Sunday Afternoon

Yesterday was my husbands company picnic at Terre Hill Park. The kids always look forward to this as there are games & activities for them to do. I was feeling so-so about going. After having a not so good week & then being around a huge crowd of people, it just didn't seem too appealing. I figured if I needed to get away, I could always sit in the van & read. Being around people can be hit or miss still for me. I don't know how to explain it, but it can be emotionally & mentally draining at times because I have to work hard at maintaining a level of composure I guess you could say (though not so much with those who I feel safe with & are understanding). I don't always feel like chit chatting but I try to so as to not appear rude to those who may not "get it", but then I end up drained later on. I am getting more to the point of not worrying what others think & focusing more on myself like I need to & have been told to do. If someone wants to pass judgement, then that's on them. I've been reading blogs from some other baby loss moms & conversing with some around the same "stage" as I am, & I see we are all experiancing, feeling & doing a lot of the same things. So it's not just me like some have implied.

Anyway, we got to the park around 2pm. Each year there is a theme to the picnic. This year it was Mexican. Kevin had signed me up for the annual cooking contest that I've been participating in every year (and have actually placed in every year!) This year it was homemade salsa. Though I wasn't feeling too good about it as salsa is so subjective to personal taste.

The kids were excited to see the activities that were there for them this year, a big blow up "Cars" slide & a bungee jump. They also had some games to play as well as guessing games. And plenty of food! The kids had a blast & were kept busy.

Here's pictures of each of the kids on the bungee jump. I really wanted to go on it as well & would've, except for the little sign that said pregnant chicks can't! (excuse the poor quality of the pics, it was overcast & I took these w/my phone).

And here is a video of Erik jumping on it. He finally figured out how to do flips and was pretty impressed w/himself!





Mid afternoon they announced the winners for the salsa contest. I was surprised to find out I placed 2nd! I don't usually make mine with black beans but I know they were looking for creativity so I threw some in for the heck of it.

Later on in the evening, bingo was played. Susan won one of the rounds. She picked out Pictionary Man for her prize. We have a large game closet so it's nice to add new games to it.

Sarah was tickled to find out she won one of the kids guessing games. She had to guess the weight of a piñata and she was the closest. She won the piñata and a mexican blanket. At the end of the evening, they drew an employees name for the "grand" prize. The kicker was you had to be there to claim it. The prize was for 4 Dutch Wonderland tickets. They drew a name & the guy wasn't there. They drew a 2nd time, and everyone said that lady left. So they drew a third time and wouldn't you know it, Kevin won! The kids all jumped up in the air cheering! They've never been there even though we only live about 12 minutes away. It's pricey for what they offer (yes, I am frugal lol). We have taken them once to the Winter Wonderland thing they offer near Christmas which was inexpensive, but they've never experianced the whole park.

Till we left it was almost 7:30pm. It was a long day, especially because I had been up since 1:30 that morning. Yeah I haven't been sleeping well again lately. Friday night I had only about 3hrs of sleep & this morning I was up at 4:30.

I realize I am behind on posting a bunch of updates so I will try to do that along with a bunch of pictures this week. (our tadpoles I shared about the other month actually survived & became frogs!)

"There's no tragedy in life like the death of a child. Things never get back to the way they were." ~Dwight D. Eisenhower