Weekend Update

We had a busy weekend, not crazy busy like in the past but still busy. I wanted to make breakfast before the kids all left for their activities, but my waffle iron is broken, so I couldn't make waffles. Instead, I made some banana chocolate chip pancakes and turkey bacon. This photo only has the banana pancakes without the chocolate chips, the first batch for Alex. He has been trying to stay away from sugar, specifically chocolate, because it makes his face break out, so I make the first batch without chocolate chips and then add the chips for the rest of the family.

I set my alarm for 6:30am on Saturday so I could make sure breakfast was done for the kids to eat by about 7:30am. Patrick left with Alex at 8:15am for school. Alex took a practice SAT/ACT test from about 9am-1pm. It was set-up to help the kids find out which test they would do better in plus as I understand it, they changed the format of the tests this year, so this way the kids could experience what the new test was like.

I left the house with Natalie (and Eric in tow) for Natalie's school at about 8:30am. She was volunteering to help with things like planting and painting at her school. Patrick and I both talked with her about how she should protect her back, specifically, not do a lot of bending over for gardening. Since it was drizzly and cloudy outside anyway, she ended up painting instead of gardening. That was under a cover so she didn't get wet.

When Patrick and I both got back home, we took Eric to his first Jiu-Jitsu tournament, which I've already posted about. After the tournament, Patrick took Eric to lunch at Chick-Fil-A then picked up Alex from school. I picked up Natalie and we went shopping at North Star Mall. She got a dress that she plans to wear for Christmas, and a new comfy sweater that she wore to church Saturday afternoon. We then went to Fuddrucker's for dinner.

On Sunday, Patrick and I went to the gym in the morning, then he went to Clicks Bar where the Alamo Cheeseheads group congregates on game days. Natalie, Eric, and I put on our Packers shirts and met him there so we could have lunch. The little ones had the Buffalo Wings, I had the Philly Cheesesteak, and Patrick had the bratwurst. We left in the middle of the second quarter after we finished eating. The kids weren't that interested in watching football, but it was nice to be there to eat lunch with Patrick and see all those Packers fans.

The kids preferred to shop, at least a little. When we left the bar, we went to Target to get a few items, but mostly so Eric could go to the toy section and look at the Star Wars and Lego stuff and so Natalie could go to the books and then the office supplies. Those are their favorite sections of the store. Patrick came home before the end of the game, which the Packers unfortunately lost 16-18 to the Detroit Lions after they made such a big deal about how the Lions haven't won in Wisconsin since 1992.

Alex's friend Coral came over to hang out and then to have dinner with us. Grandma and Grandpa came over just as the Packers game finished, and Patrick grilled steak for dinner. Grandpa's broken collarbone seems to be healing up nicely.

I don't want to leave my first-born child off my weekend update. He posted this picture on Facebook last week. He and his friends had gone to Milan the weekend before, and this picture was taken inside Il Duomo in Milan, Italy. They have been taking weekend trips to sightsee around Italy and Facebook alerts me when he posts any photos. I miss him so much and I look forward to seeing him in less than a week!