Swimming today!

We had a fun day yesterday!

We went to the last free movie of the summer. I was not expecting much from the move, but I was pleasantly surprised. There is always a G rated choice and a PG rated choice during the summer free movie fest. Against my better judgement I let the kids choose the PG movie, Bratz. I expected, well, brats. However this movie was about friendship, peer pressure, and re-finding friends after losing them to peer pressure. It was a good message: choose your own friends and stick by your decisions even when there is social pressure to drop them. I was even tearing up at the end of the movie. Very cute! I highly recommend it. I am not sure why it was rated PG other than a few "mean girl" moments from the movie villian, a pretty girl intent on keeping everyone in their place. It was very "high school musical" if you've see those.

Today we are heading to the gym to go swimming. We are bringing guests this time. We went swimming at a "natural swimming pool" last week with the same friends. This week we are showing them our gym. The Prince just loves hanging around their son. He will be a big first grader this year.

Two weeks and 3 days left until school starts.... :'(

Rain, rain go away!

It is supposed to be rainy here today so that means my plan for taking the kids to a free movie is on! We have only made it to one other free movie this summer. Last summer we went to about one per week. A year ago, it rained all summer long. This summer has been better, thank goodness.

There is not much else going on today. Yesteday was a busy, normal-ish day. We went to the park, got groceries, and I got all the laundry done. We have earned our easy movie day. I do still need to get into the kids' rooms, however. We are planning to have a garage sale in the near future. The kids are pretty excited about selling some of the toys that they do not use anymore and making a profit off of them. It is not a bad idea. But to really do this, I think we need to pick a date and stick to it. A deadline will help me get organized.

I bet Princess will want to have a Lemonade Stand at the garage sale too. She is quite the little entrepreneur. I am not sure even how to price things. I guess we will just guess!

A nice, normal day!

We have had a nice, normal day today. And that feels awesome! With all the traveling we have done this month, it felt really good to take the kids to the park this morning and then get groceries.

Yes, it was a little too much to do in one day and the kids made me pay for it at the grocery store, but it was good for all of us. Our time at the park is not, shall I say, a walk in the park. My kids play hard. They love the monkey bars (the Prince can do them now! Princess has been able to do them for 2 year), walking/running the trails, climbing the jungle gyms, and swinging. They play hard at the park and I encourage them to do so. We all need exercise.

Next week my plan is to get back to the gym so I can get some walking in while they play in the playroom and then let them swim. That is so good for us. Everyone comes home tired and happy. Tomorrow we are supposed to get some rain so I may take my trio to a free movie. They love going and it makes for a pretty easy morning for me.

A good day!

I took the kids to the pool again this morning - this time after I worked out for an hour. Things went a lot more smoothly. Thank goodness. The last couple of times we have gone to the pool have been nightmares. This was much, much better so we may go again tomorrow. The kids really love to swim. I love that the gym has lifejackets. Even so, I am always looking around for my three kids.

Now all three kids are up for naps. Yippee!! I am beat. DadOf3 worked until 7:00 last night. I felt bad for him because he had to work late and I felt bad for me because I could have really used a break around 5:00! Yesterday was not a bad day either. I took the kids to a free movie at the theater. It was called Doogal and it was a nice, G-rated movie. I got the kids some candy there, and let me tell you! I am going to smuggle candy in next time. It has been a while since we have gone to the movies and I think they upped the food prices again. Yikes! If they are lucky I will spring for the lemonade for the kids - but only because a big old thermos will not fit in my purse. Ha!

Horton Hears A Who - Review! (Tuesday of Sister and Nephew's Visit)

My sister and I broke Princess out of school 15 minutes early yesterday so we could take them to a matinée! I know, I am a horrible mother, but I have been to her school and I know exactly what happens during those last 15 minutes - not much! The kids make sure their stuff is in their backpacks and they sit on the carpet and listen to a story. So I guess I don't feel all that bad after all.

We took the kiddos to see Horton Hears A Who and it was one of the most enjoyable kid movies that I have seen in a long, long time! Jim Carry did a great job voicing Horton. He didn't over-do it like he does sometimes. It was a great story with a great message: A person is a person no matter how small.

The kids were really good. The Knight sat on my lap for the entire movie. We splurged for popcorn and a cheese pizza for the kids (yes, and for us too!)! It was a really neat experience!!

Checking In!

