The Royal Blog

Our Afternoon

After dropping E1 off at practice, we had a few minutes to kill before Z's ortho appt. So we swung by a park for a bit:

 

Then it was off to Z's appt.  He is doing great; the top brackets/palate expander should come off in September and phase I will be done.  Hopefully phase II won't be for a few years!

 

This was Z the week after he got his palate expander. I was hoping the results would be more dramatic, but I can definitely see some improvement.

 

It figures.

We get a new a/c unit, and  it's 60 degrees and rainy.  It uses Puron (instead of Freon) which apparently is less ozone-depleting and more energy-efficient.

Pupcake

 

Virtual shopping is strangely satisfying! ;P

Bunny Ears

E2 last Friday.  She requested the 'bunny ears' hairdo that morning.

 

 

E2 is on Spring Break this week.  I was hoping we could sleep in a little (and yesterday wasn't bad) but today at 8:00 sharp, I had little fingers prying my eyelids open.  This is E2 on Starfall.com.  She LOVES that site and is getting quite good at it!  She wants the computer ALL THE TIME.   

 

Darn Facebook.

So much for escaping the web this weekend!

 

I have fake pets to feed and train and groom and compete and even a fake house to put them in!  And I'm visiting other people's fake pets to get fake money to buy fake stuff for my fake pets! And I fed B's fake dog while he's out of town this weekend. 

Good gravy, it's so lame when you think about it and yet....I think I need to see if it's time for my bunny to duel.....

Ooh, almost forgot about foofoo, my other bunny that battles. 

This & That

B saw the Orthopedic doctor this morning. He has to wear the sling for two weeks, and not dislocate his shoulder again within those two weeks (no problem! I hope....).

After I dropped the kids off at school I realized that I didn't tell E1 she was buying lunch today.  Then I realized that I forgot to send in a check for her lunch account.  So after dance class, I took her Wendy's.  I expected her to be hungry and happy to see me.  I did not expect her to have a lunch tray in her hand and to act like I was the Plague. 

I could not keep my eyes open during E2's dance class, and since she said not to watch her, I curled up on a couch in the lobby.  I opened one eye periodically and checked the clock but with 10 minutes left, I sorta dozed off.  And sorta woke up drooling on the couch.  Niiiice.

Z had his first palate expander check today.  Everything's fine and we go back in two weeks.

A conversation from yesterday:

E2: "You know what?"
Me: "If I hear 'you know what?' one more time, my head is going to implode?"
E2: "No. You know what?"
Me: "ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!"

Friday the 13th? Try Sunday the 15th aka Cross snowtubing off the list aka Now I don't like to talk to B on the phone either

B called way before he and the kids were due to return home from snowtubing. Poor guy, this is how the conversation went: 

B: "You need to shower and meet me at the E.R."
Me: "THE ER? OHMIGOD! WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT'S WRONG?"
B: "I'm pretty sure I dislocated my shoulder."
Me: "Oh, it's you and not the kids. Phew!!" 

E2 and I met them there and once B was admitted we went home for a bit.

I went home sick to my stomach with worry, afraid that it was a actually a broken bone ("I heard a crunch") and that he'd need surgery.  When he called and said it was dislocated and to come pick him up I was so so so relieved.

 

Didn't know we could check-in at the front desk and be taken back to B's room so we hung out in the children's waiting area.  The funhouse mirror was a big hit:

 

 

E1 loved her big 'guns':

 

This is B's I-knew-she'd-bring-the-camera eyeroll:

 

This is B in his pretty, pretty gown:

 

Apparently they now send you home with your x-rays on disk:

 

 

$241.32

Yikes. I'm almost afraid to use the darn thing now.  Next time I think I'll just save up and buy an new camera body.

This & That

It is -13 here, feels like -29.  Because someone didn't shut the front door when they left, the house is 60 degrees. Brrrrr.

The big kids got rooked - their district was already scheduled to be closed today.

E1 got doubly rooked.  She's pukey sick. 

This week, so far.

Monday - back into the swing of things, hurray!  I wish the kids went to a year round school where the longest break was one week.  That's about all I can handle.

Tuesday - We skipped dance because of the freezing rain.  I don't think the roads were that bad but I didn't want to find out.

