Our Weekend Thus Far

Well, we have had a nice one. Besides the fact that I was awakened a short time ago to horrendous, gut wrenching screams (it was Jock. They had all slept in the Rec Room last night and some of them slept on the hide-a-bed) coming from the Rec Room. I came down here to find the other three kids jumping on Jock as he laid on the hide-a-bed. As I type this, they are still having pillow fights and screeching loudly. Stud left to play guitar at church and we all just slept in. He has to take Jock to hockey practise later, so needed to leave early. We have one driveable vehicle right now (more on that later, possibly) and it would not have worked for us all to go at different times like we need to the mornings that Stud plays guitar.

So Friday night has become Stud and I's weekly "date night". This past Friday, we decided to stay home with the kids and order pizza and have a "Family Night". They were thrilled and we all had a great time. We watched "Hoodwinked" because Stud had not seen it yet and we all wanted to watch it together before we mail it back to Netflix. We also did a little activity that we have done sometimes. We write down a few things we admire or like about each other and then read them out loud. The kids LOVE IT and it is really fun to see what they think of each other, etc.

So I am going to share here what everyone said about me. I like to hear these things too:)

Stud said ~

1. Is a good Mom.

2. Cares about others.

3. Is doing good trying to stay in shape and lose weight.


Brain said ~

1. Listens to people.

2. Has her own cute language.

3. Great job raising kids.


Jock said ~

1. I love you SOOOOOOO Much!

2. You are so nice!

3. You take insults very well. You are good at shining the light about Jesus.

4. You are AWESOME!!!

Clown said ~

1. I love you.

2. You're a good sport when we play games.

3. You're good at playing games with me.



Princess said ~


1. You're good at tea parties.

2. You wear pretty clothes.

3. You are good at taking me places.

4. You are good at playing games with me.


So there you have it. I will ask their permission to post what they said about each other at some point. It is so cute to see what they think about each other:)

So then yesterday we slept late and had a lazy morning. Then we took them to the zoo. We have not been since Spring and Stud has not been in a few years, likely. We had a wonderful time, aside from me standing in line for 25 minutes (no exageration, Stud timed it!) to buy a $4 bottle of water and a $7 chicken wrap. Other than that, and Jock having to go sit on a bench for a while for not keeping his attitude in check, it was lovely.

Some people truly amaze me, though. There are all kinds of prime spots to take photos, at this zoo. Cool climbing trees, fun statues of animals, etc. So when we are taking pics of our kids at these places and other kids come along, we hurry so the other people don't have to wait. We believe in taking turns and having consideration for others.

Apparently this is lost on the majority of the population??


There is this one awesome tree right outside the gift shop. Every time we are there, we like to take pictures of the kids. Then we can compare and see how big they are getting, etc etc. We have some CUTE ones of when we only had Brain and Jock and they have on little leopard masks they just got at the gift shop or whatever, you know. So yesterday we got to the tree and no one was on our favourite branch. We were struggling to get the kids to focus and get ready. We told them to just co-operate because others would be along soon to want the branch. We got some good shots and there was a little 2 or 3 year old on another branch. We had made a few comments as we were taking the pictures how yes, they can go on that branch soon. Let's just let him have his turn, his Dad just put him up there. After about five minutes on "our" branch, we got off and were waiting under and near this other one. By now, this kid's parents had wandered away and just left him. His Dad was doing something with his younger sibling way far away and his mother just left him up there and went to the bathroom.

A man was also waiting with is two kids. He made a few comments about how they needed to wait. This kid just sat up there and then started making horrible faces and sounds in his throat. Pretty soon, he began to spit huge wads of gob onto the ground. Many, many times. I think we were all just standing there with our jaws dropped, in shock. Little boys spit, it just happens. But why were his parents not around and paying attention?? Do they not teach him this is not acceptable, especially in this setting?? He was almost spitting on people's heads as they walked under the branch he was on??? He would have, except they realised what was going on and dodged the spit in time.

Jock was playing and not paying attention and was coming toward us when I was trying to let him know discreetly to be careful where he walked, because there likely a pool on the ground, and not to get hit from above with some. I knew he would FREAK OUT if he got slobber all over him. Who could blame him?? How disgusting is this???

I glanced toward the Dad, who was glancing up sometimes. He just sat there. A line was forming, of kids who wanted to get on the branch. He and his wife weren't even taking pictures or anything, their little boy was just sitting up there. Spitting. All the rest of us had our cameras out and were trying to be patient.

We finally just left. How rude is that, though??














THEN. They love to go to these Lion statues and get their pictures taken. So we try to get some of them each alone and then some with Stud and I with them. As we were taking a few of Princess, I think it was, some little 2 year old girl came running up. I have no problem with that, it is public property, there for all of us to share. She has every right to climb on it, and play and invesigate. That is what children do. I DO have a problem with it, when parents are beaming proudly from far away, thinking that their kid is SO CUTE, that I MUST want her in the photos of my children too?? I mean, this kid was CUTE. VERY CUTE. However, I am trying to take photos of MY kids, I don't want your kid in the shot. I am sure you don't want me posting pictures of your kid on my blog, either. Give me 20 more seconds, let me get the shots I want and then your cute little kid can climb to her hearts content. Ya know??










Then we went to this place called "Willawong Station" that they added a few years ago. You go in and feed birds from birdseed that is glued to popsicle sticks. They just fly all around and are so pretty and it is very fun. The kids had a blast last time we went and Stud had not done it yet. They were most excited to show this to their Dad. The first fifteen minutes or so that we were in there, these silly birds were not hungry or something. They could care less about any food. The kids were getting discoured and wanted to leave.


Finally, Stud was getting a few to eat off of his and he would lower it down so that our kids would be able to enjoy feeding them also. Some other kids were so desperate to get birds to eat off of their sticks that they were shoving people around and being very rude. Their parents were nowhere to be seen. Later, as time went on, we were more successful in getting birds to eat from our sticks. I was mostly trying to take pictures and Stud was videoing at the same he had birds all around him:) He and Brain seemed to have a knack for getting them. So Brain would get them on his stick and lower it down for Clown and Princess to also share. He was being very sweet.

One of the kids was feeding one and some kids around 8 years old were shyly trying to put their stick there too. You really do get desperate and when you see someone who has gotten a bird to eat from their stick, it is hard not to rush over and shove your stick in there too! LOL So this little guy was doing that and his mother stopped him. I told her it was fine, my kids did not mind sharing, they know how it feels. They agreed and this little boy seemed so grateful! The mother and I got talking and were saying how rude and forceful some people are and she said some ADULTS were shoving her little boy out of the way when they were trying to view the Lion!?!? WHAT IS UP WITH THAT!?!? Grown people, pushing a little kid around at the zoo?? Disgusting.














Stud multi-tasking. Note the depserate little hands, impatient for him to lower the bird down! LOL



Alright, Princess is waiting for a tea party with me. Stud is possibly taking Brain and Jock to a movie later this afternoon, after Jock's hockey practise and before Stud's evaluation skate to be placed on his own team.

Hope everyone else is having a wonderful weekend!