It's April Fool's and that means a silly April's Fools Day song for wake up ("I played a joke on you" by Janeen Brady), green or yellow or blue milk and green eggs at breakfast and a special lunch.

Auntie Janice helped the girls make fishtail braids in their hair.

We were puttering around getting ready for school and all of a sudden Brendan said: "it's duty day today". Needless to say getting ready was a little rushed since I had to fit an impromptu visit to the grocery store for snack into the schedule!

Amelia was thrilled to be bringing mom to school. Amelia spent a long time playing with the little dolls. She didn't particularly want my help because I "don't know this game, just watch please". Part of the game involved catapulting one of the dolls into the air whenever he was naughty. He was naughty a lot. They have lots of cash registers and food items out right now and the kids played a fairly elaborate game of grocery.

At circle time Amelia was the weather girl as well as duty girl which seemed to mean she got to put the current weather on the calendar. They spent most of their time acting out various nursery rhymes such as the pussy cat who went to visit the Queen. Amelia helped by being both the Queen and the pussy cat.

The yard is too icy to play in right now so we played trucks upstairs after preschool. All too soon it was time for me to leave. Amelia has lunch club and cooking class on Mondays so she stayed a few more hours. She adores preschool and associated activities.

Lauren, Donna, Lindsey, Anna and David were going skiing at Mont Blanc again so they stopped in overnight in Ottawa to visit!

The canal was still open so we went skating while Elizabeth was at black belt class. She was not amused to have missed out on beavertails! Or the skating, but it was actually terrible ice. Worst ice I've ever skated on - it was like walking on skates through snow! Too bad! They'll have to come back another time when it's better conditions :)

Elizabeth had a karate tournament in Montreal today.  Her group for kata had 16 competitors and she placed 6th.  In sparring she tied for 3rd after being a bit shaken going first against a girl in full body armour. Overall she did quite well and was a excellent sport about it all.  She also had a lot of fun cheering on her teammates and the generally comradery of the team.  When she finished her last match I checked the clock and figured that if we didn't dawdle we could even make it back for her black-belt prep class so I asked her if she wanted to try to make it back or stay to watch her teammates some more.  She jumped at the chance to make it to her class so we hopped in the car and drove straight to the dojo.  They were most surprised to see her!

Matthew finally got his orange belt and boy was he excited because orange means SPARRING GEAR!!! He insisted on a photo with sensei Nick, who is one of his favourites.

Elizabeth and Daddy were at the tournament with the car, so Matthew, Michael and I took the bus to grading. Lorianne graciously agreed to take Amelia out for a "date" which was wonderful because wrangling multiple small children through a grading by myself is not my most favourite activity in the world. Amelia was really excited to go skating with Lorianne but after we left she changed her mind and was inclined to meltdown. So she went for a sled ride on the canal instead and then they took the bus to meet us for celebratory donuts after grading.

Then we took the bus back home.