Hello! Didn’t mean to disappear.
Asher and I left Thursday night (at like 7:30 p.m., after swim practice) to head to Milwaukee for a few days. The 13+ State swim meet was held this past weekend from Friday to Sunday, and although he didn’t have any State qualifying times yet for the new 13-14 age group (he just aged up, and the times get way faster….), he was selected to swim in the relays with his team.
When we found out he would indeed be going to State (always a really big deal for the kids), he was super excited. But I was also like, Errrr……. that means I have to be gone all weekend (the week before we leave for spring break…), it’s all the way in Milwaukee, he had to be there by 7:30 every morning (i.e. EARLY), and all for “just” relays (= he didn’t get to swim any individual events, so it was kind of a lot of jazzing around for just a few quick swims!)
AND he had to miss school on Friday, because there was competition all day Friday. (Why it’s scheduled on a school day for a bunch of school aged kids is a topic for another day….).
Anyway, being the good swim mom that I am, we went. And he was happy, and he got the special State Team swim cap and his name on a special State Team t-shirt. lol.
Fortunately, we were able to stay with my parents. They are still almost 40 minutes from the pool, but it’s much closer than the almost 2 hours it would be from home, and I didn’t have to shell out for 3 nights in a hotel.
It was a good weekend! Long and kind of tiring with the early mornings, but we had a lot of down time too which was nice and relaxing.
Pizza dinner out with my parents:
The pool. It’s a 50 meter pool, divided into 2 halves to make two 25 yard pools (this is short course season, so they swim the 25 yard length right now.)
Here is Asher getting ready to dive in on one of the relay legs:
During the time we weren’t at the pool, I made two trips to the nearby Outlet mall around the corner from the pool. Returned a few things to the Columbia outlet that I had ordered for our trip, browsed a little, bought Asher a new hoodie at Nike, etc. I rarely have free time (or really, any good stores nearby…) to go shopping, so this was actually quite nice.
I bought the boys each a pair of these cute Sperry casual dress shoes on a buy one, get one half off sale. They both needed a pair of some (bigger) “nice shoes”. Cute, right??! Will be great in the summer with like a polo and nice shorts, etc.
On both Friday and Saturday afternoons I went to my parents’ YMCA on a guest pass with them and worked out. This was fun, because this is actually the same YMCA that I was a member of as a kid! I took gymnastics here, dance classes, swim lessons, went all the time with my friends, etc. I hadn’t been inside that building in years, so it brought back good memories. 🙂
Saturday afternoon after the meet, we all got Subway for lunch, and then my Dad and Asher went home while my mom and I went to Target. I needed a bunch of stuff for our trip (you know, the misc. items like travel sized contact solution, some mini toothpastes, etc.) I picked up Nicole’s highly recommended mascara to try!! Got the waterproof version, since I figured may come in handy on the trip.
I also bought a pack of my favorite neutral Impress Nails to do my nails (Costa Rica jungle explorer trip doesn’t feel like a “fancy nails” trip (and I am honestly not really a “fancy nails” person, period…), so I’m going to cut them really short and went with a neutral. My regular nails just look so bad up close!!).
The rest of the weekend was just pretty low key. My dad grilled salmon one night which was delicious. Asher went in my parents’ indoor hot tub several times, and I went in once with my mom too.
Asher and my Dad played several rounds of Chess. (And I think Asher taught my mom how to play Chess, too. He is in a big “Chess” phase right now.)
My mom took Asher to an arcade place one afternoon while my Dad and I were at the gym.
We watched all watched a movie together Saturday night and I spent some time puttering around updating my Costa Rica planning document with a few last minute things.
Despite the fact that I actually didn’t really want to be away from home all weekend right now (we’ve just been BUSY, as you know, and with going away next week, I really could have used some time at home), it turned out to be a really, really great weekend!! 🙂
Daily Gratitude:
I am grateful for the fact that my parents live (relatively) close to the Milwaukee pools- this comes in handy SO OFTEN with a swimmer in our household.
