I’d just like to take a minute to point out
to all of those global warming – I mean climate change – nuts that there can’t
possibly be global warming when there is record snowfall and cold records being
set this winter!
Oh wait, it was in the seventies today, a
beautiful, sunny spring day – in the first week of March. Sure, that might be
on the cool side for this time of year in the Caribbean; but we’re not
there. That would be nice, but then we
are going to be heading south in a week; so I don’t need to go there – and you
get my actual point here despite the side-trip.
I’m just amused that those people who feel the need to put their two
cents’ worth in on one side of that debate or the other only seem to get really
vocal when the weather is in favor of their arguments.
That’s enough of a rant for one update; and
I don’t really want to mess with what’s been one of those really great days.
Happy 31st Birthday, Uncle Adam!
I should have started out this report with
that; but couldn’t resist going with the weather and climate jibe instead. ;^)
I didn’t have anything to do with Uncle
Adam’s birthday fun this morning, since we were busy with chores at home after
breakfast, but as the temperature climbed; our interest in a major work day
fell radically and we decided to blow of the extra work plans by
lunchtime. Instead of doing that, we had
a little barbeque lunch with Uncle Adam, Aunt Leanne, and Zack; and then played
all afternoon. Biking, playing at the
park, and an ice cream run to the Emporium were all part of the fun; and
Michael joined us for some of that while on his afternoon break. Since quite a few of their friends were
working until stores closed or the farming was done for the day, Uncle Adam’s
dinner party at the Inn didn’t start until six-thirty. That gave us lots of warm and sun time to
play; and then we split up to get ready for dinner – and for a night out at
Sheldon’s for the adults that were going there after dinner.
It was really awesome to have the kids
going out to dinner this time too; though I was also on kid control while we
were at the Inn too – with some help from Rowen and Tim. Michael was helping out in the kitchen; but
took his break to eat with us once most of the dinners had been served for our
group. Aunt Leanne had booked a bit more
than a third of the seating available; so the dining room was pretty much full
with our group and the usual Saturday night crowd. While I was busy with the younger kids, Uncle
Adam had fun with Aunt Leanne and our family and their friends. The kids and teens were mostly out of the
loop for most of the birthday fun and roasting; though we did get in on the
birthday song; and Zack was very entertaining when he helped his father out
with opening gifts and getting into the cake before the candles were blown out.
Uncle Adam blew his wish by saying it out
loud; but then he got the clean-up help he needed after some of Zack’s
adventures with birthday cake ended up on both of them. He also needed to go home and get changed
before going on to the pub, but let’s not go into any details about that. I had more information than I needed about
that when Mom and Dad told us that he and Aunt Leanne were late getting to the
pub and arrived wearing very suspicious smiles to go along with his new shirt,
tie, and pants.
I really shouldn’t let my thoughts wander
in that direction. Michael is in his
usual guest bedroom on the second floor; and I might be too tempted to go down
there and cuddle with him for the rest of the night. It certainly isn’t as if we got to have any
major make-out time while babysitting until Mom and Dad got home.
When we came home from the Inn, our group
of kids included Ethan and Ehlana, Zack and Leah, Naomi and Eli, and Aiden and
Hailey. Sebastian went home with Grandma
and Grandpa Ayres, and Caleb was with Pastor John and Stacey for a few hours;
mostly because Mom and Dad decided that we had enough younger kids to watch
with eight. They were right about that;
which is why Rowen, Tim, Michael, and I were worn out by the time Mom and Dad
got home at around two. From
eight-thirty until ten-thirty the kids had us running around playing games and
goofing off. Michael joined us about
half-way through that fun once the Inn was closed for the night. A wind-down movie in the lounge followed, but
that only put half of our kids off to sleep – and that didn’t include Zack and
Eli.
Note to me – think twice about taking
babysitting jobs on nights when those two boys have overdosed on chocolate cake
and other sweets. They’re a bit scary
when in that condition.
Now you’re likely wondering which of the
slightly older kids did conk out instead.
That’d be Ethan and Naomi – while cuddling together under a blanket and
on a shared pillow. Yes, we could have taken
them downstairs and off to bed after that, but they were too cute; and it was
more fun to let Mom and Dad see them in that condition first before splitting
them up and taking them to bed after that.
Leah and Hailey were sleeping first, and Rowen and I did put them to bed
in Violet’s room; but Ehlana and Aiden didn’t run out of steam until
twelve-thirty; and it was closer to one-thirty before we finally got Zack and
Eli sleeping and then in bed after they fought it every step of the way – and nearly
won.
Ehlana and Aiden weren’t in bed then, but
they were sleeping next to each other on the sofa in the lounge; and we had
enough time to get everything cleaned up before Mom and Dad got home. We did those last four kid moves shortly
after they took pictures; had a little recap chat with them; and then Rowen and
I took a bit of time to say goodnight to our respective boyfriends before
meeting up in my room at two-thirty. We
were tucked into bed with Mandy fifteen minutes after that; and have been
chatting and doing our usual computer work or playing since then to give us
something to do instead of sneaking downstairs to be with our boys. Rowen would like to go and be with Tim as
much as I’d like to be with Michael – and she also pointed out that there’s
something wrong with the fact that my little brother had more cuddle time with
Naomi than any of the four teens in this house had tonight.
If I listen closely, I can hear a ‘that’s
my boy’ and a ‘that’s my girl’ coming from Dad and Liz as they read this someday
in the future. ;^)
And then there’s Aunt Leanne saying
something about needing to get me away from my parents more often. I’m sorry, but despite my best intentions; I
never seem to do as well as I’d like when it comes to getting the fun side of
my priorities balanced with the work and responsibilities. Trust me – it isn’t all because of Mom and
Dad’s influence on me. It’s also just
part of who I am; and I’ll live with it since I pretty much have to do that
anyway.
For right now, though, I don’t have
anything else to add to this update; and laying back and watching dumb YouTube
videos with Rowen until we fall asleep sounds like more fun that writing in my
journal; so that’s it for now; and, until next time...
...May the Magi Force be with you!
