Friday

I love the way Friday feels. It's my favorite. We do not have pre-school or dance or soccer or anything tying us down all day. We might go to the gym or to the park or laze around in our pajamas until late into the morning.  All the while happily anticipating our boys coming home early. And then the afternoon rolls around and Jeffrey and Owen come bounding through the door, full of stories and words and guess what's. Today was one of those days. The guess what today was the art fair at school. We had to leave immediately, Owen was insistent. We compromised on 2:30 so Brooks could get some semblance of a nap. And at precisely 2:30 he was awoken and we left. I love the art my boys make. Jeffrey did a self portrait with green eyes and a brown faux hawk. Owen colored a rainbow fish. They were proud.

We walked home with fat raindrops falling on our heads, making the playground rich with the earthy smell that only rain brings. And then we piled into the car. We are a loud bunch. I am reminded of this when we are in the car. Paige loves to sing along to the radio. Brooks does not love her to do this. And so they go back and forth, Paige singing, Brooks screaming. It's a little unnerving. So the radio goes off. And we drive. Jeffrey sits in the front seat and reads. Owen sits in the back seat and plays his DS. And for a moment it is quiet.

We are on our way to Jeff's work. And then to Gateway. And then Park City. Hip, hip! The dress I have been eyeing at Anthro for months has finally gone on sale. We get a parking spot right on the street. The stars have aligned. And it feels like spring. Spring always comes downtown first. Boys and girls hold hands. Blossoms hang heavy on the trees. There is the happy sound of music and babies and a dozen different conversations in the background. And there is color. In the shop windows, on the shop girls, vibrant bursts of color. It makes me happy, all of it.

And soon enough we all pile back into that noisy car and make our way to Park City. The mountains are just flecked with snow now, Spring has pushed it slowly up and away. But the air is still crisp. The boys try on new shorts and shoes for summer. Jeff picks out t-shirts for Paige with ruffled sleeves. We buy licorice and flavored drinks at Harry and David. And then we invade the playground with more of our noisiness, providing entertainment for a little red headed boy on the swings. He smiles and giggles as Jeffrey chases Brooks in circles. I hold Paige's legs as she practices the monkey bars. Jeff goes to Oakley. And then we all go. Ski goggles are on sale. We buy matching pairs. We're cool like that. We get ice cream cones and sundaes on the way home and Brooks falls asleep, a sticky white mustache on his face.

We take Jeff back to work to pick up his car and the boys argue over who will go with daddy. Owen goes and Jeffrey refuses because Owen is going. Instead he climbs up to the front seat, next to me. Paige wants to play "I Spy" and so we do. For longer than I expected we would. In a moving car. In the dark And then we are done. So we talk instead. About Mt. Everest. And Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And the lessons you can learn from Kung Fu Panda. And then we are home. And there are pretty flowers on the counter. From my husband. He is so nice. And all of that together makes for one very good Friday night.