Don’t tell me it’s really Monday already.  No, don’t.  I can’t heeeeeeeeeear you – la la la!  Okay, fine.  I admit it.  It’s really Monday and I still need a weekend.  Last week was insane – and I know I keep saying that, but last week seemed worse than usual.  I billed 59.25 hours by Friday and I was so exhausted and loopy enough that I seriously thought about tacking on another 0.75 just to make it an even 60.  Law firm life is making me weird.  On top of it being busy, it was a really frenetic week, involving a couple of very high profile, very high stress, very rush projects and some family nonsense that was distracting me from work right when I could least afford to be distracted.  All that’s to say – by Friday I was seriously ready for a break.  And even though I could certainly have come up with work tasks to do this weekend, I didn’t – I figured I’d billed plenty last week (ha!) and I needed to let my mind relax as much as possible, to get some stuff done around the house (I made a lot of progress on unpacking the bedroom – almost there!), and mostly – to enjoy some time with my little family.  So that’s what we did.  Saturday found us at Mount Vernon checking out all that spring brings to the farm – which is a LOT.  I have a post coming at you next week, but a little preview: PIGLETS.  You’re intrigued, aren’t you?  Sunday brought another adventure – our April hike, which was one of the most gorgeous hikes we’ve ever done – sneak preview above.  I’ll have a big recap for you on Wednesday; I’m doing things a little out of order, but this one deserves to be bumped to the head of the posting line.  I won’t say more, except this: local friends, GET THEE TO THE BLUEBELL TRAIL RIGHT FREAKING NOW.

Reading.  What with that whole 60 hour workweek and personal stress and all, I had a bit of a mini reading slump last week.  (And because every time I say I’m in a reading slump, five people ask me if I’m pregnant: I’m not.)  I finished A Circle of Quiet on Monday, which was beautiful, moving and thought-provoking – and then I wandered aimlessly though my book stacks for the next few days, picking things up and putting them down.  I finally committed to The Princess Diarist, because (1) it was a two-week library book; and (2) I was curious about “Carrison.”  Then picked up Does Jesus Really Love Me?, with all the good intentions to finish it before the library deadline (which is Wednesday; I’m about halfway though it so wish me luck).  After I finish it, I’m not sure what I’m going to read next – I have a few books on the go, so will probably go back to one of those.  Or maybe Emily’s Quest.

Listening.  A bit of a slumpy week for listening, too.  The best thing I listened to was music – I know, you’re all falling out of your chairs right now.  I treated myself to a double CD compilation of cello and piano sonatas played by Jacqueline du Pre and Daniel Barenboim – it had been on my Amazon wish list FOREVER.  I have several other CDs with du Pre, but none that included Barenboim.  Anyway, so lovely.  Aside from that, I cleaned up my podcatcher – nothing earth-shattering there – and listened to a bit more of The Once and Future King, but found I was having trouble concentrating on anything because my brain was just fried.  I’ll go back to it soon.

Watching.  Actually, nothing.  Last week I worked every night after the kids’ bedtimes, so there were no shows.  And I was too exhausted for TV over the weekend – I just needed to let my mind breathe.

Moving.  No running this week – when was I going to fit that in?  I think I’m going to have to make my peace with not running the Parkway Classic.  At this point, I can’t train to run ten miles.  Maybe I’ll see about dropping down to the 5K.  I did get in two nice walks – around Mount Vernon on Saturday, and our bluebell hike on Sunday (which I really can’t wait to tell you all about) so at least I did something.

Blogging.  April hike recap coming at you on Wednesday – it was such a good one, you guys – and another Robert Frost poem on Friday.  Check back!

Loving.  At some point last week – between running around like a crazy person and working from sunup to sundown – I found THE BEST blog.  It’s called NOVAdventuring, and it’s exactly what I have been looking for – a clearinghouse of the best family-friendly activities and adventures in northern Virginia and the greater D.C. area.  I’ve already bookmarked several posts for summer fun and am slowly working my way through the archives in search of more ideas.  I suspect that quite a few of our spring and summer excursions are going to owe their inspiration to this blog.

Asking.  What are you up to this week?