Postcards from a hybrid weekend...

And just like that, I blink and it's Tuesday.

This was a hybrid weekend. I had the girls an extra day. We call it bonus Friday. Bonus Fridays seem even more special that regular Mom-weekend Fridays because it's like we are getting a gift of time. So bonus Fridays involve fun. We wouldn't want to waste bonus Friday on reruns and homework.

This bonus Friday involved the movie theater, shopping, and dinner. Loads of fun.

We saw The Jungle Book. We all three enjoyed it. Not quite as much as the animated version, because it is crazy silly and this, being more realistic, just couldn't be as wacky. But taken on its own, it's a good movie. A little intense at times, but the story is a good one-family is family no matter how they came to be, which is timely in our little family. The 3D is decent and not a complete waste of money. And I sort of love Christopher Walken and feel that his casting as King Louie is pretty genius, though I did hate the monkeys themselves-I am not a monkey fan and these particular monkeys are filmed in such a way that they kind of resemble bugs crawling all over him. Not a pleasant image.

We shopped-new dresses for all of us, new swimsuits for the girls-and had Olive Garden for dinner. It was a pretty great bonus Friday, as they go.

Saturday we were able to participate in Let's Pick It Up New Concord before heading to opening day for softball. It was a beautiful day, but unfortunately it was apparently a high UVA/UVB day, and Felicity and I both now resemble lobsters. The old Joy would never, ever have forgotten sunscreen. The old Joy was in so many ways a better mom than the new Joy. The new Joy is more fun, she's nowhere near as particular about things, but she is also forgetful of things like sunscreen and balanced meals and perfect spelling words. I know that I need to find a balance, that I am more than capable of being this new person and still not allowing Felicity to turn red, but I am still struggling with that.

Hybrid weekends, of course, mean that the girls then left with their dad and Jenifer. And so I was left with my normal, what should I do now? I went to Adornetto's for dinner. I highly recommend Adornetto's for eating alone because they have no bar and you can sit at a table with a book and not be bothered. And, hello, Adornetto's.

Then I went and saw The Boss. It was much like all of Melissa McCarthy's movies to me, meaning that it is hilariously funny in places and then drags on in others. Melissa herself is hysterical to me. She just needs tight scripts. It is very similar to how I felt about Jim Carrey before he only did important movies. But for the most part it was an enjoyable movie even if it didn't exactly make a whole lot of sense.

Sunday my sister and I went to Playhouse Square in Cleveland to see Beautiful, the Carole King musical. It is appropriately titled. I love Carole King and her music. This is particularly about her days on Tin Pan Alley. It is really a glimpse behind the scenes at these songwriters who were expected to churn out hit after hit like a factory. Carole's story is that of a wife and mother trying her best to love someone who is just unable to love her back, try as he might. But she takes that loss, the loss of more than a husband but that of a partner, of the other half to her creative side, and uses it to create such beauty that became Tapestry. It's inspiring.

And yesterday I hosted a party. I never do that. Ever. But I have come to really love Lularoe clothing, particularly their dresses, which are so comfortable but still really pretty. They are like the yoga pants of dresses. And so I hosted a party, and had a fabulous time talking with my friends and trying on pretty clothes. It was so far out of my comfort zone and yet I think it went well. This new Joy, she tries so many things that the old Joy would never even think to do. It can make my head spin sometimes.

And so, somehow it is Tuesday. And I am looking forward to an evening with nothing on our calendar, an evening of reading and running with Betsy and probably watching Saved by the Bell. Mostly my life is complete bliss. Blistering, red skin and all.