December 7, 2024

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  • This morning I was pretty brave and took both big boys Christmas shopping together. Anderson is not a fan of shopping, and Graham really isn't a fan either. However, I needed (and still do) Christmas ideas for them so they had to go.
  • I did start the morning off with a run to ChickFilA to pick up some free breakfast things for us. That helped a little bit. Then it was on to Walmart for some shopping for their stockings. Graham found one gift there, plus he also found a Hogs shirt, but when we were checking out, he saw a hole in it...and then tonight when I was at another Walmart, I forgot to look for a replacement.
  • Next up was Academy-we kind of struck out there, but Anderson did get some shorts (not Christmas) that he needed plus we bought an extra pair for him for Christmas plus a sweatshirt. Graham also found a shirt there. Oh, and they both found basketballs there as well.
  • After this we braved the outlet, and that is where they started to get tiredI worked on  and a wee bit grumpy. Graham really wanted to go to HandM, but everything that he looked at did not have his size. We went to Old Navy next, where Graham found a pair of shorts while Anderson bought a dress shirt (not for Christmas).
  • When we did make it home, the girls could not get over that we had already been shopping and were back home. It was almost noon, but it wasn't that early. I worked on putting those present up for a little bit. The girls were busy all afternoon getting ready for a lock in at church tonight. 
  • Robby worked on the winterizing the camper most of the afternoon. I helped some and so did the big boys.  We dropped the girls off at church, and then Robby and I went to eat really quickly. 
  • After eating, we went to Walmart where I bought a few more Christmas presents while he bought things we need like food for tomorrow's supper. Once we came home, we had a ton of Amazon packages to open so it took me half an hour to go through all of them and put them where they needed to go.
  • Now, I am cuddled up in my blanket on the couch while Robby is watching football, and I am about to start a new book. 

December 6, 2024

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  • I woke up and did my morning chores, and then I worked with Graham on his study guide for math. Keaton and Campbell went to Nonna and Pops' house to help them finish their Christmas decorating. They mainly worked on setting up the Snow Village, but my girls will do anything for some ChickFilA. 
  • Anderson soon afterwards finished one of his college classes, and Anderson and Graham will be done with all of their classes by Tuesday. Even though it was a Friday, I still did spelling with Whitman. I guess he forgot that it was a Friday, because he didn't complain at all while we worked together.
  • Campbell and Graham went to work this afternoon. While they were gone I worked on the kitchen and the house some more. Keaton had already worked a lot on the decorations and the games.
  • Robby waited for our pizza for supper forever-it was fine though because Keaton just switched the order of things for her 11 friends that were over. 
  • They did secret Santa gifts plus they decorated gingerbread houses. Keaton called Reagan to be the judge so Reagan picked the winner. When the party was over, Keaton was great about helping clean up the kitchen. 

December 5, 2024

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  • This morning started with Campbell and Keaton going to Mother's Day Out to work while I did some speed school with Whitman and some math with Graham.
  • Robby came home for a few seconds while Whitman and I jumped in the car. Whitman had a class at the Museum of Discovery. The class was called Mad about Matter-it was super well done. The lady did lots of experiments with liquid nitrogen. Then they broke up into groups and had a few different experiments that the kids did including making slime. 
  • At the end the instructor made a huge cloud with liquid nitrogen. Then she froze marshmallows with it and let everyone eat a marshmallow. While you eat it, if you breath out-smoke comes out of your mouth. It was pretty neat.
  • We had some time to look through the museum while we waited on Robby to come and pick us up. Then we came home so I did some school with Anderson before I left again.
  • This time I ran to the library and then I picked up the girls. We had to do some speed shopping because Keaton is having a Christmas party here Friday night, and she needed a few things-from Walmart, Target, and Kohls. 
  • We ran all those errands and even walked through Kirklands before coming home. When we came home, Keaton and Campbell started on Keaton's balloon arch while I quickly showered. Then I left again for my Sunday school class meeting. 
  • Robby picked up supper for the kids, but when I came home Graham was happier to see the leftover cake in my hands than to see me. 

