My turn :(

I'm under the weather today! Around 4:30am, someone woke up and after that my stomach didn't stop churning. The good news is that I weigh less today! :) Very tiring day but nothing a good night's sleep won't cure. Murray & Lovey haven't succumbed yet so hopefully they'll skip this one entirely!

We got a headstart on March break when school was cancelled today. The kids were thrilled to just be home doing nothing in particular. They enjoyed their playtime a little too much and had to clean just about every room in the house after they'd played. I kept walking into different spots and finding Barbie littered floors, stuffed animal infested bedrooms, polly pocket minefields and at least a few stray art supplies! Once lunch was over they got cracking and actually did a good job straightening up :) They must have taken pity on me since I was sick!

Yesterday was insanely busy. I left the house for a 9am class and didn't get home til almost 3pm! After the class I showered up and then drove the car over to leave it for an oil change and then walked over to the church where there's a brown bag lunch/Lent service on Thursdays. After that, Julie was kind enough to drive me over to the library to get tickets for their kids' programs going on next week and gave me a lift to pick up my car. I got the car, found they'd filled up the windshield washer fluid and was pretty happy about that! easy to please or what? :) I stopped by a grocery store to pick up their special but they were out of it and so moved on to my next stop. I got my concert ticket, woohoo! Then I still had over half an hour before the kids would be home on the bus so I stopped at the used clothing store to look for a figure skating costume. The kids told us today was supposed to be dress like an "affaleaf" day and they all wanted to go as figure skaters. Since I only had one outfit, I was trying to scrounge up more! I did find one that would work and then headed home. I was starting to watch out the door for the bus at 2:55pm when it dawned on me. Great snapping turtles! it was THURSDAY! they have their science thing on Thursdays. I have to PICK THEM UP on Thursdays!!!!!!! I jumped in the car & got to the school with about 10 seconds to spare. I hustled them into the car where they told me all about the structures they'd built with marshmallows. Strangely enough, the marshmallows didn't survive and all they had left were the toothpicks. Mysterious disappearance that! ;) The other thing I'd forgotten was that I was supposed to go check out a location for the club's big spring event! I had to bring the girls with me and check out the venue with them in tow. Not distracting in the least! We managed and even after meeting me and my wild child brood, they still let us book the place!

Here are my lovely assistants onsite!

Seeing Red

The challenge on my photography forum was to go find images with the same colour in them and make a collage with the template supplied. Of course I chose red!!! and I found lots of material on my walk with Sweetie and then I added a few items from indoors as well.

Sick or Scam?

Sweetie got the flu Sunday night after going to bed and was up several times in the night with tummy troubles. Expecting that she'd be exhausted and still under the weather, I kept her home on Monday.The minute I walked back in the door after seeing her sisters onto the bus in the driveway, she popped out of her bedroom. "I was watching you in the window! but nobody waved to ME!"

She got up and had some breakfast and then I was ready to go back to bed from being up with her in the night so many times! I was sure she'd need a nap as well so we went into our bedroom to rest but that little stinker never did! After awhile I gave up on that notion, hoping assuming she would rest later. Instead of a nap, she had a leisurely soak in a nice hot bubble bath and played with the mermaid barbies. After her bath we braided her hair, something we don't normally have time to do on a school day. She loved her braids! (once all the pulling was over)

While she lounged, I finished up a batch of Ginger Sparkles (mmmmm coooooooooooookies!) and then once she was out, we played Super Mario Brothers for a couple of hours.

Once she was all Mario'd out, we had some lunch and she was still happy as a clam, no symptoms and lots of energy. I decided we'd take Murphy for a walk since she was obviously feeling ok. We went almost all the way down to the main road and only turned back because Murphy was getting tired.

I brought along my camera to work on a project for my photography forum's monthly challenge and got lots of material as she ran along, jumping in puddles and walking Murphy. We got back just in time to meet her sisters off the bus and was she ever glad to see them!
As much as they squabble, scream and bicker, they don't like to be without them for too long. As much as she enjoyed her day with me, she kept asking how much longer til the girls got home and mentioned several times that she missed them. Nice to see they might actually like each other afterall!

my favourite Sweetie shot of the day :))))

Hanging out with Neighbours :)

A pretty tame weekend, the girls went to dance class (Sweetie just watched of course) and had a great time. I was at my class at the gym while they did that and then they picked me up on the way home.
After lunch we went down to the farm to do a few runs on their sliding hill. It was a bit sticky and we had to do a few ourselves to smooth a path before the kids could get anywhere.

Actually getting them there was quite an ordeal. It was a beautiful day outside so when I told them we were going sliding with their friend, I was a bit surprised (although it's not totally unheard of) when they all grimaced in pain and screamed/cried "nooooooooooooooo! I don't want to. I'm not going. I want to stay home!" etc.

I immediately debated letting them stay in vs wrestling 3 fusspots into winter gear and dragging them down the road. Like a good mother, I decided that they didn't know what they wanted or what was good for them and went with the latter. It wasn't too too hard getting them dressed. The worst of it was walking down to their place. They only live down the road, we've walked there a hundred times so I didn't think it was worth taking the car such a short distance. We're not invalids right? Oh my word. Halfway there I'd have taken a plane if it had been handy. Lovey was being a stinker and dragging her feet, when she was actually standing on them instead of laying in the middle of the road whining & crying. Apparently the trauma of leaving behind Polly Pockets (love you Maggie ;)) was an unbearable injustice to force on a girl! She needed a kick in the pants so I threatened her and that got her giggling so I just had to pretend to chase after her the rest of the way.

When we finally got there it was all fun & games and excitement. Why do they make me work so hard?????
Their hill isn't as steep as the one we usually go to but you can't beat the proximity!Once they get going it's a goooooood long run down there and a looooooooooong walk back up so I got plenty of exercise from that! Murphy was slowly chewing up every tree branch or stray stick he could find and after awhile Murray took him home before he could make himself sick.
The girls & I stayed for more sliding & then went in to visit Tulip's grandmother and have some hot chocolate and play for awhile.
I'd been planning to have pork tenderloin for supper only to find out I didn't actually have any in the freezer! I couldn't think of anything else to have but luckily Penny rescued us and we had pizza at her place and the kids partied some more :)
They love going to Tulip's house and playing with her stuff. She has an older sister who's a teenager so Tulip likes having someone to play with and is very good at sharing her stuff with th girls.
We got home in time for Family Movie Night and watched Wall E. They weren't too crazy about it since it was mostly about one little robot and not much dialogue in the whole movie. I found it interesting and thought it had a good message but it did seem a little long and boring in places. They do really enjoy having FMN though and we all cuddle up on the couches with blankets and snacks and it's nice & cozy! While we were at Tulip's, Penny offered Honey a 2nd cookie for dessert and she said "no thanks, we'll probly be having snacks for movie night and I don't want to be too full." LOL Such a practical girl!