Staycation Review

Staycation week has been full of fun and relaxation... and of course, food! :) A quick run-down, both for my memory and so my mom knows that I really did take it easy...

Saturday- Josh and I got up and took a walk, then took Donovan to the Pool Party at the Clubhouse of our Complex. I wrote a paper for my online class, had dinner (kabobs!) and then Josh and I had a little date: a private trip to McDonalds for $1 hot fudge sundae! :)

Sunday - I got up and made breakfast, as is our Sunday morning tradition. :) Sausage gravy, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Should I mention that I was most certainly not "dieting" while on vacation? After breakfast we took Donovan to the Boise Rec Fest, then returned home for dinner. I made grilled stuffed pork tenderloin and some roasted potatoes. Then Josh and I took our evening walk; we have a look around the lake behind our Complex that is about 3 miles, and we love to walk and talk, so we try to take a walk almost every day.

Some of the fish we see in the Boise River on our walk.

Monday - Spring Cleaning! I scrubbed the house, including moving the appliances, cleaning out the frig, and scouring the bathtubs. Whew! All the things I never seem to have the time to do. Then I went to the library and checked out 6 books, then returned home to prepare dinner... homemade lasagna, including the marinara sauce, and fresh-baked french bread. After dinner, I read one of my books while enjoying a luxurious bubble bath. :)

Tuesday - Started with a walk, followed by our adventures at the Boise Depot, Platt Gardens, and the Idaho State Penitentiary.

Josh and I at the Gardens... our self-portraits usually cut off the top of at least one of our heads, but we keep trying! :)

Josh has started taking pictures again - he's a talented photographer! I love this picture, taken near the Penitentiary, and would love to enlarge it in black and white, then frame it in my living room!

Then we took Donovan to see "How to Train a Dragon"; Tuesday is $1 tickets at the theater! For dinner, I made homemade beef pot pie - I think my best to date.


Wednesday - I got up and read a book. Seriously - I didn't get off the couch until noon. :) Once I finished my book, I wrote my final paper for my online class and then baked some banana bread. Josh and I took a walk before dinner, then I made a true Southern meal: chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and beef gravy. :) After dinner I read another book...

Thursday - I got up and made breakfast - banana pancakes. I've never made them before, so was excited to try. :) Donovan loved them! After breakfast, Josh and I hiked Tablerock, which is a 3.5 mile hike, round-trip... I actually made it!

Josh at the top of the hill

Another self-portrait - proof that I made it to the top!

Friday - Josh and I got up and took a walk, although it was a bit shorter (only a mile!) because I was pretty sore from our hike the day before... then we took Donovan and his friend, Robert, to Lucky Peak for the afternoon. The boys loved playing in the water, and Josh and I enjoyed the quiet time on the beach.

Relaxing on the beach, with my book and my water bottle... and lathered in SPF 90 sunscreen!

Donovan and Robert, showing us a snail they found in the water

While at Lucky Peak, I finished another book. :) By the time we got home, I didn't feel like cooking, so we ordered a pizza and let the boys play. Josh and I played some chess then snuggled to some television.

Saturday - Josh and I got up and took a walk, followed by a couple of hours of gun shopping... ok, really it was gun browsing; Josh thought he might find some great deals around the 4th of July, but nobody was running any great specials. For the afternoon, Chae and the kids made it to Boise! We hoped for lots of time with them, but settled for a few hours. It was pretty windy, so we ended up hanging out at the apartment where the kids played XBox and GI Joes while Chae and I chatted and caught up on life and her trip. :) It was wonderful! For dinner I made homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Once Chae left (she wanted to drive part-way to Seattle so she could get the older boys to their dad's around lunch-time on Sunday) we ran to the video store and rented a movie, which we enjoyed watching while eating banana splits. :)

Unfortunately, I totally forgot to take any pictures while Chae and the kids were here. :( Darn!!!!

Sunday - Josh and I are enjoying the day inside watching "The History of America", a series on the History Channel that started with the Revolutionary War. It's fascinating! And, a nice reprieve for my sunburn. :) I have also started a new book, and have steak marinating for the grill tonight. After dinner, we'll head up the hill to watch the fireworks, and then I have to head to bed to prepare for work tomorrow.

My staycation week is over. :( However, I've had a fabulous week, relaxed, prepared a number of incredibly delicious meals (which has made me very happy - the kitchen time has been fantastic!!!) and read 5, almost 6, books. :) I think I might have to consider staycations more often!