Day 2614. We're in week 7 of the school year, the last week before their one-week holiday (fall break). For Sammy the break has already started as he's skipping the Halloween celebration at his school tomorrow.
Sunday
For once we had a Sunday without anywhere to go but instead someone came to us. At 2 pm a man from a professional cleaning company came to clean our house. He stayed for 4 hours. It was nice to have our house clean again but we weren't too happy about the work he had done so someone else will be coming next time. We had tidied up the whole house in advance so he was actually able to clean, so it was a busy day for us. As for the kids, they were having fun, and we finally got their racing track out and put it together but it wasn't working very well.
Monday
On Monday I had to get up at 9:15 for the second time as I had a student at 10 am. I had another student at 11 am and taught until just after noon. Then I went to the kitchen to cook for Randy and myself; the kids all eat at school. Randy then left to pick up Tammy and Emmy, while I picked up Sammy at 1:30 pm.
My 2:30 pm student had canceled so I had a little time before teaching and was available when Tammy and Emmy got home at 2:45 pm. I made their sandwiches and went downstairs with them for piano practice. At 3:30 pm I started teaching, and I had four students in a row, teaching non-stop until 7:20 pm. Randy left with Tammy and Emmy at 4:30 pm to take them to their gymnastics class, returned hom at 5:30 to play with Sammy for half an hour, then left again at 6 pm to pick them up and bring them home. By 6:30 pm they were back home. I had been able to put some fruit on plates for them as one student had been late so they were all able to eat their fruit while I was teaching.
After I was done, it was bathtub time and then bedtime after I had prayed for them. Then I went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat. After I had eaten and had my break, I went back to work.
Tuesday
On Tuesday I got up at 10 am to get our soup on the stove to simmer before starting to teach at 11 am. I taught until noon, gave Randy his soup and left to go to the gym. From there I went to Sammy's school to pick him up at 1:30 pm and take him home. Once home, I also had soup, then I got ready to teach at 2:30 pm. About that time Randy and the other kids also returned home, and at 3 pm Randy left with Sammy and Tammy to go to their dance school where Sammy had his private lesson at 3:45 pm.
As for me, I taught for 2 hours until 4:30 pm, then Emmy and I also left the house. We rode the subway for three stops, got off and waited for Randy and Sammy to arrive by bus. I then gave Randy Tammy's sandwich, and he got back on the bus to return to the dance school. Tammy had two hours of dance, first dance sport and then ballet.
The boys and I got back on the subway and rode it to the end. Before we got on, a political party was handing out windmills on sticks to children, and the boys each got one. On the subway, there was a little boy in a stroller, and Sammy decided to give him his windmill. It was so sweet! Emmy would have given his away too but he had already taken it apart.
By the time we reached his soccer club, it was only about 5:10 pm so twenty minutes until his training started at 5:30 pm. Still, we watched Emmy play for a minute or two, then Sammy and I left to go home. We were home before 6 pm, and I went to the kitchen to cut up fruit for the kids. Then I sat down to teach from 6:15 until 7:05 pm. Randy and Tammy went to pick up Emmy at about that same time, and the three of them got home around 7:30 pm. We then still had to do piano and reading practice. At 8 pm I sat down to teach, and Tammy and Emmy both lay down in my bed to sleep.
By 9 pm I was done teaching and took them to their beds before getting myself something to eat. After having eaten and taken a break, I went back to work.
Wednesday
Tammy and Emmy went on a field trip into the woods with school to explore nature. Thankfully it was a sunny day and the warmest day of the week. As for me, I got up at 9:15 am to teach at 9:50 am, then I had another student and taught until noon. I then warmed up the soup from the day before to eat. At 1:30 pm I picked up Sammy from school, and Randy got home at 2:45 pm with Tammy and Emmy.
We did piano practice, and I made their sandwiches, and at 3:30 pm I left the house with Tammy and Emmy. We rode two subways and walked to the French Institute where we arrived just before their 4 pm class started. They then had lots of fun during their 45 minute class. I was sitting outside their classroom and could hear them inside, and there was quite a bit of laughing. Emmy was once again being the clown and making everyone laugh.