It has been another fun day in FamilyOf5Land! For the first time in three weeks, the kids and I took advantage of the free movies in our fair city. Once again it was a rainy day and we were happy to have something to do inside. See here and here and here for our other movie ventures!

Miney and Moe were none too pleased to be banished to the master bathroom (the only tiled and enclosed room) with their kitty litter, food and water while we were at the show. They were however very pleased when we came home. They have fount their "purrrs" and know how and when to use them! They were quite pitiful when we came home and made sure that we realized their neglect. Ha! These kitties are very lucky - they will be pampered and well loved for as long as they live!

The kids were the best they have ever been at the movies this summer. I wasn't even sure that we would make it to the movie this morning. We all slept in until around 8:00, DadOf3 included! Usually the Prince is up by 6:30 or 7:00, but he and the Princess were up being naughty last night. Because it is summer time, DadOf3 and I let it go unless they disturb the Knight. They were seriously up until 10:30, when DadOf3 and I headed for bed.

The kids and I saw The Rugrats Movie. It was released in 1998 so it was definitely not a new flick. It was however, quite entertaining! Everyone was into this movie. My 6 year old proclaimed as we left the theater that it was "the best movie we have ever seen!" While, I would not go that far, it was cute. It had a good message: baby brothers are not as bad as they seem.

I am half way through the new Harry Potter book. Since book 4, I have been one of the 1.5 million people who have pre-ordered the latest and greatest Harry Potter book. As with the others, I have not been disappointed this time around! I do wish I had some more time to read however. The only time I get is after everyone has gone to bed, usually 11:00 until 1:00 or 2:00 or until I fall asleep with the book on my lap. Yes, I have been dragging all week, and yes it has been worth it! I cannot wait to see what happens tonight!

Clifford's Really BIG Movie

Today is Tuesday, and that means that it was Free Movie Day here in FamilyOf5Land!

I took the Royals to see Clifford's Really Big Movie this morning. This is the third week in a row that we have done this (see here and here) and coincidentally enough, it has rained on each and every one of our movie days. Today was no exception - there is a 90% chance of rain. (They really should revise this little prediction, because it is actually raining right now. Isn't that 100%? Ha ha!) The movie theater was absolutely packed this morning. We were there really early which is good because we saved seats for some friends. One of my friends from MOPS brought her 5 year old and her 2 year old. The 2 year olds are always a challenge because they want to get down all of the time. The Knight did OK, but he was way squirmier than usual. All in all, it was a good way to spend a rainy morning.

We got a bit of relief from the rain this weekend. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were SUNNY! I am glad that we got out of the house a lot this weekend.

It is supposed to rain here on the 4th too. Our neighborhood has a 4th of July Parade every year that is pretty cute. The parade consists of anyone and everyone who wants to be in the parade! The kids decorate their bikes, the parents decorate their kids, and everyone follows a big fire truck down to the neighborhood park where the fire men/women turn their hose on everyone, and everyone gets SOAKED! We did this a couple of years ago when the Prince was a baby and he was NOT amused! The parade is at 10:00AM this year. In the past, the parade has started at 8:00. 10:00 we can do; 8:00 is pushing it.

So, if we get a break from the rain tomorrow, we will be in a parade. If not, we will hang out at home. DadOf3 may work tomorrow. He gets the day off but will work it if the weather is cruddy and we will use the holiday as a floating holiday later.

Experiment Movie Morning - Take Two

It is yet ANOTHER rainy day here in FamilyOf5Land. It does not bother me as much today because our morning activity was going to another free movie! I love movies. Before kids, I went to the movies each and every chance that I got. I love the whole "escaping reality" thing, getting lost in someone else's story. I digress...

The movie de jour was "Everyone's Hero" and it was great! I am a sucker for baseball movies. They always stir the patriotic, underdog, dream BIG ideology that bring tears to my eyes.

I thought the Prince would love it! He only thought it was OK.

I thought the Princess would be bored. She LOVED it.

I hoped the Knight would fall asleep on my lap. He didn't.

BUT they all did pretty well and Experiment Movie Morning went off without a hitch! We didn't have to visit the potties this week. We did not get and therefore did not waste a medium sized popcorn and $5. I did get them candy and I am glad that I did because it kept the Knight in my lap for the last 15 minutes of the show when he wanted to "Get in Otis, Mommy!"

