Wednesday's Family Night

Started my post last night, but got so involved in the baseball game I forgot to finish. Glad it was waiting for me when I woke up.

Wednesday turned into a spur-of-the-moment Family Night. We had intended on watching the baseball game, but it was postponed due to weather so we jumped in the truck and went to the rink.

 Homer is talking to Olivia through the glass. She had fallen twice, cried and quit.

I finally talked her into getting on the ice again....the look of apprehension.

By the end of the session Olivia was having fun right along with everyone else.

Another child discovers the mirrored ceiling. (See Homer, Lucas and Sydney in the background?).

After skating we went to Gallo's (Mexican) for dinner. Doesn't he have the most dreamy eyes?

 My camera is the worst. Too many years of abuse I suppose and I need a different pocket camera. It takes some clear and some blurry photos and I never know what turned out until I get home. It's so disappointing. There's a good Nikon here, but I need a battery charger. Time to buck up and buy one, I guess.

I got to sit next to the most handsome man in town. :)

After dinner we went to the Bentley Mall. The girls and I checked out earrings and the boys went to the video game store. We had a little time to kill before we went.....

bowling!! (Crappy cellphone photo in the dark).

 Nick had been out shooting pool and missed dinner. He managed to talk me out of a burger and fries at the alley. The Krohe (as we call him since his name is Nick, too) is like family so he came along to play.

 Olivia tried bowling without help, but it didn't work out so well.

She (and Lucas who I missed photographing) used an aid. They loved it.

Tisha didn't bowl, but she did come to visit.

 Justise had just come from a Halloween Party and the fish net stockings felt horrible in the shoes.

 All the smiles tell what a great time we had. :)

But the evening wasn't over for me.....we got home after 11pm and thought I was going to bed. Instead, Nick brought home three buddies and I visited them until three in the morning!!  We talked a lot about the lack of jobs and how the high cost of education is keeping them out of college (none are interested in incurring debt without the certainty of income to pay it back later), about wanting to be independent, but also knowing that it's just too expensive to leave home. It was awesome to connect with these kids and see things through their eyes. And, of course, all the more reason to keep building rooms in my home...they're welcome to join our family if they need to. Communal living is what it is all about. (I like the whole more-the-merrier thing!).