This is always a very busy weekend for me and my mom's side of the family. Saturday is usually spent with my aunts and cousins and then everyone gets together on Sunday for "The Race For The Cure" with a pizza party at my aunt's house afterwards.
This year the girls day on Saturday was cancelled do to low attendance. :(
Bummer.
I always look forward to this day - time with the girls - shopping - eating - just hanging out.
So instead, I spent the day with my grand-daughter Emma. It was the longest I've ever had her (9 hours but who's counting?) and everything went VERY well. It's been a long time since I've taken care of a baby for that long but it's just like riding a bike - only more exhausting!
First, we picked up great-grandma and the three of us went out for pancakes at Gallaghers. My aunts from my dad's side of the family showed up and we had a wonderful time. Emma was very well behaved and she discovered that she really doesn't like pancakes but she can drink out of a glass. Actually, I think it was more the syrup that she didn't like than the pancake itself.
After breakfast we went shopping. Only Emma decided that she would rather nap. Good thing we had great-grandma along. She stayed in the car with Emma while I ran into the stores and "quickly" shopped. She did wake up when we talked about going to Target. Yes, she is her mother's daughter. The girl was thrilled when we walked into the store. She also knows how to sit in a cart and was completely happy. Her mother has trained her well.
We spent the rest of the day at home - just hanging out - playing - eating - napping.
It was a great day.
SUNDAY - RACE DAY!
My mother always insists that we arrive at the mall early - 6:45 early!
I don't do 5am
I don't do 6am
Maybe 7am on a good day. Maybe.
This is a special occasion so I give in to mom and get up at 5:45 (just thinking about it makes my head woozy) so that I'm ready to be picked up by 6:20. The other reasons I give in to mom is because I want to catch a ride so I don't have to drive in that insanity. Plus, we get all the free stuff before the crowd gets to large and out of control. People start acting a little crazy when there's free stuff involved.
The Race doesn't start until 9am so we do have some down time. But, it time well spent with family and soaking up everything that's going on. It really is quite an experience to be had.
This year I didn't walk because undiagnosed foot issues so I stayed behind and hung out with my dad and we watched every one's bag with free stuff. That's a lot of bags and a lot of free stuff. We only had one undercover ATF officer come up to us to make sure that all those bags belonged to us. We also got more free stuff that was given away after everyone left for the walk. Dad says this happens every year and we saw people walking around with cases of flavored water! Of course I found out where it was and I got me a free case of water. I think I'll hang out with dad again next year.
After the Race we went to my aunt and uncle's house for junk food and PaPa Murphy's pizza. It's a tradition - a GREAT tradition!
Family time, pizza, junk food - doesn't get much better than that.
On my way over to their house I stopped at home to get my pizza oven to help with the cooking efforts. While there my son walked in with a bouquet of flowers for his mom. This is the first time he's ever given me flowers so it was a very special moment for me. No, I didn't cry but I have the memory burned into my brain.
My daughter showed up at the pizza party - a girl that would never miss pizza - with Miss Emma in tow. I received a wonderful home-made card from the daughter. I told her once that I would rather have a home-made card than a present. I know that she spent a lot of time making that card and that means more to me then something she picked up at the store.
All in all it was a wonderful Mom's Day weekend.
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