Monday, November 17, 2008

Weekend Notes

I need two more days of weekend and I’ll be fine.

Friday night, we had a game night with some friends. My friend Renee and I had lunch and decided we needed to get together with our husbands and do something fun. Because I’m old and socially lame, fun to me means a game night. Jill and Scott are usually up for a game night and Jill knows Renee because they both work here. I used to work there and Renee was my boss. Now I work for Meredith and Alex. Anyway, they’re all fun people and we knew it would work. It did and we had a great time. It was a little tough to get moving Saturday morning, but I managed. I just felt really old.

Saturday morning, I went over to Jill’s in an effort to get a good shot for their Christmas card. Jill’s girls are four and just over a year old. We begged, bribed, and broke a sweat, and I think Jill has at least two to choose from. I don't think this made the cut, but it's my pick.

That afternoon, I went to Annie’s house for a well-timed spa party. We exfoliated, moisturized, and ate. I bought some cream that will hopefully be a cure for my scary winter feet. Sorry, but I’ve warned you before… I’m a disclosure.

Saturday evening, Brandon and I made the kids watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. I told Kelly we watched it and she told me her kids just weren’t that into Charlie Brown. Neither are ours, we just don’t give them a choice because WE are into Charlie Brown. We’re great parents.

Sunday we had a really lazy day. Jill can confirm, as she stopped by around 1:00 and I was still in my pajamas. While in my pajamas, I dressed the kids in their Christmas outfits and snapped a few pictures for our Christmas card. It is really hard to avoid fake smiles in our house and it was freezing outside. Don't they look natural and warm?! This screams "perfect Nordic Christmas."

The early start of the Colts game threw us for a loop. I showered very quickly during the start of the third quarter and felt like a human. After that incredible game, we ignored the flurries and went out for ice cream. Alex moved up a level in reading recently, and I promised him ice cream. In addition to forcing my likes on my children, I also reward with food. I should write a parenting book.

When we got home, I was finishing dinner and Alex and Brandon disappeared for awhile. They like to hang out in our junk-riddled basement and hit golf balls, paint models, and work out their Christmas light display ideas. I didn’t think too much of it, until Alex called me down to show me something he’d learned. I’m always leery.

To my shock, I found Alex sitting up straight in a chair playing a little coronet. In fact, it was the coronet on which Brandon learned to play. Alex had perfect posture and was actually holding STILL. Brandon was in the chair next to him with his trumpet and they were playing a little song. Alex was behind a beat or two as he needed to watch Brandon’s fingers on the valves, but he was doing it!

I know it sounds really corny, but I got a little choked up. For one, Alex never sits still to do anything for more than 3.7 seconds. He also doesn’t like to take direction, particularly from Brandon. So, it was really neat to see them connect over something that once was such a big part of Brandon’s life. Just for added dorkiness on my part, the first time I saw Brandon he was carrying the same plaid trumpet case that was flipped open on the table yesterday.

Alex chattered away about the trumpet throughout dinner and was genuinely excited about it, which rarely happens. Normally, you can’t get him to admit he likes anything. Except sushi. He’ll tell anyone willing to listen how much he likes sushi, mostly for the shock factor, I’m sure. The minute Alex came home from school today, he went down tot the basement to practice trumpet. It may or may not last, but it’s such a relief to know he can sit still…if he wants to.

2 comments:

Jill C. said...

Oh, It is in his blood! Could Alex be a marching Tiger like his mother! Hopefully he doesn't find out about how well behaved his mother and friends were in band with Mr. Cole!

Penny Pickles said...

So it is time to tell you that I too played the coronet, I still have it and the kids toot on it from time to time - jon and alex could start a band albeit geeky one, but one non the less. ryan also played the trumpet - my kids come from good ombusher or however it is spelled, stock.