A Zac-less weekend

This was our first extended period of time without Z home. He flew to Portland Thursday afternoon to climb Mt. Hood with his cousin, Ben, and he'll be home about midnight tonight...and my, my, what a long weekend it was!!! But, there was a lot of good stuff that happened:

• I got back in touch with a good friend, Michelle, from elementary school and Jr. High -- yippee!!!
• Spent lots of time basking in the grins, giggles, and overall cuteness emanating from Nuala and Bran. As well as other things emanating from them at times, times when I truly wished Z was home to share the moment.
• Showed up with the two babies at church and was reminded again how wonderful everyone there is. There's no way I could've stayed all three hours if my awesome church family didn't help me juggle at times. I knew it would happen.
• Mixed blessing: Zachariah took our camera with him, so I couldn't take a thousand pictures a day of Bran and Nuala. Difficult at first since they're oh-so-cute, but ultimately liberating. I could enjoy their cuteness without obsessing over how it didn't come through perfectly in the shot.
• Everytime I went shopping (ummm...twice) this weekend with the babies they were angels and many a comment was made on their cuteness. Sometimes they are not angels. Comments are not as forthcoming at those times.
• I got a foot scrub/pumice stone/nail polish with the intent of pampering myself a bit. Haven't done it yet, but I'm really excited for it!!! (on second thought, I could just wait for Z and let him do it...he kinda owes me...)
• Cruised through an entire 1 pound bag of chocolate covered peanut clusters by myself in one day (okay, another mixed blessing...)
• Bought the babies 3 cute cloth books on Amazon and got To Catch a Thief on DVD for free through their 4-for-3 deal...can't go wrong with Cary Grant. And, shipping was free because the total was just over $25. And, we basically got the books for free, too, since we used $$ given to us for the babies. Can it get any better???
• Oh, yeah. Two -- that's right, two -- loads of laundry done!
• And, of course, it's Mother's Day today. I have a wonderful mother, a wonderful mother-in-law, and I am a wonderful mother...wait...I mean I am a mother to two wonderful children :)
• (Oooo -- we got chocolate dipped pretzel sticks at church for Mother's Day -- yum! I was starving...)

Despite that extensive list, it'll be great to have Zachariah back.

*Ew. I saved this draft and took N&B on a walk, put them to bed, and then ate dinner. I had this really delicious looking Pad Thai-from-a-box and it was kind of disgusting! Yes, I should have known, but sometimes you are surprised by how yummy something like that can be from a box. Not this time...Well, Zachariah made me a delectable curry last Sunday for my Mother's Day dinner, so I'm not really complaining. Just bummed about the Pad Thai. I was really looking forward to it. And I wasn't expecting absolute greatness, but a mediocre meal would have satisfied me. It was edible, but lacking in the inherit Pad Thai-ness of Pad Thai. It was made with all natural stuff, no MSG, even made in Thailand. Hmmm...maybe all that contributed to the problem. Now, I better go finish it off...it's not worth saving, but I can't quite bring myself to toss it...