Reformation Night at our church was last Wednesday on Halloween as it is every year, and I thought I’d post a couple pictures. My MIL made beautiful Russian princess costumes for all the girls and somehow Georgie schmoozed her into making a D’Artagnan costume this year, which he was rather ecstatic about.

Are they adorable or what?

I’m totally objective as you’ve surely noticed. And to think, we only had to take about fifteen shots to get a couple where everyone is smiling and the picture is actually in focus. Faithy kept running toward the camera and Georgie thought that “picture” meant “time to make weird faces.”

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So this last weekend was also Card Weekend 2007. Every other week for the last probably six years or so, me and a bunch of other women have gotten together every other Monday to play Dutch Blitz, eat lots of junk food, and just hang around with other people whose main vocabulary doesn’t begin with “Mommmeeeee…..” or variations thereof. It’s great and very relaxing.

Four years ago one of the gals decided that we should all go to the beach for a weekend in November since her husband’s family has a house out there, so we leave on Friday and return on Sunday. Her idea of a good weekend is one in which she gets to spend the weekend cooking for all her appreciative friends, which works well for everyone because she is a fabulous cook and we are all very appreciative. This definition of fun has always completely mystified me since my idea of a good weekend is one in which I don’t have to cook at all. I usually do dishes on card weekend.

On Saturday we drive down to Lincoln City (an hour south) where the all important outlet mall is to Christmas shop (ahem…) all day. Cards, shopping, excellent food, wonderful company, no kids ~ it’s great! I’ve been feeling much better the last week or so but my energy reserves are still a bit on the wimpy side, so I spent half of Saturday sleeping or reading in the back of the van while everyone else finished their shopping, but it was quiet and I rarely get uninterrupted reading time so even that was fun.

Over the last year we’ve managed to ensnare three more women in our collectively evil group clutches (moowahahahahaha!) and one of them made it card weekend with us, bringing our total number for the weekend to seven.

This was her first time away from her kids overnight even (she has four from ages 9 to 2, I think), and she did great! Actually, she did sort of had that semi-crazed, “Yay, I’m shopping without my kids” look on Saturday and accomplished considerably more at the mall than anyone else did. George said her husband looked a bit frazzled at church on Sunday. Hehe.

George was his usual wonder-husband self and even had the house tidy when I got home. Of course, some friends were over waiting for their mom to get home (she came with us) and they have two kids, so with the seven kids running around like maniacs the tidiness didn’t last, but I did get to actually see it which impressed me.

He took the kids out to dinner all by himself (! ) on Saturday night and made it to church on time and everything. Actually, part of that was probably because he forgot to set the clocks back so he was an hour early for church, but he still gets credit.

You know, every year I’m impressed with George’s response to Card Weekend. I tell him what weekend it is and ask if I can go, and every time he immediately says “yes” without hemming and hawing or making it sound like he’s doing me a humongous favor or acting put upon even on years when he’s obscenely busy (like this year).

He just says to go have fun, which I do, in part because I know he’s not begrudging me the time I’m gone and because I know he eminently capable of managing all the kids. The first time I went, he only had to mess with three and this time he had all five at home with him. I take them with me if they are younger than one year of age, but anyone older than that stays home (so far I’ve never actually gone without being either pregnant or bringing a nursing baby).

His thinking (as he mentioned last night when we were discussing it with our friends) is that men go off on business trips overnight and have many more opportunities to get out than their wives do. He seems to make it a priority for me to be able to get away for a couple days every November, which I am supremely thankful for. He’s such a wonderful husband, *brag, brag*.

Rachel

Just adorable! Luther and his friends would be proud! We spent hours/days… ok over a week … making our medieval-ish outfits for the Faire we went to in honor of Reformation day. Next year I’m calling your mother in law!

I’m glad you had a good card weekend - now especially I wish I’d gone! It’s wonderful to have a husband you can rely on and who doesn’t begrudge you the time away! I’m happy to have one like that, too.

Hi Rachel…found your blog recently so I linked you up. Hope you don’t mind!

The pic of the kids on Reformation night is really cute! How did you ever manage to get them all to pose so well! A really good picture of my four is always a true miracle…LOL!

Your card weekend sounds like fun. Alice keeps inviting me to join you guys in playing at her house, and maybe one of these days I will actually make it. It just seems hard to get out during the week most of the time.

Melanie

Yes, it’s quite wonderful that my MIL does those. I made them for a couple years when the older kids were tiny, but I don’t know how I’d get them done now.

Melanie, you should definitely come to cards. It’s tons of fun! Elly, I hope you can come to card weekend next year.

Rachel