I thought Z was getting his palate expander (and that we had to pay the down payment).  All they did was take an impression of his teeth (again) to make the expander. It won't be ready for three weeks or so. E1 watched because she'll be having the same thing done later this year or, more likely, this time next year. E2 & I hung out in the play area.

 

Then we went to Z's indoor soccer game.  They lost (to a really good team) but overall had a great season.

 

The CyberShot is, well, about shot.  Doesn't record videos, and now the photos are blurry on the left (horizontal pics) or bottom (vertical pics).  Two and half weeks until the dRebel is supposed to be ready.  I'm wondering how much the repair bill is going to cost.

Wednesday - E2 started bawling during soccer.  They were kicking and heading balloons and she claims she was upset because her balloon touched the floor. 

Winter Training started back up for Z.

E1 made several of my brain cells implode.

Thursday - E2 started to get clingy when it was time for gymnastics class and started in with the "I can'ts".  I said "Don't you dare. We have already talked about this." and she went out and did fine.  My prediction? No matter how much B would prefer she pursued soccer and I would prefer she pursued cheerleading, E2 will stick to gymnastics and be a phenom on bars.

The best thing about this week?  The number of times I have heard "I have to/want to/need to go potty".  E2 is still going in her diapers once in awhile, but she is doing a fabulous job using the potty.  So glad I didn't push it; it really is a lot easier when they are truly ready. 

Word.

A recent New Year trend (I believe made popular by Ali Edwards) is to choose a word that best represents what you hope for that year.  I couldn't figure out a word that fit so I settled on the phrase "Keep Moving Forward".

                           

"Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long.
We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things
... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

- Walt Disney

Cheers and Jeers

Cheers to: E2, for going poopy on the potty during tubby time!

Cheers to: E2, for only needing me to come into the dance classroom for a couple of minutes! (I thought, here we go again! But she adjusted quickly and let me leave.)

Cheers to: B, for discovering that the old Cybershot still takes photos! So I CAN have some Christmas pics!!

Cheers to: B, for putting up the Christmas trees and putting a train or monorail around them!

Jeers to: Merry Redcap, who has gone M.I.A.  I hope he isn't the victim of foul play. 

Cheers & Jeers

Cheers to: E2, for getting out of the tubby today and pooping in the potty again!

Cheers to: E2, for being so good at dance!  Her teacher said that things are really starting to click with the class, that she is very excited, and that E2 is a "good girl".

Jeers to: Me, CVS, The Dispatch.  And maybe the City of Columbus.  So we wanted a copy of the paper today in case there were photos of last night's Crew airport welcome.  I bought USA Today accidentally (just grabbed the top paper without looking at it), got back in line (and waited forever behind someone that picked today to fill out the paperwork to get a CVS card and had a gift card that didn't want to work) and then the clerk wouldn't let me just switch the papers - had to take the 75 cents off my debit card and then ring up the 50 cent Dispatch. She could have made an easy 25 cents for CVS! Pure profit!! :P  So then the stupid Dispatch barely mentioned the Crew and had no photos of last night. Jerks.  There better be a good turnout for the Crew at the Statehouse tonight or I'm going to be ticked at the whole city. Well, not ticked, just disappointed. Which is much worse. Okay, I retract some of my Dispatch ire. B pointed out the photo and article in the Metro section.  Not as good as the front page but whatever. 

And a big fat jeer to the imbecile parents at our school.  Yes, it's time for that gripe again.  Morning drop off rules: Pull up as far as you can * Stay in your car * If you are going into the school, drop your child off and THEN go park and walk in by yourself.  Afternoon drop off rules: Pull up as far as you can * stay in your car.   I don't know if these morons are stupid or just think they and their precious child are special but the whole damn process would go so much faster if people could follow the damn rules! Gah.  Love the teaches and staff - think the parents are dipwads.  There are other reasons besides the drop-off and pick-up issues but that's what I'm torked off about today.

Cheers and Jeers

--->Cheers to: Z, who walked in the front door after school today and said "Thanks for cleaning, Mom!"

--->Cheers to: B, who came home from work and took E1 to gymnastics.  That way I could just drop Z off at soccer and not worry about traffic and dropping one kid off super early.

