Everybody was ready for daddy to come home on Friday night last week. He had been in California training some new team members Tues am thru Friday night. We went out to the airport at 8:30 pm to green him, and the kids were like magnets to their daddy. Saturday morning we went out to eat together as a family, then headed to Target afterwards to pick up a birthday gift for a party Violet was heading to that afternoon. I am reminded of how quickly a kid can burn out with one fun activity after another. Violet went to her friend Liam's 5th birthday party at 2 pm, and we picked her up at 4:30. She really enjoyed the party, and was running around with all the other kids at her top level of excitement. Liam had just finished up opening presents when I got there and there were tons of balloons on the floor, the kids were throwing and hitting them everywhere. She wasn't too happy when I told her we had to leave.
Calvin wasn't too happy that Violet go to go off to a birthday party (a rocket ship theme!) with out him, and had to take a nap. We waited til I got Violet home to tell her what we were heading out to do next. Our family was invited to the ReMax home realtors group "beat the winter blahs" fun night at the WRC at UNI. It was sort of weird to be back at that place...since it was the school I went to. I spent many hours in that WRC place exercising and playing while I went to UNI. Brought back a lot of memories. It was crazy to be there with my husband and THREE kids. Whoa!
You name it, we could do it. Rock climbing, ping pong, basketball, swimming, etc...the list goes on and on. The lower gymnasium was geared towards littler kids with two huge air-blown jumpers and sliders. We came prepared to go swimming but ended up playing there for an hour before heading to the pool. The kids had so much fun, they could hardly contain themselves. Violet and Calvin took turns with all the other kids climbing the center stairs between the two blow up slides and going down with as much enthusiasm as they could muster, screaming at the top of their lungs. Calvin wanted to follow Violet everywhere, she is his security in situations like that. She picks up on his insecurity and takes over as "mom" so easily, guiding him to where he has to go, and comforting him when he seems nervous. Violet figured out how to bounce down the slide by starting at the top of the slide with a big leap. Calvin's favorite was to go backwards feet first on his tummy.
I bounced Vanessa on my hip and watched the other two kids while Dave caught up in conversation with his Uncle Tim (whose house was completely flooded by a burst water pipe a couple weeks ago...they can relate in a lot of ways). So next was swimming...I got Violet into her suit and Calvin went with daddy to change. They swam for about an hour and a half, both using their life jackets. Calvin stayed where he could touch the whole time, and Violet ventured off anywhere in the pool that she wanted. She went down the big yellow twisty slide multiple times. I sat on a chair with Vanessa and watched...I really didn't feel like putting forth the effort to get both of us in the pool when we had the other two to keep eyes on. Dave got in the water with them. He took Calvin down the slide a couple times, and he got braver and wanted to go again and again. Then it was time to leave. Well...ya know how hungry swimming makes you. They were famished when they got dressed. We went upstairs to the top level and all had bags of popcorn. It wasn't really enough to fill us up so we decided to go out to eat for a quick bite at KFC. I knew they would enjoy the macaroni and cheese there. They split a pint of cheesy noodles easily. By the time were done eating, it was 10 pm. I bet people were wondering why this crazy family was out to eat so late. Oh well. We got them home and in bed by 10:30. You would have thought they'd sleep like rocks after so much activity, but Calvin was up in the night 4 times having to go pee. I think Violet slept alright.
This morning was really tough to get up and out of the house by 9 am. We were super late and everybody took naps today.
No comments:
Post a Comment