Back at home and a trip to the hoot.

When the whirlwind that is Walter Reed churns you up and spits you out, invariably it deposits you squarely on a Monday morning. Such is life, and we were destined to spend the week playing catchup- although there were sweet moments like these to remind us to smell the roses. 

Seth spent the first part of the week recovering in bed, and then on Wednesday afternoon took himself coyote hunting from his truck, logged a good night's sleep, and got up and taught class the next morning. I think he had just decided he had had enough convalescing. 

My week was indeed spent being late for everything, caught up on nothing, and grateful- as usual- for Sally, who at least made sure we had milk in the fridge. Lucky for Ford, since that and chocolate chips are about all he ingests these days.

Somewhere in there was a snow delay, and it was one of those crummy, icy snows that is neither pretty nor soft but is damn near impossible to shovel. Finley tried to help, and we eventually gave up, took a few death-defying runs on the snow tube, then headed for school and work resolving to park on the street until the ice melted instead.

By Friday we were all d-u-n, but we had promised the kids a date night. Or rather, Finley had played on Dad guilt at having missed the dance and scored herself the promise of the bookstore and a "fancy restaurant." Seth didn't take pictures, but I snapped a couple of Ford enjoying the consolation prize (Mom, plus a trip to the germ-riddled indoor playplace and dinner at Chili's.)

And then the kids proceeded to have the weekend of their "greams" while Seth caught up on sleep and work and I tried to engage in as much "life admin" (largely laundry and grocery shopping and bill paying, oh my!) as I could. These guys, on the other hand, had inner tube races while Seth put snow tires on his wheelchair

and were incredible "vestibal" buddies at the winter hoot, a Catskills music festival I had been dying to go to. They kicked off their shoes and danced the afternoon away

and LOVED the instrument petting zoo.

We made it back south in time for a beer-and-sausage date with the Biers.

Super Bowl Sunday dawned with gray skies and freezing rain, the perfect day to stay inside and test out the new instant pot (which is amazing) before spending game evening as all holidays should be spent: playing dressup

 sword fighting with cadets

 having princess dress-clad Nerf wars

 and even watching a bit of football.

It went too fast, as all good weekends do, but with an appropriate amount of buffalo sauce. A real Super Bowl win.

My favorite photos of the week were from the hoot, and this one makes me laugh. Von Trapp family, here we come!