--->Cheers to: E1, who has some big plans for her future.  It was a rather convoluted conversation, but very cute. 

• E1: "When I go to college I am going to go to Ohio State and take Math 573"
• Me: "Is one of your teachers taking that?"
• E1: "Mrs C (EPP teacher) took it. It's about multiplication and division and..."  *voice trails off into an indistinct mumble since she has no clue how to describe it*.
• Me: "Are you going to get a degree in Math like your bubby?"
• E1: "Yes. And I'm going to be an astronaut and a gymnast of course. And work in a candy shop. And teach 3rd or 4th grade."   

That's where it became convoluted - with lots of jumping around.  I *think* she decided on substitute teaching and working in the candy shop after she retired, but there was something else in between the math/astronaut/gymnast part and retirement.

When I told him about it later, Z scoffed at her plans and likened them to the Spongebob episode where Spongebob said Squidward could be a football playing king in space. 

--->Jeers to: E1, who, later in the afternoon was a total snot.  Words involved include "stupid", "shut it" and "worst mom in the world". 

What A Wonderful World

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They're really saying I love you

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself, what a wonderful world

Island of Blue

Day 21

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Picking E1 up from school early, picking E2 up from preschool, and as soon as B gets home, E1 and I are headed up to Cleveland for her meet. She competes tomorrow morning around 9:30.  Z has a tournament starting tomorrow with games at 11:30 and 3:30.  Keep the kids in your thoughts please! :)

Adventures at the Car Wash

After school, we went to vacuum out the car and wash it off.

Hey, that's what that fruity smell was:

I didn't realize the Car Wash employed such cuties:

Cute, but dangerous:

We all like the Quad Foam:

Oh, does this piss me right off:

Yes, the window has started leaking.  @#$%^&*~!    

Stupid Dodge. NEVER AGAIN.

E2 slept through the vacuuming *and* the car wash:

 

I am in SUCH a bad mood right now. It is only a matter of time before I am pms-ing three out of every four weeks.  (Come on Menopause.)  And if the big kids don't stop their bickering soon, every cell in my brain is going to implode.  All twelve of them.

I am really tired of the political phone calls.

E2 (How does she do it?  Comes out of the bath with a dirty face?  I even scrubbed with a wipe before we left the house.) had a lot of fun at gymnastics today and soccer yesterday.

While were sitting there chatting, R & J's mom got a call from the school.  While playing football at recess, J bonked his head on a goal post. The not-so-funny thing is that last week he broke a finger playing football, and the week before that he hurt his wrist playing football.  He's the goalie for Z's team, fyi.

This morning, Z could not find the two note cards he needed to practice his book report, and left for school very distraught.  Sigh. 

The Common Sense Fix by Dave Ramsey

The Common Sense Fix by Dave Ramsey

No

No school, no soccer, no gymnastics. So this is probably the only time I will have the computer today!

Hooray!

I uninstalled & reinstalled Paint Shop Pro, and so far, so good!

Week Seven/Twenty Seven F day

• 20 minutes on the elliptical
• plank
• left tricep curl
• left side crunches bosu ball
• left calf raises
• skull crushers
• 2 minutes elliptical
• back extensions
• left bicep curls
• left leg extensions
• left lateral pulldown
• 15 minutes walk/jog/sprint on bicycle (5.6 miles?)
• stretches

Today's to-do:

• dental appointments for Z & E1
• house cleaning and laundry well, the kitchen/eating area are cleaner
• force kids to clean their rooms

B took the big kids to a late showing of Clone Wars last night; I really really really hope they sleep in today.  I am so not in the mood to deal with grumpy, surly children. 

Today

The dental appointments went very well.  My teeth are in good shape, E2 was SO well-behaved (it was her first visit) and they were even able to do a fluoride treatment on her, and the big kids have done a great job taking care of their teeth.   We do have to go back on Tuesday - E1 gets sealants, and Z & E1 are going to be evaluated for braces.  Two kids in braces at once - wouldn't that be special? NOT. 

E1 went to a bowling birthday party (best party ever!!) and is now at a pool birthday party.

