Rain in Southern California

**
In spite of all the rumors, it actually does rain in Southern California. And, when it does, the locals lose their collective minds! Everything from multiple car accidents to huddling indoors to complaining about our terrible, soggy suffering.

All in all -- we're wusses.

But who are the one's hit with a gutteral, panic-attack inducing, nauseating fear? Who is up all night, sweating and pacing the floors?

Southern California parents facing the prospect of two days trapped indoors with preschoolers, that's who.

"What the hell are we going to do INDOORS for 2 DAYS - IN A ROW? How can we entertain (at best), keep from strangling (at worst), our kids??"

The first resource - DVDs. But after a couple hours - the kids are getting bored and it's time to pull out the rainy day bag o' tricks - or call a friend to beg, borrow or steal their bag.

We avoided melt downs with some a-typical fun, crafts and activities:

$3.50 = Tons of super simple bath time fun.

With a little bubble bath and a package of food coloring, Rachel can have almost an hour of hysterical, experimental fun!!

While Rachel and I were playing with colors in the bath tub,
Daddy and Alex took the pups for a walk in the rain.

And then a little girly-girl time w/ Mommy.

And a quick, very, extra-special trip for a little of America's favorite indulgence.
The girls got cocoa and Mommy and Daddy had lattes.

A few errands and nap time, followed by craft time;
Homemade beads.
Daddy helped and the girls had a ball.

Dinner & baths and end of Day 1

Day 2 started with a walk and a search for rainy-day, slimy, slithery creatures.

My girls will pick up ANYTHING!

Some special friends spent the rest
of the rainy morning with us.

After nap - craft time again and we
painted our homemade beads.

Followed by...

We were all happily wiped out after a long, and busy weekend.
No melt downs, no throttling -- it was all good.

And the sun will come out tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow...

**