California Rolls

Despite a late night, Heath was up before 7am requesting his fire fighter uniform and a playdate with Sam the mountain dog. Call his mom and ask her to bring him for a sleepover, too. Stella, on the other hand, has a clearer understanding that late-to-bed means late-to-wake, so she slumbered until 8:30.

My older (and only) brother has been in NJ all week working, while my nephews hung back here with us. He flew back to Charlotte last night, so Mark and I were able to have an excellent evening of sushi and post-dinner coffee with him. I don't think we've talked that much in years. Our time was so leisurely that I didn't realize it was 9pm and I nearly forgot that we had children at Papa and HeHe's ready to be picked, and very ready for bed.

My parents were brave and watched all four kiddies (and a Granny), while we had our indulgent night out. Their evening was spent eating spagehtti, slipping and sliding on a backyard water-hosed Slip 'n Slide, and having their bath. We returned to my parent's house to find all four children lined up in an adorable row on Papa and HeHe's bed, freshly bathed and pajamaed, munching on apple slices and Cheez-Its, and engrossed in the movie of the night, Benji (the original 1974 version). Turns out the mountain dog, Scruffy, looks a lot like Benji. Also, it turns out that Benji is a little creepy with kidnapped children with duct tape over their mouthes. It's also a little creepy just because anything made in the early 70s that has to do with children becomes increasingly trippy as the years roll by. Benji the dog is no exception.

Sadly, the Cali Clan heads back on Sunday. Boo-hoo, hoo.