The Simpletons

It was a really great weekend. We had just enough going on to get out and about, but not so much that it was jam-packed and crazy busy. Dylan's schedule has been pretty packed to the gills, but he freed up half of Saturday and 80% of Sunday to hang out with us, and it was so good. My highlight so far (and we still have some fun ahead of us this afternoon) was hands down my outing with Gavin this morning. After a random 11pm wake up call from him screaming like crazy with a 100 degree temp, he woke up this morning in ideal shape. He was silly and happy and personable. To me, he is perfect in every way, but I wouldn't exactly describe his default mood as "light." So when he's feeling sunny, I soak it up and my heart swells and everything in the world is incredible.

Together, Gavin and I hit the gym and Safeway, and he kept up his pleasant ways the entire time. We drove the fire engine like a couple of maniacs and took our sweet time getting back home. When we arrived back home, Graham had taken a good nap, and I think he really appreciated not being dragged around town because he was being adorable, too. Dylan took a little break before getting some work done, and in about an hour the four of us will head out to a farewell party to say good-bye to our friends, the Buttons, before they move back to Maine. Just a great way to spend a Sunday (minus saying good-bye to good friends)...family, friends, food and SMILES!

I'm so relieved that this guy sleeps until morning now, even if our mornings begin at 5am sometimes. I'm tired, but also glad that I get to hang out for an hour with this happy face before anyone else surfaces.

Just a boy and his droid at breakfast.

BB-8 is still very much a part of our family

But let's back up! On Saturday, after Dylan spent the morning volunteering at Sky Kids and the boys and I finished hitting the gym and doing what we do, we loaded up and headed to my parents' house to hang out for the afternoon. We all walked down to their neighborhood park in the evening, where the HOA was hosting the yearly neighborhood get-together. Beer, wine, a video game trailer and a really awesome burger food truck. How could we NOT crash this party? It was a perfect night and a great time, and the only problem was that my kids go to bed ridiculously early, which is actually the best thing ever when I'm on my own with them. So, we had to pack it in after an hour or so of fun, which was plenty of time to play some games and enjoy some good food and drink.

"I'm playing Minecraft!"

I love this photo of Pierce tearing through the video game trailer and all the other boys completely enthralled with the games

Cheetos and hot dogs! Gavin was on Cloud 9.

Too much fun at the rave

Fashion problems of the long-torso and short-legged Miller

A ride in the shopping cart and a $1 Hot Wheels. The joy was of epic proportions.

Reading a book to his brother, BB-8

I love this baby so much

Feeling all the mom feels today

I had just finished telling Dylan that I was feeling so good lately because I had been sleeping well. Like, I was actually living and not just surviving. And then I realized that he is about to embark on his first of two back-to-back trips over the next couple of weeks, and then we'll all travel together for Thanksgiving, and then we both go back to work the day after we fly home, and then after I've clocked my 16 hours I'll fly out to meet D in New Orleans while the boys shack up with my parents again. Somewhere in there we'll do an overnighter in Sedona to ride our bikes. It's all well and good...and even a little bit great, but it's enough to make my brain spin around in my skull. I hope I don't go into survival mode, but I'm pretty sure it can't be avoided. I thought ahead this time and booked a cheapo Groupon massage and reserved my mom to take the boys. By the time my appointment comes around, I'm sure I'll be due for a chance to relax. Anyway, if we can make it past the first weekend in December, then we can all stay put for a good long while, and that will be 100 thumbs up in my opinion. Pleasant problems to have, for sure. Oh, and I have a haircut on the books, too, so really I'm in good shape.