weekend ramble. (a weekend both peaceful & productive)

You know you’re old when a little yard work on Saturday leaves you with aching muscles and tired shoulders on Sunday.

Sometimes I think about owning a home with ten acres and a manicured lawn and four bathrooms and multiple levels. But then I think about all the work it takes to maintain all that. And I’m content with my single acre and my brick ranch after all.

This weekend was a good one. Full of two things I wish every weekend could boast – both productivity AND rest. That’s a win for me.

Saturday had us tidying the lawn and trimming back bushes that threatened to grow past the windows. I now own hedge trimmers and tree clippers. (Not their official names, likely, but they were purchased at Lowe’s and look mostly legit.)

We also spontaneously had friends over for dinner and with the weather and the porch dining and the spontaneity, it felt familiar and hopeful.

Two nights of bonfires in different locations and I was reminded of how fortunate my children have been in making quality friends in high school. I know that’s not a given and I am grateful.

The kids finished their chores and I only grew a little irritated at their lack of initiative and work ethic.

While at Lowe’s purchasing giant clippers, I saw a timer. (Well, I saw a lot of things. You know I love Lowe’s. I saw that some fridges cost $4,000 too. What?) Anyway, I didn’t buy a fridge but I did purchase the timer. Berg attached it to our little porch lights and now they come on at 7 and go off at 10 and it’s a way bigger deal than you think it should be. It’s like the porch is beckoning me each evening. And then not only telling me to go to bed, but handling the chore of lights out! I’m very satisfied.

Sunday we rested. We just …. rested. We all slept in. Some of us more than others. I held fast to the no screens (not counting the online service we watched) rule and although it took them until the afternoon, the kids found enjoyable ways to occupy themselves.

Comically enough, London and Bergen somehow convinced Piper and Otto to attend a “class” they sat up in the dining room. It involved a white board, notebooks, quizzes and rewards. The subject was logic.

Although it was rare and I honestly have no idea what spawned this idea, I have to say – it made my heart swell to see it. This year we have all felt the pull of London’s senior year. She’s busier than ever away from home with co op classes and dual enrollment classes. We all feel the end of her high school year and days at home coming at us at warp speed. She’s distracted with her own to-do lists and senior year agenda and we’re not mad about it – but we’re all sensing the Next Big Step.

So to have her fully engaged and participating in a makeshift classroom with her younger siblings, tossing out candy as a prize for a correct answer and hearing her genuine laughter, well, it was the exact sort of scene I needed, even though I didn’t know I needed it.

We’re staring down a full week. Probably the busiest one we’ve had in five months or more. Maybe this sort of week used to be the norm, but All The Things have been on hiatus for so long that we’re weak in all those places – like perseverance and time management.

I’m thankful that at least we’re heading into the week with a neat lawn, a clean house and a full heart.

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