father/son campout; mother/daughter weekend

So this weekend has been one of my favorites of the year.  Every year our stake has a father/son campout the Friday and Saturday before mother's day.  Although I think it's kind of a weird choice, it's always one of my favorite weekends.  The boys are always so excited to go camping, and the girls usually have a girls night with friends and then we go shopping on Saturday and have fun together.  As the kids get older and older, it's just more and more enjoyable.

Friday, Samantha was in the Bear path talent show as well, so that added a little more craziness to getting everyone out the door.  Justin met us at the show.  She was in the 5th act of the night so they watched her and then took off.  It was really a fun little talent show.  Samantha and 7 other girls in her class did a dance to the song "Keep your Head up".  Although there was quite a bit of drama in practicing for the dance, including one little girl who quit because she couldn't agree on what to wear or which moves to do with the other girls, Samantha always had a great attitude and I think really enjoyed herself.  One of the other moms bought roses for all of the girls and she felt really special.  After the show, we joined some friends for a girls night and enjoyed pizza and food and socializing.  After the party we came home, got in pjs and all fell asleep watching "We bought a zoo."  The next day we slept in, cleaned a little, took Sam to dance, went to lunch at the glenwood diner and used a coupon Samantha earned for being student of the month for ice cream at Kelly's kone connection.  Then we used a bunch of gift cards she had from her birthday to buy a few things at the mall.    It was great!  We all got some fun stuff.  We came home and crashed, so did the boys.  They had a great time too.  Of course they were dirty and smelly, but had fun.  The weather was absolutely perfect so they slept well and camped well.  The boys had a soccer game at 5:00.  Justin took them and they won 4-1.  After they got home and ate, Justin and I slipped out for some sushi at our favorite little japanese restaurant here.  It was nice. Came home and had to clean a little so I could face Sunday.  Then settled down with Justin to watch a Castle.  It was a perfect weekend.

Today I woke up to not 1 but 2 breakfasts in bed.  Samantha made me toast, cereal and milk, and homemade lemonade.   Joseph made an omelette, an orange (quartered) , a glass of milk and two small bites of cheesecake.  I have to admit to being spoiled (and I like it).  Justin and the boys made lunch, BBQ ribs, rice and veggies.  As I type, John is making cookies (that's my kind of dinner).  Kate has been making sure that I know I am her favorite by climbing on my face while I try to nap.  Justin would try to take her and distract her, but she would just scream.  She is quite the baby of the family and a little spoiled, but we love her anyway.

Michelle was pretty funny during sacrament as well.  All the kids went up to sing and she walked right up to the microphone.  All the kids were crowded around her, but she got right up to the podium and started singing right into the microphone.  Luckily the bishopric were onto her and turned off the microphone so she wasn't super loud, but she sure was having fun playing with it and ignoring my pleas for her to stop.  What a little turkey!

I'm really thankful for my family today.  They have been just really fun and I have loved being waited on.