Hot Date with GG!

You just can't take these girls anywhere! They've obviously never been taught how to behave in public! Lucky for us, GG isn't too hung up on appearances! She invited us out to lunch with her coupons. She did some sewing for someone who owns a restaurant and they paid her in gift certificates. (it's in the blood I swear!) The girls each got their own and went to the counter to place their orders. You'd never know these are the same girls that I have to tell to be quiet a million times a day! The poor cashier couldn't hear a thing they said!

They managed to get their orders though, any guesses??? Sweetie was wondering what this restaurant would be like, what they'd have there etc. She wasn't too sure about going to this new place until I said the magic words, "don't worry Sweetie, they have a greaser there!" then she was all for it! As long as she gets her french fries, all's well with her world LOL and the answer to the above question: chicken fingers across the board, although afterwards, Honey wished she'd gotten the fish n chips after sampling half of Grandad's.

When I picked the girls up from school, I told them we had another dining partner besides GG and that Grandad would be joining us. Sweetie got excited, knowing how happy Bunny would be to see Baby Pinecone again. I reminded her that Bunny was home and we were going straight to the restaurant after getting GG. She answered: well, we just can't let Bunny know Baby Pinecone was here!!!!!!!!!!!

After lunch we all went down to the church so Lovey could do a trial fun of her pieces that she'll be doing there next week. It's a bigger place than she's used to playing in so Uncle Ralph thought it would help her to have a feel for it before the actual performance.

Sweetie & Lovey were very pleased to emcee the "event" and made announcements throughout. Honey would say "Now presentinggggggggggggggg, the FAMOUS violinist.... LOVEY! playing Lightly Row" and then Sweetie added "ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!" They were having such a blast that the minister came in to ask if maybe they'd like to trade places with her on Sunday & lead the service. They were a little TOO into their roles at that moment because they AGREED to do it!!!! Later in they day, Honey got a worried look on her face and told me "Mumma, I changed my mind, I don't want to do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Lovey couldn't wait to get through her music and join her sisters as they toured around the church, checking out the balcony, the choir loft, sitting in the big chairs. All places they don't normally get into were thoroughly covered on this visit!!

Exercise Tuesday!

Look at Sweetie go, with no assistance!!!!

Sweetie's on a mission now! Tonight she was giving it her all and really made a lot of progress. I think it helped that Honey was in absolute misery about a variety of things. There seems to be a direct corrolation between how unhappy one girl is and how hard Sweetie bends over backwards to be extra sweet, kind, helpful and well behaved. She sure knows when she has an opportunity to shine and stand out and she milks the heck out of it.

I think Honey must still not be feeling that well, or was overtired, or had been invaded by a horde of really angry aliens. She started off with the two wheeler and the other two were on scooters. After a few minutes Honey decides the bike is TERRIBLE. She CAN'T do it and turns the whiny waterworks on full blast. No problem, Lovey wants a turn on the two wheeler and is willing to trade the scooter with her. Sweetie is scooting along, happily minding her own business and all's well with the world for about 30 seconds. This is how long it takes for Honey to dissolve into another breakdown over the scooter. I forget what she had against it exactly.... but she leaves it on the side of the road and walks with Murray for awhile. Somehow the scooter comes up and she cries that she DOES want to use it. Sweetie promptly hops off of hers, tells Honey to go ahead with it and she'll run back and get the other one. She's only pouring it on a little at this point, but she's being good, kind and helpful. Who wants to mess with that?????

Eventually Honey gives up on the scooter again and I continue on pushing Lovey on the two wheeler for awhile. Then Sweetie wants a turn so Lovey trades off with her and walks along.

By the way, we went on this mission because Honey drew a fairy picture that she wanted to send in for a contest and we headed to the mailbox so SHE could mail off HER entry. The whininess continued and we offered several times to take her home but she refused. She wanted to mail the letter so she sucked it up for awhile.

Meanwhile Sweetie was really getting into her role as "the perfect child" and commented frequently about what a great time she was having and how she enjoyed working and practicing and getting all that exercise. She wanted to know if we could go out every Tuesday night and have "Exercise Tuessday". Besides chasing after the bike, I was mostly just exercising my patience and abilities to block out unpleasant sounding children. Not sure I want to make THAT a regular activity!!!!!!!

Sweetie made a lot of progress on the bike and got many long stretches of riding by herself. After half an hour she was tired and having a harder and harder time keeping the handlebars straight. She was very excited about getting so far on her own! By that point Lovey was ready for another crack at it so it worked out well. Except.... Lovey hasn't really figured out the balancing thing very well yet and keeping her upright requires more effort! Sometimes she gets herself centred but it's fleeting and will take a little more practice. Even with the bike buddy handle, the constant tipping was starting to bother my back so I switched off with Murray who was probably ready for a break from Honey's latest problem.

We mailed the contest entry and shortly afterwards she decided she wanted it back. She'd never draw another fairy that well again! It never occurred to me that she'd want to keep her picture and I'm pretty sure they don't mail back all the non winning entries. That kept her crying all the way home. I had to leave her behind because I couldn't talk about it anymore and Murphy & I walked in front of her the rest of the way (but not too far ahead Grammie, don't worry!)

Lovey had more spills than anyone tonight but never quit. She worked on that two wheeler almost the full length of the road home and probably never coasted/pedalled more than 2 feet before crashing mittened-hands first onto the pavement. I thought she'd be discouraged or frustrated so I told her how impressed I was that she'd worked so hard and she looked at me in surprise "It was so much fun Mumma!"

Needless to say someone had an early bedtime but had another whiny fit about that! She got to stay for all the Harry Potter though so she was lucky! We read a mermaid story with the other two after we tucked her in kicking and screaming. She hopped out of bed after we left and screamed and pounded on the door the entire time though and won herself a 2nd night going to bed early. That news didn't go over well but she seemed to catch on in a hurry!

Exercise Tuesday got off to a shaky start and we'll probably never get Murray to come again. (He expected it to be awful and Honey fulfilled the prophecy!) BUT 3/5 had a great time and enjoyed it! The problem is, you don't always know which kid is going to be rotten so any outing is a bit of a crapshoot. I don't like to just leave everybody home on the assumption that it's going to be awful. NO! drag them out in all their miserably glory and hope for the best, that's all any good mum can do!!! :)))

(just think of the memories dear, this will be a funny story later! really!! well, ok yeah, much later but still!)