Monday, January 30, 2012 Nap time and Popeye

     Well, you won't be doing these naps much longer!  Four and 1/2 years old, almost in kindergarten!  Just got back form a fun morning at Mosely Woods with Ruby, Cuddles and Daisy.  We walked with Jan and Bailey for a while and then we played on the playground equipment.  I got cold standing around so we left and went in search of hot chocolate all over downtown Newburyport.  Hot chocolate with marshmallows.  We finally found it in Cafe Di Siena , my favorite cafe!  You both used the restroom for the first time without my supervising (at leas in a public place that is)  So from there we went to Kmart to try to buy new gloves since there was a sale on winter clothes.  Last week, your mom asked me to look out for snow pants and i found two really cool snowsuits, one in a second hand place, the Children's Orchard where we get pirate hats again from their treasure chest, a yellow snowmobile suit that Dylan loved and Noah showed no interest in it until he saw Dylan wearing it and ever since then has been cajoling him into letting him wear it.  Dylan has kindly acquiesced.  I found a Lightning McQueen racer snowsuit at Kmart that Noah liked but still preferred Dylan's.  Today you both picked out hats and matching mitten sets.  Dylan picked a Spongebob motif set and Noah latched onto a tightly fitting race car/ mohawk style butt ugly hat with the number 95.
     We had a great time this weekend.  Your dad came over Saturday for lunch and stayed until Monday morning when he left for work.  After lunch, your dad had to help George move some furniture so you guys napped and then me and Uncle Joe took you for a long walk through the Common Pasture.  We followed the trail through the woods, came back through the fields which were very wet and cut through a house on Doe Run.  We did the same thing on Thursday when you were here.  You loved it!   But Thursday, we stayed on the field or maybe it was last Monday because Dylan was tired. Ended up having a slight fever later.  We had to cut our walk short.  Ruby was recovering from a sprained paw all week so we just had Daisy.  It was a long, sad week for Ruby!  We somehow got through it though.
      Saturday night, after our walk, we all went to the Carry Out Cafe Catering since there were having an open house from 5-7.  We were the first ones to show up and were a little nervous about going in and looking like a bunch of freeloaders.  Dylan was repeating everything we said in the car, trying to be funny, including "freeloaders" but fortunately did not remember the word when we finally went inside.  We ended up having a great time.  There was an art exhibit and Uncle Joe bought a picture so we felt even less concerned about "freeloading" and ended up having a lovely meal-sized snack of crackers, cheese, fruit, meatballs, biscotti (peanut butter flavor) cold cuts, marinated mushrooms.  It was fun!  (and wine!)
     Sunday, Uncle Joe and I had to go to the annual meeting of the Parker River Clean Water Association so I could talk about the broken glass situation on the Little River Trail.  But we tried to go for a short bike ride first.  Didn't go so well since the bikes are crappy two-wheelers with training wheels your dad bought at Walmart.  He had to carry them home after an arduous ride down to the end of Doe Run.  More tears than giggles on that adventure but we tried!
     Oh, last night we had Chinese take-out and then watched Popeye, a cartoon from 1936 or so!!  You both are hooked on Popeye.  In fact, Dylan was so inspired he took off his shirt for us to check out his muscles.  Noah asked Joe for more of the kale I made to go with supper and there was testosterone flowing freely as you both flexed your arms to show your vegetable induced muscles.