Super Busy Day Off

Thanks to a teacher convention, we had yesterday and today off of school. I love days off of school. I asked my friend Jen and her girls to come play and even though they had already had a busy morning they wanted to field trip with us. After much debate amongst the little ones, they decided on the children's museum, as long as they could get McDonalds. After the happy meals were done we hopped on the road to Chicagoland.

Once we arrived, the baby needed a feed and a change so the rest of us headed off to the water room. The kids were soaked and adorable but I didn't dare pull out the camera since I had five little monkeys to keep an eye on.

After the baby was full and clean Jen joined us and the cameras came out. I am only showing you 1/3 of the pics I took and still there are way too many pictures ahead. If it looks like I took more pictures of Chloe than the others, well, I probably did. She usually comes along in the stroller but doesn't play much. This time the stroller stayed in the car and she was running with the big dogs. (that was for you Val)

Welcome to the Children's Museum

Here we are at the house building station. Alyssa is sending beanbag shingles up to the roof with this ramp. When they get to the top they go down another ramp and fall into the waiting wheelbarrow of another worker who then returns them to Alyssa. Mimi was faithfully catching and returning shingles...

See Mimi's little wheelbarrow in the background? Poor Chloe wanted to catch shingles too. She stood patiently but they never came her way. Instead of telling her that she had to be under the ramp to catch shingles I just took a picture.

Off to Potbelly sandwich shop....Mmmmm...too bad the food is all rubber. Alex was the sandwich artist.

Alyssa was on clean up...there's something you don't see everyday, scratch that...EVER!

Chloe manned the cash register. She was trying to swipe the cash through the credit card slot. Also, look closely in the background and you will see Jen snapping away at her cute baby. I am not the only one who was a bit camera happy.

Chloe made sure the pickles were filed away correctly in the till.

In the dolly daycare poor Chloe was too slow and all the babies got snatched up. Every time someone would set their baby down in bed, or for a diaper change Chloe would try to kidnap it. I think another mom felt bad because she made her son put down his baby and scooted him on to another room. Hooray, I got my baby!

Over in the vet's office Alyssa was in her element.

How does she sound Alyssa?

Alex worked the receptionist desk which apparently requires a stethoscope.

And here's Chloe! Jen and I were wondering if purchasing a real kennel for the kids to play in would be a good idea? What do you think?

On to the grocery store where Alyssa took up her post as a cashier.

Alex filled his basket in about 47 seconds.

Chloe walked around looking cute.

And finally decided on lots and lots of canned goods.

Off to checkout

How funny is a shopping baby?

An overhead announcement invited us to make vegetable soup out of construction paper in the project room. Sounded lame to me, but the kids jumped on it.

At this point we put the cameras away for a stretch but we did have to pull them out one more time to grab a picture of the kids with their faces painted. Chloe and Alyssa did their own. I tried to help Alex become Spiderman. I am sorry if he is frightening you.

After we were all tuckered out and had seen every square inch of the museum we headed over to get a treat. They used to have a yummy pretzel place in the museum but they changed it to some perfectly useless cafe. So we headed down the street to Steak and Shake for milkshakes and fries.

Doesn't this picture just scream...I HAD AN AWESOME DAY!

We finally headed home right before 5:00 and the rain and rush hour (with construction)decided to join us. It was a LONG, SLOW, WHINY ride home. The kids seemed to forget instantly how much fun they'd been having and Chloe seemed to remember that she is supposed to get a nap and that going without it made her screaming MAD. We made it back to Jen's house at 6:40. Jen and I were supposed to be at a skin care party at 6:30. Seth met me at Jen's and took the kids home so that we could run to our next gig. The poor baby got dragged along in her carseat again. After some facials that included something that looked and felt like super glue on my face, I spent too much money on skin care. I do that A LOT because my skin is really dry and I am desperately trying to find a solution for the flakes. I will say that my skin stayed flake free the rest of the night. Usually I can make it about 10 minutes without flakes. I had a few this morning but not too bad. So I am hopeful, as usual, but ask me again in a few weeks.

And with that, my day was over.

Are you tired yet? I was.

Don't worry, yesterday we did our "day off" the busy way, and today we are doing it the lazy way.