special time

i took the kids to the parade of lights under the bridge friday night and they got to sit on santas lap, see christmas lights all over the english village then i took them to mcdonalds to play on the playland equipment. (their choice for special time.) ian wanted to go to red robin so i told him that we would go alone sometime. he decided that needed to be yesterday. so, i cleaned the house, the yard and started straightening up around the place, then we headed off to clean my friends house (my part of the bargain for her helping me with everything) and ian did a great job of being pacient through all of that. we then headed off for red robin, a mess from cleaning all day, but dressed none the less and had some special time. he wanted an adult menu and took his time looking it over. he settled on a burger with cheddar cheese, tomato, onion, lettuce and onion rings, but needed to have mozerella sticks as well, so i let him. he had water and i had a diet pepsi. he was so happy and just talked and enjoyed his meal (no, i do not let him eat like that often). he actually did a great job eating and was really helpful in the grocery store after that. by the time we made it home, mike had already cooked dinner, fed owen and jule and hooked up our record player we bought in pismo beach 2 years ago. we found s receiver that would run it saturday (we tried several that wouldn't work). it was at the thrift shop next door to us. i am soooooooooooo happy that we can listen to our records again. i played elton john all evening and this morning. i can't wait to put on the kids records (yep, i have all of the ones from when i was little) and let them listen to them by the fire. good times.