Mum bought me and the twins some garden decorations: a frog and a cat each having wobbly heads and two little do dads. I let the twins place them in the garden. I said that they could put them anywhere they would like. This was the result:
Tuesday, March 31
Garden Gnomes
I have five gardens. Not that they are vast, but there is more than enough room to place a garden gnome or two.
Mum bought me and the twins some garden decorations: a frog and a cat each having wobbly heads and two little do dads. I let the twins place them in the garden. I said that they could put them anywhere they would like. This was the result:
Mum bought me and the twins some garden decorations: a frog and a cat each having wobbly heads and two little do dads. I let the twins place them in the garden. I said that they could put them anywhere they would like. This was the result:
Monday, March 30
The Gospel According To Elizabeth
We went to church yesterday. Mum took the kids to Sunday school and they learned about Easter. At dinner, Bethie gave us a summation of all she learned. Here's Bethie's version of the Easter story:
The man broke the bread and became Jesus. He had many followers who were jealous of him. That's why they wanted to hurt and kill him. When they succeeded in this task, they wrapped him up and locked him in a polar bear cave. Jesus is very scared of polar bears! The women came twice looking for his body but the bad guys had taken it to Heaven. In Heaven, God lets Jesus eat chocolate and watch Dora DVDs well past his bedtime.
Bethie then wanted to know if she was dying. She also wanted to know if Sam's (the little boy at daycare) followers were going to hurt him. At one point, Katie yelled at me "Why don't you love God?!". I said "I do love God.". She asked "Then why do you say "Jesus!"?".
Whatever happened to discussing butterflies and hopscotch at dinner? Needless to say, we will not be going back to church until after Easter.
The man broke the bread and became Jesus. He had many followers who were jealous of him. That's why they wanted to hurt and kill him. When they succeeded in this task, they wrapped him up and locked him in a polar bear cave. Jesus is very scared of polar bears! The women came twice looking for his body but the bad guys had taken it to Heaven. In Heaven, God lets Jesus eat chocolate and watch Dora DVDs well past his bedtime.
Bethie then wanted to know if she was dying. She also wanted to know if Sam's (the little boy at daycare) followers were going to hurt him. At one point, Katie yelled at me "Why don't you love God?!". I said "I do love God.". She asked "Then why do you say "Jesus!"?".
Whatever happened to discussing butterflies and hopscotch at dinner? Needless to say, we will not be going back to church until after Easter.
Friday, March 27
Cereal With Winston Churchill
There was an almighty battle between me and Bethie this morning. We both channelled Winston Churchill. I thought : "Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival". Bethie's mantra was "Never, never, never give up".
It started off innocently enough. I said "Good morning, babies. Let's go and get some breakfast". Katie thought this was an excellent idea, Bethie saw this as a Call to Arms. She would, under no circumstances, come downstairs. After an hour and a half of me pleading, begging, bribing, and threatening (yup, threatening), there was no movement. She would periodically shout down demands like "Carry me downstairs!" or "Change the program Katie is watching!". I was becoming desperate. Finally, I said with all the conviction I could muster "If you don't come down here by the time I count to 3, I will haul you over my shoulders like a sack of potatoes and take you to Emilie's in you pajamas and without any breakfast!". Nothing. I called Dan at work hoping for some advice or support. He said as though it were painfully clear "Just carry her downstairs". Although I was losing, I would be damned if I was going to carry that child downstairs.
Then I heard something. I held my breath. She was coming downstairs. I didn't want to jinx it so I just froze. She came almost all the way down. Bethie said "Pick me up". And do you know what I did? Yup, I picked up the child and carried her the rest of the way downstairs. Good ol' Winston also said "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm". That basically sums up my parenting experience.
