Matt's First Weekend Off

Matt took a few half days off for Christmas Eve and Jessica's birthday and all of Christmas, but this is the first weekend he has been home since he started the City Center job.  It was a great weekend and we hope it will become a normal thing.  The job will now take him through March, but the exact hours and days are unsure--under negotiation.  But overall the demands are less daunting than before.  Being Matt though, he didn't exactly rest much (at all) this weekend.  He has been jazzing up our house bit by bit sometimes going late into the evenings, but yesterday he almost finished.  We have a house full of glowing light switches and a couple of touch screen control panels.  He has also programmed some great features.  The kids have "goodnight" buttons.  When pressed, they turn on night lights, slowly turn out the overhead lights over 15 minutes and will turn off their tape players after 45 minutes.  No more going into Isaac's room at midnight because Harry Potter is still playing though he is fast asleep!  Makenna helped him with the pantry.  Its light now turns on when the door is opened, turns off when closed or goes off after a minute if left open.  He's done lots more and keeps thinking up new additions.  And I have become brilliant at screwing and unscrewing face plates and sockets and handing the right tools--various screwdrivers, wire clippers, wire nuts and flashlights. 

The kids had a rather normal week as far as trying to get back into a school routine. The one big change is their sleeping habits.  We got into the habit of staying up late and sleeping in over the break.  It was the time to see dad.  We're slowly getting to bed at a more decent time, but the kids are not to be seen before 7:30am at the very earliest.  We didn't start school before 9 once all week.  They did well despite that and we even went swimming a couple times in the afternoons which we haven't done for 2 months.  The weather has been gorgeous and in the afternoons when we weren't swimming (inside) they were out on the street with friends.  Jess is always switching between bike and new scooter.  Makenna is primarily on her bike when not finding bugs.  Isaac has discovered my old roller-blades and is mastering them.  He has two boys in his primary class who live 2 houses away. One has a sister a year older than Makenna.  But most often she is playing with the youngest daughter of my new long distance running buddy who lives a street away.  There are also twin 5 year olds next door and many other kids close by that often congregate outside.  We are off the main loop of the neighborhood so we have almost no traffic.  Hooray for 60 degree winters!

Running in the morning is still chilly and required bundling, but it warms up pretty fast.  Yesterday the kids had their annual Pajamarama at church so my friend and I drove down, dropped off the kids, ran home and then back to church to drive home.  10.4 mile trip and the nice thing was since we started downhill, we got to run up THEN down for once.  We didn't start till after 9 and it was sunny, so it was short sleeves!

Isaac and Makenna start piano again this week (Thursday) after a long, long break.  And this weekend we are expecting Kim and two of her roommates.  Isaac has now been invited to two birthday parties (different times) and has a long overdue football party on Saturday, so that's getting full! I'm going to try and go downtown to meet Matt for lunch Tuesday.  The girls have a library class Wednesday, and there's scouts and an RS meeting.  Friday is a sledding field trip plus Jessica's friend birthday party.  And of course there is a full week of school to get done.  And I need to sew 20 rice bags for the RS training meeting next Sunday.  Ahhh, another rather normal week.  Bright light: Kim and roommates have offered to babysit one night they are here!