Science City and the Planetarium

I desperately needed to get out of the house.

The Pope's were in need of a person to help entertain Bella while they packed moving boxes.

Solution:  Science City and the Planetarium.

As soon as I could get us out the door, we left.

They "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed at the Planetarium.
They climbed.
They played.
They observed.
They got out energy.

Then we made our way back home in time to get Tyson some dinner and send him off to work.
Bella came to our house to play.
Vivian came over too.

We ran around a bit collecting items from the Popes they needed taken from their house (and graciously accepted them...since they were mostly kids activities and toys).

And then I MADE SURE they kids went to bed at a decent time.

Once they were asleep, I ran on the treadmill and cleaned the house.

Feels good.

The Only Way I Can Help

With friends moving in and out and lots of things going on...I always want to help.

But realistically, I'm not always much help when I have four kiddos tagging along with me.

We aren't a fantastic team with cleaning, packing, and loading.

In fact, I'm pretty sure we just make matters worse.

But there is one thing I can do....babysit.

While the Thornes were cleaning and painting their townhouse in order to move out, Ryan and Carter hung out with us all day.  The girls had a good time with friends out.  It was kind of a crazy place.  We got out our Little People city for a while, our Playmobils for a while, ate lunch, watched a few movies, they played dress up in the basement, and played family and other games in their bedroom.

There was one point when boredom set in and we decided to take a quick trip to Quick Trip (QT gas station) where I let them pick out one item each that was under $1.50.

I was just glad to help.

I actually was able to help out Michelle, my other moving friend, today as well.  The only other service I can help with is meals.  I was able to deliver some burritos and a pie to the Popes while they've been cooped inside their house packing.

My day got a little bit crazy in the middle with all the kids and cooking and trying to get Tyson out the door and ready to go to work for his night shift.  But I survived.

After all the craziness, I got the kids to clean (with more anger than probably was deserved) and they lost "pie with Bella's family" privileges and a decision to go to bed on time tonight (since we haven't done that in DAYS).  But then my plans were foiled yet again.  I delivered the pie and we talked with the Barnharts outside....who were doing some late fireworks outside their house.  Of course I couldn't kept my kids inside when the Barnharts and fireworks were out.  Then Bella ran out and asked Eden and Leila if they could come with them for a late night to a hockey game (at 9 PM) of a friend.  I said "sure" and took the two littles home to sleep.  I usually stay in their room for a few minutes and wait for Paige to fall asleep.  Molly was having a hard time wanting to sleep, so I pretended to fall asleep on their floor and Molly ended up laying next to me and cuddling...and we both fell asleep.

Then I woke up right before Eden and Leila made it home from the hockey game.

Got a Piano!

The Pope's are moving....but not with their piano.

They inherited a piano elsewhere and were told to leave the old piano behind.

Sure, it has one note that doesn't work, a bench that is broken up, and is extremely out of tune.....but umm...it's a PIANO!  

There is no way on Earth we could afford to buy a piano on our own.

Popes, you ROCK.

A new guy moving in had their empty truck.  Michelle ran to him and asked him if we could borrow it to get the piano from the top street, down the hill, to the bottom hill.  Then we went door to door to get some strong helpers.

Had to play some tunes on the ride down of course...while I followed behind.

Here's the beauty now in our living room!

I have now just added a new subject to my homeschool (as if it wasn't long enough).  Piano.

Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is always quite a celebration.

For one, Riverside has very lax laws on fireworks....so there are tents EVERYWHERE selling fireworks.  And fireworks have been heard out outside for weeks.  But not like tonight. It's almost midnight and it still sounds like a war zone out here.  Wonder how long people will be out.

Tyson's at work looking at pictures of people with missing limbs due to firework explosions.

But we did have quite a fun celebration!

After cleaning the house and trying to get kids to be quiet so Tyson could sleep, we were to go to a Fourth of July party with neighbors.

I love our neighbors, I'm sure I've mentioned that before...if not, it should have been mentioned because they are awesome.

They invited us over for amazing BBQ brisket sandwiches, funeral potatoes, beans, chips and salsa, pasta and potato salad, and drinks.  Not to mention two tables full of desserts during the firework show!  

It wasn't the most relaxed firework show I've ever been too.

First, Molly decided to touch the end of a sparkler and burned her thumb.  Had to go in and treat that.

Then Eden burned her leg.  Had to go in for treatment number two.

Paige got a little nervous with the loud fireworks. So, we went to the park to swing. Paige loved the fireworks from a distance that wasn't so loud. 

The rest of my kids joined us at the park and found that one of the best firework shows is out in nature with the fireflies.  They had a lot of fun catching them.

Then Eden burned her leg AGAIN.  This time not as bad.