It started off innocently enough. I said "Good morning, babies. Let's go and get some breakfast". Katie thought this was an excellent idea, Bethie saw this as a Call to Arms. She would, under no circumstances, come downstairs. After an hour and a half of me pleading, begging, bribing, and threatening (yup, threatening), there was no movement. She would periodically shout down demands like "Carry me downstairs!" or "Change the program Katie is watching!". I was becoming desperate. Finally, I said with all the conviction I could muster "If you don't come down here by the time I count to 3, I will haul you over my shoulders like a sack of potatoes and take you to Emilie's in you pajamas and without any breakfast!". Nothing. I called Dan at work hoping for some advice or support. He said as though it were painfully clear "Just carry her downstairs". Although I was losing, I would be damned if I was going to carry that child downstairs.
Then I heard something. I held my breath. She was coming downstairs. I didn't want to jinx it so I just froze. She came almost all the way down. Bethie said "Pick me up". And do you know what I did? Yup, I picked up the child and carried her the rest of the way downstairs. Good ol' Winston also said "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm". That basically sums up my parenting experience.
Monday, March 23
"Springtime"
Technically, it's spring. It was a wee bit chilly on Sunday, but we decided to take the kids out and run them. We walked to the local park, which they call the "Emilie Park".
Sarah got her first ride on the swing. Didn't enjoy it as much as I had thought she would. Bethie quite liked having Sarah in the swing next to her.
Katie wanted to push Sarah. That was fun until I was told to take Sarah out and put her in!
We all took turns raking the lawn. Bethie is pictured. Dan took down the Christmas lights (Dad, apparently one doesn't have to wait until July!)
The twins dug up my garden while I finished the raking. Katie was tired by this point and needed to sit on my rock while she dug.I tried to explain to them that the plants aren't dead, they are dormant. Therefore, don't dig them up or walk on them. I need to have the same discussion with the mail man!
A Cherry With A Stick
Bethie needed to have "cherry ice cream". We bought her vanilla ice cream and put a cherry on it. NO! We bought cherry ice cream. NO! She demanded to have "cherry ice cream with a stick". I was stumped. Until she was watching Toopy and Binou and saw a cartoon ice cream sundae and frantically pointed it out to me. That was my "aha" moment.
I spent Saturday morning on the Internet trying to find a restaurant that would serve a sundae with a cherry with a stick. I ended up calling Perkins and speaking to the 17 year old male "chef".
Me: "I saw a picture on the Internet of sundaes at Perkins. The cherries have stems. Is that just the ad or can I really get a cherry with a stem?"
Teen: "Huh?"
Me: "It's terribly important to me that I have a cherry with a stem on an ice cream. Do you have cherries with stems?"
Teen: "We have them with or without stems" (what variety offered by Perkins!)
Me: "If I came today, could I get a cherry with a stem?"
Teen: (not sensing the importance of this moment) "Yeah".
Triumphant! Bethie and her "cherry ice cream"!
Katie got one, too!
Bethie was kind enough to share her ice cream with Granny.
Katie didn't share with anyone!
I spent Saturday morning on the Internet trying to find a restaurant that would serve a sundae with a cherry with a stick. I ended up calling Perkins and speaking to the 17 year old male "chef".
Me: "I saw a picture on the Internet of sundaes at Perkins. The cherries have stems. Is that just the ad or can I really get a cherry with a stem?"
Teen: "Huh?"
Me: "It's terribly important to me that I have a cherry with a stem on an ice cream. Do you have cherries with stems?"
Teen: "We have them with or without stems" (what variety offered by Perkins!)
Me: "If I came today, could I get a cherry with a stem?"
Teen: (not sensing the importance of this moment) "Yeah".
Triumphant! Bethie and her "cherry ice cream"!
Katie got one, too!
Bethie was kind enough to share her ice cream with Granny.
Katie didn't share with anyone!Tuesday, March 17
The Dance Recital
Katie in her element! 
Bethie loves the ribbons.
Katie in the foreground, Bethie in the background.
Bethie (left) and Katie. Everyone was supposed to go one at a time. Just like the rest of my family, the girls don't believe that rules apply to them.
Katie (left) and Bethie
Head and Shoulders is a big hit. Bethie (left) and Katie.
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