Pioneer Day Weekend, a.k.a. Fluid Fest 2010

It takes time to blog. And time seems to be eluding me recently. It is there, as time always is, adding to my white hairs, taking my sleep, and making my babies grow. But I can't seem to get a grasp on it. My time has been sucked into housework, reading, playing, and looking at the computer with a guilty expression.

But tonight I am back, to let you know that not much can keep me from blogging. This weekend was definitely trying what with all the yuck we were cleaning up. If it can come out of a child (or a dog), it did this weekend. We cleaned up blow-outs, diarrhea, vomit, snot, and blood. Gladly, none of our children were sick, so that means the dogs got the short straw this time around. Sadly, the dogs are not the best about making it to the bathroom. Actually, they can't even make it to the vinyl. (The carpet may need a professional cleaning again.) Oh, and I say dogs because we were dog-sitting this weekend and lucky for us, both neighbor dog and our dog got the runs.

The blood was a sad story in itself. I was chatting with Tyler on the phone in the morning and Robyn was calling me from upstairs. I heard repeated "Mom"s from upstairs and since it never fails that I will be interrupted while on the phone, I stubbornly ignored her. As I got off the phone, I finally yelled up the stairs, "You can come down and talk to me instead of just yelling my name over and over."

A more subdued voice answered, "I have a bloody nose."

Oops.

I ran upstairs. Poor Robyn was sitting on the top bunk. Her sheets were covered in blood and she had a puddle in her hands that she was diligently trying to hold. So gross, I tell you. By the time I grabbed a bowl to catch the handful of blood, it had already congealed. Seriously nasty. She pulled her hands apart and nothing moved. (Maybe I should have gotten off the phone earlier.)

Are you all grossed out yet?

Some of this weekend's fluid-fest involved potty training Daisy. Or, NOT potty training Daisy. She knows when she has gone, and asks for a diaper change, but I have failed to get her to do anything IN the potty. I think this means that she is not quite ready. I will continue to change diapers on demand, but until we get some substance in the toilet, it is not my cup of pee. It was handy that the weekend was very sunny and she spent a lot of time outside. (Easier on the carpets, since she also has not managed to go on the vinyl.)



And in the less disgusting news, Pearl has learned to roll over. I can't believe how much I love her chubby cheeks and her dimpled smile. I truthfully have not given her an over abundance of floor time, because I am either holding her or letting her flail around in the bouncer. (Man, that child can kick a blue streak.) I have noticed her thinking about rolling for a few days and today she just plopped right over.

Tonight at FHE, we also finally introduced a 'minute-to-win-it' game. I been wanting to try one out on the kids for a while. We did the "bite me" challenge where you pick up progressively smaller paper bags with only your teeth. June was our clear winner being able to do all five sizes in under 14 seconds.



Tyler was the clear loser, not being able to pick up the third bag at all.



Flexibility may not be his forte. I shamelessly got the camera out after my turn. (Although I did get all five bags.)



Earlier this weekend, neighbors brought over the biggest marshmallows I have ever seen. They didn't last long.



Tyler is apparently better at stuffing an entire mega-marshmallow in his mouth than bending over and picking up a bag with his teeth.



We all have talents somewhere.