Back at it...

After just a week back to school, we are beginning to readjust to our new routine.  As the weekdays fill up, the weekends become our precious time, time to catch our breath, reconnect as a family, finish some projects, and have some fun.  And while we'd like to eventually find room to park in our garage and find the floor of the laundry room, the weather was just too nice to work on our never-ending list of house projects all weekend long.  We did find some time to work on our basement haven, though, thanks in large part to our son who definitely needed to catch up on his shut-eye...

Cruz slept 11 hours straight Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night.  I made him a big breakfast Saturday morning, took him grocery shopping, and by the time we got home, he was already rubbing his eyes, a sure-fire sign he's ready for a nap.  I rocked him to sleep and put him in his crib for what I figured would be a short nap.  Two and a half hours, a clean basement, and assembled futon later, Cruz was up and ready for lunch...at 1:30 in the afternoon!  He was well-rested and so ready for a night of attention from Mom and Dad.  

We managed to get quite a bit done with our basement project, and saved lots of room for my favorite type of weekend....

...We scored half-price Cherry Limeades at Sonic and went furniture shopping.  While Beau and I tested out every comfy sofa and recliner at the store, Cruz crawled under end tables and nestled himself in an over-sized bean bag in front of a flat-screen TV. 

...We picked up a thin-crust pizza, put on some sweats, and tested out the makings of our new family room.  Our child-proof, long-time-coming, den-of-comfort is in its final stages, and we are beginning to see that an end is near.  We have some furniture, a $24 lamp from Lowes, and an area rug.  Cruz loved the space and even Jade fell asleep next to us.  Beau played his first game of Madden in months, I cuddled with Cruz and watched, and we actually got some use out of the baby monitor after I carried Cruz to his bed.  Beau is dreaming of Sunday afternoon football, and I can't wait for a place for Cruz's toys and a place for cozy movie nights.  We're getting closer, and I'll post some before-and-after pictures soon.

...Sleeping in 'til 8:00 on Sunday morning!  I'm used to my little human alarm clock sounding much earlier than that, but waking up long after the sunrise was a welcomed surprise.  With just an hour before church, we hurried through coffee, breakfast, and showers with minutes to spare.  Ironically, the sermon at church was about hurrying through life.  More on that later...

...After church, we decided to dust off the bikes and take Cruz on a trip down memory lane.  Instead of George Wyth, Hartman Reserve, or Prairie Lakes Park, we took Cruz on a bike ride around our Alma Mater.  We stopped at 23st Market for some Gatorade and the famous, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, popped a squat on a bench and watched the new college freshmen scour the campus to see where their classes are, and let Cruz crawl around the Campanile.  It's such a pretty place, and a perfect spot for Cruz to explore.  Clean, safe, and the occasional college girl walking by to make him smile just enough for me to get a picture.  And believe me, I was taking pictures.  After all, it's been a whole week...

  

Happy Monday!