Change of Plans

This past weekend was the cub scouts Fall Encampment Trip and though we had originally planned on all of us going, we eventually decided that just Brian and the older boys would go.

And let me be honest… I have been so excited for this weekend. A chance to do only what I wanted to do and nothing more or less. Sure I would still have one child, but any parent with multiple kids will tell you that going from 3 kids to 1 kid might as well be as if you were alone - one kid is E.A.S.Y., especially when that one kid still takes a mandatory 3-hour nap during the day and is easily entertained by cartoons and the iPad (don't judge me folks, I know y'all do it sometimes too!).

So as I anxiously waited for this dream weekend I mentally battled with all the possible things I could do with my "alone time." Finally organize the filing cabinet drawer with all the kids' drawings (a task that will probably involve throwing some things away, hence why it cannot be done with said kids around)? Perhaps pull out my sewing machine and half my craft closet and get busy with some projects? Hit up some garage sales, flea markets and antique craft shows with the girlfriends? All of the above? My Saturday night would end in refreshed satisfaction with a glass of cabernet on the couch and some chic flick on the Hallmark Channel.

Well, that isn't exactly how it went…

The boys did leave Friday night, riding together with our good friend and fellow scout father and his 3 boys, and as we are oh-so-familiar with in the military world, about halfway there our friend was recalled back to work. And since scouting rules state that a parent has to be with a scout on camping trips, that meant that his boys couldn't go (which would have been pretty devastating for our boys since they are all best buddies).

So of course the logical thing to do was move the camping trip to our back yard! This was what I woke up to Saturday morning (after a very short night since the boys didn't go to bed until about 1 am and were running through the house like hooligans at 6 am).

After breakfast, Brian loaded up the 5 boys and off they went back to the Encampment so the boys could participate in the events - shooting a BB gun, rolling down hills, eating hot dogs, and generally doing "boy" things. They were home by 6 pm, and with the crisis averted our good friend ended up NOT leaving so he and his wife come over with chili and the yummiest bread I've eaten in… well, ever! They also brought a fire pit and once the fire was roaring we roasted marshmallows and tried to keep little fingers safe from burns.

Our proudest moment was this morning when Brian and I rustled 6 little smelly, wild boys through showers, teeth brushing (and amazingly into clean clothes) and breakfast to get to church on time - and we did!

So what did I do yesterday? After cleaning up the trails of "camping boy" through the house and breakfast dishes, well I was pretty exhausted - so was Isaiah - and after putting him down for a nap (he slept over 4 hours!) laid on the couch and watched two chic flicks.

Not exactly what I had been dreaming about for the past month, but as I look back over the weekend, I wouldn't change it for anything!