Next week we may have some friends going with us! That wold be nice. Next week's movie is "Clifford's Big Movie" and the Princess is really looking forward to it!

Experiment Movie Morning

Hypothesis: MomOf3 can successfully take the Princess, the Prince, and the Knight to a movie by herself. The movie in question is Charlotte's Web. (I cannot figure out to to underline here on blogger.)

Cost:

• Hypothetically, the cost is nothing because the theater is having free kids movies this summer.
  
• Actually, the cost was $10 because I treated the kiddos to a medium popcorn and a medium lemon-aid. (Crazy theater prices!)

Experiment: There are several movie theaters around town that are showing free movies in the mornings this summer. Because taking the kids to Shrek the Third last weekend went off without a hitch, I decided to test the waters and see if I could do this by myself.

The movie started at 10:00. Because I like to be early to things like this, we left at 9:15.

That was my first mistake....

Apparently DadOf3 and I were wrong (Stop the presses!) when we assumed that there would not be a big crowd. When we arrived at the theater around 9:30, a full 1/2 hour before the movie was to begin, there was already a good sized crowd. I decided to get in line for snacks because I didn't want to have to get up in the middle of the movie to get them. I had promised the kiddos popcorn and lemon-aide just like last weekend, and I wanted to keep my word.

This was my second mistake.

In retrospect, we should have just gone in and claimed our seats. It was CROWDED. By the time we did actually get into the theater, after having to wait in the sslloowweesstt snack line ever, I could not find 3 seats together.

After scanning the entire theater, I saw two seats together and ran for them, hollering to the Princess and the Prince to follow me. They were carrying the popcorn and the lemon-aide so they could only move so fast, but we got the seats!! I asked the Prince and the Princess to sit down and told them that I would find a seat behind them. I did find one, two rows behind them, but it was fairly close to them. It actually worked out OK because I could see their every move from where I was sitting.

After telling the Prince and the Princess several times to not under any circumstance get up during the movie, I sat down with the Knight on my lap, and we made it through 45 minutes of the movie before the Prince decided he needed to go potty.

Because there was no way I was going to leave the Princess in the theater by herself, I herded all three kids to the potty.

This was my third mistake. Let's just say that it was not the emergency potty break that I was lead to believe....

When we arrived at the potties, both the Prince and the Princess said that they no longer had to go.

My thoughts: "Oh no you don't! We are here and you are going to go!"

I didn't say that out loud though... I politely requested that the Princess and the Prince each go potty since we were there anyway. Princess complied, but the Prince had a minor meltdown. After that passed, they both ended up using the potty, and we headed back to the theater, crossing our fingers and hoping to get our original seats back.

When we got to the isle where the Prince and the Princess had been sitting, the Prince refused to go in. I had Princess go sit down and took the Prince to sit with the Knight and me.

The seat I had procured for us was actually in a handicapped accessible row. There was an empty space right next to us intended for a wheelchair. Because I had one seat for the three of us, I had the Knight sit on one knee and the Prince sit on the other knee. After a while, Princess turned around and asked if she could come back too. Of course I said yes. She and the Prince took turns standing next to the chair and sitting on my lap through the rest of the movie.

We made it all the way to then end of the movie!

Conclusion: We will definitely do this again with some minor adjustments.

1. We will go a LOT earlier next time.
2. We will get three seats!
   
3. We will not get popcorn. The kids ate very little and I don't need it!
4. We will get lemon-aide. They did a great job sharing.
5. We will invite friends to go with us so if there is a need for a bathroom break, we can divide and conquer!
6. If all goes well next time, we will attempt to shop afterwards!
   

All in all, I feel like this was a successful outing!

Shrek the Third With Three Rug Rats!

Question: Is it possible to go to a movie (Shrek the Third) with a 5 year old, a 3 year old and a 2 year old without anyone having a meltdown and without anyone having to take a bathroom break?

Answer: YES!

DadOf3 and I took the Princess, the Prince, and the Knight to the 11:25 matinée of Shrek the Third this morning. A good time was had by all! I didn't think the Knight would be able to sit through the entire movie, but he did! The popcorn and lemon aid helped too, I am sure, as did remembering the Knight's Bubba! The Princess and the Prince did awesome! It was a terrific movie that I highly recommend! Next week there are free movies being played for the kids. I think we are going to check one of those out too. Wish us luck!