Again With The Fast Week

Where did the week go? Seriously. It's not like we had a bundle of things going on that time just zipped on by, so what, how, where?

For more elaboration on HOW WELL our team rocked the ALS Walk - the event goal was $8,000. Our team raised almost $6,200. Of course, we had more walkers as well...actually, there were a lot more walkers overall this year.

I was a little frenzied that morning, and walked as though a forest fire was licking at my heels. You see, in what I considered a moment of brilliance I planned E2's birthday party on the same day. All the pertinent guests would be down our way anyway, so why not just have them all for lunch and birthday festivities? Genius!



Sadly, I did not consider soccer season. One nephew was missing the walk to play his game, his brother had a game later that afternoon, and Birthday Girl E2 had a game at 2pm.

And we crammed it all in that day.

Oh, we kept it as simple as we could, and Aunt Christine was out from Texas to serve as my party assistant, but still...crazy. Here's how my insanity played out for all involved.

The girls excitedly showed off the streamers (Gryffindor colors) and gold 'flippendo's' (decorations that resemble a graphic image from the Harry Potter computer games) to my parents and my aunt as they arrived. We headed to the walk with them caravaning behind us.

Once at the walk location, we signed-in, chatted for a while, and then walked (I would have sore shins for two days following) around the lake three times. After taking some photos and making a pit-stop at the restroom we jumped in the van and headed home to the party. See how easy that was?

Meanwhile, Aunt Christine picked up a veggie tray, cole slaw, and potato salad at the grocery store. My mother-in-law picked up an ice cream cake (special request that they make it the first of the day using newly washed utensils in a peanut-free area - Go Dairy Queen!), and waited at our house for the call telling her we were on our way home. Aunt Christine also went and picked up the nephew (not her nephew though) from his soccer game.

As we lit out from the walk, I called my mother-in-law so she could get the Papa Murphy'sTake and Bake pizzas started.

On the drive home I realized I'd forgotten to pull the crock full of roast from the fridge and put it in the crock-pot shell and turn it on...I was making Italian Roast Beef in case anyone decided to hang around until dinner.

We arrived home, trailed by my sister and her family (E2's Godparents), Aunt Christine and nephew were here, and the pizzas were ready. I cracked open the veggie tray and some chips and we all dug in - even before my parents arrived from the walk. Hey, you stay to chat it's your own lunch. I got the crock pot going on high.

Then we opened gifts.

Then we sang happy birthday and had cake.

Then E2 slapped on her soccer gear and she and Rob left.

Then mass chaos ensued.

The Grandparents, the other two E's and I were attending the soccer game. My sister and her family were leaving to attend other nephew's afternoon game. I threw some candy in their direction with a promise that they could come over some other Sunday and have some time to play with the girls. There was much jostling as all the soccer attendees decided whether they were driving or walking to the park.

I found the goalie shirt and the cups for the water jug that Rob needed for the game just before he called to ask me to grab money to pay their referees, and we all trooped up to the park.

We watched the game and wondered why the opposing team was even in our league as they showed impeccible skill.

We returned home and collapsed in the backyard while E1 and E2 (with her new skates) maimed and bruised themselves in an effort to learn to skate in the garage.

Earlier in the week, as I was dreading how rushed the day was going to be - fully aware that it was my own darn fault, E2 complained that she wished she didn't have to share her birthday party with the walk and her soccer game. The guilt, oh how it stabs!

I agreed with her and promised that next year we'd make sure her party had it's own day. It seemed like such a good idea at the time, you know? Yet another lesson learned.