If life had a fast forward button, then this weekend was probably tuned to that setting.

So. Much. Happened.

It was a weekend threaded with tradition and new.

Maddox spent the weekend with us.  He was such a sweet little companion – toted back and forth and here and there – with a startlingly great attitude for a toddler completely thrown off his routine.

 

 

He likes us all pretty much.  But he’s downright obsessed with Aunt London.

Maddox stayed with us because his family was gaining a new member.  Greyson Porter arrived safe and healthy this weekend too.  A full cheeked little fella with dark eyes and long fingers.

 

 

And because this weekend (this season) I am finding myself like Adele – running out of time – this post is just going to be on fast forward as well.

There was a viewing of a play downtown featuring Charlie Brown and his Peanuts gang.  And there was ice cream on a Friday afternoon.

 

 

There was one part where I was semi alone and stepping backwards into a pit of despair and I was for real rescued by hannaH and a magical Five Guys burger with fries.

There were dangly earrings able to be worn finally.  (And there was pain and blood – blood! – involved with the switching of original posts to new french hooks.  Blood!  You guys, that’s the hardest thing for me.  I had to swallow hard and pretend to be someone I was not.  I had to pretend to be a human not terrified and disgusted at the sight of blood.  Does anyone else’s parenting skill set involve as much acting as mine does?)

 

 

My favorite Travelers Rest Saturday was this weekend.  The parade!  I just love our town’s Christmas parade.  It has boats!  Isn’t that enough?  And it had a Volkswagen pulling a pink Barbie Volkswagen.  And also a motorcycle whose back half was somehow a Volkswagen.  VW was well represented in TR this weekend.

There was also one of our family’s favorite traditions – the annual trek up the mountain to the cutest pottery shop where you get a FREE mug and the opportunity to listen to beautiful mountain music and sip cider in you new mug.

 

 

I also purchased myself a gift.  Because that’s how grown ups do Santa.  Something about the bird on this mug just called out my name.

 

 

There was an Ugly Christmas Sweater party where I learned a new silly game to play with the kids later called “what are the odds?”.  It can get out of hand quickly, I imagine.  All I know is, it ended up involving Walter eating an entire half block of goat cheese covered in cranberries in one gigantic mouthful.  While wearing his Christmas sweater, of course.

 

 

There were generous friends who watched my children (and grandson) while I got to hang out with grown ups.  And, I took full advantage of the moment.  Opened the sunroof to reveal the stark white moon.  Cranked up the heat and turned on the seat warmers (what a luxury!) and blasted a few songs while driving in the cold dark night.

 

 

There was a really hopeful business meeting and more generous friends picking up the slack and Chinese take out when the dinner plans fell through.

And then, finally, there was stillness.

Silence.  

I was tucking in the last guy.  Otto and I were talking about the day.  I was scratching his little boy back and the next thing you know, he and I were both sound asleep.

 

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