December 4, 2024

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  • Sometimes I schedule things and then later I wonder why in the world I scheduled them when I did-today was one of those days! I signed Campbell up for her driving test at 9:45 this morning. We had to be there at 9:30 so I zoomed through reading with Keaton and Whitman, and then hurried out of the house.
  • We arrived on time, and then Campbell took a practice run around the loop. Then I parked in the spot-it was so busy, that I had to park in between the other cars. We went in and checked in. Then Campbell sat in the car for about 45 minutes waiting on her turn while I sat in the waiting room. (The other 3 times, I have stood outside, but today it was too cold for that.)
  • When it was finally time to take her test, I could peak out the window from where I was sitting and could see her back out. I tracked her on her whole route, and when she parked I walked out to meet her.
  • She saw me, and I could tell that she was upset. She got to me and did tell me that she had passed, but then the driver exam person explained about what happened. Campbell was driving along, and someone pulled out in front of her. She had to stop suddenly, which she did fine. Then that person swerved in front of Campbell and stopped in the middle of the road causing Campbell to have to slam on the brakes. This caused the driver exam lady to start yelling at the other driver. All of this was just too much for Campbell-she said that she never wanted to drive again.
  • Then we went to the Revenue office, and I guess it was a good thing that we had to wait for Campbell to calm herself down. But it wasn't that good that we had to wait for almost an hour. We finally got her license and hurried on to Sonic-that girl deserved more than just the standard drink-she got a meal.
  • We made it on while Graham was standing in the garage waiting on Campbell and the car to get home so they could go to work. They worked the rest of the afternoon while I finished school with Anderson, Keaton, and Whitman.
  • Before too long, it was time for church tonight. They fed us dinner tonight at church-tacos. They were fine, but most of us had another meal or snack when we came home. The Wednesday night ChickFilA people just came home at the same time that I put a cake in the oven for tomorrow night.

December 3, 2024

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  • When I stood up at 12:30 today, I could barely stand myself up straight. I then realized that I don't think that I had actually stood up sine 8:30 this morning when I first sat down. I guess I need to start walking around between working with kids. 
  • There is really no reason that school is taking me this long this year-well, I did change the little 3's language arts so I guess that is what it is plus I've added an extra math for everyone. So really, I have done this all to myself.
  • Robby was at Costco today and offered to pick up the kids something from the snack bar. He offered to pay a dollar for each kid. This was a good experiment in the kids' money management. Anderson bought nothing while Keaton and Whitman both used Robby's dollar to buy 1 cookie for them to split. Campbell and Graham, the working children, bought themselves a cookie and a chicken bake.
  • When lunch was over, I took Campbell for a little bit of driving-tomorrow is the driving portion of her test. I think she will do fine...at least I hope she will do fine, but backing up won't be easy at all! So start praying around 9:45 in the morning for her to back up safely.
  • When we came home, I took my walk and worked with Whitman. Then I ran with Robby to pick up a supper supplement. I had made potato soup which most people ate, but they also snacked on the chicken that Robby picked up. 
  • Now, everyone has been in the living room for quite a bit of the Hogs game. Campbell and Keaton have stayed in the longest, and now they are spinning each other in Robby's office chair. 

December 2, 2024

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  • This didn't really seem like a Monday, especially a Monday after a break. Things went fairly well today which always surprises me. Now, Whitman was even finished a bit earlier. However, this is because he didn't do the math that I laid out for him, he switched it out from math for later this week. I don't mind him doing this except it just leaves the harder math for later in the week.
  • Graham really struggled this year because he has a lot of school, and then three days a week he is leaving by one for work. Plus the other two days a week, he is gone over an hour for his class (when he goes). He rarely accomplishes all that I have planned and was still working on school work tonight on the couch.
  • Anderson may just turn out to be my chef-or at least my short order cook. His standard lunch meal lately has been eggs with leftover ChickFilA which we have seemed to have a lot of. He fries up his eggs and dices up his chicken and makes a pretty appealing looking hash.
  • Campbell would prefer to stay home instead of going to work, but she sure does love getting those checks in the mail. She said that she did a lot of cropping today. When she did get home, she drove Keaton and me to pick up a present that Keaton bought. Then we picked up some nuggets for some folks before we hurried home.
  • Then Campbell joined Robby and me to go out and eat. It was a good meal, and the waitress was nice, but everything just took a while. At least the room that we were in was entertaining. When we came home, I settled in my chair to read and write the blog. I've just returned from taking the dog out and am a bit chilly now-should I get myself some hot chocolate...possibly so.

December 1, 2024

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  • This morning was church morning-I had called Anderson a few times to wake up, and he seemed awake. However, when he came downstairs this morning to head to the car, he said that was the fastest anyone has ever gotten ready for church-I doubled checked that he had remembered teeth and deodorant. He had so it was all good-and his hair even looked nice.
  • We all went to church-I might be missing teaching Sunday school just a tiny bit, but maybe not. I'm not sure-I do enjoy our Sunday school class, but I feel a bit unsettled still on Sunday mornings. 
  • After church, we had lunch at Grannymom's house for lunch. The college girls were both there- Reagan and Lilly so that filled up the kids table. I'm sure that they enjoyed that though. We also celebrated Dana's birthday a bit early this afternoon.
  • When we came home, Robby left to run some errands. While he was gone, I did do a few things at first, but then I just pretty much had a nice long nap. (I really don't think that it was that long, but it sure was nice.)
  • None of the kids had afternoon and evening activities so it was a quiet evening around here. Reagan left early this evening to head back to school. She just had two weeks left of school so it won't be long before she is home again. 
  • The Wilson's came by this evening so we visited for a while. Shannon brought all of her desserts over so we did enjoy some sweets before we start the week tomorrow.