Lyra sharing chicken and pilaf with Jake

Caleb got an email last night letting us know the dogs’ itinerary. They will be kennelled for two days and then arrive a day after us. It dampened my mood, but the hour-long conversation before bed cheered me up – or so I thought. I went to bed last night and slept in until 9:30, even though Robert got here at 6:30. The puppies stayed in the room to keep me company and Caleb has proof of my laziness, or procrastination in wanting to deal with what today has to bring.

the clock in the shop

When I got up Lyra was eating Cheerios and putting gloves on her feet. I had some leftover oatmeal with peanut butter and Caleb decided to wear his nuts instead of eat them. The nieces seem to bring out his inner child. We made a shopping list – flax-seed for waffles and whatever we wanted for dinner. We went to the Good Food Store with Robert and decided on Italian spaghetti – sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives, with parmesan cheese, noodles, and minced garlic from Robert’s, with eggs and mushrooms from his fridge. We also picked up rice pilaf, refried beans, and a can of chicken from Robert’s to have for lunch.

Jake modelling the base of his cup

Lyra enjoyed the chicken, but didn’t want the peas from the pilaf with it – good thing her and Jake were sharing. Caleb went into the shop to finish his cup – put handle on, sign the bottom – and I left the men alone while I walked with Lyra to pick up Sammi from school. We arrived 20 minutes early and went to the playground. We went to the small playscape and each got a slide, then I sat in a spinning chair and once I got myself going I couldn’t stop and told Lyra to get back because I would have to jump out.

Caleb scraping his cup

While the wood chips were still spinning she was asking me to come pick her up and swing her. She wanted to go really high. We went to the tall blue slide where she wanted me to take pictures of her sliding down and we did that until the older kids came over, then went to the big swings where we stayed until I thought of Sammi. We were having so much fun and when we made it to the front of the school the principal had already finished her conversation with Jake, but mistook me for Jessi and kindly re-explained Sammi’s day.

We’re off to see the playground…

I thanked her and as we walked away Jake told me how he realized the awkwardness of that and tried to apologise, but I’m ok. The girls picked up some seed pods on the way home. Caleb got on Sammi’s bike, using his knees to peddle with, and put on her triceratops helmet. Lyra wanted a turn and Caleb had to hold her up. The current way to train your kids off training wheels is to take the pedals off their bike until they learn to balance – this way they fall off going slower.

Lyra on the big blue slide

Well of course Sammi didn’t want Lyra on her bike so we found her red tricycle that she could ride around the yard sans helmet. Lyra found a large foldable frisbee and played fetch with Caleb in the backyard. Then, for whatever reason, the man cutting trees away from power lines next door got Piggy’s attention and she started barking at him. This is two days in a row. She’s setting her own personal record.

Lyra watching her shadow on the swing

Jake played with the girls outside while the rest of us sat around the table. They had fun watering the plants and gardens, playing on the neighbor’s longboard, and being owls keeping their feathers wet in the lawn sprinkler. I helped dry them off when they started getting cold. Jake’s mom stopped by the back door and was gone without a hello, then Jake left to spend a night out with Jessi. We got the girls into their jammies even though it was only 5pm – they weren’t going anywhere for the rest of the evening.

Caleb holding up Lyra on Sammi’s bike

Father and son made dinner for the ladies. The girls got buttered noodles with cheese that they pretended were worms and that they were T-rex’s eating them. It takes a lot of worms to fill such a big dinosaur and both had seconds if not thirds. After dinner the girls ‘fished’ (jumped off the couch towards things on the floor – clothes and toys) while we cleaned up the table and kitchen.

Despite all my cuteness I am still just a girl ‘in’ a screen

I read a fruit and vegetable book to the girls, and learned about spicy papaya seeds, while Caleb and Robert went to Dairy Queen – vanilla for the girls, strawberry cheesecake for me, chocolate turtle for Robert, and a strawberry sundae waffle cone for Caleb. I had told Sammi to wait on dessert, but she was determined to finish her carrot (a foot long snack from earlier) and who am I to deny a child willing to eat vegetables. We had Lyra convinced that she was eating cauliflower ice cream – something I want to try.

a wet owl and her shadow

Of course after dessert the girls have more energy to burn. They are on and off the couch and Sammi is giving Lyra piggyback rides. Caleb took Robert home while I got the girls ready for bed. I got Sammi to use toothpaste because it helps keep the night bugs off. I helped Lyra brush hers and it was cute to watch her try to spit into the sink. Sammi showed me her My Little Pony collection and told me each one of their names – all unique and creative.

dinner!

Caleb walked in and let me know that the host couple would be home soon and I should try to beat the clock and get the girls to sleep. It was 9:30 and I talked them into laying down. The rule (as determined by Sammi) was that I had to snuggle with Lyra and have conversation time with her. We played the alphabet game – Sammi asking me and Lyra to name something that started with the next letter. I would pick a word and then whisper an answer into Lyra’s ear – usually a bigger word. It was adorable to hear her soft voice.

a T-rex eating a worm

I heard the adults in the living room before Sammi did, but it didn’t take her long to peek (get out of bed and look around the corner) and see what was going on. She assured me it was easy as she had done it before when she got in trouble. As soon as she announced that mommy and daddy were home Lyra jumped out of bed and went running to the couch. We talked for a moment longer and then the family was off to bed. I suggested we do the same. We should have another full day tomorrow – and an early one so that we can make waffles!

a T-rex with a long arm