Friday

I've been spending a lot more time at home lately. I don't know if it's scheduling (always have to drop off or pick up some little person) or the price of gas ($4.50/gallon -- eek!) or something else, but I can't seem to find the time/motivation to go on many excursions with the kids of late.

Today, we jammed with Julie in the morning. Although The Girl initially wanted to stay for the second class, when she saw all of her friends leaving after the first class, she changed her mind. The Baby was in desperate need of a nap and was taking chunks out of my shoulder with his teeth, so we skedaddled at the start of the second class. But not before I had a chance to catch up quickly with Lynn A., who runs the OIPA parents' committee, sits on the Belding LSC, and has generally been very helpful on the schools front. She's also a fellow Illini alum. Her son and The Girl are the same age.

Caroline D. called to tell me that her son moved out of his #2 slot on the waitlist for Disney II and had been accepted. Hooray! I hope this means that the #1 slot holder also got in; if so, The Boy will know at least four other kids next year. It's certainly not a requirement to know someone before K, but it will ease the transition for my slow-to-transition Boy. Also, I got an e-mail this evening saying that The Girl has been accepted into the free/state pre-K at Disney II. She will be thrilled. She has been quite upset that she doesn't get to go to Disney until she's 5, which seems a long time away when you've only just turned 3.

I unwisely look three kids with me to Sears to pick up a new rotator belt. We also checked out digicams, washing machines, and refrigerators. The Baby was very interested in the bank of TVs showing music videos. He kept wandering over there at every opportunity.

On the way home, we saw a giant white Dunkin Donuts inflatable cup hooked to the top of the new Mobil station at Irving Park Road and Pulaski Avenue. The Boy and The Girl and I speculated that its presence means the Dunkin Donuts/gas station is opening soon. We are very excited about this prospect. If a mom & pop donuts-and-coffee shop opened, we'd gladly give our business to them, but if we can only get chains, we'll take what we can get in this neighborhood.

The end is nigh

The Boy has 3 days left of school before summer vacation begins. Talk on the playground at pick-up has dwindled away from fall 2008 matriculation and toward summer vacation plans. I have so many things I want to do this summer, although I'm sure that I have not adequately prepared for any of them:

• join a pool
• go to Kiddieland
• rent/borrow a beach cottage in Michigan/Indiana/Wisconsin for a week
• hire a babysitter once/week
• visit Super Grandpa in Indiana
• visit family in Michigan on Lake St. Clair
  
• go to Minneapolis-St. Paul to visit The Girl's birthday twin and her parents
• take the water taxi between Navy Pier and the museum campus peninsula
  
• go to lots of museums and parks
  

The Boy and The Girl are going to daycamp through the park district (at different parks) for 6 weeks. And The Boy and I are going to Seattle to visit Uncle Chris for a weekend in June. How is it that summer is upon us already?

Add a few more to the pile

The pile of "To Read" books on my nightstand grew by two books this evening -- Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu and Gregory Frost's Shadow Bridge -- after I attended an author event featuring both (and Jennifer Stevenson) at The Book Cellar. All the authors did readings and then they opened it up to an audience Q&A. I couldn't help myself: I asked a million questions (well, three -- out of the four asked by audience members in sum). It was like being in college again! My cobwebby brain was so happy.

On the way back to The Great White Moose, I stopped at Cafe Neo for a yummy goat cheese-fresh spinach crepe and an iced tea. Although there was a stack of high chairs in the back, a changing table in the bathroom, and a "babyccino" on the menu, that place is so not kid-friendly.

I guess I really am an introvert

I love spending time with my children, but every once in awhile, a mama needs a day off. Today was that day. The Dad took the day off from work, giving me a vacation day of my own. Rather than spend it shopping*, I took advantage of the silence in my head to enjoy experiential pursuits by myself. It was bliss. I guess I really am an introvert.

I took the Blue Line down to Kendall College to have lunch at The Dining Room. I ordered from the prix fixe menu. It was delicious. The waitstaff were all very attentive, but some dishes were slow coming out of the kitchen and left me a bit anxious that I would be late for the matinee at the Oriental Theater. Still, at $18 for three courses, it was a fantastic deal. I ordered everything from the specials menu: spring pea soup with creme fraiche and mint; grass-fed beef tenderloin stuffed with goat cheese, spinach, and mushrooms, served with fresh beets and a cream sauce; and a trio of orange: orange-vanilla panna cotta, chocolate-dipped mandarin orange slices, candied kumquats, and an orange sorbet. I greatly enjoyed the food, service, and the time to leisurely read my book.

After lunch, I walked to Halsted and Grand Avenues to flag down a cab -- a rare indulgence for me these days -- and got to the Oriental Theater for Wicked just as the entrance tones were ringing. Sarah had told me about a deal for reduced-price tickets, so I got a great seat -- Row X, seat 109, which was smack in the middle of the row, on orchestra-level -- for less than $40. Several rows in front of me were empty, so I moved down to Row T (same seat) after Intermission. I have not read the book, but I really enjoyed the musical. The story was basically the classic unrequited love/love triangle/high school popularity contest, played out against the backdrop of Oz. I liked the way they tied things into the Wizard of Oz so that the original story/musical would still make sense. It made me laugh, and the ending even made me cry.

I clapped loudly with the rest of the audience, and then beat feet to catch the L. I just missed a train at Clark and Lake, but managed to snag a seat when the next train showed up. The blue line is back (mostly) to its rapid transit time, so I got home within 20 minutes. The Dad and kids were playing in the front yard with the neighbors as I rounded the corner; they all ran for hugs as soon as they saw me. The Baby was particularly glad to see me, but I wasn't as exciting as La Villa's pizza man, who arrived 10 seconds later (this is what happens when The Dad is in charge of dinner).



* Although I did go to the Treasure Store this morning for an hour by myself.

Chores

With the price of gas over $4/gallon, we stayed in town for the 3-day weekend. And spent much of it doing much-needed chores around the house. The Boy even got in on the action, by helping The Dad wash the windows in the front of the house. (The Baby helped, too, by letting them do it.)

Our big outings of the weekend were to Home Depot, Whole Foods (to stock the larder), and Chicago City North 14 movie theater in Logan Square (to see Speed Racer). The Boy was really into the movie, which was like live-action anime with garish colors. The Girl was kind of bored, given how many times she had to go potty during the 2-hour film (seven).

It was a nice weekend of family time.