Z was supposed to go to a birthday party for a former teammate.  We found out Thursday (grrr.) that he had a 6:00 game in Obetz (south of Columbus, the butt of many a morning radio show's jokes, and home of the Crew's training center).  We found out this morning (double grrr.) that things had changed, and Z now has a game at 4:30 and a game at 5:30.  Oh, and his team gets to tour the locker room at 3:45 (*eyeroll*).  So, no birthday fun for Z. 

Then they (Z, B & E2) get to go to a Crew game.

After I pick up E1 from the pool, we are heading downtown to see the Jonas Brothers.  Yay. 

I cannot wait until this day is over.   

Oh my aching tentacles.

It was fun helping out at the gym yesterday; I know they really appreciated it and they bought everyone pizza!  All the trophies had been taken down and cleaned (we're talking hundred of trophies); our job was to put them next to the walls where they'll go back up (a ton are getting donated to Special Olympics who can re-use them).  Z then did some vacuuming and E1 cleaned some equipment.  They and the other kids managed to spend quite a bit of time however jumping on the trampoline.  Then three or four of us stood around telling one poor guy where to put the trophies. Fun!  I was fine until I helped fold up the big inflatable used for birthday parties - totally wrenched my knee.  Boo.

So no, I didn't go in this morning.  And I'm wondering how on earth I'll be able to run a 5k on Sunday.

We have one of "those" weekends coming up:

The kids and I all have dental appointments, three birthday parties, a soccer game, a Jonas Brothers concert and a Crew game.  All. on. Saturday.  Aye Carumba

Week Six/Twenty Six

• 10 minutes on treadmill (5 walking 5 running no incline for either)
• cable pull right side*
• crunches*
• bicep curls*
• high step-up right foot*
• 10 minutes on treadmill (started at 6.5 and went up .1 every minute)
• right side crunches on ab bench*
• rower pull*
• chest press*
• lateral pulldown*
• 5 minutes on treadmill (6.5 mph)
• stretching

*Normally we do however many reps we can in a set time period.  Today we all had to do them in sync and hold for 3 seconds. I thought the chest press was going to kill me. 

My knee threatened me with grievous bodily harm if I went to the park (and it's now dark at 6:00) so yet again, no extra laps.  I am so bummed and I really hope this isn't a permanent thing.  Discovering that I liked running - something relatively easy that burns calories - was such a pleasant surprise.  To not be able to do it has been very disappointing.

Today's to-do:

• An email went out that E1's gym was looking for volunteers to help clean up the gym so I offered my services and also E1's and Z's (Z was thrilled, let me tell you).  E2 is going to the drop off place for a few hours.

Last night was Open House for E2's preschool.  I think she'll have a really good year and a lot of fun.  The space allocated to the preschool area is very small and there will be some distractions from the kids in the drop-in area.  So those are the negatives.  The positives are that E2 really likes Miss T (who ran the summer program), Miss T is very organized and has made the most of the space available, and E2 should have fun with the Skill Builder Curriculum but still learn a lot.

This & That

Whaddya know, I get a lot more done when Z is hogging the computer all day.  Dishes have been washed, laundry is in full swing, the car has been de-trashed, vacuumed and washed. 

Did not go workout yesterday or today. My knee hurts and I do not want to weigh in.  I HAVE to go tomorrow and I am going to force myself to run a lap at the park to see how I do/it feels. 

Yesterday sucked.  Aside from my period starting and a general feeling of cranky despair, I bumped into someone from behind and yadda yadda yadda got a ticket.  Snarl.

Our Weekend

B dropped us off in Cincy and went on to Tennessee where he picked up E1 on Friday:

Friday, E2, Z & I hung out at the hotel and went to the water park a couple times.  Z hung out with his teammates at the pool and arcade; when E1 showed up she played too.

Saturday Z had two games (they won!):

Back to the hotel for more water park fun:

Back to the field for game #3, a loss:

Back to the hotel to check out, lunch at Cracker Barrel, and we had to get a picture of this:

(and if you're a Futurama fan, you'll understand why the next few minutes were spent laughing over "I'll get my shovel" "I'm three skulls short of a Mousketeer reunion" and "Now no one can ever say I don't have John Laroquette's spine")

Birthday girl was an unhappy crab apple for huge chunks of the weekend:

Time for game 4, a win!  The boys went 3-1 for the tournament; we were soooo happy!

