MJ's News and Notes: Furlough week

My furlough week is coming to an end and I'll be going back to work tomorrow morning. It's been a crazy, busy week and I haven't done very well about noting things here. So here's a recap....

Last weekend I went to Watkins, MN to meet up with about 10 of my sorority sisters for our annual summer gathering. We went out on a boat (the kind that most people envy!) for the better part of the day, catching up and having a great time!

While I was out doing that, Jamey was a little too brave and took the kids to a festival in nearby Shoreview. The kids loved the excitement, I'm sure, but Jamey wasn't quite prepared for how they'd run in opposite directions when he let them out of the stroller!

Monday afternoon I took the kids to Rochester. We met up with my good friend, Dani, and her two kids. We stayed at a hotel that had an awesome toddler pool. All four of the kids had an absolute blast in the pool -- it was hard to get them out! (That was the first time they had been in a pool!) My brother, David, met up with us for dinner that night and then hung out with us all day Tuesday.

After swimming again in the morning, we went to the zoo at Oxbow Park (not too far from where I grew up). That was the first time Ben & Maddie had been to a zoo and they loved it -- except for the heat and humidity and being confined to the stroller.

They napped at David's house and then David and I took them to the play area at the mall and they went crazy running around and climbing on everything. We met our friend, Lois, for dinner that night. By then Ben & Maddie were wild from being over tired, but didn't go to sleep in the car as I expected for the drive home.

Wednesday night I drove them to the cabin after bedtime. Ben fell asleep right away, but Maddie fought it until about the last 45 minutes. Then she was really scared when I put her in her crib. She kept crying over and over and I couldn't get her calmed down. Finally I brought her in bed with me and she slept there. I didn't get much sleep, though!

I was on my own with the kids Sunday through Thursday afternoon cause Jamey was cramming to finish the second unit on the duplex. Renters moved in a few days ago!! Unfortunately, Jamey didn't quite get everything done and has to go back tomorrow and Tuesday (we've got a sitter coming). The renters weren't too happy either. The place is liveable, but the washer/dryer aren't hooked up, there are some broken windows that are being repaired and there's a leak that makes it impossible to use the shower (can use the tub, though). UGH. The end is in sight, though.

When we got to the cabin, we discovered yet another tree fell down. This one was resting on the edge of the roof, but luckily didn't cause major damage. Jamey and a friend of ours took it down this morning and thankfully it didn't take too long. It was clear the thing was dying and we hadn't noticed. A bad storm last week blew it right over.

Our friends, Annie & Jon and their two kids joined us Friday afternoon through today. They brought their camper and parked it out front so it was almost as if we didn't have company at all! They had their space and we had ours.

Ben and Maddie had fun playing with the older kids, but we also had some injuries. Maddie fell out of their camper -- she pushed on the door and it must not have been shut tight and out she fell. You can see on the picture below that she's got a little scrape on her nose and she scuffed up her knee pretty good.

Ben did a face plant into the wooden sidewalk when trying to get on a trike belonging to a 2-year-old. He banged up his forehead mainly.

It was tough trying to keep an eye on the two of them, while also having a conversation with our friends, etc.

Yesterday Jamey and I took Ben & Maddie to the beach for awhile. Our friends didn't want to go. One of their kids was sick most of the weekend and the other was taking a nap. As usual, Ben & Maddie loved the water. But Maddie wanted to walk by herself, even where the water was over her head!

Both of them seem to have caught colds somewhere along our adventures this week. Ben's congestion kicked in Saturday morning. Maddie's did just tonight after we put her to bed. It's awful listening to them have trouble breathing (and not sleeping well, as a result!).

Needless to say, I'm exhausted. Work sounds like a breeze compared to doing full-time toddler duty all week. UGH.

Here are some pics from this morning....Jamey didn't get to eat much of his breakfast. Ben & Maddie invaded even though they had already had their own breakfast!