October 8, 2017

(click here for today's pictures)

• When we put Whitman to bed last night (beside my bed in the floor), he was pretty adamant that he wanted for me to sleep on the floor beside him. I was pretty sure that he would end up in bed with us sometime during the night but he was out until my alarm woke him up. Then he quickly stood up and headed to "go and see the girls." We were able to stop him by letting him watch cooking videos on my phone.
• I had planned on going upstairs to wake up the girls, but before I made it up there Reagan was asking for me to comb her hair. They were dressed and ready. I soon herded them downstairs to eat their breakfasts. It was quite the buffet this morning-pop tarts, waffles, breakfast burrito and a bagel. 
• Soon we were on the way to church. When Whitman realized where we were, he told me that he didn't want to sing. I reminded him that it was church and he would sit when we sit, stand when we stand and sing when we sing. Now, I say this but he really does none of the above-it is more like squirm when we sit, have mom hold you when we stand and stare when we sing. We survived though and were soon headed to Sunday school.
• After church today, everyone changed their clothes and we headed out to work. Today was Barnabas Project day and we headed out Booker T Washington Elementary school. With my kids, there were 12 kids there and we definitely needed their help.
• The first thing we did was to eat our lunch. The church provided lunch-chicken strips, chips, oreos and waters. Then we headed outside to work. Some people painted some things on the front, Robby went to work on one side helping to make 2 new four square squares. The kids and everyone else began repainted the US map. 
• It had been years since the map was painted and it definitely needed help. It took a while to get the kids set up but once we did, they all went to town. It was organized mass chaos and the heat probably made it take longer than usual. We were making everyone suck down water and the kids were happy to take breaks in the building or on the playground.
• Whitman did help me paint one state on the map but then I pulled out my Plan B for him. This morning in the shower, I thought of my Plan B for Whitman and it was my best thought all day long, I brought him a paint brush and filled him a bucket of water up and he went to town painting with water. Bless though, I think that he thought he was really doing some important work for us-at one point, he told one of his brothers that he couldn't finish yet because he wasn't through with his "important work." He also brought me over to see his "island" that he painted. He had heard us working on the state map and knew all about one island.
• The kids worked and worked despite being so incredibly hot. We couldn't have been any prouder of their work effort today and rewarded them with a trip to Sonic. That cooled us off some but not nearly enough.
• Once we made it home, Robby cut the boys' hair while the kids rotated through the showers and helped me pick up the house. Once the laundry and dishes were done, we snacked some on leftover pizza (Robby had brought some to our Barnabas site just in case we needed extra lunch.) 
• The kids watched some football-we were all cheering the last few seconds of the Cowboys game, some played with the dollhouse, others played their ipads, the girls crafted some and we ended by watching a Shark Tank. 
• When that show is over (at 9), it will be bedtime for all the Dennie kids and I know that they will sleep well. Their daddy has already been asleep for over an hour!