Eric rarely has to travel for work (maybe just a couple of times a year), so it's not normal for us to have him gone overnight. But, this week saw him taking his longest business trip ever, and he was gone for three days.
We usually just sit around the house thinking about Daddy being gone, but this time, I decided that maybe it was better to keep myself and the kids busy. So, here are 13 things we (or me by myself) have done over the last three days.
1. Cashed our $100 rebate check from buying our washer and dryer (from when we redecorated our laundry room).
2. Took that money, plus another $100, and bought enough stuff to finally landscape our front yard. This was an extensive trip at Menards, though it did involve some play time for the kids on the play yard stuff they have set up to play on. (The kids pretended they were in the rain forest on the way home, since there were plants all around them.)
3. Had help from my Mom (and then for a bit from someone from church) to do the landscaping.
4. Took Molly to the Urgent Care when she got a puncture wound to the foot during #3. (We think it was on some sharp mulch.)
5. Visited the library to check out books and DVDs. Each of the kids also got a coupon for a free kids meal at Chick-Fil-A for meeting their summer reading goal already.
6. Went to see Kung Fu Panda -- believe it or not, this was only the second movie Noah has seen in a theater (he'll be nine next month). It was the first theater movie for Jack (almost 7) and Molly (3 1/2). (We had a $20 movie certificate from Eric's work, so the tickets only cost us $4.75. Concessions, however, cost us $24!)
7. Went to Chick-Fil-A after the movie and used our free meal certificates. Then we played on the play equipment, but left after only about 10 minutes, since there were about 14 kids playing, and all but three (my kids!) were completely unsupervised.
8. Tackled the mess that was my kitchen counter after having spent a long weekend in Chicago for Eric's sister's wedding.
9. Went to Kroger to pick up some groceries. This was after landscaping all day, and I was too exhausted to even think about dragging the kids in to Walmart. Proof of this? I willingly bought toliet paper AND laundry detergent at Kroger's high prices.
10. Bought a $4 kiddie pool. We set it up and let the kids play in it, as well as run through our totally cool new sprinkler. (We *all* got very wet, especially when kids started picking up some of the spray nozzle thingees and spraying each other -- and me!)
11. Had a county inspection of our brand new screened in porch. It passed, and then we got the bill for it in the mail today. (Yeah, I know, my regular readers, I didn't even tell you guys that we were getting a screened in porch. I'll share pictures later!)
12. Had an exterminator come out to spray for carpenter bees and flying ants (that showed up after we started our screened in porch construction).
13. Cleaned up like crazy in the last 2 hours before Daddy showed up at home!
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18 comments:
where'd you find a $4 kiddie pool?????!!!
It is just one of those molded plastic numbers -- all a solid color. We got it at Menards.
You've been busy!
I love Chik-Fil-A! We don't have them here in Illinois, but I scarfed them down when I visited my friend in Texas.
Can you put the sprinkler near the pool?
SJR
The Pink Flamingo
http://thepinkflamingo.blogharbor.com/blog
I bet you'll be glad when he gets home, you busy mom!
A 4 dollar kiddie pool? Ours was like 50 haha
Wow, you've been busy. My husband just starting working out of town. It's only a few times per year for two weeks at a time. I also try and stay busy. It helps. Great list. Thanks for stopping by mine.
When the cats away, the mouse will... work it's tail off? I don't remember it rhyme going like that. I hope you find some more quality down time soon.
Have a great day!
So---when dad asked what you did while he was away, I bet you said, "oh, you know, the usual stuff!" But I hope he noticed the landscaping!
@ Kay -- He was pretty much speechless about the landscaping at first. He was really surprised, since we did it all on the sly. He didn't say anything the second he stepped out of his boss' car (although all the kids ran up and were hugging him), but his boss said, "Wow -- the landscaping looks great!" Since his boss has only been to our house a time or two, I knew that meant Eric had already said something to him about it as they pulled up. Eric was very impressed and thanked me many times. It was also fun to finally tell him all the details of what we had done, finally explain exactly how Molly had had to go to the Urgent Care, etc.
Oh hey -- and he was also impressed that I used a power drill for the first time. ;) (I told him the hardest part was that I didn't know how to put in a drill bit.)
LOL @ Angie -- yes, I did feel like I worked my tail off. But, it was good. And, it sure did make the time go fast!
You were busy! I have tried so many sprinklers for my kids and none do the job. The sprinkler you have looks like lots of fun. I may have to get this one.
I would check out your local Target before buying it online though. I got mine at 50% off. It looks slightly different (different colors), but it's exactly the same as the one pictured. I either paid $5 or $7 for it as half priced. So, apparently the kind I got was cheaper at the store.
Seriously -- this sprinkler is super fun! It's nice that there is enough room for everyone to get in the sprinkler at once.
My goodness! You have been busy!! And I totally understand about the whole movies thing. My husband and I rarely go! And if we do, we don't get concessions. It's crazy!
Sounds like you have been busy. You are a great motivator
Mines up as well!
Hubbys having a give away at his blog at www.valtool.blogspot.com
Hope you will visit us both!
Interesting 13. Mine is Eat, Drink and be Merry - 13 Last Words, Excerpt: Judaism instructs us to enjoy the simple gifts that God gives in the present world. Eat, drink and be merry. Enjoy this life, on this Earth, in this time. I have collected for your enjoyment the last words of some of our more famous fellow human beings involving food or drink before they died.
Sounds like you made good use of the time while hubby was away! Bravo for you!
My husband also has to travel out of town about once a month. I used to look forward to all I could get done since I wouldn't need to do lunch on a schedule those days, but I did miss him at noon.
Now, he has sleep disorders, so when he goes out of town, we go out of town too. It makes for a long day and cuts into our school and housework etc. But I'd rather have him safe and have a job then unsafe and lose his job due to not getting to his meetings.
Contentment is what God is trying to teach me.
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