what's up weekly. (Mommy Dates and Court Room Drama.)

Hey hey hey!  We are back into the swing of things with school and everyone is healthy at the moment (knock on wood), so this week was full and productive and held some noteworthy news items.

First, let me head all the way back to last Friday.  I did another day of Mommy dates with the kids that hadn't yet gotten their turns.  First, I took Callista to breakfast at a restaurant in an old train depot.  It was so cute - they hadn't changed the building at all, and even some of the seating in the waiting area was original.  All the doors and windows and rooms and floors were original.  It was cute, it was better than IHOP, it was a good trip with an adorable lady, so everyone wins.

After that, I took Atticus to the Army museum on base here.  It was really interesting - there was a lot more information and more exhibits than I had anticipated.  I learned a lot about Lewis and Clark, the movement west across the frontier, etc.  I also learned some details about Sacajawea I had never known - she had been purchased as a preteen by the Frenchman who eventually became her husband; she not only carried a baby on her back on the expedition with Lewis and Clark, but she had actually delivered the baby on the trail; she had only been around nineteen on the trip, and she died around the age of twenty-five.  So crazy to try to wrap your head around all of that.

We also got to see a carriage that Abraham Lincoln rode in while he was here at the fort, and you know that, apart from the way he enlarged the power of the federal government and introduced fiat currency, I can't get over my celebrity crush on him.  Why do girls always like boys that are so bad for them?

After looking over all the displays, we popped into the gift shop, which weirdly had a great 'used book' section, and was running a sale on them, so we had a heyday.

After that, I dropped Atticus off at home and took Finneas to lunch at a retro little drive-in diner.  It was really cute: it reminded me of this shake shack that was in a nearby town growing up.  Vintage simply because it had been there doing its thing for a while, not because they were going for anything kitschy.  That's what this diner was like, and I liked it.  Hot sandwiches, milkshakes, coffee, pie.  That kind of thing. 

That evening, since everyone had remained healthy, we went to the Psalm Sing.  This month it was in a chapel fellowship hall on the army base, which I weirdly preferred to having it in folks' homes like we typically do.  We are just at the point where there are close to 100 people each month, and tons of kids, so finding a location is becoming more challenging as we grow!  It's a good problem to have to navigate.

Saturday I took Rocco out to lunch at the train depot restaurant, and then to the antique carousel.  There is a museum there, and it was just as 'meh' and depressing as you might expect, but the carousel itself was super fun.  It WHIPS around.

In answer to a couple questions I've gotten about Mommy dates: I don't get to do them very often; maybe once a year.  I don't really plan out what we talk about, my goal is to just interact with them as individuals.  It's funny how they all shine differently when it's just them.  Finneas, for example, had me in stitches the entire time until he asked what was wrong with me and surmised maybe I'd had too much sugar in my soda.  Rocco held my hand like the whole time because he is just so cuddly and has zero desire for physical distance ever, and he finally got my undivided hand holding.  Atticus got to tell me what he knew about many of the weapons we looked at at the museum and I was honestly impressed at how much knowledge he had tucked away.  Lolo didn't know what to do with all the attention so she went all Ricky Bobby and got kind of awkward and punch-drunk.  Penelope loves talking about her future, and making plans for how she will do things when she's an adult, so we got some time to do that as we walked around talking about groceries and crafting and gardening.  They just get to be themselves as individuals.  It's fun to be around!

Sunday evening, our neighbor came by to pierce Ophelia's ears.  (For those of you clenching up, your concerns have been preemptively noted and filed.  Thank you.)  I usually like to have their ears done younger than this, but time got away from us.  Everything is healing well and didn't even seem sore by the next morning, but I do think I still prefer having it done when they're younger.  Noted for next time.

Not sure what is going on.

Still having no idea what Miss Tabby is up to.

Decidedly not a fan.

Luckily, like I said, the discomfort was short lived and as of the next day, she was completely over it.  She lets me clean and turn them without even really noticing, so I know they're not still sore.  And she looks so cute!

Monday, we jumped back into school after a break.  The week was going to be a full one because everyone else was on break this week and wanting to make plans, plus the trial for the dog attack was scheduled for later in the week, so I knew our schedule wouldn't run perfectly but we got done what we could.

Wednesday night we had friends come for dinner, and this morning I have another friend coming over to chat, so we've just adjusted our schedule to accommodate those plans. 

Yesterday was the dog attack trial.  It ended up going pretty smoothly once I got there.  

So, just as a recap for those of you who are new around here: a month or two ago, there were a couple of pit bulls that got loose in the neighborhood that maliciously chased our kids, killed one of our chickens, and attacked a gal and her small dogs who were walking on the street.  The owners were contesting the charges from animal control, and even found the attacked woman on Facebook and started threatening her.  It has been a whole thing.

Unexpectedly, the owners pled guilty, which made the trial go much more smoothly and quickly.  The judge was great and sought to uphold the law as it was written in our city codes, so the dogs have some really severe restrictions put on them, but won't be put down.  I do hope the owners keep better track of them than they have in the past, or someone will likely end up getting hurt again.

Anyway.  It was my first, and hopefully last, experience in a court room.  It was not my favorite.  ALTHOUGH, I will say:  I was chatting with the bailiff, and he said his grandmother was one of twenty-eight children!  All biological siblings, only three sets of twins.  When her mother (the matriarch of all these children) died at age 98, there were so many people attending the funeral - so many children and spouses and grandchildren and great-grandchildren - that there had to be three separate services. because they wouldn't all fit in the church.  Incredible.

Well, I think that pretty much sums up the excitement, except for this little item of note: Lolo got sick again at some point this week.  I'm ready for a lot more 'boring' next week.

Applesauce with two charcoal capsules mixed in.  Worked like a charm but did not look appetizing.

Happy trails, y'all.