Busy June weekend in Chicago

On the weekends we must keep our two boys, Judah age two-and-a-half and Benjamin, age four-and-a-half busy.
Take this weekend for example. On Saturday morning Benjamin had his last AYSO American Youth Soccer Organization game. Unsurprisingly, when he arrived he announced he was NOT going to play and wanted to watch his friend play and blow bubbles. Somehow I motivated him to keep playing. “Ask your coach,” I kept telling him when he told me he was tired and wanted to sit out. The trophy and medal for good sportsmanship helped.
After some doubts I signed him up for the fall and spring. The coach said he had made good strides and wasn’t afraid of the ball anymore.
Also, this weekend, I had a screaming incident with my husband about Benjamin “obeying.” Said husband shoved a finger with Kiddush wine in Ben’s mouth because he should drink it after the blessing.
In the afternoon we met up with friends at the 57th Street Art Fair. My review: some of the photographs were nice. My boys and I like funnel cake and corn. I snagged some fried “blooming onion” from a pregnant friend.
We ate lots of junk food & played in Bixler Play lot. Then Benjamin had a pooping accident in his pants. Judah fell asleep coming home at 7 pm. It was still light. So we were happy.

On Sunday we kept up the manic and calm pace all in the goal of taking in life and keeping the kids busy.
We attended the free neighbor’s open house at the Museum of Science and Industry. We met up with my husband’s visiting Mexican relatives there and saw lots of neighbors. We liked the face painting and balloon art. The frog exhibit is well done. Benjamin liked the virtual frog dissection program. Last night Benjamin continued his marshmallow-toothpick art project.
After that we went to a Birthday party in Hyde Park.
Next over to the Printers Row Book Fair for a free Justin Roberts concert.
Our Chicago Plus card took us to Millennium Park to meet up with the cousins again. Where we tromped over to a restaurant with Mini-golf on Columbus Drive.
That night I finished the book “Nervous Conditions -- by Tsitsi Dangarembga.” Hmmmm…. It’s about the effects of colonial life on Africans in Zimbabwe formerly Rhodesia. I thought it was about patriarchy. See screaming incident description above.

I feel sad that I am far from my family that they can’t join in the day-to-day joys of raising our boys. I also wish they were close by for a little relief.