Busy, Fun, Weekend

So, as I wrote below, last week was my daughter's birthday. Well, yesterday was my wife's birthday.

Being a pastor and working on Sundays, I take Friday and Saturday as my weekend. Most Sundays I'm home and done for the day by about 1 p.m. so it's almost like I have a 2 1/2 day weekend.

Anyway, on Friday my wife and I walked the kids to school then continued downtown to go to the market and buy some perogies from Maria and some Kettle Corn from the Kettle Corn guy. When we got home I had a sore back so I sat down and watched TV and played solitaire on the laptop while my wife went downstairs and watched her taped General Hospital episode. After the Advil and the ice pack took care of the sore back I went out to mow the lawn and she did some gardening next door at the church. After I finished mowing the lawn it was lunch time so I set up a little table in the shade of our maple tree and went to get some take out fish and chips from the fry truck a few blocks away. Then I called her over for lunch. She was surprised and very happy with the treat. After lunch I got out the patio furniture (for which we haven't had appropriate weather because of a pretty cool spring) in anticipation of a nice day on Sunday.

On Saturday we spent the day cleaning the house for the guests (family) who were coming on Sunday to celebrate both birthdays. The kids were actually helpful because we had planned a surprise party for mom that evening. We spent much of the afternoon gardening and planted our church vegetable garden, the produce from which we take to the food bank. Finally it was just after 5 p.m. and my wife wanted to do more gardening when I said, "NO! Get inside and have a shower and get dressed again in case your family wants to do something with you this evening." She later said that she figured we might take her out for dinner and a movie. Instead we did a little last minute decorating and preparation for the surprise party.

Two couples who are friends of ours and whose kids are friends of our kids came over and showed up at the door surprising my wife. It was a lovely evening so we could sit out on the patio. Our oldest daughter and I got out some snacks and appetizers, made some punch, we had some cheese cake (thawed, from a box) and had a really nice visit together. She had no idea we planned anything. Again, surprised and very happy.

Yesterday after church my brother came (his wife wasn't feeling well) then my parents-in-law, two sisters-in-law and one of them's boyfriend came. We barbecued lunch, sat on the patio for a while, they opened presents, we went inside where some of us played video games, others did other stuff, then we had cake, sat and chatted, and had a relaxing nice time.

It was a good weekend. Nobody got on anybody's nerves. Surprised worked out. The weather cooperated. It was just really nice.