Extra Family Day

I have the day off today and am  loving it.  In my usual "kick back and relax" style, we have risen at the late hour of 6:00 a.m.  We have breakfasted and tidied the kitchen. We have cleaned out the 2 youngest kids dressers from ill fitting  clothes or winter fare and left them ready for the spring that better arrive. (it is only 46 today but i live in hope!)

Then we hit Barnes and Noble. The kids had some gift cards. Rob really wanted to get the next Rangers Apprentice book.  Sadly it won't be released till May 8th. So I told him I would pay for it if he would pre-order it and he could use the gift card to get something else.  Lissa picked out a cute book and then had a fit because I would not let her get a book that made a lot of noise.  I figure books are about words--silly me!  And if she has ones that make sounds, she seems to fixate on making noises instead of listening to the story. 

KC chose his first chapter book and also a math workbook.  He loves math and how can I argue with that??

After that we went to a craft store because Rob needed a gray marker for a football pennent he has been coloring.  I also found a mat in which to mount a picture of all of us for Fiona. It is one of the shots taken when we visited.  I also found sparkly words in the scrapbook section.  The first phrase is "all of us" in faux rhinestones and that is on the top of the frame.  then I found a shiny "family" and glued that on the bottom half of the frame.  I will mail that out this week.

From there we went to a store to get new rugs for the kitchen entry way and in front of our sink.  Ours were losing the non skid backing making them somewhat hazardous.  And we really need an entry way rug as it catches a good bit of the dirt and debris before it makes its way into the rest of the house.  After that, we stopped at an office supply place and got some little bins to put the kids art paper in.  The loose paper periodically tries to take over the house and I keep trying to find the best solution possible to containing it.

Then we headed home, cleaned out the van (not just unloading, actually cleaned it!) and the kids played outside.  It was sunny then, something we are not seeing much of right now, so I am glad we took advantage of it.

Then we had lunch and messed around with some new Eco-Paint that KC got for his birthday from his Nana.  They are powder based so you have to mix them with water but they are very cool. All the coloring agents are found naturally (hence the name) and the hues are definately slightly different from the regular paint box.  He has special recycled paper to use for the painting and he did two really lovely watercolors.

I have some things I should do, but I think I am going to make a cuppa tea and relax for a wee bit.