Breakfast Out

We started out our day with a "free" breakfast at Chick-fil-a with my sister and niece.  The sandwiches were free (a Wednesday promotion - not sure if that's just Fort Collins or what), and we bought our drinks and hash browns.

 Peek-a-boo!

The two year old climbed up in the play area and came down... without his socks.  I told him to go back and get his socks.  I was surprised that he was able to follow directions as well as he did and go up and bring back ... one sock :)  Ha.  Thankfully one of the other kids brought us the other sock.

The five year old wouldn't even try going up.  I think he made it one or two steps up.  But it was really crowded in there and overwhelming for him.
\

 We also went to Target.  I took all the kids to the toy section so my sister could try on some clothes.  They all found something they loved, and I have a pretty good idea now what to get for Christmas.  I came around the corner of one aisle and found my nine year old sitting on the floor playing :)

Then we made a quick stop at King Soopers.  The five year old spotted the horse and wanted on.  I was surprised he wanted me to put money into it.

Thankfully the sound had been disconnected.  I think that would have been too much for him.

He was very proud of himself for having the ride.  He told me when it was over that he was very brave :)  I agree.

Minion Shopping and Fossil Creek Park

 Our first stop yesterday was at the "Minion store" as the five year old put it.  He had birthday money to spend and knew exactly what he wanted.

We had to do a little messing around on the toys they have at the door.  No money required.  The kids are just as happy to sit on the toys without them moving.

 Then we went to Fossil Creek Park.  This is a pretty cool park.

It has a giant mammoth coming out of the ground.

And when I say giant, I mean giant.

The whole park has a dinosaur theme.  It's pretty fun.
  

 They even have skeleton and track imprints in their "rock" wall.

It was a good day.  And everyone is feeling well now so we're enjoying our visit a little more now.

Fun in Fort Collins

 We've been pretty low key since everyone was sick the day we came.  I wanted to let the boys rest, catch up on sleep and recover.  So we haven't done much.  Grammy did give our five year old his birthday present.

He spent most of the day playing with that.

While the nine year old and two year old took naps, I took our five year old to two of the parks near Grammy's house.

It was chilly but he had a good time.  Unfortunately as soon as we had walked to the second park, he decided he needed to use the bathroom.  So it was a short play time.

On the way back, he spotted a pigeon, and went to try to catch it.

In the rush to catch the pigeon, he tripped over this drain pipe, so that was the end of the fun.  We really didn't accomplish much else, but everyone is feeling better now and ready for a good visit :)

Hearts

Here's a fun discussion I had with my five year old (T) this morning...
T - I need some paper.  I'm gonna ask Grammy for some paper. I'm gonna make hearts.
Me - Really? That's cool. I didn't know you knew how to make hearts.  Do you know how to draw them?
T - YES!
Me (after Grammy got him some paper) - Here, I'll draw one so you can see how to make them.
T (after watching me draw a heart) - No. That's not a heart.

Clearly he knew what he was talking about.  I've just been taught by my five year old how to make hearts ;)

Sick

 It's been a rough weekend.  We were planning to go to Fort Collins on Friday, but I had too much to do at home, so I put off the trip, planning to leave Saturday.  Well Saturday ... this was my view all day.  I was extremely sick so I stayed in bed and watched/listened to the National Bible Bee online.  It was a great blessing to listen to it, but I felt awful.

One of the few moments I got out of bed was when it was just starting to become sunset.  The sun sets in the opposite direction, but the color behind the mountains was beautiful.

 Sunday I was feeling much better so we loaded up and drove to Fort Collins.  Unfortunately we hit the trifecta in a bad way - all three boys were sick yesterday.  The two year old was sick while we were driving, but thankfully the other two waited and made it to toilets.  This is sure one nasty bug.  Anyway, hopefully everybody is better now and I really hope we didn't manage to pass it on to anyone here.

So, to change to a more cheerful topic, I'm going to include one of my favorite poems - by Shel Silverstein.  It is called "Sick" and seems appropriate...

"I cannot go to school today,"

Said little Peggy Ann McKay,

"I have the measles and the mumps,

A gash, a rash, and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,

I'm going blind in my right eye.

My tonsils are as big as rocks,

I've counted sixteen chicken pox

And there's one more -- that's seventeen, 

And don't you think my face looks green?

My leg is cut, my eyes are blue -- 

It might be instamatic flu.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke

I'm sure that my left leg is broke --\

My hip hurts when I move my chin,

My belly button's caving in,

My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,

My 'pendix pains each time it rains.

My nose is cold, my toes are numb,

I have a sliver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,

I hardly whisper when I speak.

My tongue is filling up my mouth,

I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,

My temperature is one-o-eight.

My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,

There is a hole inside my ear.

I have a hangnail, and my heart is -- what?

What's that? What's that you say?

You say today is -- Saturday?

G'bye, I'm going out to play!"