Fun Times

Today I let the children cut school today because I'm cool like that. We had originally planned to go to the beach but it was pretty chilly this morning so we chose to just have a relaxing day instead. Sam made lunch for us today and then we headed out to the park so the children could burn some energy.

Being that school hasn't let out yet we had the park to ourselves which was nice. The landscapers had been there this morning so everything had been swept and raked and looked all new.

We had such a good time together and laughed as I made up "challenges" for them to do. I'd have them start at the bench, then run to the edge of the park, then around the equipment twice then back to the bench again. Or I'd have them walk around the park backwards and every time I yelled "stop!" they'd have to stop and tell me something they liked about themselves. They really enjoyed having more and more things added to the challenges to test their memories. We were pooped when we got home.

We sat on the front porch and talked for a bit. Julie found two potato bugs trapped in a spider's web. We were able to free one of them but it was too late for the other one. It sparked a great conversation about God's smallest creatures and how He loved them too.

Julie decided yesterday that she wanted to get her ears pierced. I couldn't imagine how that would play out because I think she is the only person on the planet with a lower pain tolerance than me. Nowadays they do a "tandem piercing" which is when two people do the piercing at the same time. What a novel idea. Back in the day you got it one at a time and it was brutal. I didn't get mine done until I was 14 and I cried like a baby before we even got started. I'm not talking a nice, nervous, single tear type cry. I'm talking heaving sobs and lots of snot.

I guess I had been asking Julie too many times if she was sure she wanted to go through with it because this is the look I got. I didn't ask again.



She was practically dancing through the parking lot on the way into the mall because she was so excited. Once we entered the store she started saying "I'm really nervous..." over and over. I felt myself choking up because I knew it was going to hurt and she is so small...

She selected lovely little pink studs and went to "the chair" to get ready.



The ladies doing the piercing were really good and very in tune with each other and Julie's anxiety. I barely had time to get my camera ready! It happened so fast she didn't even know what hit her.



She was in shock for a few seconds. Then the pain kicked in and she had this "what the HECK!?!?" look on her face.



The tears came soon after and she needed some cuddles. And to tell us off.



She didn't want to listen to the instructions on how to care for her ears but she did it anyway, crying the whole time.



She refused to talk about how it went and seemed to be really crusty about it. She didn't know it would hurt "that much". It didn't matter how many times we told her the pain would subside within a half hour....she wasn't having any of it. She was pretty cross.

She wanted to go to the food court to "celebrate" and chose to eat at A & W.



It hit me just how obsessed I am with this blog when I asked Ian to snap a pic of the A & W counter. I love that guy so much. He just "gets" me, endless quirks and all.

"This is the best hot dog I've ever eaten!" she said. I guess the ear-issue was working itself out.



Yep... it's all good and she was her happy self again.



And a pic of us together.



I am more than a little annoyed at Walmart. We live near the most disgusting and rude Walmart ever built. But that can be a post all in itself which I will save for a day when I have raging PMS and need something to vent about. The reason why I am annoyed with them TODAY is that they are selling the highchair that matches the pattern on my carseat and stroller for TWICE the price of what the US is selling it for. I priced it online but it I didn't realize it was on the US website and had been working on Ian about it all day. I am so disappointed. Its so pretty and even though we certainly don't "need" it... I really "want" it.

Isn't it lovely?





Ahh well. I can't justify the expense, not when we have a high chair from the children's days. Maybe if I win the lottery.

Here is my carseat and stroller.



Maybe if I tell Walmart about how I am practically selling this set for them they will knock down the price of my beloved high chair as a thank you. I'll get right on that.

Well, enough dreaming. The children are all tucked in their beds sleeping and Ian is out like a light on the couch. I'm going to head up myself because every night I've been up until after midnight to do Jordan's last feeding so that Ian can sleep and try to beat the cold he has. Poor guy.

That's all for today.

~ Kate