I was thoroughly refreshed after four hours of sleep, but would it be enough? I was spending the day with my sister’s family, you know, a marathon!

I happened to wake  up on my own at 8am, greeted the girls, had waffles made my ACS, he and MGS went off to gymnastics and EJS, GES and I went off to karate. After EJS went into class, my sister and I went over to Walgreens to pick up a prescription and then what do you do while you’re there? Why…walk around and look at deals, of course! And we found some good ones!

Including red noses for everyone! Do you know about Red Nose Day? This year it’s May 26th and every red nose product [red noses, bracelets, sun glasses, headbands with pompoms] purchased helps to fight kid poverty. “What’s poverty?” asks the nine year old when we picked her up and I gave her her very own red nose. So I explained.

I explained while we were on our way to Cradles to Crayons. This is a volunteering event that GES and EJS have participated in several times and I did once, I’m not sure if you remember me telling you about it. This is where people bring donations to the local high school and then the volunteers sort everything from clothes to books to toys. There are stations everywhere! We ended up in toys, counting and cleaning. Do you know how hard it is to count puzzle pieces when people ask you questions!

If an item is all in one piece, functioning and in good shape, it goes to donation, if it’s not the best, maybe it’s a coloring book that has one or two pages drawn on, or a pair of shoes with some scuff marks, it goes to Salvation Army. There were over one hundred kids, of all ages, and parents volunteering. It’s a very cool event and collect so many items that it helps so many kids.

What they do: Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth to age 12, living in low- income and homeless situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play. We supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities that have with communities that need.  https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/

After volunteering, EJS chose to go to the bagel shop, so she GES and I got bagels, took them home and enjoyed them in our jammies and sweats on the couch! ACS and MGS got home from lunch, well, ACS came in, MGS was having a great nap in the car, which was safe, dry and warm in the garage, ACS even brought out a blanket for her. She hasn’t napped like that for a long time, she was probably out there another two hours after they got home.

There was playing and hanging out until it was time for dinner and we were meeting another family, well part of the family, at the local Japanese Steak House, Fuji for fun, food and fire! Then off to Orange Leaf for frozen yogurt and home for night-night.

As the girls were falling asleep, ACS and I channel surfed, it was quite interesting, a documentary on drugs, March Madness, the Final Four and Pawn Stars, yup, interesting. He went up, GES came down and the two sisters watched the movie Sisters. It was just as funny as I remembered and I may have laughed so hard I peed in my pants, that funny!

I told you…marathon! It’s been quite the day and now it’s time to drift off to sleep, I hope. My goal is to fall asleep before 4am, who’s with me! Pleasant dreams my friends!