Friday and Saturday....

Five years ago, on 11/11 Tony and I decided to see if we could turn our solid friendship, into a full on relationship for the third time.  As it turned out, clearly, the third time was the charm and here we are five years later, married.  One of the key pieces in our third attempt was our once a month date night.  Something that we have lost sight of over the last 6 months. 

Fully involved in the blur that is October, November, December season, honestly a date night was the last thing on my mind lately.

Me: "So I bought raffle tickets to the school's casino night since we're not going."
Tony: 'Why aren't we going?"
Me: "Because it costs $50."
Tony: "Use the money in the dresser."
Me: *one eyebrow up* "We have money in the dresser??"
Tony: "Yeah.  There's a $100 in there."
Me: "Well, we still have no sitter."
*dials phone*
Tony: "We do now.  We're going."


~can't argue with that~

So, with sitter in place, we left two hours early to knock out the Christmas shopping as well.  And knock it out we did.  8 kids down and only 3 adults to go!  We arrived tragically early for the event, bought our event tickets and distributed our raffle tickets strategically over the 40 plus gift baskets up for grabs.    Tony made a bee line for the poker table and I gravitated towards blackjack. 

It was 7pm.  I felt confident that we'd be home by nine.

I. Was. So. Wrong.

Before I knew it, I was doubling down on 11, splitting Aces, and praying the dealer busts with a six showing.  I was calculating the 40% odds of a ten showing, in direct ratio to the number of face cards already showing, and learning the hand signals for getting a "hit" and staying.  Please, no one get me a book on how to count cards, it could be very, very, bad for me.

I even became a "woo girl"

Gambling is so much fun when it's not real money. 

I made $500 in one hand.

Then I gave it to Tony for the poker table, and we both lost our imaginary shirts and pants.

We left around 11pm.  We both had a great time, and although we were playing at different tables, had a great time together.

Being the day after a holiday, work on Saturday was brutal.  Getting out at 3pm to get Youngest to his rescheduled visit with his father was even more difficult.  So as I sat in the parking lot, waiting for the exchange, I was a bit more than irritated when I learned he was not coming.  Shortly after this I found out that Oldest was not going out with his Aunt as was also planned.

*sigh*

So, in an effort to reduce the boy's disappointment factor, I suggested that we all go to a favorite restaurant for dinner.  Now, as most of you know, the time between sitting down and actually getting your food can be brutal.  Over the years we have done many things to pass the time while waiting for the food to arrive.  Build houses out of sugar packets. Tic Tac Toe.  Color.  Poke each other under the table.  Tonight's favorite activity, hangman.

"MOM    I S   _ _ A _ T I _ _ _."

Tony: "Come on, you know this, I say it all the time."
Youngest: "Mom is IRRITATED!"


~giggles~


Bring on Sunday.