Then we drove home and had cake for the birthday girl (we'll do presents another night; we - especially me and the bday girl - were wiped out):

Week Five/Twenty Five

• 50 fun-filled minutes on the elliptical!

Did not go to the park afterward. The knee brace, heating pad, motrin, resting it, using it - nothing really seems to make my knee better.  I guess the good news is, it isn't getting worse.

Ordered E2's birthday cake yesterday.  They (Kroger's) don't have MM Clubhouse or Little Einsteins cakes, and they were out of the supplies for the Lego cake, so E2 settled on a Go Diego Go cake.  (She wanted pretty much every cake in the book.)  And then I had to explain about 50 times ("Where's the cake?") that we would be picking the cake up on Sunday.

I did not talk to E1 yesterday; she called after I went to bed. B said she got to go tubing a lot yesterday and she abruptly ended the call because it was time to play "capture the flag".

Today's to-do:

• Pack for trip

Aw crud. Just remembered that today is turn in all your school forms, pay your school fee, pick up your supply boxes, get your school picture taken, find out who your teacher is and sign up for back to school conferences day.  Bleh.  I hate filling out all the forms. HATE.   Nothing has changed since Z started kindergarten. Our address, pediatrician, cell phone #'s, everything is the same. Why do we have to fill out the same crap year after year after year.  Get computerized already people. 

This & That

It was downright chilly this morning - loved it!

E2 is working my last nerve this afternoon.  She is SO different from the other two at this age.  Disobedient, defiant, belligerent, ARGH.   I've told the big kids numerous times that if I ever have a time machine, I'm going to go back and tell myself to be grateful because I have no idea how good I have it! 

B is dropping Z, E2 and I off in Cincy Thursday night and then continuing on to Tennessee.  We get to play at the waterpark all day Friday, while B picks up E1 from camp.  I get to see my little Puma Friday night!!  And then Saturday and Sunday is the soccer tournament. 

E2 likes playing with Bitty Baby and I was looking through the catalog to get her bday presents.  Decided to get her a Friend 2BMade instead.   They have some cute little outfits with fun accessories (at a MUCH more reasonable price); hopefully she'll get a kick out of it.  It's hard to tell.  The main problem is that I want a ton of American Girl and Friends 2BMade and Build-a-Bear stuff for ME.  It's hard not to force it on the girls.

E2 has been telling me all summer (when asked) that she wants an orange birthday cake.  Orange icing? Orange flavoring?  "Orange".    Then for a week or two it was "Chocolate cake with Orange icing".  Today she decided she wants a red cake.  I think I'm going to try and get her a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake.  That would have red in it, and still be cute.  Hopefully I can pick it up Sunday night; we won't know til Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning whether or not the team will play a fourth game. 

Coach S has very high hopes for the B team this year.  He put them in the A bracket of our league and they are in the A bracket for the tournament. I would never ever tell Z this, but I think it is going to be another LONG, dismal season.  Fingers crossed that's just me being negative.

Meh

To-do, today

• E2 to her summer program
• Z to soccer camp and conditioning
• email gym to let them know E1 won't be there (puked at practice yesterday)
• load of laundry
• mop kitchen

Skipped gym & park - decided to make today a rest day.

You know, I thought this summer was going to be full of fun activities, trips to the park & indoor pool, etc etc.  Instead it has turned into one long list spent at the gym or in the van. Boo.

Hip Hip Hooray!!

We're off to get the Z man! I can't wait to see my little guy!

After his presentation I get a relaxing weekend at a hotel. Not quite as good as a weekend at  home alone, but I wouldn't have missed today's events for anything!

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

Z just called!  He had a GREAT first day.   He has made friends with his three roommates and two other kids, the food is really good, they made a craft, a ventriloquist came and did a show for them, and he is a happy camper!  I am thrilled and relieved and proud and happy!

Then E1 called.  She has been with her friend C since 3:00 and isn't coming home until 10:30.  C is going to spend the night and I'll probably be taking the girls to the pool tomorrow. 

I got a TON of stuff done today - laundry/tidying/cleaning wise. 

Once E2 falls asleep and B gets home safe and sound, everything will be perfect.

