ExplorerKids

The days started out beautifully. We got a nice skype call from my family. Nothing like waking up to your Skype ringing! Then a nice windy storm came through with little rain. It was so cool and breezy we opened all the windows and let it rip through the house. I didn't get hot or sweaty at all today! This weekend was Vasek Day (which is the celebration for Buddha's birthday) and the schools were closed today to recognize it. We wanted to go to the Science Centre, but wouldn't you know, it's one of the only days its actually closed all year! So with kids barking in my ear with "what are we going to do?" questions, we came up with a quick alternative. It's a place called ExplorerKids. And let me just tell you it looks a LOT cooler than it actually was. They had two fun things. This bubble ball pit:

It was all lit up with lights and really did look like bubbles. Kai was a little nervous at first but did start to get into it. Luckily this place wasn't very busy. Which is a shocking statement on a public holiday. So that should tell you something. I'm thinking its because its so expensive. Had I known, I wouldn't have gone. Lets just say transparency isn't their strong suit. But at least it made for a lot more room to play.

 There was this climbing wall but instead of going up, you were supposed to climb sideways. That took a bit for the boys to figure out.

 Cache did an awful lot of this:                                                          And Ronin climbed only in this one spot:

 Kai mostly walked around wondering what was going on and then got into the ball pit a few times. He screamed some too. We only stayed and hour and then went to lunch. Which the boys breezed through and then they wanted to go to the toy store to spend their birthday money which has been burning a hole in their pocket since they received it.

 We ended up confused about which bus to take which caused us to cross the street three times and walk a bit, but the boys were surprisingly good on our long bus ride. Probably because they were so tired of walking. Kai thought it was the greatest thing, being on a bus. It was his first time. Then we almost missed our stop because I was chatting. *sigh* The sweet bus driver stopped and waved to the back of the bus (and I mean the very last row) to get our attention so we could get off. Then everyone watched us as we gathered our things and made a hasty exit. I am sure they think we are lame Americans. But then again, they would be correct in that assumption ; )

Luckily we did make it home in one piece and still had some time to play with friends before sitting down to a yummy dinner of ginger stirfry made by the lovely Analyn. There is no way I would have been able to pull today off without her. She stayed home with Levi so I could focus on the other boys. We would have been stuck in the house all day dealing with babies and naps without her (which is what we used to do!) Today felt a lot like the old days in Queens where you are out doing activities in the city and you arrive home later than you had wanted. And after packing kids around all day you are just so exhausted you can't see straight and you just wish you could skip dinner and just go straight to bed. But kids are crying and fighting cause they are so hungry and you have to scrape together something that they complain is just disgusting and you yell yourself into an oblivion getting everyone down for the night. Well, none of that happened with Analyn here. Or at least not all of it. There was still some fighting, but less yelling and the kids ate two servings of dinner instead of making me feel worthless at cooking. I love avoiding that at all costs. Even if its someone else that is the good cook and not me. At least the kids are eating! And they are eating so well, I am actually having to buy more food than I used to. I feel a shift coming on. No more little kids in this house. Our boys are actually getting appetites! Heaven help us when they become teenagers!

And today ended just about as lovely as it started. Which is always so nice and gives you a bit of hope for the day to come. If only I could get to bed on time, I might be rested enough to have another great day tomorrow.  Happy Vasek day!