Tea Parties and Full Houses

Today felt like a dream. Okay, so the migraine sucked, and the baby-who-refused-to-sleep-last-night-resulting-in-grumpy-baby-AND-Mama wasn't too fun, but otherwise the day was perfect. This week has been terrible it seems. It's like the second school let out appropriate behavior flew out the window. Somehow, after countless threats I can't follow through on, and a bedroom with NOTHING in it my well mannered children returned.

Not one fit, tantrum, fight, yelling match, etc happened today.

My day was overbooked (some days I feel like that may be the only thing I'm truly successful at) but it managed to work out quite perfectly.

A slide, AND a play house. Evelyn had a blast!

This morning Juliana had a tea party for all the kids (9 to be exact- not counting the baby). She had dress up clothes (Evelyn wasn't interested), tea and crumpets (Evelyn wasn't interested, only wanted strawberries), and plenty to do and play with. Evelyn was super tired so she was not too sure about playing with that many kids her size, but she seemed to have a good time. Assuming of course, that I was never more than a foot or so away from her. *sigh*. We had to leave after just over an hour because she was so tired she just couldn't take the excitement anymore. She was asleep before I reached the freeway. More pictures from the successful tea party here.

I picked up the boys from Cliff's work (I gave them the option to attend the tea party but not suprisingly they chose to sit in the office at work and watch a movie) and we got home literally minutes before Tasha arrived with my beautiful niece and nephew. I was dissapointed that even with 4 kids running freely through the house Evelyn remained asleep and missed the fun but it all worked out.

The boys played Prince and Princess being chased by kidnappers; hide and seek; tag; chef; and several other games and yet they were still dissapointed when their mom returned. It was the first time they've ever really been to my house. I'm dissapointed that I'll be moving further away from them and making future play dates more difficult but today was a dream come true. My house was filled with the sound of playful giggles and my children got to spend time with their cousins.

Turned out to be a good thing because I didn't anticipate it taking that long to get home and made it home literally  minutes before my sister dropped off her 2 kids for a play-date while she got some mommy work out time. I was in heaven! 4 kids playing happily (and wonderfully loud) together. Evelyn didn't make a peep from her crib. A part of me wanted to poke her awake so her laughter could be joining in the fun as well.

After my niece and nephew left and Evelyn eventually woke up I took all the kids to get my favorite gelato and watch the fountains (at The Fountains. Very original name). Alex got smores, Isaac went for classic chocolate, and Evelyn surprised me and was in obsessed with coconut. Who would of guessed. When the gelato was melted we got up close and personal to watch the 'waterfall!'.

45 minutes, standing in the sun, still fighting off my headache. It may not be my best description off fun, but the kids had a blast. Just wish I had remembered my camera. And my sunglasses, come to think of it.

I also managed to get shopping done at 2 stores with the kids (and 4 without!), dinner ready and on the table when Cliff got home, 2 boxes packed, and some lite cleaning.

My treat to myself, I ended my errands at REI to check out lamps and try out the fivefinger shoes. Crazy comfortable, but a b*!ch to put on. If they have my size (my feet are two drastically different sizes- 'cause I'm a freak like that) at the sale tomorrow I may actually get a pair.

 It's so far past my bedtime and I'm suffering from such severe sleep deprivation that I didn't even notice as I  gave up several hours of my life to reading snarky mommy blogs. Day=productive. Night=questionable.