Kid chauffering/errands this week

Flair

B is not represented; I'm trying to get him to sign up for Facebook so I can send him Flair. 

Like this----> !

 

Aren't lily pads technically *on* the water? :P

E2 was a little hesitant and shy when I dropped her off this morning.  When I picked her up though, she was totally happy and chirpy.  The theme for this summer program session is The Underwater World and today E2 made a cute li'l lily pad:

The big kids have spent the morning playing Lego Indiana Jones on the Xbox and (mostly) getting along.

Fun stuff from Krogers

B and E2 went out for milk last night.  B thought the flowers E2 wanted to get me were hideously tacky, but liked the "Manager's Special $2" price tag; I thought they were adorable and cheerful:

B also brought home a pineapple.  I love fresh pineapple but I am going to hate eating this one.  The picture doesn't do it justice - it is the cutest pineapple ever:

They also (as you can see from E2's teeth) brought home some Dibs ice cream for the kids.

I took one picture of E2. 

E2: "Take another picture of me."

Me: "No, no more pictures until you get a haircut."

E2: "Ohhh, I know what you're saying. Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah."

This, That and The Other.

No Fast Track until Monday.  So this morning I went to the park and managed to get in two miles.  A huge accomplishment,considering I forgot my heart rate monitor & watch, my leggings kept slipping down, my stomach was growling, I felt like I had to pee, and there were six! other people walking/jogging.  The things I do for fitness. Hrmph.

B & Z had two extra tickets to last night's Crew game, so E1 and her friend G got to go with and then G spent the night.  She was a little sad and nervous but I think she did okay.

Z won't be #8 anymore.  A silly thing to be sad about, but he's had that # for two years and I liked saying "8 is great!".   The really odd thing is he & his friend J were both assigned the same number, so I don't know what's up with that. 

Today's to-do list:

• Z has soccer camp
• E1 has gymnastics practice
• schedule dental appointments
• schedule doctor appointments
• buy birthday presents (E1 has three parties this weekend. Three.)
• figure out a training schedule for my four miler and the big kids 5k (Z & E1 have decided they don't want to get up and jog on the days they have soccer/gymnastics. *eyeroll*)

Reconnect Schmeconnect

I joined Facebook for the sole purpose of putting Flair on my bulletin board:

 

This & That

I signed up for a 4 miler at the end of July.  Eeek!  I think V is going to do it too.

I wanted to have a little party for Z at home but the days have passed and long story short, he opened up his cards and presents tonight.   Thank you all so much!

Thank you Grandma & Grandpa T!

Thank you for a wonderful week! In the middle of uploading about 1200 photos.  Here's one:

                  

Now I'm tackling email. 30 spam emails and 50 I didn't care about. (Yes. I counted.)  Off to read/respond!

This & That

I cannot shake this sore throat.   Might have to bite the bullet and get some Chloraseptic. *shudder*

Today the cleaning and laundry continues.

I had a very scary dream last night.  Gave birth at home to a baby girl at 9 pm, midwife left, had another baby girl at 2 am.  The sad thing?  A big part of the dream involved B & me trying to figure out how I got pregnant and gestated a baby in 5 hours.  We finally figured out that obviously no one had realized I was pregnant with twins. Doy.  The dream ended with me trying to talk B into naming the babies Ava Grace and Elise Caroline. 

Today

Dropped E2 off at daycare.  She was very happy.

Took E1 to camp.  Z & I stayed to watch Show & Tell.  E1 showed off her front tuck on floor and back tuck beam dismount:

All the groups performed a dance routine choreographed by Dominic (whoever he is!):

One of these days I'll figure out how to take gymnastics pictures.......

Anyhoo, then we chilled a bit at home.  Took Z to his soccer camp.  Stopped and got (not for me although I did try a nibble and boy are they good!) treats from Sugardaddy's:

Dad's Day

The kids wanted to bring daddy breakfast in bed.  B is NOT a big fan of breakfasty foods, so we went to the store and got blueberry muffin mix (the big kids love to help make the muffins), coffee ice cream, nutty bars, and coke.  Delicious AND nutritious:

So much for sleeping in:

In the afternoon, we went to the picnic E1's gym put on at a park.  The first order of business.....soccer:

Z wasn't feeling well, so while B tended to him, and E1 hung out with her buds P & G, E2 and I wandered around for a bit:

E1 finally tried the climbing wall (but only made it up about 5 feet):

Lunch was DELICIOUS.  I had two hot dogs and some heavenly pineapple.  When every one was stuffed, it was time for the father/daughter sack race.  It wasn't pretty, and I am surprised no one was injured.  In every heat, someone went down:

Z wanted to go home so E2 and I took him back and made him take a cold shower.  Went back to get B & E1 (without my camera) and E1 was climbing the wall again - almost made it the whole way up!

