May 6, 2014

(click here for today's pictures)

• My kids knew this was a big day so they were up way before 7 this morning.  I could hear everyone upstairs moving around and I thought they were putting on their clothes but wasn't too sure....until Keaton ran into my room asking for her clothes.  I pointed to them in a little pile in my floor and she picked them up and started running back upstairs.  As she was leaving she turned and told me "I put them on upstairs."  I reminded her to put on her pull up and she shouted back "okay."  When I saw her again after I was ready, she was completely dressed probably with some help from Reagan or Campbell.  Though if Keaton does need help with something, she will often ask her brothers and they usually are willing to help her too.  
• Today was Campbell's class trip to the zoo.  My girl was so excited about this field trip-it could have only have been better if they rode on a bus!  She has almost daily pointed out her preschool shirt and reminded me that she needed to wear it to the zoo.  Graham saw her wearing hers and put on his GSFBC preschool shirt from last year.  
• The weather was a bit windy and overcast this morning so we were a bit on the chilly side for the start of the zoo.  Campbell was so excited to see her friends and teacher.  I had made it clear that her teacher emailed and said that all children had to be holding hands, riding in a stroller or walking on the loops.  Well, Campbell hasn't held my hand at the zoo in years-the kids just don't run off.  So when we first joined Campbell's class, she walked around holding Anderson's hand.  Then she hung out with Adilyn and her mom.  Finally, she ended up walking on the loops but only because Keaton took a liking to the loops and held them for most of the zoo trip.
• Whitman wasn't able to see too many animals today-I honestly feel like I need to take him back.  There were so many kids, so many strollers and so many moms that it was hard to get him up to the front.  A few times, he was able to see the animals and he would briefly look and then turn his head away all bashful like.
• We were back to the car before lunch and headed home.  Grannymom and Grandpa were at the house-raking leaves and fixing the tractor.  The kids stayed out and played while I helped with the leaves for a bit.  Then Keaton went home with Grannymom and the rest of us came in after a while for lunch.  
• After lunch, I put Whitman to bed and then we left again-skating.  Once a month is homeschool skate and I should have taken the kids more often this year but didn't at all.  All our buddies were there so the kids were excited about going.  Now Campbell asked me if she would be able to skate-I told her it would be hard but she could do it.  And hard it was-my Campbell is no light little girl so holding her up as she "skated" around the rink was very hard...for me! 
• They all put on their skates and started holding onto the wall and going around-my Campbell couldn't even do that and I did walk her around one lap.  Then I remembered that I was going to rent one of those walker type things and did that.  I had to walk with her and it around once and then for some reason I left the rink for a second.  When I came back to help Campbell so more she was gliding along (it wasn't pretty) but she was moving fast all around that rink.  
• So then I looked at Graham who was struggling quite a bit too and went to rent another walker thing.  He did good with one of those and he needed some confidence building.  That poor boy would fall and fall hard-he will be black and blue tomorrow.  But with the walker thing he did okay-him and Anderson would take turns with it and could both do okay with it.  Now I know that isn't exactly true skating but practice makes perfect.
• Reagan did pretty well-she is still a wall holder most of the time but by the end she was skating in the middle-that is what she really wanted to do---skate in the middle.  Now my kids had eaten lunch about 30 minutes before we got there but they were starving and so thirsty that they had to mooch off of our friends.  Next time we go, I will know to bring an ice chest of food for my crew.
• We skated until Robby and Whitman came to pick us up and then we went to pick up Keaton.  We went to the Mayflower and Vilonia ballgame at Dickey Stephens park.  The crowd for the game was evident even on 630 and it took forever to get down Broadway far enough to pick up our hot dogs and make it to the ballpark.  They started late so we were still there on time.
• It was crowded and sunny but the wind was nice and before too long, the sun was down and it was comfortable.  The boys really watched the ballgame and Whitman was pretty interested in the boys baseball hats.  We had a few snacks, watched some more of the game, let the kids play on the grass and even watched some more of the game before deciding to leave.  We thought we were leaving early but it was the 7th inning and I guess in high school that is the last inning so everyone ended up leaving when we did.
• On the way home, we stopped at Sonic to get a slushie for the kids (and us).  They had all been very good all day long so their drinks were big rewards for them.  Then it was home for showers and bed...a super big day for us!