What is a weekend?

For some families weekends may be a time to clean the house, catch up on sleep, lounge around and enjoy each others company. For most it is the end of the work week and you have two glorious days before you have to go back to the stresses of the workplace. In our household weekends are never as described above, possibly because my husband works some weekends, or because we tend to take on more then we can handle when it comes to activities...whatever it may be we are always on the go!

This past weekend was not any different; even though soccer was canceled we were still super busy and looking forward to Monday morning. Our weekend began early since Brayden stayed home from school on Friday and we were going to be heading out of town....

Joey went to work Friday morning for half a day, leaving me to take the kids to Brayden's doctor’s appointment and packing up for our trip to NJ/ NY by myself. I am super mom...no problem right?

Brayden went to the doctors for his annual check up and flu shot. He did great until the nurse came in the room with lollipops in one hand and a shots in the other. Brayden decided to crawl up under the patients table, only to scream and cry. UGH!!! Here I am in the office with Taylor in my arms, her eyes bugged out of her head while Brayden is shoved in a crevice that is smaller then my husbands butt crack! The nurse is over my shoulder telling Brayden he can either come out and hold my hand OR he is going to have to bring him out, hold him down and have another nurse give him a shot...great way to start out my weekend! Finally, Brayden comes out of his corner and gets his shot. All the while screaming and gripping onto my neck. Taylor sat very still on the chair watching with terror in her eyes...all the while I am thinking in the back of my head, I have to bring her here on Monday there is no way she is going to be cooperative now! So he gets through the shot, he is still alive and breathing...we are outta here!

We get home, throw the bags in the truck, snacks all packed and house is all locked up. Dog...check, daughter...check, son....check. Time to hit the road. The drive up to NJ wasn't too bad, besides that fact Taylor would not nap on the way up...because I REALLY needed her to, otherwise she was going to be exhausted that evening...but of course she doesn't nap. Onto plan B, I pull into my in-laws driveway take the little rugrat to her room and put her to bed. There she sits for an hour playing, talking and singing to herself. Really??? The one time I REALLY REALLY need you to nap you are not going to...why me? As I sit there, glaring at the monitor thinking that maybe I can cast a spell on her from where I sit that will miraculously make her go to sleep, I suddenly hear silence. Her butt is up in the air and she seems to be settling down...that is until the dogs outback decide to bark and bark and bark and bark! Really???I have never heard dogs bark as much, and as long, as the dogs out back of my in-laws house. And here she goes again, wide awake and talking! Finally, I decide to just walk away from the monitor and pray to the higher ups:)Needless to say she eventually fell asleep and got a small nap in...hey that is better then nothing right?

With the higher ups still on our side we were able to make it to the engagement party on Staten Island on time with NO TRAFFIC on a Friday during rush hour. I was very grateful for that. The engagement party was beautiful; it was like a pre-wedding party...with caterers, dj, open bar and cake to end the evening. Everyone looked lovely...my husband in his button up and dress pants, Brayden in his tie and new shoes, Taylor in her beautiful evening gown and me in a dress:) I have been hitting the gym hard the past few months and it has finally paid off, enough so that I feel comfortable wearing a dress again! I am far from where I want to be, but small steps make a big difference with my confidence. We had to call it an early night though because Brayden had an asthma attack and Taylor was exhausted, and they both had a busy day ahead of them on Saturday.

Saturday morning we spent cleaning and preparing foods for the kid’s family birthday party. It was nice to see family we haven't seen in awhile. Everyone was there and my children enjoyed seeing all of their cousins and aunts/uncles. The painted pumpkins ran around outside and enjoyed each others company. While looking at them we all thought to ourselves there is the next generation...and then it hit us, we are getting old :)~ LOL! Another birthday down and the kids are another year older...time is flying!

On Sunday we headed down to Seaside Heights to the Italian Festival. Usually I do not enjoy Seaside because it is dirty, grimy and full of Guido’s wearing their white wife beaters...surprisingly it was fun. It was nice to be around good Italian food and be at a REAL Italian festival versus some of the sorry ass ones I have seen back in my hometown and here in Maryland. After spending the day down on the shore it was time for the kids and me to hit the road and venture back home...

I knew my luck with traffic would not last! Of course going home, I hit every traffic jam, construction site and Sunday driver that was on the road. I drive that would normally take a little under 3 hours took me almost 4. After the long, eventful weekend I just wanted to be home with my husband, relaxing.

Overall, it was a great weekend and it was nice to see all of our family and friends! I also was able to restock my freezer with some New York style bread, stuffed shells from Brooklyn and some other Italian delicatessens from Tuscany's....YUM!