Paige and Molly decided that they would rather go to bed than stay up and watch fireworks. So I took them in and put them to bed.

Then in runs Eden, a part of lite up firework fell and landed on her foot, burning her a THIRD time.  After that she came in crying saying the Fourth of July is her least favorite holiday because she gets burns and everything is too scary and loud.

She spend the rest of the night comfortably inside the house.

Leila was in love with the whole event.

She went out with her friends to pop poppers, play with sparklers, eat desserts, watch the fireworks, and just have fun.  She didn't want to be done when the night was over. She loved it. That often happens. When Eden thinks something is too scary, Leila tends to love it.

Tonight was a great night.

I don't think I got a picture of Leila. She was so busy doing her thing I am not sure I saw her most of the night.

My only Fourth of July regret...I wish I didn't just "slide past" U.S. History and actually learned something back in the day. I wish I understood more about this incredible day in our history so today would be less about pyrotechnics and food. I keep thinking if I keep homeschooling to the year where we study U.S. History the maybe I'll be forced to take some time to actually study and learn more about it.  One day.

This Is "Nacho" Problem.

Get it?

Eh, forget about it if you don't get it. Cheesy joke (another nacho pun!  I'm done, promise).

But I do have a nacho problem.

When Tyson works during dinner time, nachos are my "go to" for dinner.  It takes no time at all, little mess to clean up, the girls love it, and I have them eat it community style with no plates...we all just dig in. Not to mention that I often put it on a blanket in front of a movie....might as well just stay out of the kitchen entirely, right?

Tyson doesn't appreciate nachos like the girls...thus we wait until he's gone to feast upon them.

Even Paige loves nacho days...granted she mostly likes to pick off sour cream because she has an undying love for sour cream. I mean that like, she grabs it from the fridge and will eat it by the spoonful. She does like other things too...but when there is sour cream involved, nothing really else matters in her mind. The rest of us just suffer from severe double dipping.

(Paige's love of sour cream.  This picture below was taken a while back and she got into the fridge, grabbed out the large bucket of sour cream, took it to he table, and hugged it shouting, "Mommy! Eh? Eh?" until I opened it and got her a scoop. And she also managed to get her arm out of the armhole.)

Anyhow, today was a nacho day.

Tyson started night float. He'll be working nights for two weeks but we won't be having nachos the entire time. He still needs dinner...just not tonight because he needed to go in early today.

Not much else happened today.

Fast Sunday.

Hang out outside for a while.

Nachos and Food Network.

And listening to fireworks lull us to sleep.

Leaving the House

Today had its ups and downs.

I was trying to keep kids occupied while Tyson slept during the day...but it didn't seem to work.

Eventually, I decided to just leave the house.

Apparently Molly and Paige and I were suffering from "need-a-nap-itis".

As soon as we got in the car, Molly and Paige were asleep.

...and I wished I was asleep.

I drove to the library and had the girls hurry and pick out a few books, took them out to the car and said, "It is quiet time. I need a little nap."  We found a place to park not far, I put down my seat, and took a nap along with Molly and Paige.

It was a short but needed nap.

We after went to Zona Rosa to play at what we call the "Rubber Playground" and went to the toy store next to the playground.

Then Tyson called to say he was awake and we headed back home.

I made dinner and Tyson tried to get the girls to do their chores followed by indescribable amounts of drama.  This time it seemed that Eden was the one who needed nap.

But we got through it and after dinner decided to get out of the house again.  Our house must have been filled with bad vibes today or something.

Cold Stone for dessert.

Eden got pink lemonade and raspberry sherbet with blueberries and chocolate shavings.

Leila got banana ice cream and raspberry sherbet with blueberries and chocolate shavings.

Molly got the Shark Week ice cream with gummy bears and sprinkles.

Tyson and I got the Founders Favorite (I think that's what it's called) to share.

We then went to Target.

Then home to finally get the rest we all needed.

A Busy Day

Wake up early with Paige.

Breakfast.

Sidewalk chalk.

Do a very cut-short school.

Grocery store.

Cub Scout outdoor lunch and s'mores.

Sewing lessons for Eden with the Pratt's.

Attempt to help pack for a moving neighbor...and fail because I have little kids.

Go to the park.

Walk to a firework tent and buy fireworks.

Help a different neighbor load their moving truck...successfully because two littles fell asleep on the stroller ride to buy fireworks.

Paige wakes up....no longer successful at helping.

Go home and put Molly to bed.

Play with extra empty boxes given to us by neighbors.

Put Paige to bed.

Older girls watch a very late movie and I agree because Tyson's working an overnight shift.

Exercise on treadmill.

Take sleeping Leila to her room.

Read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables to Eden.

Put a very sleepy Eden to bed.

Blog.

Here's the picture version of today...