Because I promised

I'll finally blog again tonight because I promised I would, but I am REALLY distracted by Breaking Dawn, which I am FINALLY reading and which is patiently waiting for me on the couch. Patrick is in bed, Joe's at a meeting, and a delicious slice of chocolate birthday cake (happy birthday, dad!) is in the fridge... but a promise is a promise, so the sooner I blog, the sooner I eat cake while reading my book in peace! (If you've read Breaking Dawn, DO NOT give away the ending by asking "oh, are you to the part yet where....??" I'm probably not, so don't ruin it!)

Our little family traipsed on down to Grand Junction this weekend to visit my parents/brother/grandma and although it was a short weekend, MAN did we have fun! Friday night was pretty low-key since we got in at 8 p.m. but Patrick was wide awake after snoozing most of the ride down so we DID stay up. He was a little hesitant about such a big new (all over again) place and new (all over again) faces, but he quickly got over his fears and ran all over the living room with his walker. See him scootin' and talking to himself? (This is in Fort Collins, but it really looks the same wherever he goes.) That's my boy!

Saturday my dad took Joe and my brother Eric golfing (thanks for the new golf clubs, economic stimulous!) where I hear Joe played a great game. Maybe Joe can tell you about it himself, if he ever decides to blog (so .... don't hold your breath). My mom and I, meanwhile, got busy and tackled their main floor bathroom. I love my parents. They are hard workers who have sacrificed all kinds of things for their children - sleep, money, a little bit of sanity, and the pleasure or having beautiful new furniture and fixtures. Once we 5 children were gone, though, those small sacrifices were not so necessary and they have been replacing old things for new one by one. A new TV, where you didn't have to pull the knob to turn it on and wrangle "bunny ears" to get decent reception. New carpet for the living room that wasn't two-toned in an obvious traffic pattern. A new toilet for their main floor bathroom that isn't hideously brown and commented on by every guest who uses it ("I've never seen a brown toilet before!"), and even a new sink to match! Unfortunately, the neutrally-colored toilet and sink clashed with the neutrally-colored walls (you wouldn't think it possible, but it most certainly is) and the room still managed to look bad. UNTIL THIS WEEKEND (Dun dun DUUUUNNNN!!!)

Before

After

It makes my heart swell with pride, and that's just one coat of paint! Like I said, the weekend was short, so we will be finishing it with shelves and artwork and a chair rail when we visit again. In December. But 3 months isn't so bad when you've waited what seems like a lifetime for comments on having a great main-floor bathroom.

Saturday night we had Red Lobster for my dad's Birthday Dinner Choice - going out to eat is probably one of the very best parts about visiting parents. I feel spoiled when I get Taco Bell twice in one week; you can imagine how extravagent Red Lobster feels! Dinner was followed by more painting for my mom and I, combined with watching Patrick, and movies and Playstation for Eric and Joe (hmmm, something seem a little unfair??)

Sunday was a little down time - more birthday celebrations for my dad (jeez, dad!) with salmon/sweet potatoes/rice pilaf for lunch and birthday cake and ice cream (alright, maybe I don't mind celebrating so much....) and lots of laying around. Although Patrick should be well into the habit of sleeping through the night, he managed to have two horrendously sleepless nights in a row so by Sunday I was walking around the house looking like the Living Dead in pink pajamas (because one just cannot be motivated to get dressed after 3 hours of sleep). He DID manage to redeem himself by sleeping 11 hours last night, so I guess we'll keep him a little while longer. We stayed through the afternoon as long as wek could, but it IS a 5-hour trip so we had to leave sooner than later :( Although I hate winter, I do look forward to the abundance of holidays that give us such good excuses to get together again. Thanks, Winter! And thank YOU, dad, for the birthday cake that I'm gonna go eat now.