Monday, June 21, 2010

Happy Father's Day (a day late and dollar short edition...)

Well, Sunday was Father's Day.  We weren't going to do much this year as we've just gotten through all the moving crap and other stuff.  (Actually, the moving crap still continues, we haven't received our deposit nor any word about it... she has until the middle of next week.... I so don't want to have to play mean about this...)
But, of course, as life would have it, our plans and reality were fairly different.
Gak had seen a really good deal at Walmart for a new X-box 360 that came with two games.  Unfortunately, when we went to our local store, there weren't any there and they didn't even offer to check the other local stores.  Not that I really wanted to buy anything at Walmart, but with the deal they were offering, it was almost too good to pass up.  (I'd promised Gak we'd get him an X-box at some point in time this year.)  (Is it just me or does any Walmart over about 5 or 6 years old look like it hasn't been swept in a decade and the stocking of shelves is all a mess and disorganized and just has a general "ick" feel to it?)
Disappointed, we come home and relax a bit and have a good Friday evening in general playing with the boy.
Saturday was Boo's last swim class.  I'm not going to sign him up for any more until maybe the fall.  We'll see how he does in outside pools over the summer.  I could, and probably should, have written a whole post just on the swim classes.  Overall I don't think they were a bad thing, but I think he's less happy in the water (at least at our Y) now than back in February.  I know he doesn't like baths at the moment.  I honestly doubt the two are related or that the swim classes caused this.  I still say a good bit was him dealing with the stress of the situation we were in this spring and a good bit more has to do with the water temperature (84 degrees my foot....).  Anyhow, he's excited about "swim" and "baff", up until the point he has to get into the water. *sigh*  He tolerates both well, but isn't happy about it half the time or so.
Anyhow, after that we came home, played for a bit and then Boo crashed for what's becoming his normal Saturday marathon nap of 3 hours or so.  Then we picked up Poppa and went to Target, mostly to look, and partially to pick up some cleaning stuff and some groceries so I didn't have to go to the store in the morning.  Gak fell upon a very nice deal.  It's not quite as nice a deal as what we could have gotten at Walmart, but we got a new base 360 with a controller for $130 after the $50 gift card.  It didn't come with any games (the ones bundled at Walmart were ones that were going to get traded in anyhow...) and was about $30 more, but I like Target a whole lot better to begin with.  So, while I fixed supper (baked chicken and mashed potatoes) Gak and Boo took some old DS games over to Game Stop and traded them in and picked up some used games for the Xbox.  Happy Father's Day love.
Sunday was a full day as well.  We were going to Ikea on our way down to PopPop and Amma's and then later in the afternoon we were going to get Boo's pictures taken.  (Hopefully.  Amma and I tried that last weekend, but it didn't work out so well.......)
At Ikea we end up getting a few more things than were on the list, but just about all of it was needed or useful things.  We got a new lamp for the wall in the living room to add some light to the computer desk end of the room.  We got some other odds and ends, but most importantly, we got a new table for Boo's room.  It's a wonderful bright blue wood.  He picked it out himself.  We gave him the option of two, and wanted the blue one, no questions asked.  Which is good, it both fits in and contrasts the rest of the white furniture in his room.  Hopefully he'll get a good 3 or more years out of it as a play table/desk or as a side table later.  (And at $24, I really don't feel bad about buying it if he only uses it for a few years and then it gets passed on to another kiddo...)
We had lunch at Wendy's on our way to Amma and PopPop's.  It was yummy and Boo even ate almost all his chicken.  The staff there were really slow though and I wasn't 100% sure our order was going to be correct, but it was.
Boo really enjoyed playing with his PopPop for a bit when we got there (Amma and PopPop seemed to know exactly when we were going to show up and were sitting outside waiting for us.)  Boo crashed, and crashed hard for a nice nap.  Gak decided to take a bit of one as well.  I got some crochet done and Amma napped to a baseball game.  I call that a good afternoon.  Once Boo woke we went to the book store and then to Portrait Innovations.
Now, mind you this is the third time we've gone to one to get pictures done.  They usually have great staff and can capture some really great portraits.  It's all digital so it's fast.  I really only wanted to get the $10 value package, as I didn't need a lot of 2-year pictures.  Well.... if you want to get a CD with all the pictures on it for reprints in the future or just to have the ones you didn't get printed, you had to get a total of 4 poses.  I really didn't want to spend the money.  I wish they'd just offered the CD for $10 or even $20.  Yes, over 24 hours later it still galls me.  So, being a soft hearted momma, I bought the extra pictures.  I got mostly wallets. I decided to just get all the pictures now instead of doing another shoot at the end of November or beginning of December.  (Now, the trick is to actually get a holiday letter out... I'm half toying with the idea of writing one now and sending something out now instead... hmm....)  So, in the long run, I spent less money than if we'd gone twice.  Boo cooperated quite well for a two-year-old.  He had his moments, but he hammed it up a bit for the camera and our photographer did get some very good pictures.
No, I'm too lazy to get the CD out of my bag so I can upload one on the post.  Sorry.  I have some other photos sitting on the camera that need uploading as well.  I'll get there, I promise.

Anyhow, that was our busy Father's Day weekend.  I'm glad I was able to get Gak the Xbox like I promised him and didn't have to wait until the end of the year.  I'm glad we got good pictures of the boy, even if I bought more than I wanted to.  I'm glad my son got to spend time with his PopPop.  It's great for both of them.  (More on that in a while... maybe...)  I'm just so lucky to have as wonderful a Dad as I've got, to have such a wonderful husband who is such a great Poppa and such a wonderful son who brings such light into the world.

Gak is about to embark on almost 2 weeks straight of working open to close while his boss goes to Hawaii as a final family vacation before his daughter goes off to college.  That'll be rough, but it'll be a nice pay check or two at the end.
This weekend should be fun.  Boo and I are going up to Kanoebel's to meet up with my college friends Jen and Joan.  I haven't seen them since Mo's wedding.  I wish I'd had more time with them at school, they were great to hang around with.  I'm thinking I may see if I can steal Zoe to keep Boo company while us girls get caught up.  Well, I get caught up with them, they get together on a semi-regular basis.
Next weekend we're supposed to go up there again, at least for Sunday, if not for camping overnight Sunday into Monday.  (Gak has to work Monday, but not until the afternoon, so we can just leave from up there first thing and still make it back in time.)  I'm still not 100% sure on the staying overnight.  It all depends on if my tent is needed by one of the clan or not.  I guess that means I'll have to replace some sleeping bags and get a second air mattress as well.... my really nice sleeping bag got tossed in the great purge better known as the move.

I think I've rambled on long enough.  I'm sorry for the lack of posts this month.  It's been busy at work with the cutover and I just haven't felt up to it at home.  (That and the horrible racket my computer is making is due to a power supply fan that alternates between trying to die and take flight....)  My access to things like this at work is quite limited now, both more and less than it was with the old company.  And in reality, I should be spending my lunch time walking and eating, not surfing and I sure as anything better be doing my job the rest of the time.

Peace to all and may your weekends be good, your father's special and your friends close.

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