We Don't Need A Lot of Time.....

Just 40 hours, in fact. That's how long we spent at the Bruce's last weekend. 40 hours and that includes two nights of sleep (BOTH kids slept through the night!).

First up: arrive late Friday night, put all three kids in matching PJs and shove them in a closet.

Just kidding of course. The closet thing was all their idea.

10pm: sleep. Did I mention "THROUGH THE NIGHT?"

9am Saturday morning: hit the Flea Market. This flea market is a Raleigh landmark and Brian and I have furnished/decorated our house with many finds from this fun Saturday morning tradition.

Here's James making his big purchase of the day: a red fire truck (because he doesn't have enough of those). Cost: $3. This was paid for with his dollar from Oma that he's been carrying around in his wallet for weeks. Daddy covered the rest of the cost, but as far as James knows, fire trucks at the flea market cost exactly ONE DOLLAR.

9:30am: have small meltdown about not buying a bubble machine at flea market - James' first lesson in "money doesn't grow on trees" - when your dollar is gone, it's gone.

10am: stop at KMart for underwear that mom forgot to pack (boo!) decide James might be too young for money lesson, and pick up bubble fun stuff on clearance shelf.

10:30am: Win award for "Best Mommy Ever."

12pm: Lunch. A delicious mediterranean buffet from one of our favorite restaurants.

12:30pm: Dessert. A delicious (or so he says) fruit snack in a lovely shade of brown. Virginia picked it out and thought it was grape. Nope - plums, aka A Big Strip of Fiber that You Peel and Eat.

Here's Virginia: clearly happy about her bright red choice.

Here's James trying to figure out how a brown sticky sheet of prunes = dessert.

(Note: I am just giving BFF Emily a hard time here. He loved i!.)

12:30pm: Brian and Tres leave to tour a brewery.

1pm: Molly sleeps like a rock. James doesn't sleep until 3pm, about 30 minutes before we have to leave.

3:15pm: Boys return.

3:30pm: Pack cooler, kids, and blankets and head to the NC Museum of Art for James' first concert - They Might Be Giants. This was a little confusing at first as both kids thought the musicians would be "really big" and sing songs that start "fee fi fo fum...."

Other than arriving about 10 minutes after it started and parking in what seemed like another state, the concert was GREAT and James LOVED it.

Here he is taking it all in:

Molly's first concert too:

4:20pm: Here are James and Virginia in the "toddler mosh pit." Seriously. It was a little area to the side of the stage where little kids were "dancing" which is mostly running, jumping and wiggling and sometimes/often/always bumping into each other.

4:45pm: Rush the stage. James loved this concert so much that he actually tried to rush the stage. He was, honestly, escorted off by security.

The weather was perfect, the music was great, the kids were so happy. Really, there was just a lot of love. Here's Molly receiving some "love" from Virginia.

and from Emily....

5pm: The concert ends, but we're not ready for the fun to stop. We head directly to the steepest hill we can find, steal an idea from another family, and start sledding.

5:30pm: Go back home and get REALLY dirty - mostly from playing here in this "hidden sandbox" in the Bruce's deck....

6pm: Put very dirty selves on bike and take the cutest picture ever.

7pm: Bath and bed. Did I mention they slept through the night??

Sunday: more bubbles, more playing, more fun.

12pm: Head back home.

Thanks, Bruces, for a fast fun trip. Let's set aside another 40 hours soon so we can do it all again.