All's Quiet on the Midwestern Front

    Well, day number one half comes to a close of watching our fun 3 nieces while Brian and Michelle are flying out west for an interview to decide what they want to do for the rest of their lives (but no pressure, there!!).      

     It's now 11:00 and the last of the little ones finally drifted off to sleep.  Overall, they

 have been wonderful.  It's been so fun to see the cousins play together have so much fun. (Bri and Chelle - your kids are so much fun - you have done a great job raising them!  - I had to say that now because who knows how it will be 4 days from now :) ).  

       This is a first for me to have care over 7 kids at one time, and it provides some 

valuable lessons... here are a few I have learned today:

 ... if you are going to be watching 7 kids, don't stay up until 2:00 in the morning the night before and then not take a nap before the other adults leave :).  (But, Chelle, the talk was worth it - it's always so much fun talking to you!)

... jumping on the tramp with the kids as the first act of the 'party weekend' sets a high precedence for what they 

expect of your participation of jumping on the tramp at all sessions in the future.

...  if you choose to jump on the tramp and do flips, please remember that your center of gravity changes a great deal between the ages of 8 and 30-something :)

... a great benefit of walking with 2 pre-schoolers:  when one gets too tired to ride the tricycle anymore, instead of having to drag it all the way back home, the one from the stroller is fresh and ready to trade places

 

     And the quote of the

day goes to Emma (8) in teaching Sarah (6) how to do a flip on the tramp, "Well, you have to jump really high, and move your body really fast, and you have to think really fast!"  

The amazing thing is that it worked - Sarah was doing flips within the hour :).