November 18, 2012-Branson

Movie Night!

(click here for today's pictures)

• Last night wasn't as restful as the night before-Keaton woke up in the middle of the night and fussed for a bit until we gave her some more milk.  Then later, Graham would fuss a bit every once in a while-I think his nose was stuffy.  Despite all of that, we still got a pretty good night's rest.
• After getting up, the kids immediately turned on the tv.  We passed out left over doughnuts from the day before and milk and they sat content while the big people got ready and we packed up the room.
• We loaded up and didn't stop until Greenbrier.  This happened earlier on the trip but it is typical of things that happen on our car rides-Graham must have been bothering Campbell somehow and she just turned to him and said "Just go to sleep Grahammer!"  
• Our stop was at McDonalds and it was more to pick out a new movie than to potty.  But we did all of that plus grabbed some lunch for the car.  As soon as Keaton gets into the car, she thinks that it is time to eat or drink.  She would get her little pointer finger out and start fussing and pointing away until Grannymom figured out what she wanted-and it was always to eat or drink.  Good thing we are home from our trip or that baby would gain 10 pounds.  
• We were at Sams by 12-Reagan and Campbell needed to potty with me and Robby needed to pick up a few gallons of milk (6).  He said that he briefly stood there trying to figure up the expiration date until he remembered that we are still a one gallon a day family.  
• We dropped off Grannymom and then went home.  We started unloading and putting everything up.  This is the one part of traveling that I dread but Robby works on unloading the van and vacuuming it while I work on the inside stuff.  It probably took us about 30 minutes and then we were all headed outside for a work afternoon (our first in a long while).
• Raking leaves in the yard is quite a bit different this year-the leaves are only a season thick and not a few years thick and we probably have more of the right tools.  Today our tools of choice were a big bag that connects to the mower, Robby's leaf picker upper that goes behind the mower and our backpack leaf blower.  
• The kids were excellent outside-never asking for a drink or snack and staying outside the whole time. They were good to drag Keaton around in the wagon to where ever they went...until she climbed out. Then they just left her in the back yard by herself-Robby was on the mower and I was hooked up to the leaf blower so I just tried to watch her (so she didn't wander into the woods or street).  Soon she came walking up to me with dirt all on her face-poor baby had fallen down.  I walked her over (still while blowing leaves) to the others kids and had Reagan put her in the stroller.  
• By now, the fire was blazing and it was getting dark quickly. So we all scurried around raking the last few leaves that we could and picking up all of our outside toys (the kids and Robbys).  I had myself and the kids showered off (I had never been so dirty-dirt in my teeth even) before Robby came in from putting the last few things up.  
• Then we let everyone eat on a blanket and watch the last few bits of their redbox movies that we picked up on the way home.  We did stop in the middle to have our Sunday ice cream truck.  Keaton was pretty tired from missing her nap so she missed ice cream truck.  Afterwards, we finished the movie and all headed to bed!