A Long Short Week, or was it a Short Long Week?

This week we had 1/2 days at school.  This meant short teacher days for me, with long parent teacher conferences before and after school.  (Actually only Tuesday was a marathon). For Derek though, it meant some long parenting days.  He picked the kids up at 11:45 (plus an extra or two some of the days) and had them until dinner time.  They had a good time, but we are all ready for school to go back to normal!

One day I came home to find them doing an awesome circuit workout in the garage.  Ben was rocking out pushups like crazy!  

This is a 15 lb (or maybe 25 lb) kettlebell.  He was deadlifting it like a pro! 

We also had our walk-a-thon this week at school.  It was cold and drizzly.  But Ben still managed to get 8 laps.  Derek had the day off, so he came to volunteer.  I stood with him, and it was like a date!  

We had a fun escape this weekend to Discovery Bay.  It is a short ferry ride away, but it feels like you have entered another, more peaceful world.  I had teacher meetings until 4 on Friday.  So Derek took the kids over on Friday morning (it was a whole day of teacher meetings without students).  I had Friday evening to myself!  I got a much needed chiropractic adjustment and massage.  I also went to business Costco, tried a new Thai restaurant, folded 5 loads of laundry, put some of it away, and wrapped a boat load of presents for Sarah's birthday.  It was so nice to only have myself to put to bed!

I met up with the rest of the Norton crew for brunch in Sequim on Saturday morning and we all spent the rest of the weekend enjoying the Island life.

Derek sent this from their ferry ride over.  They also did some hiking that day.  Derek may have pictures...

After an amazing brunch at the Oak Table restaurant, they brought Sarah a beautiful birthday crepe.  So sad that no one had room to eat it!

Then we went to the Olympic Game Farm.  It is amazing.  You feed the animals bread from your car windows.  It was so incredible to see these animals up close and personal.  We asked the guy how many loaves of bread people usually buy.  He said 2-4.  So we bought 6.  And used them all!  Kaj and Maren rode with Derek and Ben and I in the truck.  We had to wash it after, mostly due to the buffalo slobber.  Did you know they have giant purple tongues?  

Maren ran out of food for this guy! 

Derek was feeding as fast as he could! 

There was an indoor pool that the kids and Maren enjoyed. 

She requested donuts for her birthday treat, so they had those before I got there on Saturday.  Then on Saturday evening we had Uncle Leroy's requested birthday treat (his is the same day as Sarah's), pie.  

This is Derek's uncle, Leroy.  He lives in New Zealand so it was fun that he and Sarah got to be together for their joint birthday.  Maybe next year we can get together with my Aunt Sissy that shares the Oct. 14th  date as well!  

I went for a peaceful walk on the beach this morning.  It was so beautiful and calming!  

Ben and Ann had a great time playing and coloring together.  They are a perfect match right now.  

The older kids played a bunch of games too.  And more importantly, Emma gave Libby a little clarinet lesson.  Turns out we do need some clarinet repairs, so I'll try to get that done this week.  

After church and lunch and games, we headed home.  We had an hour wait for the ferry, so we played a little on the beach at the Kingston Ferry dock.  They kids were mad that I kept wanting them to look into the sun for pictures.  Attitude! 

Libby's main interest at the beach was trying to toss driftwood back out.  The water kept pushing it back, but she was pretty determined.  

Sarah and Ben and I kept trying to walk the full length of this enormous log on the beach.  But one end was wobbly.  So we had a hard time with it.  A little American Ninja Warrior type action.  What a glorious weekend.  I'm going to try and keep it in mind all week since my house is a trainwreck right now.  

I'm so thankful for Sarah.  She is a great part of our family.