I hate to disappoint with a Montage Monday without photos.  I am fully aware, after all, that images of the kiddos are the real draw around here. But there’s a good reason, I assure you.

First, Jac left on Thursday for a bachelor party in Minneapolis.  Do I really need to elaborate on how this might cause some anxiety for many, many reasons?  Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Max had a birthday party to attend on Friday evening.  Sane people might have thought ahead and gone shopping with their child as a family or when their spouse was still at home to help with the other kids.  But we’re not sane so a trip was taken late Thursday evening to procure a gift.

We had four other homeschoolers coming over early Friday morning until I would take everyone to the party so the shopping had to be done Thursday.  Friday morning meant last minute cleaning and chaos even after Elizabeth had arrived with the 4 Wingerts.  After prayer we headed out to Dinosaur Hill, got caught in a fireman’s funeral procession and made it back here in time for lunch.  Between the pancake syrup and party delivery (in shifts!), everything is a blur.

Post party drop-off, the other 3 kiddos and I headed to the parish party for Fr. Mike.  Tess wanted to dance!  Philip didn’t!  Hot dogs!  Raffle prizes won!  Loud music!

Oy.

We left Cathedral in a torrential downpour and rushed home to meet Max.  Know what? At 7, he was already breaking curfew by and hour and a half.  I let it slid though ’cause someone else was driving him back from New Underwood . . .

While we waited, Susan and Bridget came over to play some games, drink some cocoa and offer some adult conversation.  Goooood times.

Philip and I stayed up to play some wii and welcome Saturday.

Glad we had done it because we weren’t all that stoked to see it again come morning . . .

Somewhere in there Monday got loose a few times and barked her head off.

Saturday shaped up to be gorgeous so we did something daring and exciting;

We painted the dining room.

With black chalkboard paint.

What?  Isn’t that what you would do if you were parenting on your own for a weekend?

We made some pizza, played some wii and some bananagrams and made it to bed without any tears which was pretty dang miraculous.

We attempted to make it to 11 am Mass with the thought that it would make Jac arrival arrive more quickly.  But, we lacked the speed we needed and had baths and squirrely kids and a crazy dog to contend with.  Half way to the church we gave up, came home had lunch and painted some more.  Time dragged waiting for dad.  Why wasn’t he here yet???

Thanks be to God, my mother in law came to help us get ready and lend her assistance at Mass.

Then – then – he was back!

The in-laws had us over for supper and we all took a deep breath because we had survived.  Every last one of us.

However, with all the madness, the camera was not in use. I’ll try to make it up later, but for now I’m gonna let Jac be in charge and count my blessings.