Backyard Bin

It was a gorgeous and really spring like morning so I set up a new bin for the boys. I used green coconut, some beans and springy things and set it up out in the grass. Lincoln set to work immediately and got busy pouring beans back and forth and checking out all the butterflies and bugs. Otto joined in as soon as he could get there, but his idea of participation was eating everything. AND, once Cort caught on to what was happening he decided to check it out (and sample some too!) They had fun and I have a hunch we're going to have a bit of a bean farm out in the yard thanks to all the handfuls that Otto transferred into the grass.

Car-pe Car Naps

What happens when the one that is hardest to get to nap falls asleep in the car on the way home from school pick-up? And swimming lessons are cancelled, AND it's pouring outside? You let the other 2 free and have a car hangout until they wake their brother up or it stops raining...whichever comes first. If today is any indication, this is going to be a long week...these kiddos all have big opinions, big feelings and big energy and this mom isn't always in the mood for all of that! Hahaha! Throw in the fact that the ENTIRE week is supposed to be a washout?? Deep breath!

Mothers' Day!

9:22am...yep! I got to sleep until 9:22am!!! It was amazing!! Then the kiddos brought me cards and presents in bed. Kyle went and got bagels for brunch and we did some stuff around the house until I got word that the dresser I wanted on Craiglist was mine to go pick up - so we loaded up the kids in the truck and made our way to get it. It's for the game room but is in the living room right now and I like it more and more every time I look at it! Anyway, we got home just before the rains came and we decided on PF Changs for dinner...apparently we weren't the only ones! The back-up for take out was crazy long and Kyle spent forever sitting at the restaurant waiting for the food to come out. I finally just made some french toast for the kids so we could get them to bed then have grown-up dinner later. That plan ended up being a great one, just like Mothers' Day! Hopefully everyone else had a great day too1!!

For the Kids

Another night out! Another work function for Kyle. Tonight was the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida Celebrate the Children event down by Disney. Today was a bear...the kids were at each other all day, Kyle was running behind schedule and even trying to get ready was a battle. I didn't know what to expect going in other than the standard silent auction dinner set-up, but it ended up being a really fun night. There were kids groups entertaining, interacting with BGC members and Kyle "guessed right" on an auction item and now has 4 tickets for the week at the US Open. Guess he took care of Fathers' Day shopping! Anyway, 2 weekends out in a row...we're party animals!

Slide, Slide, Slide

I feel like we live at the Y lately. With Lincoln swimming on Monday/Wednesday afternoons and Nora on Tuesday/Thursday evenings we're there a lot. Nora loves to sideways walk down the railing thing and despite my best efforts to explain to her what was going to happen if she continued to do it she of course persisted and well, as predicted Lincoln now insists on doing it as well - soooo much slower. This kid is programmed to go his own pace and he could absolutely care less if you have things to do or places to go. BUT, the thing that makes the waiting for him worthwhile is how excited he gets when he finishes! There's cheering and high fives all around...then he goes on to climb anything else he can, sing the ABC's and fall in the landscaping. Just another snapshot of another day!

All Wrapped Up

Seeing this guy snuggle up in his towels after swimming lessons and head to the changing room is endlessly entertaining to me. He's always so dazed and tired when he gets out of the pool after working hard at his swimming, rolling, rolling and swimming. Once he's changed back into his clothes (and has had his hair dried - oye!) he usually perks up to go get Nora & Otto from the kids' area. Heading over the hump and hoping to make it to the weekend in one piece!

Senses & Sensibility

The kids were a little antsy today and the afternoon wait for Nora's 5:30pm swimming lessons was DRAGGING! I swear time stopped for a period of time! So, in order to distract the kids from the appeal of harming themselves or each other I quietly set them each up with an activity. Nora was drawing at the table, Lincoln got water beads and shaving cream on the patio and much to Otto's chagrin he had a water bin closed on the porch. (Otto was in LOVE with the shaving cream water bead combo but he couldn't help but shovel handfuls into his mouth despite my best efforts to stop him!) Of course the separate activities thing came to an end as soon as Nora started nosing around and saw what her brothers were up to, so it quickly became Nora and Lincoln sharing the sensory bin with Otto in on his own until he got fed up with that.

After playtime I cut up and orange and let them kiddos go to town getting sticky. We made it to swimming on time and the boys made it clear that they are not ok with being left in the kids area sans Nora and I got a call 20 minutes into lessons to come get my 2 crying children. So much for the vision of an evening workout!