Later in the evening we went to Buffalo Wild Wings (without the camera). The girls looked so cute in their little Buffalo Princess crowns.    I ate. A. Lot.  (So I was bummed when I woke up feeling crummy.  Definitely need to work off yesterday's munchings.)

That was basically our day - hope you had a wonderful day too!

This & That, Sunday Edition

E1 had fun at the birthday party yesterday.  It was at a pottery painting store.  She said they all painted cups - I guess they're drying?

She had a good time at TOPs testing.  I'm reasonably certain she didn't 'pass'.  They were told their score after each skill and I thought the gymnasts would get a sheet at the end that had all the scores and a total, but no such luck.  E1 claims:

• 5 out of 5 on her bridge
• 0 out of 5 on her cast handstand
• did the sprint in 3.61"
• held her handstand for about 5 seconds
• 6 of her leglifts counted

I suspect the highlight of the testing was riding to Cincy and back with P & her dad and stopping for lunch at Max & Erma's on the way home.

B & Z had fun at the Crew game last night even though the Crew lost to a crummy team.  Coach S set up a fantasy league for Euro 2008 so they set up their brackets yesterday and watched some of the games.

Yesterday I did no physical activity.  Today I did two miles on the treadmill.  Ten minutes at a warm-up pace, 10 minutes at 5 m.p.h. and about 6 minutes at 6 m.p.h. 

Oops

I forgot I fiddled with the settings yesterday:

All I have to say about Z is ARGH!  And, he snuck downstairs AGAIN last night.

Today would be a good day to go back to bed and listen to the rain.

E1's arms are bothering her. She gets dry, itchy skin in the crook? of her arm.  Hasn't happened in quite awhile.  I suspect it has reappeared because she is stressing about TOPs Testing.

E2 is a fashion plate as always.

And Z? Sigh.  He was in a funk this morning.  Then claimed he was too tired to go to school.  Stomped upstairs, put his shoes on, and stomped his way into the car when I told him he had to go.  When it was time to get out of the car, he was glued to the seat and in tears.  So I drove around and got in the back of the drop off line to give him a chance to compose himself.  Yes, I asked him what was wrong (Do you miss Daddy? Did something happen at school? Did you forget to do some homework?) and no, he wouldn't answer.

It is now pouring rain and lightening. 

I did stop at Tim Horton's (I set up a reminder post a month ago) and hopefully a cappuccino counts as coffee. 

Yay! and *pant* and Why you little....

The toddler LOVED the day-care place. LOVED it.  Didn't want to leave, pouted and bit me on the hand on the way to the car.   They loved her too and want her there for pre-school. 

Today was cardio day.  26 minutes/1500 steps on the elliptical, and then 38 minutes of walk/jog/sprint on the elliptical and the walk part was only 10 or 15 seconds and it was so hot and I was very very sweaty. 

Last night? After we all went to bed (I decided to just keep going to bed early this week even though I don't have to get up at 4:00 am)?   ALL THE KIDS SNUCK DOWNSTAIRS TO WATCH TV.  I quickly realized that it was waaaay too quiet, got out of bed, stood at the top of the stairs and hollered "E1! E2! Z!"   Boy oh boy did they haul ass upstairs.  E1 shouting that it was E2's fault, E2 sobbing because she knew I was mad, and Z, bringing up the rear but trying really hard to get past the girls, had the common sense to keep his mouth shut and head for his bedroom. 

We Miss You Dad

I wish!

E2 just saw a commercial for:

Diego's Sea School.   

"I wanna go! I wanna go there!" 

Really? ME TOO!  Sadly, we won't be anywhere near the Cayman Islands this summer.  Or year.