Thankful for ... weekends

OK, lame-o, I know. Who doesn't love weekends?

It's just that this past weekend was one I particularly needed. Last week piled one thing after another atop my shoulders until I was near collapse. Friday came at just the right moment.

This weekend happened to be the right kind of weekend to have after such a week. My stepson was over for a visit; my husband and I had (for once) kept on top of all the chores so no massive efforts were required; and there were no obligations to attend to.

The kid and I had arts-and-crafts hour while Dad was at work. We made chocolate chip cookies (he made, I supervised), and we played with the dog. When Dad came home, I left to do the week's grocery shopping while those two yahoos rented "GI Joe" and a Sonic the Hedgehog Wii game.

Dinner was delicious teriyaki chicken quarters and Cesar salad, and then I was free to retire while the boys watched the action-adventure. It was awesome, I was told, because, "There was soo much blood!"

On Sunday, we spent a lazy morning eating cinnamon rolls and reading the newspaper as a family (the youngest member of the family opted for the Target toy catalog) before the Hubs started up the lawnmower, the kid fired up the Wii and I tuned in to the past two weeks on "Modern Family."

Altogether a semi-productive, semi-laid back, quality-time-with-the-whole-family sort of weekend. We didn't go to Disneyland or cure cancer, but we basked in each others company in a wonderful way.

Thank you, weekends like that! You prepare me for the week ahead.