(Click collage to embiggerate.)
We had a busy weekend, of sorts. I had to make those cookies from the previous post Friday night and Saturday morning, get them delivered by noon, and then get the house cleaned for the company we were having that night.
Which wasn't really "company," per se, but keeping two kiddos overnight so their dad and his new wife could have an adults-only wedding reception. They are both in Scouts with our kids, so we know them well enough that it was easy-peasy and comfortable. Still, I hate my house. My husband and kids are total slobs, and I'm, like, the only one in this house who seems to be bothered by the constant mess. But I don't want to go there; I already went on a rampage a few hours ago!
After we straightened up, I let the kids play out front with the garden hose. They got soaked, and so did I! When the little girl who was staying overnight arrived, I was in the middle of filling up a bucket of water balloons for them to throw around. There's just something special about water balloons, isn't there? I think they should be a part of every sad occasion, to make things fun and happy. Like, at my grandpa's funeral a couple months ago, if we could've just thrown some water balloons, I probably would have cried less.
I don't claim to make sense.
So here are a few of my favorite pictures from that day, taken out of the collage so you can see 'em better, because I know you aren't going to be clicking on anything to embiggerate. I know your type. I can see it in you.
Sophia watering her 4th-birthday Crepe Myrtle Hopi
Sophia, again, having a drink from the hose
This photo just makes me happy. Like I could just reach in that squishy pile of balloons and hurl one at ... you?
A surprise attack from Daddy!
Nothing better than watching a Dad play with his kids
Later, we took our kids and the little girl (her brother was still at camp and got dropped off much later) to Baskin-Robbins for dessert, since I had won a $10 gift certificate from a Facebook contest of theirs a little while back. All six of us ordered a kid-sized cone (mine was sugar-free, natch), so for some odd reason, the very nice Indian lady running the store at the time decided to give us a half-dozen empty double-scoop cones "on the house." Really? For... what? It still makes me laugh.
Providing another giggle was that each was labeled, "DUBLE HEDER" - I don't know why that amuses me so much, but it does.
This little stinker... I had decided I would use those cones for something cakey for You Take The Cake! when Jack asked me if he could look at one. Next thing I know, he starts chomping away on it! What! Jack!! So this was his expression of, "Hey, I didn't know!" that kills me so much.
That's about it for pictures from Saturday night, which passed quickly for the overnight kiddos and not so fast for Team Odette. THEY were exhausted and fell right asleep. MINE were too excited about the sleepover/living room camp-out to settle down. They wriggled and writhed in their sleeping bags for half the night, keeping me awake next to them on the couch. And then the overnight kiddos woke up, hungry and raring to go, at 0630! *Groan* I was so not ready to get up then, but I managed.
I made pancakes and then realized, to all six kids' dismay, that we were out of syrup. Ugh. Overnight girl commented, "There's not much to eat around here!" after that. So we scrounged and managed to feed them, but man, their energy was limitless that morning compared to the rest of ours. We took everyone outside to the lake across the street, driving PowerWheels around the lake and fishing with Rob.
It wasn't that disappointing when I realized I had to duck out for an hour for a blood donation appointment at the Red Cross. I'd made that date before I knew about the overnight, and I was behind in my donations, so I didn't want to miss it. I like to give my six times a year like clockwork, and I was already a month late. So, sorry, Honey! Rob was all, "Thaaaaaanks."
(On the positive side, I wasn't deferred for low iron and was able to give, so yay! I'm often deferred...)
Later, I played with my camera a little and captured this halfway-decent self-portrait. I have yet to take one that's clear and with good lighting, though, and that's because I haven't really figured out the timer or the remote control on my new camera yet. But hey, if this is what 35 is going to look like for me, I think I'll take it!
Skipping ahead to our equally-busy Monday, I started off the girls with a page in the workbooks their Grandma gave them so I could get myself settled, and I asked Jack to bring down his Legos and K'nex set to build me some kind of transportation. Anything he wanted. (We've been studying transportation this year as our social studies exploration.) He chose to make a hot air balloon, and this is what he came up with. I was very impressed!! Rob later told me he had instructions to follow for it, which deflated me considerably, but at the time, I was super pleased! After that, I asked him to make this, that and the other thing, and he did, coming up with something new and cool each time. That boy is so mechanically inclined, it'll be interesting to see what he does with it in the future. I hope he doesn't waste his talents!
I think I'll keep blogging. I have a lot of lost time to make up for with you!
Fin.
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