I let him sleep! Hunter's team is playing so well. They played their Saturday morning game on a tiny court at Lewis and Clark, and while Hunter is probably the biggest guy on the team, they're all getting pretty big now so it's a whole different game with those big sweaty boys on a little tiny court. It's hard to have any spacing or passing lanes, but they adapted and beat Kuna easily in the first game.
After picking up Kate and Tadman after the game we were off to my sister-in-law's house for a special all girl (and Tadman) party in celebration of May Day. We learned a little about the history of the holiday, made togas and head wreaths, and ate a glorious breakfast brunch of a kind of sausage and egg pastry, spinach and hazelnut salad, fresh fruit, hot cross buns, and orange yogurt topped with homemade granola. Robin and her daughters are fantastic cooks and present food beautifully which I always think makes it even more tasty. My niece Shannon took pictures, and I will be sure to include one in the blog when she sends them. Taddy and my nephew's daughter, Mackenzie, were very cute in their togas and headdresses. Tadman somehow managed to make his manly and only started having fun when Mackenzie broke out the trucks.
We enjoyed the party so much we were late for Hunter's second game. Luckily Grandma Dee and Ron were there to represent the family until we arrived. Hunter's team played Mountain View, and while they were a little more challenged, mostly because of their own mistakes, they ended up pulling away and winning by a comfortable margin in the end. They have just 2 games next Saturday and then tournament and have certainly exceeded my expectations by going undefeated to this point in the season. Hopefully they'll continue to play to the best of their abilities. Greg has done a great job of coaching them and bringing them together as a team. During school ball Hunter was often frustrated and irritated by his teammates, but he is really enjoying spending time with these guys during this AAU season. Greg does a good job of reigning them in and making sure they behave appropriately toward each other, and if they don't, they run.
OK, I'm not proud of this, but Saturday night Greg and Hunter and I hit the Boise Burn game. It's like the Walmart of football. They play at Qwest Arena on a field just a little bigger than a basketball court with bumpers all around. It seems like they really like slamming their opponents into this wall surrounding the field, and the fans seem to like best that if a football flies into the crowd and you catch it, you get to keep it. Coincidentally the players for the Burn were wearing pink jerseys to be auctioned off to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research, but I didn't know that before the game. The Burn were victorious by about 200 to 21 or something, and although it made me anxious for real football season to begin, it's definitely nothing like real football. It's Cool Whip and real football is whipped cream. Can't wait!
Today has been another great Sunday. Church was mostly spiritually uplifting, although between my own kids and being at the back of the congregation, it was a little like being in the nursery. Tadman is much more physically active and verbal than he was a few months ago, so it's a challenge to keep him quiet and in control each week. This week he was considered to be too sick to go to the nursery again, so it was hard to listen and catch the messages in every meeting, but even so, it was great to be with friends at church.
And after church my family always enjoys picking on each other, fighting over movie choices, complaining about the small servings of home evening treats, and being disgruntled in general, but it's all good because in spite of all the bickering that goes on, we all get to stay home together, we have a nice meal, we have some gospel teaching, we have the time to talk or nap, or write blogs, and it is a day unlike the others, so it's all good.
Thanks to my sister Heidi for the package full of gifts and letters of encouragement for each member of my family. Heidi, I know you are frustrated that you can't be here to help, but I feel you here, and having Leah for a day was a great representation of you. I appreciate you writing a personal note to each of the kids, even Tadman, because each has special concerns and different perspectives. Of course we look forward to seeing you in person sometime soon because that's always more fun.
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