Whilrwind Weekends, it's how we roll.

Sometimes when people complain about there not being anything to do in Fairbanks for kids I want to smack them. Honestly. There is so much for the kids to do around here that some days I can not fit it all in! On Saturday we had a plethora of activities going on. Here was the list:

1. 10AM- Cooper's last gymnastics class
2. 11AM- Airplane Day (or so I call it, who knows that it really was) at the Airport
3. 12PM- Alaska Rail Road Open House
4. 12:30PM- Oil Change for the family limo
5. Home and naptime

Okay, well that was really it. It doesn't seem like much once I write it down. Here's the problem with schedules, they are pretty much Mission Impossible when you have 3 kids. This is how the day actually went:

Cooper Gymanstics-10AM

Here's a quick video of Coopie doing some somersaults, or something of that nature.

http://youtu.be/KTjzydX8lns

Here's another quickie of Cooper's first experience with a parachute. I'm a tard and held the camera the wrong way, so there goes my Oscar for cinematography.**I actually did hold it wrong, youtube fixed it. They rock!

http://youtu.be/gvQm-o4t6v8 

Just hanging around. He was so proud of himself for doing this that it continued for another 3 minutes, which in 2 year old terms, is a lifetime.

At this point of the day we are on schedule. My Mom was with me to watch Thatch and Harp up in the viewing area while Coop worked on his Olympic qualifying routine. I went to go get my diaper bag so I could give Harpie a quick top off. When I grabbed it in the morning I threw in a liter of water in there for me to drink during the day, somehow I had managed to destroy the cap in the process (unbeknownst to me) and it had hemorrhaged into my bag during class. When I got upstairs it was terrible, everything was soaked. Good news is that I had 7 diapers in there so they kind of absorbed some of the water. Actually, not really. The diapers were all kind of wet at the ends, not enough to throw away (I'm going to let them dry out and use them again because I'm a cheapo) but enough that I couldn't use them on the kids that day. Did you hear that? A SCHEDULE BOMB JUST EXPLODED. Not only do I have to clean up the water mess out of my clearly not water proof bag, I have to go to the store and buy some diapers for Harper because Lord knows she will poop if I don't have any handy.

Airplane Day-11AM

Something had to go. Sorry Coopie, maybe we can drive around the airport one day.

Fred Meyers to Buy Diapers-11:30AM

Once everything was sopped up we went to Fred's to grab a small pack of diapers and some corn dogs (the food snob's preferred on the go meal). My Mom was still with us because we were going to the Train Gig together. Grandma offered to run in and grab the diapers and our gourmet snack so I accepted and hung out at the car. Me, being the multitasker that I am, cleaned out the car of the carnage that is previous meals. One thing is for sure, we eat A LOT of corn dogs and I found 3 very questionable sippy cups. Oh, that was two things, sorry. After quite some time she comes out with more than one bag. Harper had to have a new outfit because it was so nice out, and of course needed matching socks. She was in a rush so that was all she could grab. Had she had five more minutes I bet she would have cleaned out the baby section in all 6 month outfits. Good thing she didn't see the swimsuits because even I can not resist those! Anyhoo, on we go to the train station at 12PM.

Schedule Adjustment: Oil Change

At this point we're running pretty behind schedule. Luckily the train station is right next to where I'm getting my oil changed. Poor Thatcher is not happy that we drove away from the train station and not towards it. I dropped it off and all five of use pile in my Mom's VW Bug. Yeah, it was a tight squeeze but off we go to the train! When we piled out it was like a kiddy clown car but I had forgotten my squeaky red rubber nose so it was much less funny. Actually, I never find clowns funny, they're kind of freaky. Moving on...

ARR Open House-12:30PM

And here we are, the big show! Thatcher was beside himself with excitement and Cooper just kept screaming "CHOO CHOO! CHOO CHOO!" 

I'm not sure who this conductor is but he was on our train last year when we rode it and he is delightful. There's another guy who is not and can't be bothered with pictures and I'm glad he wasn't there. Who does he think he is, Thomas the Tank Engine?

Grandma and Thatchtastic on the ride. He was still excited.

Harper is a big fan of trains, clearly. One other observation...I wear this shirt a lot. That's the problem with blogging, there's a record of what I wear and when. I need to buy some new clothes.

Here's us at the end of the train event. When Grandma comes the boys get a toy. I was totally stoked just about the free balloons. Grandmas are one uppers, but in the best way possible!

Time to Go Home and Nap-2PM

Or so I thought.

So we pick up the limo, give kisses and part ways. I swung by Fred Meyers to fill up the limo and my Mom looked like she was heading home. Then I realize I left my cell phone in her purse. Crap. I probably could live with out it as most of you know, I never have it on me and rarely hear it ring so why go get it? Head home and nap, Woman! Well, their house is on the way home so I'll just swing by. Sigh.

That is one tired toddler. The balloon valve is in his mouth, he was making choo choo sounds with it while I was driving and fell asleep right between the choo and the choo. Loves me some sleeping baby.

So we went over the mountain and through the woods (literally) to Grandmother's house but she wasn't there. Thatch had to potty so he hopped out, waking up Cooper in the mean time. Sigh. I take him out and show him the horses to try to cheer him up. In the mean time Grandma showed up and we had a little moment with the horses Blaze and Kate. Blaze is going to have a foal soon. She and Thatch regarded each other and instantly they were in love. Thatcher has asked that Blaze come live with her baby in our backyard but I'm going out on a limb here to say that Jonathan would not take kindly to a horse in the yard since his children aren't even allowed on the grass. That's just a wild guess, I could be wrong.

Even little Harps got in on the horse action. Grandma said she needs a pony. That's not even funny.-Side note: Ewww, what a terrible picture of me Mom!

Thatcher giving Kate some love and Blaze looking on jealously. Kate and Blaze are twins with only one little circle patch on Blaze's nose to differentiate them. Well, one is pregnant too, that's kind of a give away.

This is Coopie Poopie saying "Horse". It really comes out like "Ho". Poor horses, I bet they're really nice ladies. Mean Cooper.

That's a big ass horse.

NAPTIME: SERIOUSLY- 3:30PM

In general, I'm a stickler for nap times. When we went to Disneyland in 2010 I made us come back to the hotel room to take naps, I'm that serious about it (and you guys know of my love affair with Disneyland). By the time we got home at 3:30 the boys were deliriously tired, as was I. Harper, not so much. Cooper and Thatcher (who no longer naps) both zonked out faster than you could say Mr. Ed. Harp was content hanging out in her bassinet while I napped which makes her that much more awesome! 

The great news about being out all day is that Jonathan had a full day's rest. He is on night shift and can be quite grumpy if he's woken up. <-----That right there was the understatement of the century. 

Fun was had by all and the good times kept rolling. This post has been epic poem long so I will lavish you with the tales of Mother's Day at a later time. Until then, I bid ado.

Love,

S