Truth: we don't go hiking/kayaking/exploring every weekend. We have a normal life where house chores and projects need to be done, we sometimes have to work at our jobs on weekends and we get sick. Sometimes there are outside requirements like family get-togethers, birthday parties and other social gatherings that keep us from doing the "Fun Stuff."
At times like those, the dogs get unlimited access to the backyard or we stop for a quick romp at a nearby park so they can get outdoors and run off some excess energy. This is one of those kinds of weekends.
VIDEO #1 (Charlie eating grass at the beach):
Alan is just recovering from the cold he had while we were camping and I just started coming down with the same cold toward the end of last week. Head colds suck but you can usually navigate normal responsibilities around them.
So yesterday, Alan worked on painting the trim on the backside of the house in preparation of tearing off the roof on the kitchen addition so we can get that replaced before winter (better to have the ladders on the old roof than the new one!). We'll finish the trim painting on the other sides of the house in spring next year.
While Alan worked just outside my kitchen windows, I stayed inside and baked some sweet treats for him to take to his weekly poker night with the guys. He listened to classic rock on the radio outside and I listened to inspirational TED Talks inside. Every now and then, though, I could hear him singing along to the radio - swoon!
And the dogs ran to the window to watch him every time he passed by. Occasionally he'd take a break, open the kitchen window to chat with us and sip from his coffee mug.
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| Peanut Butter Caramel Toffee Chocolate-Chip Cookie Bars from MomOnTimeout.com |
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| Cranberry-Orange Shortbread Cookies from MomOnTimeout.com |
After the chores were done and the treats were baked, Alan headed home and the dogs and I snuggled on the couch to watch a movie for a bit.
Soon, we headed out with Grandma and Peanut to take a quick walk at a nearby county park. The drive there takes longer than our actual time at the park, but the drive is part of the joy of getting out. Leaves are beginning to change color and the scenery was beautiful. The dogs inhaled the scents from their partially open windows in the backseat while we cranked the heat in the front seats to stay warm.
VIDEO #2 (Charlie finding her stick at the park):
It was a pleasant day where much was accomplished and we didn't over-do ourselves so I can continue focusing on staying hydrated and rested to get better soon!
Sunday will be spent much the same. Alan will be watching football, I'll be going into work to take care of month-end accounting tasks and Jake has a playdate scheduled at a new dog park. It's nothing super-exciting, but sometimes that's life. We take pleasure in the every day moments of just spending time together.
