Love at first sandwich and loquats in between

Well what a week!  The community center (sandys 360) where I work part time had their major fundraiser on Friday (a 12 hr swimathon).  I was exhausted after a week of Mark working late after returning from his trip and was hoping for a quiet weekend.  My plans of date night and sleeping in late came to a screeching end with Saturday errands and then the time change.  How did that sneak up on me?!

Jacob's March swim 

Today was a great day though despite having to get up early so Mark could do a job east at 9 (really 8 by my clock!)  We took the kids to Spittle Pond after and had a great lunch snack on Portuguese Rock.  I then drove Marley to one of my ace girls houses who is getting married in 7 short weeks.  Marley is her flower girl and we got to try on the dress today. Adorable... there is nothing Marley loves more than being a princess.  Even though I was sure she was going to pass out on the way home as she seems to be coming down with something and was extremely tired, she got her second wind and we ended up meeting Mark and baby Jacob at Hog Bay (another nature reserve/ park) and took a great walk around "looking for loquats".  We didn't find many loquats but had lots of laughs with the low tide and Marley running into the water while Jacob fed his face with sand.  We also let daddy climb the loquat tree and pick off a branch of loquats for us.  After we all tried one Jacob wouldn't let go of the branch, boy he has a grip! So I took it from him but somehow as he turned his head in what we all took as defeat he actually took a loquat off the branch and was mashing into it behind daddys shoulder.  Mark quickly caught him and we all had a big laugh at his sneaky trick.
Once we got home we had plenty of time to unwind from the day and get ready for the week ahead.  Field trips, meetings, training and painting are all in store next week.  I love getting home early on Sundays, the time we have together is golden.
While I was cooking supper (chili) Mark took the kids up on deck to enjoy the sunshine.  Bob Marley playing through the hatch, a nice cold drink in hand I looked through the window in the hull to see my girl in her ballerina outfit (two leotards, tights, a skirt and head band) dancing on deck eating a sandwich I had just made her while a little boy not much older than her shuffled his feet while propping up his bike on the dock eating his own sandwich.  The two of them seemed to communicate through dance as they stared each-other down.  He disappeared and down she came below, time for bath.  I looked at Mark and smiled and said "Is this the beginning? was that love at first sandwich?" Love them... what a great day.

No better way to end the day <3

Time Away

Time has gotten away from me. But now i'm back on track.  I was feeling very unmotivated.  After my week on the Spirit it was hard to get back into the regular routine (if you can call it that!) I spent the next week in a bit of a slump and the subsequent week after that pulling myself out of the slump.
In that time I have lost 5lbs! Woohoo :), send Mark on a vacation to remember, and (oh no don't read the next bit) smashed my car again. Oh yes I did!!
I quickly motivated myself back into my fitness regime of the ferry ride and morning walk/ run after a quick check on jeans that were begining to feel loose and bridesmaids dresses looming ever so near.  I started back and added a combination of strength training to my mix and got some extra motivation from another 'mommie friend' who is getting married in May and from my mom who has found a new interest in walking.  I was so proud of her this passed weekend; she did the 4 mile Lindos to Lindos walk with me and did awesome!!! GO MOM! :)  I also did a 5K with Mark and the kids and will be zomming Around the Sound a week from Saturday (about 7miles).
Mark's 30th Birthday is April 9th.  This is a tough time of year to have a birthday first in his buisness and secondly because its always around Easter which tends to be a lot of family time.  His partner Kareem was going on a ski trip and we all decided that Mark needed a break too so we sent him along.  It was kind of a surprise in that even though we told Mark for about a month that he was going on vacation.  Because of our financial contraints and because he expressed his constant disaproval of going on a trip he didn't think we would actually do it.  The night before we broke the news to him.  Thankfully he didn't create a scene while checking in at the airport about who packed his bags etc. and on Thursday he was off to Montreal via Philly to go skiing for 4 days.  As Murpheys Law would have it their connecting flight to Monreal was canceled which caused them to loose their bags before even getting to the resort much less the country! They got in and were promised their bags which never showed.  Mark stuck firmly to his minimalist lifestyle and refused to buy any extra gear apart from socks, underwear and a hat.  He skied all 4 days with regular pants, a t-shirt, croc shoes with a hole in the bottom and a jacket that I made him take with him on the plane! STUBBORN!!! He had a good time though, and I think secretly he is happy we sent him.
Finally my poor car, a telephone pole jumped out into the road one day when I drove Marley to school.  Luckily the damage is minimal (only a cracked side mirror) and I will not be fixing it until my time off is over, and that goes for any other car mishaps.  I am still convincing myself that statistically this is bound to happen as I am driving more than average being off and living in Dockyard when everything I do is in the East end of the island.
We are back on track.... will report about manning the boat on my own for 5 days with the kids next post :) Welcome back!