Dinosaur Museum

Today we headed out early to I Dig Dinos - the current exhibit at the museum. We met up with Tanya, Graham and Leah. Sometimes I wonder why we bother. It's not like we really get to talk - the kids seem to go in separate directions and when they do end up in the same area of the museum, they tend to fight over whatever is in limited supply. Today it was puzzle pieces for a large dinosaur puzzle on the wall. I'd say the museum today is my least favourite and I found the installation rather lame (how's that for my new upbeat attitude). Anyway - there were way too many screaming kids (including mine). The best part of the museum was the long hallway on the second floor. Rowan had a blast seeing if he could break the crawling sound barrier.

Check out the masks that the boys are wearing - do they not look like Jason?

We parted ways around lunch time and Ellis and I got an ice cream while Rowan slept (I knew I would pay for this later, but I wanted a treat). While sitting eating our ice cream we were subjected to the most horrible street busker. It was an elderly woman and her guitar singing Irish type ballads. She was really really bad but she seemed to do alright moneywise. Quite a few people put coins in her guitar case. I was going to just cause that is what you do, but then I thought - do I really want to reward this? It did make me think that there is always a way to make money.

We caught the ferry home and then made my cake. Ellis stirred. Unfortunately, the ice cream kicked in on Ellis (or maybe he was just bored) and he decided to unroll the toilet paper from the roll - he does this every time we forget and leave the toilet paper in the bathroom. So we try to remember to hide the toilet paper, but come on - Ellis can spell his name on the computer - you think he'd understand - "STOP UNROLLING THE TOILET PAPER FROM THE ROLL." Ellis thinks it is a game. He says

"Daddy forgot to put the toilet paper away." and I know he is thinking (so I had to unroll it didn't I). It is a pain to try to remember to take out the toilet paper before going to the bathroom. I usually forget. So I got mad at him and gave him a warning that cake was in jeopardy.

We then went for a swim (our pool at the apartment really is excellent - I must take a picture). It was a pretty nice day - not too hot, the palm trees were swaying. Dad had sent a picture of our house that he'd taken on his Wednesday walk. The trees were bare - it looked damp and wet. Instead of making me homesick, it was making me appreciate Brisbane a bit more so I was thinking how nice it was that me and the boys could just come for a nice swim whenever we wanted (part of my new upbeat attitude).

After that, I was talking to Susie on the phone and Ellis went and chucked the roll into the toilet (that I had forgotten to flush after emptying his potty).

"ok, I said - I guess you don't want cake - you must have had too much treat already today with that big ice cream."

Ellis says

"well, you had ice cream too so I guess you don't get cake either." (and let me tell you - I could see the teenager in him when he said that - his face aged 10 years and his voice... scary)

We had pizza for dinner (I decided the emergency frozen pizza I bought was necessary - no way was I cooking on my birthday).

Then it was time for cake - unfortunately, I'd read my email and our basement tenants have noticed a leak that is spreading across the carpet (it will probably be up to their ankles by the morning) so now things are a bit tense. Had to call mom and dad at 1 am. Hope it's nothing bad but we fear it is

(I am now editing this in the morning - our sump pump failed - not too much damage according to mom and dad)