December 20, 2013

(click here for today's pictures)

Gingerbread House Decorating Day!

• Today started off lovely-the 4 big kids downstairs before we were even awake.  Soon Graham was in trouble and sitting by our bed because of something to do with his kindle and then we heard Anderson loudly snap at Campbell so all kindles were taken away.  That went over well-ha!  
• I knew then that is was time for me to get up and get the kids busy-busy children can't get in to trouble.  I hopped in the shower and then started passing out breakfast in the school room.  When we start school before 8, we can finish well before 11.  Quite a bit of our morning was spent picking up-I don't know why every single thing we own seems to end up on the floor of the school room.  It kind of makes me a bit crazy!
• Soon we were all sitting around the kitchen table working on our gingerbread houses-well, they aren't really houses-they are home depot gingerbread houses.  (When you get a deal, you get a deal!)  The kids were so excited to get started on this.  We started this morning so they could have plenty of time to dry because last year those silly things would crash down as the kids were trying to decorate them.  We even tried super glue and the glue gun last year but that didn't help so hopefully an extra night between building and decorating will help this year!
• If I have ever felt like I needed more hands, it was today during gingerbread house time.  I decided to make an extra house myself since more than likely at least one will come crashing down.  I would squirt a bit of icing glue on one spot and then move to the next house.  The kids were pretty patient waiting on me to get to their house-I did keep them busy kneading the next bag of icing since it has been stored in the attic for a year it was bit tough to squeeze.
• Thankfully, all of the house were built successfully and my kiddos helped me clean up the kitchen.  We all put our candy next to our house ready for tomorrow but just a few minutes ago I walked into my bedroom and there was a all of someone's gingerbread house candy laying on my bed.  Actually, every single night we have no idea what all we will find in our bed-usually it is food, but sometimes it is cars, strange socks, forks, toy guns, oh and the list could go on and on.
• I didn't give the kids too much of a break because soon it was lunch time and then we had to pick up before leaving.  To add a twist I had the kids do a task (brush teeth, pick up 10 things or whatever) and then when they had completed it they had to come to me and do jumping jacks while waiting on their next job.  I worked those kiddos until I finally decided that they just might fall asleep in the movie that we were headed to. 
• We had promised the kids that they would receive a treat for working hard during our commercial filming so today we went to see Planes.  The kids were pretty pleased and the boys were on the edge of their seat.  Anderson had received some Plane toys for his birthday and whenever him or Graham saw something that he had, they would start shouting "I have that" or "you have that."  This movie theater shouting was fine since we were the only ones in the store.
• Now, Keaton and Campbell were pretty movey during the movie-up and down, up and down.  Finally I sat between them and they were a bit stiller.  Neither one of those girls care anything about tv at home so of course the movie wouldn't be any different.  Keaton really wanted to stay with Nonna when I dropped Whitman off at the movie.  She remembered that she stayed with Nonna and Grannymom on Thanksgiving day when we went to the movies.  On the way into the movie, she kept saying "I stay with Nonna" or "I go Grannymom."  Once inside and she understood what a movie was all about she quickly calmed.
• After the movie, we drove home through a monsoon.  I was never so glad to get myself off of the interstate.  Anderson rode with me so I wouldn't be lonely.  He is the sweetest child-during supper tonight, the kids and Robby were eating at the bar while I was standing (the table was full of gingerbread houses)  Anyway, my Anderson said "Momma, do you want for me to get you a chair?"  Now, his daddy just rolled his eyes but I thought it was the sweetest thing ever.  
• Back at home tonight, I worked on a few chores and then Robby started on supper.  He made waffles for supper and the kids ate like they hadn't eaten all day long.  After eating, the kids all wrapped their gifts for each other-my Graham really thought about what wrapping paper to wrap Reagan's present in. He asked me "will Reagan like this paper?"  I had only 2 choices of paper left and he chose the one that had the most on it so of course my answer was that she would love it.
• After wrapping, it was time to pull our Santa, read about Mary and Joseph and then watch Let's Make a Deal.  Then bedtime-poor Keaton ended up back in the bonus room and Whitman fussed until we finally caved and brought him in with us.  He eventually fell asleep in my lap-sweetest thing ever!