Splash week

I have 4 of my nieces and nephews staying the week for swimming. We have one more day left, and am kind of sad that I don't have any pictures of them. I cannot take pictures while I am in the pool with them. I should take some here at the house, but just haven't thought of it.

I really like having them here, it has been going rather well. Before they got here, I was a bit anxious before they got here as to what to make them for lunch... something I am not really familiar with as I don't really do "lunch" most of the time, and when Jess is here, we eat a large breakfast and then dinner. If we do brunch, it usually sustains us for the day.

Tuesday Peggy brought two of the kids to the Y and hung out with us for lunch and the afternoon, it was delightful! We had chicken parm, and the kids have asked for chicken nuggets since, but I am not about to have the same thing each day. For dinner I made meat loaf and potato wedges with green beans, followed by push-up, Aunt Anna has both orange and chocolate so she is super cool!

Wednesday, of course the kids were up early and playing in their room (this is singular as they all slept in the same room even though I had a girl and boy room). They had baked banana oatmeal (done a head of time) and blueberry bagels for breakfast. The packed their snack bag for after swim. When class was done they got to play in the other pool until the second class was over when two of their cousins that were in the next class came in the pool and they got to play for 20 minutes together. I think they thought that was awesome!

I had to drive them to and from the Y as when we were going to be leaving it would be raining,the weather man was accurate for once. I was waiting for the rain to let up some, as we still needed to get to the truck. The kids weren't ready to leave any how, as they had started their swim homework; yes, Miss Anna gives homework! They were almost finished with their snack, and started playing air hockey. They took turns as they won... or as Mike beat them. Finally I told them it was time to go. Rose didn't get a turn yet, so I told her that she would be first tomorrow, and she was good with that response.

We couldn't go to the park since it was raining and they have been wanting to go since they came. We had left overs for lunch, and I was amazed that they all chose some goofy plain noodles, over mac and cheese... (weird children), so as they were eating plain noodles and bean (I made them all have), I had a large plate of mac and cheese (Yum!), they seemed to take forever to eat so I told them that if they couldn't finish their plate they wouldn't get snacks tomorrow. Dominic said he was full so I told him he could get down but would still have to finish it in order to get snacks tomorrow. They all had been puzzled by a rubix cube since they came and so they went upstairs to play after they ate, so I sat down to do a side of the cube. All of a sudden Roses Juice cup suddenly dropped off of the table and juice went all over her chair, the floor and windows (that are stored in my dinning room). "Really Moose!!" I couldn't believe that he would grab at the table clothe, Oh yeah, we haven't eaten at this table before, since I have just gotten the use of my dinning room, Moose hasn't been around tables of normal height before. It must have been because Dominick had meat on his plate, left over meat loaf, moose licked the plates from the night before so he knew what was up there probably. I had Dominic come down and eat two bites and gave the rest to Moose.

I started dinner, lasagna, and at some point I looked over and Moose was on top of the table, oh my gosh, stupid rain, keeping him from being tied up outside! I have heard of cats being on tables, but not dogs. I kicked him (not litterally) off the table and he sits on the chair, like he belonged there... silly dog, so since then I have been watching him in the dinning room and if it looks like he is about to jump up, I yell at him not to, hoping it sinks in that he is not allowed to get up there at all.

Kids ate well, some wanted the bread some not, then they went outside and played hide and seek. So apparently when they play this game there is no base where you are safe to run to after the count is done. Rose had to explain this to me as I didn't understand why they stay hid so long and formed teams to find those not yet found. Rose was frustrated, I was planting the last of my plants in the garden so I didn't know what the deal was, so as Mike counted I told Rose to come over... as quietly as I could as mike was on the porch and I didn't want him to hear us. I told her to hide behind the lilac bush, they looked for a very long time before they found her. The next time I told her to hide behind the air conditioner. It was so funny because Moose was tied up not far from her and when the boy came near her, he barked at them.. I think he was protecting her?? It was quite comical, the next round she hid behind the compost bin, and was found right away, darn it! She was ok as she did so good the rounds before. Well this time no one could find Vinny, they looked every where, before they found him in the bed of my truck... pretty ingenious, aunt Anna didn't even give him that spot!

About this time I finished in the garden and we all went in. I fixed up Roses finger caught by a rose bush, it was 20 till 9 and I told them to brush their teeth, Dominic couldn't believe it was late enough to get ready for bed, since they just came in from outside! Poor rose and Dominic didn't have brushes, so I told them that they had to rinse with mouthwash so their teeth didn't fall out. Rose was with me when I pulled it out and told her to rinse with it... she scrunched her face, and just looked at it. I told her she had to in order to leave the room. Then I called Dominic in and he rinsed and left. Finally I had to tell her that I was counting to three and she either took the rinse and got to play with the others for a half an hour or I get to three and she goes straight to bed. She picked it up on one and swished after two. I had to be mean aunt! I hate that. Oh well, we fixed her finger again and put some stuff on a rash she found. and sent her on her way to the other kids who were watching a show. When it was finished they chose to watch another one instead of getting quite time to play in their room until lights out. Well, with Jesse in charge he must have picked a show that was longer so they got to bed a bit later than I wanted.

This morning I woke to my alarm and not to the kids!!!!!! I got coffee made and start bacon before they came down, (unless they were more quit??). We had blueberry pancakes with our bacon. I had a little one at the end I gave to Rose as I was young once, and us girls think little food is cool!

We got to walk to the Y as the weather was going to hold out until 4pm, when we got almost to the Y, Rose started complaining at how heavy her bag was. I told her that she must have to learn the hard way, as I told her to not put her toys in the bag.

They got to swim with the cousins, play air hockey, watch cartoons, and play at the park... we ate lunch at 2:30, ramen noodles, suggested by Mike, and veggies and dip. Rose got to start the Air Hockey against Mike, and I think it was 10 to 0 so, I thought that Mike could use a beating, so Aunt Anna played him and he did get 4 points to my 10.

I guess I should get off of here and get dinner started, I thought the rain would prevent Jesse from golf but since he isn't here yet, I guess he will get here late.

I have had individual moments with each kid for various reasons which are special to me. Getting to brush Roses hair and pull it back for her is awesome... My mom didn't like doing anything with mine, so it is cool to hang out with Rose to brush her hair.

Trying to work out the Peyton video control syndrome as they just keep yelling at each other, which is part of why I HATE video games. I don't want the little ones to hate it, it should be FUN, so I have to keep telling them to help and explain things so it isn't so frustrating.