We took an exceptionally nice little vacation last week.

The kids stayed up way past their bedtimes every night watching basketball with Rockford. Meanwhile, I fell asleep at 8 one night. Amusement parks wear me out.

Pete and I rode the log flume twice. He loved it the first time, when he couldn’t see what was happening. We were in the front the second time. He did not love that. I did, though, which leads us to this:

I rode a roller coaster for the first time in 17 years. The log flume emboldened me. I opened my eyes once and only once, just long enough to see that we were about to go through yet another loop-de-loop. I practiced deep breathing for the full one minute and 48 seconds.

I’m pretty sure the family is in agreement that our favorite ride was the “river rampage.” We rode it six times and were thoroughly soaked. The glee on Pete and Poppy’s faces when Rockford and I got doused was absolutely worth it.

Like I said, it was an exceptionally nice couple of days. Then almost as soon as we got home, we were out the door again to go to a baseball game. Thus extending the exceptional niceness a little bit farther.

I think I may have left my brain on vacation, though. I had a very hard time focusing on this week’s menu.

Monday: Mac & cheese

Rockford has a work dinner, which makes it Kids’ Choice Night. And their choice is almost always mac & cheese.

Tuesday: Grilled chicken

Combine one bottle of Italian dressing, some chicken breasts and a grill, and you’ll have a yummy dinner.

Wednesday: Spaghetti

I made spaghetti with meat sauce one night last week. Rockford must’ve really liked it, because he requested it again this week.

Thursday: MIL’s Choice

We’re going to my in-laws’ for dinner. Whatever she makes will be wonderful, as usual.