Monday, October 24

They're Winning

A sign that the children are winning:

After a day of working and taking care of the children, Dan and I sit down to watch TV ...I wake up to him snoring.

That's right, we both feel asleep within 30 minutes of sitting down. Sigh.

Tuesday, October 18

Walking

Dan and I took the children for a walk around Mud Lake on Thanksgiving weekend.
The twinnies saw this sign:



They then informed me that dogs were not allowed to bicycle on the path...and then they skipped away. Because banning dogs from bicycling through the woods made sense to them. I would like us all to rally together and fight this ban. Because if there were bicycling dogs, I think they should be entitled to bicycle wherever they like!

I swear, the twinnies just naturally pose this. It cracks me up!

Sarah had no desire to stop for photos. Poor little girl, she's going to have a rough life if she doesn't accept that I demand frequent photos of my children. And they must be smiling.

Awwwwww.

Why do both Dan and Sarah react to me taking their picture as though I am the paparazzi? You'd think that they would be used to it by now!

Oh my God, I love autumn!!!



Why walk when you can dance?

Bethie couldn't help herself, she had to join in!

Katie is a budding photographer. I tried to warn her that Sarah is not the most willing subject, but she wouldn't listen to me.



The walk went well...LOUD...but well.

Sunday, October 16

The Pumpkin Patch

To add complications to my life, I insisted that Dan and I take the children to the pumpkin patch...a couple of hours before we were expecting people for Thanksgiving dinner. Keep in mind that the turkey was not in the oven, I was supposed to be at home waiting to have my dishwasher installed, and I hadn't bought all the groceries I would need for the party. The children were eager. Dan was less than thrilled. But I need his brawn.

So off we went.

The twinnies pose for a photo.


Would it kill them to give me one nice group shot????

I told Bethie that each child had to carry their own pumpkin...

...Katie found one that was easier to manage.

(As it turns out, Dan and I each carried the massive pumpkins chosen by the twinnies, and Katie carried the little pumpkin that Sarah chose).

The twinnies didn't want to sit with me on the way back to the car. I was annoyed, but they felt rather "grown up".


When we returned to the car with the pumpkins, the children announced that they were dying of thirst and may possibly even die from starvation. I told them that we were 5 minutes from home and I would nourish them promptly. That's when I was informed that I was an inadequate mother, and that all they really needed was some pumpkin pie, sold conveniently at the gift shop. Ummm, no.

When we got home, the children placed their pumpkins on the porch and admired them...for 30 seconds. Then they announced that they needed more pumpkins, but not to worry, the ones from the grocery store would do.

Sigh.

Saturday, October 15

Giving Thanks

It's very important to me that my children have fond memories of the holidays. Like I do. So, I try very hard to make these days happy. Am I successful? It's kinda hit or miss...

We had Thanksgiving at our house. Despite having to work during the days leading up to Thanksgiving, I was sure that I would be able to pull this off.

Then my dishwasher broke. I frantically called Sears, bought a new one over the telephone, and asked Dan to pick it up from the store. I gave him strict instructions not to touch either the new dishwasher or the old one. Instead, he could watch TV, play with the children, or find something else to do. I begged  him, "Please, for my sake, do not touch the dishwashers".

I came home from work on Friday, and guess what?! He touched both of the dishwashers. Neither of them worked. I could have killed him.

I asked to see the turkey that he had purchased for the dinner in 36 hours. It was frozen.

I asked if he had cleaned the house knowing that we were having people over. Yes, he replied enthusiastically, he had cleaned the children's rooms. Super. What about the kitchen? The living room? The bathroom? Uhhh...no.

Needless to say, I was a bit stressed about Thanksgiving.

But Jamie Oliver came through, and we had the best turkey ever. It was soooo good that I think that Jamie Oliver may have ruined all other turkeys for me. Sigh.

Nice turkey. Crap roasting pot (unless you're roasting a 5lb chicken, then it's lovely).


Bob got the honours...


As dinner was served, the twinnies ran into the garden and told me that I was the worst mother ever, and that they were going to have to run away from home. My sin? Knowing that they didn't like turkey, I prepared some ham for them, cut it up nicely, and served them all their favourites on a plate.


Turns out that the twinnies wanted to serve themselves, like the adults. No problem, I took them inside, they carefully filled their plates with all of their favourite Thanksgiving yummies, and then headed outside with their plates heavy with food.

Then Katie dropped her plate...and her little heart broke. She was quickly cheered by the idea that the dogs were happy because they got to have Thanksgiving dinner, too!


I couldn't believe that we had summer-like weather in October. This was the first time in my life that it had been warm enough to eat Thanksgiving dinner outside!


Gluttony.


Elizabeth - she was thankful that I am her Mummy, and we live in Canada, and that we had the "best Thanksgiving ever".


Katherine - she was thankful for her family, and that everyone was safe and healthy.


Sarah - she was thankful that we had gone to the pumpkin patch that morning.



A happy ending.


My cup runneth over.