One of those weekends...

Friday the kids had a 1/2 day for teacher development. A friend of
ours organized a trip to a beautiful park called Stone Elephant Lake
where they are currently having a tulip festival. We met at the
school, got the kids and were on our way. We hadn't been in the car 10
min. (it is a little over an hour drive to the park) when Marlo got
sick. I couldn't pull over because I didn't know how to get there and
we were following the group. She must have thrown up 5 times or more,
and she was that ghostly white that just isn't good. We got there and
I figured the car sick would wear off. She threw up some more by a
tree and we carried our things to the picnic spot . Marlo slept on the
blanked while we ate. Zoe was doing fine. She was chasing other kids,
playing soccer, eating her lunch, no problem.
After lunch we packed up to head on a walk through the tulips down to
the lake. Marlo still wasn't doing well, so I left her with Ayi and
Teac (who had missed his nap). We hadn't been gone 5 mins when Zoe
started complaining about her stomach. Then the phone rang. Marlo
needed me. We headed back past all of the Chinese school groups who
thought we were more interesting than the sea of tulips, and got to
Marlo. I carried her to the bathroom where she lost it on both ends,
again. I cleaned out her pants and used the hand dryer to dry them.
Meanwhile, she, and now Zoe, are both throwing up in the toilets.
These are public Chinese toilets, sunk into the ground, and poor Marlo
doesn't have any pants on. Luckily it wasn't that crowded.
I called and got our friends who rode with us there another way home,
and we packed up and left. Zoe threw up about 5 more times on the way
home and Marlo was feeling great by the time we got to the car. Zoe
slept for about 2 hours after we got home and then she was fine. Very
strange.
Saturday everyone was up and ready for soccer. We got there on time
but 3 out of my 6 players didn't come. They also just happened to be
the more experienced players so practice and our games were not very
fun. The kids were just as frustrated as I was.
We got home from soccer and after a short rest, I started making food
for Sunday's lunch when everyone would be eating at my house after
church. I cleaned up the house, put the leaves in the table, put the
meat in the crock pot, and beans on the stove to simmer. At about 5 I
suggested we go to IKEA for dinner and the kids could play in the ball
pit area while I walked around. In spite of taking the wrong elevator
down so that we got trapped in the maze while trying to take the kids
to the play area, we had a very nice time. 10 cent ice cream cones and
we left. On the way home, I realized I forgot to turn off the beans.
We came home to a smoke filled house and beans that were blackened and
hardened to the pan. I am just thankful the sprinkler system didn't go
off. People in the building came down to check if the place was on
fire. I opened all the windows, turned on all the fans, and thankfully
it was a pleasantly cool night and the kids were able to sleep in
spite of the throat burning fumes coming from the kitchen and from the
pollution outside. It has taken 3 days to get most of the smell out.
Sunday was pleasant and the kids played outside for a few hours after
lunch. Lunch was delicious, and the second pot of beans was much
better than the first. :)
That night we all slept well.
I know Monday is not technically part of the weekend, but last night
at 3 am Teac decided he should be up to play, and at 3:30, Zoe had a
bad dream. Between the two of them no sleep was possible and by 4:30
they were out in the living room with a 3 hour disk of Dora to keep
them busy. It worked and when I got Marlo up at 7 for school, they
were both sound asleep. In fact, it is almost 9 am and they are still
asleep. Luckily I went to bed before 10 last night.
I still need a nap.