Counting Down 150 Days of Awesome Awesomeness: Volume Seven

May 15, 2017 -- Day 44:

Since our vacation turned suddenly into a staycation, we set about to make the most of it. We started by cleaning up the house and doing some odds-and-ends. Pretty exciting stuff!

But, the standing rule for house-cleaning days states that Franco can make the biggest mess EVER before it all gets "red up." This day, he did this:

I'm not sure I signed up for this...

                                                     

Hey Emma --  I signed you up for this!

                                                   

After we finished our chores, we all settled in for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals -- and the Pens managed a win!

 (All of our good luck/superstitious/crazy traditions are clearly behind this  

 success, so you're totally welcome.)                                

May 16, 2017 -- Day 45:

We took advantage of this beautiful day to go vote, and then take a walk in the nature preserve that Scott and Franco discovered a week ago. Even though some of the grass looked quite "snake-y" we all made it unscathed and had fun.

Hey girl....

Afterward, we had a late lunch at Mindful Brewing Company (quite delicious and also quite Asheville-ish) and then watched a matinee of Gifted. Once home, we played board games on the deck, and Emma barked at the neighbors' cats. Happy Tuesday!

May 17, 2017 -- Day 46:

Franco felt so glad that Scott could see all his ice skating progress, and Scott left genuinely impressed. After the lesson, we had lunch at BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse, then headed to gymnastics. After that, we went to the grocery store and made dinner, so we could completely settle in, relax, and enjoy the Pens' game.....

Which did not last long. After the first period, Franco and I turned off the TV and coped with some epic games of Mystery Mansion. Following the second period, amid much disgust, Scott joined us. And we made the best of a very sad hockey night in Pittsburgh.

May 18, 2017 -- Day 47:

We decided to take the T to the Pirates game on a clear and bright Pittsburgh afternoon. What a tremendous idea! We decided not to take any sunscreen with us. Parenting fail!

Whatever. We had a blast, except for the random splotches of sunburn. We had great seats behind home plate and the Buccos scored ten runs en route to raising the Jolly Roger. These things do not always happen, folks, and we all appreciated the perfection of this experience.

Sunny......

Once back in the South Hills, we picked up a Mexican feast and headed home for some additional Mystery Mansion fun. Life on a staycation probably does NOT get any better than this.

May 19, 2017 -- Day 48:

Our dear North Carolina bosom friends Mary Katherine and Drydie decided to surprise us with a weekend visit! (The drive time from Charlotte to Pittsburgh was almost too much for poor Franco.) We tidied up our home and stocked up on Trader Joe's snacks for their arrival.

Once they FINALLY GOT HERE, Franco and Drydie set about catching up on a year's worth of playing together, and Mary Katherine and I picked up our chatting right where we left off. Emma did not even bark when they walked in....proof that they are truly a part of the family. While we all made up for lost time, we watched the Pens bounce right back from that awful Game 3 performance to redeem themselves. Nice.

May 20, 2017 -- Day 49:

Mary Katherine and Dryden had never been to Pittsburgh before, so we bandied about some ideas of how to best acclimate them. And, if I do say so myself, we nailed it:

KENNYWOOD!!

DIP CONES AT KENNYWOOD!!

Everyone had an absloutlely fantastic time. (Obviously. I mean, it is Kennywood after all!!) Franco and Dryden rode everything in Kiddieland and we all enjoyed some of the big-kid rides, too. (Except Drydie did not enjoy the Pounce Bounce. The adults, however, reveled at the hilarity of Drydie's non-enjoyment. No regrets.) We ate Potato Patch fries and dip cones, walked all over the park, bounced around on the Kangaroo, stopped for fudge on the way out of the park, and stayed until closing time and the Good-Night heart.

As soon as we loaded the kids into the car, they jabbered on about their wonderfully fun day together, and all their favorite rides, until they suddenly fell out. Drydie perked up for pizza once home, but Franco snoozed on. Mary Katherine and I chatted until the wee hours of the morning. Suffice it to say, I think we all slept very well that night.

May 21, 2017 -- Day 50:

It rained and felt lazy. So, we decided to just be lazy, too. Franco and Drydie played, and then we all watched the hockey game and/or battled each other in Wii Carnival games. Literally, everyone won!

That evening, we ate dinner and relaxed and played games together. Ol' Scotty P. lamented his last day of vacation/staycation, and the rest of us knew our company had to leave in the morning. We did what we could to salvage the last, sweet moments.

May 22, 2017 -- Day 51:

Scott went to work, Mary Katherine and Drydie went on their merry way, and Franco and I went to bed for a long, well-deserved nap.

In the evening, Riley from next door asked Franco to play outside, a request he gleefully accepted. They played tag, had running races, drove the battery car into the wood pile, and generally filled the backyard with screams of pure delight. I watched them from the deck, sipped a beer, and read the newspaper.

Not all the adventures have to be grandiose. Some of the best are just like this one.

***To Be Continued....