A post in which I spend some time with the boys

I got up this morning determined to get something done.  I had accomplished really nothing yesterday.  I had a good time, but didn't get any chores done. 

I made some breakfast and started cooking.  I had picked up some potatoes with the idea of making a shepard's pie, but I had some left-over cheese ball in the freezer that needed to be used.  I decided to make some of Mama's skillet au gratin potatoes.  I turned on the TV and stated cooking. 

About the time I got my taters on, I got a message from the boys.  They were headed to breakfast, and wanted to go to the movies later.  I told them I had already eaten, but that I would meet them at the movies.  We set up to go see Rise of the Guardians this afternoon. 

I finished up my potatoes (which turned out gorgeously, decadently creamy and exceptionally good) and packed them up, did my cat chores, and got ready to go.  I called them about lunch, but they were just going to grab a sandwich on the way.  No problem.  I had plenty of time.  I was actually ahead of schedule, since I wasn't going to do the rest of the cooking today.  I stopped at the grocery store, and made a nice, healthy, small, dietarily responsible salad.  I went to the movie theater to sit out front to eat while I waited for the boys to arrive. 

I decided to go ahead and get my ticket, but didn't see the show time they had specified.  I was at the wrong theater!  Crap.  I went from having plenty of time for a leisurely lunch in the sun to having to get across town in twenty minutes, eating at red lights when I was stopped.  Of course because I wanted to eat at red lights, I wasn't being stopped at any, but I rationed that was working in my favor because I was making good time.  That was until I got to Woodruff Road.  For some reason, they had decided to go to that theater, despite the fact that it is in the heart of the shopping district, and it's December.  Hello.  It was carmageddon trying to get anywhere near the place.  I made it in time though.  Just.

The movie was good, and I enjoyed it.  But this time of year, I'm easy.  Give me a Santa and a wide-eyed kid, and I'll cry.  I did.  Through pretty much the whole last twenty minutes of the movie.

Afterwards we did a little Christmas shopping (hey we'd already fought the traffic to get there, so why not?).  They got Rhonda taken care of, and I picked up a little something for Mom to open.  We went to Irashiai for dinner, and it was lovely.  Then we repaired to the house to watch the latest Big Bang Theory (saved on their DVR) and just enjoy some boy time.  It was a really nice afternoon.  Should I have been working?  Probably.  But I'm not going to stress.  Things will work out.  It was more important for me to have that time with them than it was to have everything perfectly organized today.  It's all about perspective.