Spontaneous

Earlier this summer, Bill and I had made a tentative plan for both of us to take some time off work together and for us to do a lot of fun things, as a family.  Then I ended up rushing my vacation in order to just be able to take it, and, well, this week has just not gone as planned.

Obviously we were not going to be spending all week doing things because Bill can't get time off on such short notice.  So, I decided I would spend the week cleaning and organizing and decluttering the house.  Well, of course, on Monday... after deciding over the weekend to not do my marathon laundry session since I had all week to do it... our dryer quit tumbling.  I swear, the laundry basket barfed at that moment and there was not one clean towel, the kids' closet was a wasteland of empty hangers, and I now had no way to do laundry at home.  Bill tore apart the dryer, diagnosed a broken belt, and we crossed our fingers that we could just pick one up somewhere on Tuesday and be back in business.

No such luck.  Our dryer is ancient and not a big name brand.... so we had to order the belt and it won't be in until Friday.  I toted a few loads of laundry to the laundromat, gasped at how much it cost to use their machines ($2 to wash, $1 to dry!), but otherwise enjoyed an hour or so of absolute solitude.

Today I got up with a long list of things to do.  Gather up clothes that need to be taken to Goodwill, mop, find the floor of my bedroom, etc., etc....  I felt a little twinge of guilt that we hadn't taken the girls out for any fun on my vacation yet, but I told myself we could do it on Friday.

Then I remembered they have Day Camp on Friday, which I've already paid for.  And tomorrow is out of the question because I'll be in Hot Springs with my family for my grandfather's memorial service.  (We decided not to take the girls, and Bill's cousin happens to be passing through town so he'll take them to see her instead)

So I scrapped my plans for the day, told the girls to get their swim suits on and headed to Splash Zone.



They weren't too thrilled when I made them reapply sunscreen.  =)  We spent 3 hours there.  

We went home to change and then went to have a late lunch.



This child likes to dip apple slices in ketchup.  Like McDonald's apple slices aren't nasty enough alone.



Then we went to wander the mall, half-heartedly looking for some shoes for me.  I hate shopping for myself.  I really need some sandals, because my flip flops hurt the foot where I broke my baby toe last year and I just don't want to wear sneakers 24/7.  But I couldn't find any I liked or was willing to pay for.  

Good grief, I just sounded way too practical in that paragraph.

We then splurged and went to see Despicable Me 2.  I normally won't take the girls to anything but the dollar movie theater.  $30 for all of us to see a movie is stupid, in my opinion.  I'll gladly fork over $6, but I'm cheap.  I had never been to the new theater in the mall, and it made me feel stupid.  I couldn't figure out how to get the arm rest down.  I never did figure it out, either.  The movie was cute, though.

By then, it was 7pm.

A full day of fun: accomplished!