#malm2016

[monkeybrainmama]

32/82

Yesterday was awesome and a little bittersweet, the last day of our reunion. Josh and the boys joined the group at a local park for a field day, complete with medals! I stayed back with Dylan to get a workout, quiet time, and try to get her to nap (FAIL) The boys and I spent the afternoon at the pool, and it was glorious. We played sharks and minnows, hot tubbed, and practiced seated diving from the side of the pool. I love being in water, it was totally worth the sunburn that happened after I forgot to reapply sunscreen. Dinner was kitchen sink style: nachos, leftover pasta, tortilla pizzas & salad. I'm still eating mostly Whole 30 (I've tested dairy, rice & beans so far this trip, as well as a couple of glasses of wine), and I've been pleasantly surprised at how easy it's been to eat well on the road and at our hotel stops. After dinner we made s'mores in the big fire pit in the hotel courtyard, the kids ran around and we only lost Dylan once for a minute or so. I stayed up well past my bedtime, but it was worth it to reminisce, and look at the old photos that my friend M put on his phone before coming out west. When I look at my friends, they always seem to look the same. It's like I take a snapshot when we meet and my perception rarely changes. However, looking at those photos last night, we looked like babies! I feel so grateful to still have these friends 20 years later, and to have our kids forge bonds and make memories that they will reminisce about years down the road. It was sad to say goodbye, but lovely to have something so special to be sad about.

[monkeybrainmama]

31/82

Alpine slide and first chairlift ride for the boys. Jacob was game but didn't have the best experience down the slide. Cody resisted right until we got on the chairlift, and then it was the best thing ever and he can't wait to be over 48" so he can go by himself. You just never know how things are going to turn out. Afternoon pool time with all three kids was surprisingly nice. The boys are better swimmers than I remember, and Dylan has gained a healthy fear of deep water, and all that 1:1 time helped diffuse the stress of her current darting/running for daylight stage. I don't want to lament the fact that I didn't appreciate all of her cuteness, but boy, 2.5 is hard. My friends ordered t-shirts (we made a pact in 2005 to continue to get together every few years, even with kids, ESPECIALLY with kids, and even named it, and this year we celebrate the fact that by the end of this year, we will all be forty), and we all wore them for a group photo. Except for Dylan because well behaved women don't make history or something like that. The kids ate and watched a movie while the adults sat down to eat, mostly without small people interrupting. It was nice to have a somewhat complete conversation. It's even nicer to see your friends as parents, the good people they are raising, as well as the same looks of overwhelm or exasperation when their child throws a fit or needs to be held when dinner is cooking, or throws things on the floor. Phew, it's not just me! I mean, I know it's not just me, but certain stages of parenting seem to feel like bearing down and getting it done, but when you look up, you see that a lot of people around you are doing the same. We played "Celebrity," and once again I think that might be one of the greatest games ever. Paper, pen, bowl, timer, imagination, boom.