returning to "normal" life

This is much more realistic. I knew posting every day wouldn't last long. Last week Cody and I went to Colorado Springs for a Youth Development Conference. I had hesitated about bringing him with me, but was encouraged by my co-workers to do so. I am so glad I did! He is growing into such a fun-loving, mature young man...and it's been happening right before my eyes! We went to a lot of workshops together, had lots of deep discussions, played a lot of tennis, swam a lot and played in the Garden of the Gods. It was a nice conference, and we have both come back with a better understanding of how deeply we do impact others(for good or bad) through our work at the Club. Austen did spend the week with my parents. He did some house repair for them, read and practiced instruments, my mom kept up with his spelling..and they spent a lot of time shopping and going to movies. He went to Port Aransas over the weekend with some friends of the family. Brian came home late Friday night. He spent the day at home with us (one of his friends came over for a few hours on Saturday) and then we stopped to have lunch with another friend of his before putting him back on a bus to return to school. He seems to be loving dorm life..and I think his classes are going well. Time will tell.......Now that we are back to a sort-of normal life. (like we aren't all spread over 3 cities/2 states) we are trying to get back into a routine of reading together, playing games, etc. We took another huge diversion yesterday to start making about 200 confetti eggs. We are trying to plan a farewell party for one of my co-workers. The kids at the Club want confetti eggs for part of this "good, good-bye". So...Cody, Austen and I spent yesterday making omelette's galore for snack at the Club and then dumping another dozen or two egg yolks into the river behind our house. We thought it would be fun to observe what changes it brings to the immediate ecosystem in the next week. (other than more fish, flies, ants and racoons). Today we will dye, fill and cover all the eggs. That will be the bulk of our morning.