How can a long weekend feel so short???

Me, reduced to taking cheesy long arm shots of myself to alleviate my boredom/frustration of not having my REAL camera. How long can 2 more weeks take?!?!?

Another weekend zoomed right by us. The good news is that the upcoming weekend is a little closer than it usually is I guess.

Lovey, driven to drink over this camera predicament...

We took the girls back to the swimming pool on Saturday and what a difference in a week! This time Lovey was jumping right into the water. Shortly after we arrived, we noticed that she'd watch where you were standing, waiting to catch her & then she'd dart left or right and throw herself in and try to land in a spot where you couldn't reach her. Brave? Suicidal??? We were there for almost 2 hours and by the end she could get herself up to the surface (good thing!) and float on her back. She'd also launch herself from the side and be able to propel herself enough to make her way over to you for a couple of metres. She was determined to float and swim and throw herself into the water, even if it meant she went under again and again. At times it was a little hard to watch but she did get it mostly figured out so I'm hoping to get her back there again next week & see how much more progress she makes!

Honey says "oh no Mumma, don't use the CRAPPY camera!"

Honey & Sweetie also made great strides! Honey was comfortable jumping right in and practiced her kicking by floating on her belly & holding on to the side. After awhile, she too was telling me to stand back further so she could swim over to me herself. The strokes are a little rough & the distance isn't very much yet but she did it! She was swimming on her own, this week a couple metres, next week, laps!!!! ; )))

Sweetie: I'll find your good camera around here somewhere Ma!

Sweetie wasn't actually able to propel herself through the water but her comfort level shot way up! The week before she played and jumped in the water but did her best to make sure her head stayed above water. After practicing "going right under!" this week in the pool at home, she was all over the place on Saturday. She'd hang onto the side with one hand and flip back and forth, on her belly, on her back. She also wanted to launch herself towards us but hasn't quite figured out how to make her hands and feet work with her. As soon as she would let go, she'd remember "oh crap! I can't swim!" and flail and claw and grab whatever she could get a grip on. Remind me to cut that girls' nails before I take her back there! Ouch! I was surprised I didn't have scratches all over my arms, neck & torso. They also have a bad habit of standing on your lap/groin as you crouch in the shallow water and then do this terrible twisting action as they throw themselves back into the water. Yowsers!

Anyway, we were extremely pleased and proud of their progress in such a short time with no real instruction. They're really getting the hang of it and I'm anxious to see how much more they can get figured out if we keep taking them. They had a great time and had no interest in getting out of the pool when the 2 hours was up.

They'd had quite a busy day and were good & tired come bedtime. Murray had taken them for a walk in the stroller to pick flowers. They were gone almost 2 hours then too. I was able to start sorting the clothes for the multiples sale I've got coming up in a few weeks so I was glad to have that time.

At bedtime they crashed verrrrrrry quickly! Not only did the day go smoothly, keeping them busy and active makes bedtime painless too.

Murray, trying to distract himsel from the disturbing fact that we are without the SLR. He copes by burying himself in this new book, Daemon. Fascinating read, very different subject/plot, highly recommend! Let us know if you want to borrow it, I've already finished it.

On Sunday we had church & I took the girls out after children's time. They were watching a movie this week & doing some colouring. I tried to leave them but Sweetie started winding up for a screaming fit & I didn't think that would be fair to the 12 year old who was in charge of Sunday school that day! After they got settled, I was able to leave & go help Nicolle with some clean up she was trying to do before Welcome Back Sunday next week. Not sure if they're totally ready to trot off willingly next Sunday or not but Murray's determined, he's not hanging out with them every Sunday morning upstairs this year!



The girls were talking to Grammie on the phone the other day & Honey was checking on the inventory at her house. There have been 2 baby dolls there for a long time so when they go alone for a sleepover, they're allowed to play with them. When all 3 of them are there for family dinner on Sunday nights, the dolls can't come out. They've been asking her to get another doll & I heard them ask "do you have 3 babies YET Grammie???". She was trying to find a third one that was similar to the first 2 but not having any luck. The other night, Honey asked yet again about the doll status. When Mum answered that she did have 3, Honey had a huge indrawn breath of excitement and turned to her sister and said "Lovey, she got one for you!" (apparently the other 2 were claimed by her & Sweetie already...?) and Lovey was also very excited "you got THREE GRAMMIE????" As soon as we got there, they wanted to see those babies. They couldn't have been happier & just wanted to play with those the whole time. Dad had set up the waterslide for them, heated water on the stove to make the splash pool at the bottom warmer for them (hot water heater's on the fritz there) and not one of them wanted anything to do with it. It was all about the dolls.



Today we decided to check out the fair that's in town & try some rides. Holy ol expensive! Things have gone up a lot since the day when I could get an all day bracelet for $10! They did pretty well on most of the rides, if we could just distract them from the spooky carnies working the attractions. Boy do those folks love their jobs :P They did go on lots of rides & weren't ready to go home even after we'd been there for 3 hours!