Birthday Party and One on One and Solo Time

Our Saturday started as most do here with back to back soccer practices.  Benjamin starts off at 9AM and Josie starts at 10.  Marty and Benjamin take off together and Josie and I follow an hour or so behind.  This Saturday Josie needed a few last minute things for her upcoming school camp trip so we did that before

soccer.  All things being closed on Sunday is nice but it does really make you think ahead on Saturdays. 

Later that afternoon Benjamin was invited to his good friend, Clayton's, 9th birthday party.  It was at a climbing park where the kids all were able to learn to rock climb. Benjamin has never done it before and came home really excited about it.  He had fun with all of his buddies and the rest of us enjoyed the 5ish hours of free

time.

Marty wanted some one on one time with Josie.  We are both making an extra effort to try to spend quality one on one time with each kid by ourselves - even just 20 minutes if it has to be here and there.  So with Benjamin gone Marty had the chance to do something special with Josie.  They had big ideas like going to an escape room but this required both a reservation, which neither of the are good at planning that far ahead and also Josie asking a few of her friends to come along which would defeat the goal of one on one time.  They also had the idea of an ropes course/adventure park.  But again the making reservations part killed that idea.  They just decided to go and see where they landed.  After making it to the downtown area, they landed on going to a movie.  We have gone to the theater just once with the kids since moving here so it really does check of the "make it special" box.

 Before the movie they had time for a nice Vietnamese meal and even movie theater popcorn, which we NEVER buy.
I also had a wonderful 5 hours on my own.  I very rarely have time just to myself.  I have a lot of free time, don't get me wrong but rarely is there a huge 5 hour block unaccounted for.  After I dropped Benjamin off at Clayton's I rode my bike to Schlachtensee and the walked around the lake.  It was an absolutely gorgeous spring day that was more summer like than Spring with temps in the mid 70's. 

On  the way back from the lake I stopped by the store to pick up something to eat.  I was

craving nachos and although I cannot make them here like I do at home they were tasty and totally hit the spot along with an ice cold beer.  Since the weather started getting warm last April I have taken to putting beer pint glasses in the freezer and the icy glass makes the beer that much better.  Ahhhhh!  Very nice and relaxing Saturday.