Weekend in Pictures

A weekend that was nothing remarkable, but special just the same.

eating m&ms as a treat on Friday afternoon

After my haircut with a serious Benjamin

Friday night: Dinner at Meema and Papa Nick's, followed by the boys sleeping over.  But not really sleeping, since at 11 pm they were awake and playing "office" rather than sleeping.  And up before 7.

Charlotte in fur, in memory of Grandma Sonia, who would have been 90 on Saturday

Saturday morning: I had 3 tired young things and decided the best course of action would be to go to Costco.  And no trip to Costco is complete without a princess, an astronaut, and a fireman.

Astronaut princess and Fireman Astronaut

Sharing ice cream at Costco.  Asher's not the best sharer.

Saturday afternoon: I ran 4 miles in the snow.  It was peaceful and white.

on my snowy run

Saturday night:  Eric and I were supposed to have a date night, but canceled it due to the weather.  To compensate for my disappointment, I baked a chocolate cake.  I also made a dinner of Asian-style chicken, brown rice, and broccoli while Eric took the boys sledding (Charlotte refused to take off her princess dress, so didn't go sledding).  Charlotte had 4 helpings of broccoli but refused to taste the chicken, saying, "I don't like it!"  The boys had their dessert in front of a roaring fire.

"Take my picture! I see it?"

dessert and a fire

Sunday morning: Homemade scones for breakfast.  Then a birthday party with their school friends, and naps.

Asher with a picture of me when I was 3. I am pretty sure he's my child.

lazy morning snuggles

#1 snuggle bug

Sunday evening: Eric had a work emergency, so Meema and I took the kids to a Vietnamese restaurant in South Philadelphia.  We drove into town at dusk, and the boys were exclaiming at the lights in the city and the buildings. They laughed at the row homes that all touch each other.  It was as if we had never been in the city before! But even to me, the city looked particularly appealing.

A month or so ago, Eric and I had taken the kids out to dinner on a Saturday night, which consisted of the kids ordering food that they didn't actually want to eat; my gobbling my food so quickly I didn't even know if I liked it; and ended with Charlotte lying on her belly on the floor of the restaurant and "swimming," which led to me yelling, "Get off the floor! You are not a snake!"  I then told Eric, "now I remember why we don't eat out!"

Tonight was, fortunately, completely different.  Everyone sat in their own chair, and everyone ate their own food.  In fact, they ate more Vietnamese food than they ate of the traditional American stuff they'd chosen at the last restaurant!  We ordered wide rice noodles stir-fried with chicken and broccoli for the kids, and my mom and I shared a couple of other dishes, including a Vietnamese crepe, which was almost like an omelet stuffed with meat and some vegetables and bean sprouts.  Charlotte and Benjamin tried and enjoyed it! I was thrilled!  All 3 kids loved their noodle dish and the plate was empty at the end of the meal.  Asher had a great idea to wrap some of the chicken from his dish up in one of the rice paper wrappers from my dish- he put in some rice as well, and ate it up.  I loved watching them try new things and be inventive with how they ate it.  Benjamin was also using chopsticks.  I was so proud of them!

After dinner, we went next door to the Asian market so I could stock up on noodles since everyone in our family loves noodles.  The kids were fascinated by the fish, produce, and meat, and then played tag in the other aisles.  They were a little nuts in the car on the way home, but it was a successful evening.

Trying Vietnamese crepe- and liking it!

Eating rice, chicken, and noodles.