GRATEFUL KAE 
I was wondering what you were up to and considered sending a text to make sure you hadn’t been struck by the stomach flu or something! It sounds like it was a fun weekend but I can see how it was not an ideal time to be away with your big trip coming up! I love the shoes you got for the boys! It is nice to have access to a bunch of stores. I have never loved shopping but now that it’s such a novelty to be inside a store, I enjoy it more than I used to. When I was in Dallas for work in Feb, our hotel was attached to a mall so I went to Sephora after dinner. It was wonderful to be able to buy a few things without any kids along with me! Last time I was at Sephora, I had Will with me and the store was so busy – it was unpleasant to try to navigate the store with a big stroller!
I wish I had learned how to play chess when I was young. That is one of the after school activity options for Paul when he starts K so we will probably sign him up for that and then I can learn alongside him!
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I don’t know how to play chess either!! I know I learned when I went on a church confirmation retreat weekend in 8th grade and a bunch of the kids were sitting around playing it in the lodge we stayed at. But I honestly don’t remember how to play. I am sure Ethan or Asher would teach me, but I am not that big into playing games anyway, so I haven’t asked yet. haha.
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So have thoughts!
– I bought that mascara on Nicole’s recommendation and have been VERY – happy!!
– An indoor hot-tub sounds divine.
– My son is OBSESSED with chess. I learned the basics last year, played it once and immediately decided it was not for me. A game can take forever and after like 45 minutes (in a game I knew I had no chance of winning) I was just begging to be put out of my misery.
– We have the EXACT same pillows pictured in the shot of your Dad playing chess with Asher.
Despite all the driving and early mornings it sounds like such a nice time with your parents and an effective time for shopping and running errands. Eek! Your trip is so soon :)!!!
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It was so funny- I remembered your post asking for mascara recs so I literally was standing in the Target aisle pulling up your blog… I went to the search bar on your site and typed in “mascara” and was able to find the post and then Nicole’s comment! haha!
I do love their indoor hot tub room. They have a TV set up in there so they can sit and watch something while in the hot tub, which I really like. My hot tub outdoors is amazing and relaxing, but sometimes when I’m alone it can get a little boring to just sit there! lol. It would be nice to maybe have the option to watch the evening news or a show or something from time to time.
And I don’t know how to play chess either, and I’m not sure I care to know.
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People from Madison complaining about not having good stores just makes me laugh and laugh and laugh (and then sob).
Yay for Asher’s success swimming. I’m sure it is a real hassle for you drive him around and make arrangements to be out of town, but I bet he gets so much out of it!
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Okay, well, in my defense, we really DON’T have great stores right near us!! Everything good is way on the west side, which is a good 25-30 minute drive away, or down by Hilldale (also ~25+ minutes away). I’m closer to the east side, which has like Kohl’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, etc and a mall (in great decline and all that’s left are mostly weird stores), but pretty minimal other options.
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Come to Hilldale! You too, Engie. I can walk across the street and meet you. 🙂
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What a great location for you to live near!!!! Jealous!!!
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Oooh the mascara! I hope you love it!
Sounds like such a hectic weekend!
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I haven’t tried it yet!! I will report back! Thanks for the suggestion! 🙂
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I love that mascara! Nicole has started a mascara MOVEMENT! Sounds like a really wonderful weekend. And how fun to work out in the same Y you used to go to as a kid!
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looks like you got some shopping done too. win win!!! I haven’t done store shopping for a while. can’t wait to go to DC in May for some try ons.
I’m so happy that you are so close to your parents and get to do things together. I wish I have both of my parents living close by us. Unfortunately, once my dad passed away, my mom is lonely to be in a foreign city. Maybe next time I’ll ask her to invite a friend to spend time with us in Jakarta.
Excited for your costa rica trip!!! I’ve never been there and heard it’s beautiful.
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