Austen Comes Home for the Weekend

Two weekends ago, Austen decided to come home for the weekend. He wasn't planning on coming home until Thanksgiving but he said there was no home football game and they didn't have any big parties at the fraternity so it was a good weekend to relax at home (and eat some good food). 

On the glass at the Hawks Game

We picked him up from the bus drop off (nice coach buses drive them to within 10-15 minutes of our house) and we went to dinner at the club. Hailey had her own plans so it was just me, Tom, Austen and Peyton at dinner that night. So lots of catching up over a good meal. Then home for some sports on TV (baseball). 

The next day, I took Hailey to hockey while Tom drove Peyton to her ACT test (about 25 minutes away) and Austen slept in. After that, we had to watch the IU vs. Ohio State football game. Austen did some homework and then he, Hailey and Tom left at about 4pm to drive to the city for the Blackhawks game. Tom had gotten three on the glass tickets so the three of them went while Peyton and I stayed home and went to dinner ourselves. 

On Sunday, we took Hailey to her hockey game and Austen woke up and met us there to watch her. She loved that and loved that after, he took her to get munchkins at Dunkin Donuts and she got to ride in the front seat. I forgot to say that now that she's officially 13, she can ride in the front seat!

We enjoyed a leisurely day of hanging out, homework and watching sports with a dinner at home. Austen's plans for a ride back to college fell through about mid-afternoon and by then the buses back were fully booked. Luckily, it's only a two-hour drive from home back to campus (this is the best part about U of I) so Tom gladly drove him and his roommate back (he has the electric car). 

It was nice to see him and it definitely feels more normal not having him home this second year. As Hailey told one of her guy friends whose sister just left for college, "it's hard but the second year is easier." She's right although we definitely do miss him at our family dinners. The girls haven't quite mastered the art of conversation yet!