After the class was over, we got on the subway and rode two subways to the school where their next class was taking place. We got there about 15 minutes early. Their maths club is from 5:30 to 7 pm. I left them there and made my way home. I was hoping to catch the 5:36 train and was lucky to make it as it was a little late. That way I was home before 6 pm and could cut some fruit before starting to teach at 6:15 pm.
Randy left at 6:30 pm to pick up Tammy and Emmy. Sammy was VERY patient, watching his tablet, as I ended up teaching for 75 minutes, until 7:30 pm, as the student had an exam the next day. Randy and the kids returned home a few minutes after I had finished.
They ate their fruit, then they got ready for bed. At 8 pm I sat down to teach, and the kids both lay down in our bed to sleep. At 9 pm I was done and took them to their own beds before sitting down to eat and finally take a break.
Thursday
This morning I got up at 9 am for the second time, so pretty early for me. I left the house a few minutes later, rode the subway for two stops, and went to the lab right there. I registered and sat down to wait for my turn. I didn't have to wait long at all before being called into one of the small rooms. A lady was in there and took my blood then gave me a cup for a urine sample. After I had dropped it off, I left. I stopped at the bank and the grocery store right there, then I took the subway home. By 10:10 I was back home and sat down at the computer to get ready for my 11 am student.
I taught until noon, then went to the kitchen to cook. Randy then left the house before 1 pm after having eaten, while I picked up Sammy at 1:30 pm. Randy and the kids got home at 2:15 pm. At 2:30 pm I left the house with Tammy and Emmy.
We rode the subway downtown, then rode our scooters to their music school. At 3 pm their piano lessons started. It was Tammy's turn to go first, and she did a great job. Today she got a little more time, taking it away from Emmy's half hour. And Emmy did a great job as well. They had their tablets with them, so they were on them while it was the other one's turn. At 4 pm they were done, and we said our good-byes. They have a 3-week break now until their next lesson.
We went back home where we arrived at 4:30 pm, and we had half an hour at home. Randy and Sammy had already left for his wheelchair class where he always has lots of fun. The three of us then chose the clothes for them to put on as they had received instructions for girls to wear a nice summer dress and boys single-color shirts.
At 5 pm the three of us left the house again. We rode two subways and got to the McDonald's near Saint Peter's church at 5:30 pm. We had twenty minutes to eat there; we were cashing in their birthday coupons before they expire at the end of this month. Then we walked to the church and went to the basement where they had the final rehearsal for the opera "The elixir of love" by Donizetti taking place. They had asked the kids in the choir who wanted to play a little role (no speaking, no singing), and both Tammy and Emmy wanted to be a part. They were skipping their programming club for it.
There was only one other child there as the fourth child could not be at the rehearsal. The boss of the whole place welcomed them, then sat all three kids down and told them what the story of the opera was and what they were going to play. When she found out that Tammy and Emmy were triplets, she was amazed.
Then she took them to the stage and showed them what they were supposed to do. They had to come threw the door, wait, then hand out papers to the audience. The third kid then got the job of stealing one of the little bottles. Emmy was really disappointed as he wanted to be the one to get the part so bad. The three kids then sat on the floor and had to admire the bottle. Then they had to get up and just dance freely on the stage which they did wonderfullly. Then their scene was over, and they left the stage.
The kids then sat down with their parents to wait until all the singers had arrived and all the props were set up. They were a little impatient but then the rehearsal started. The pianist sat at the grand piano, and the singers played their parts. They watched for quite a long time before it was time for them to go backstage as the time for them had come.
And they did pretty well even though you could tell that they were a little unsure about the timing a few times. After they had gone off-stage, the boss lady took us all outside, told them how great they had been and told us we could go home. On Saturday night the actual performance is taking place, then again two weeks later.
It was 7:30 pm when we left, and by 8 pm we were back home. The kids then got ready to go to bed right away, after I had prayed for them. Then I got myself something to eat and sat down to take a break before going back to work. Now it's after 1 am, and I still have to load the dishwasher.
