Fathers day. We were woken at 6.30am by Jaimee, who came in and asked if it was time to give Dad his cards yet. No! we mumbled and attempted some more sleep. Kate joined us in our bed minutes later, while Jaimee and Luke played loudly in the bedroom next door until the clock hit exactly 7am. Then we did the present/card thing with all the kids bouncing on the bed with poor Marty just wishing for a sleep in and trying to read cards blurry eyed. I went to get up early and make Marty breakfast in bed, but he didn't want it so that was easy for me - I did manage to get all the kids fed and dressed for church myself though! Loved this clip at church today. After church, I was determined to do the big cook thing for my man on Father's day, so it was to be pancakes for lunch. Oh dear, I had such good intentions. I whipped up a couple of batches of mix - one spelt flour for him, the other plain flour for us. BIG. FAIL. Turns out we really need a new frying pan. That, and I was a little too free with the milk or not free enough with the flour in the mix.
Pancake after pancake stuck to the pan, broke and crumbled into a big globby mess as I got more and more frustrated. I swore that "I. am. never. making. pancakes. again" and professed myself a failure....even though I knew that is the worst example ever to give the listening girls! Marty even tried to take over (apparently he is the pancake king), but he had no better luck. In the end, I resorted to microwaving the mixture on a plate in batches until it was half cooked, and then finishing it in the pan. As I said, BIG. FAIL.
I had to laugh as I apologised to Marty over and over again for my useless wife skills. I ended up eating dinner leftovers, while my family dined on yoghurt!
Ah well, moving on. We had organised a family trip to Waipawa's Early Settler's Museum with the extended family, as they were having a special interactive display that the kids would enjoy. Luke loved the trip down the countryside, pointing out "cow!" with glee, then cupping his mouth with both hands and with a big yell to the cows, greeting them with a huge "MOOO!!!" We giggled.
The kids loved peeking in at the old roadman's hut, and seeing how the men lived in their tiny home on the roadside. Jaimee said that was her favourite thing, and both girls liked peeking out of this:
The cousins were delighted to be hanging out in such a fun place for the afternoon. We had tried to tell Luke he was going to see Granma ("Granma - nope" he replied) and Grandad ("Grandad - nope" he told us with a frown). Then I told him he was going to see his cousin Jakob....and he broke out into a big grin. "Jakob - YES!" he said with an affirming nod. Check out the look on the girls faces when I told them mid photo snap that Brianna was coming home to our place for afternoon tea after the museum so they could keep playing together: "Truly? Honest?" they squeeled - they couldn't believe their luck!
I was impressed that a museum would be so friendly about letting the kids really get to experience history. The sole man on the desk joined us for our whole trip around the place with us, pointing out interesting facts and chatting as he encouraged us all to get hands on. The girls had a go on the old railroad car, dialed their phone number on an old phone (we laughed - that was from OUR childhood and it was in a museum already!) and were able to rock the baby doll and push her in the carriage...not to mention all the interactive experiences on offer.
The kids all got to write with real ink and quill in the 'school room'. I showed Brianna how to use the blotting cloth, and Kate how to dip it in the ink to replenish her quill. They all got stuck into their letters, and nobody wanted to leave. Even Luke got in on the action at the blackboard slates!
It was fun having nana, granma and grandad with us, who were able to share their memories of using a lot of the items on display. Nana showed (a dressed up) Kate how to work the sewing machine, and I was able to show the girls how to use an old typewriter.
Luke and I played dress ups with some hats for a photo in the carriage, and Jaimee got her domestic goddess on by wringing the washing and using an old iron. Kate requested a photo with the pretty lady in her old guides uniform. 
As we rounded up the afternoon in the foyer, pretending to know how to play the piano (one of those pedal ones that do the work for you), Luke kept yelling out "C'mon guys, find dinosaur". We laughed, knowing how into dinosaurs he is at the moment and telling him there is no dinosaur here. But he insisted on "find dinosaur..C'mon", so his beloved granma went on a hunt with him. Laughing, she soon returned, telling us that he had taken her to his "dinosaur" bones - pointing all excited at the (human) skeleton model in the "doctors" display!
It was a lovely afternoon trip - and righted all that had gone wrong at lunchtime!! On the way home, we had a perfect rainbow to look at for about 20 minutes as we drove alongside, Luke pointing out "bow!" And jaimee telling us "that reminds me of Gods promises" ahhh.
Back at our place the girls disappears to play dolls as we had coffee and chilled. Luke kept us entertained by cupping his mouth and yelling "wake up!!!l" at uncle Paul whenever his eyes drifted shut, before a full on dinosaur/dragon/lion toy animal "RAWR" game broke out between the guys. Hehe....I Love my family!!!
Next time just use a pikelet recipe and say they are hot cakes.
ReplyDelete