November 4, 2014

(click here for today's pictures)
Book Character Parade Day!

  • Book Character day at Campbell's school and this is one of the biggest days ever around here.  We were running a bit behind but jumped into the big van to rush out the driveway to get to school on time.  The keys were in the ignition and I turned and nothing, nothing at all.  Hmm, what could have happened?  Possibly someone went out to the van yesterday to take the dvd out of the dvd player.  And since this person had to turn the key a bit for the player to work and this person might possibly have let the battery on until the van was completely dead.  That is just one idea of what could have possibly happened.  
  • Thankfully Robby was home and he helped me in urging the kids to "switch cars, switch cars fast."  It took teamwork for us to get that done!  All they wanted to do was stare at us and ask questions-once I was zooming down the driveway, I explained what had happened.  Robby was able to charge/jump/whatever but my manly man fixed my car right up.
  • I had brought the kids school work to do as they sat waiting for the book character day but we walked in just as the classes were walking out.  We barely had gotten our seats and gotten settled before the kids started their singing.  My big 3 started banging out page after page of work and knocked out a few boxes in just a few minutes.  We had to change cars in such a hurry that I didn't grab a stroller for Whitman (really, probably both cars should have a stroller but since that is something I should have thought about 9 years ago, it is a little late to start that now).  I did what all good moms do with their 1 year olds when they aren't in a stroller-I just let him play in the water fountain.  He was happy and this made me happy.
  • Now let's talk about my Campbell.  When we first got the note about book character day, I mentioned a new book that I had checked out called The Paper Bag Princess.  I tried to talk it up to Campbell and even explained how we could make a costume for it.  Campbell quickly shot me down and said "I want to be Llama, llama, red pajama like last year.  It was so comfy to wear my pajamas all day at school."  I, then, came to my senses and realized that letting her wear her pjs was such a better idea than me having to make a dress out of a paper bag.  What was I thinking to even consider that?  And, I am sure that I am not bias at all but my Campbell was by far the cutest child in the entire book character parade.
  • Now on the way home, my Keaton asked where we were going next.  I told her home to finish our school work and she started crying.  First she said "I want to go to the parade."  I realized that if she does know what a parade is then the kids marching around in front of us probably didn't count in her mind.  But if she doesn't know what a parade is then it probably sounded like more fun than she thought we had.  After that, she asked if we could go to the store-I think her and Robby do a bit of shopping on their way home from taking Campbell on Thursdays.
  • When we made it home, Robby was running and Whitman hung out with him while eating a snack.  Reagan, Anderson and Graham did pretty good at finishing their school work.  We finished all of our work about 30 minutes earlier than usual.  I was feeling pretty proud until I realized that all 3 of them decided that they were going to skip their math school work for the day.  If you remember that last night they correctly answered the Bible story questions and earned candy or the opportunity to skip a school box.  They will have to do those math pages tomorrow though!
  • We had a fairly quiet afternoon.  I didn't have too much on my list to do since I knew we would be leaving the house soon.  The kids were already ready and at 1:30, we loaded up to go and vote, pick up Campbell, get gas and then I took the 4 big ones skating.  Again, everyone was loaded in the car and I was gathering my last few things but I couldn't find my billfold.  I had it in Robby's car but it wasn't anywhere in the house.  I am usually the one who has to find everything for Robby-keys, phone, wallet.  I am not the one who loses things-I am the finder.  Ask me where anything is in this house and I can tell you.  But I could not find my billfold at all!
  • I looked every single place that I thought it could be-in the school room closet, in Campbell's bed, in the laundry basket.  I had looked and re-looked through the entire house and was just about to give up.  I went to the car to look again and the kids were all buckled staring at me.  I climbed in the car and was on my hands and knees looking and feeling under all of the seats.  And one of those children asked "have you found it yet?"  Seriously, what did they think I was doing-checking to see how soft the carpet was?  I again went back in the house and by luck opened the lockers right next to the bench where I thought I should have laid my billfold.  And there my billfold was in the bottom locker-my Whitman loves to move things around that I put on the mudroom benches.  The washing machine and lockers are his go to places to hide my stuff-oh, these children!
  • One of my friends stood in line for 45 minutes to vote.  We walked right in and did have to wait about 20 seconds but that was it.  The nice lady explained to the kids that I had to sign my name and verify my address so they could know who I was.  Then she handed them a paper for them to keep (the same paper I used to get my ballot).  There were more workers in the place than voters but there was a steady stream of people coming in.  We all left with our stickers and then went to pick up Campbell and meet Robby at the gas station.  
  • Today at the gas station, we had 40 cents off of gas so we made sure that we got the max amount of gas possible.  Actually, getting the max amount of gas isn't too hard at anytime.  This though did involve Robby filling up the big van, then him driving away leaving Graham holding the nozzle so I could drive up and fill up the red van.  
  • Then it was to the skating rink for my big 4.  Homeschool skate is a pretty good deal except when you have to rent 2 skate aids (think a walker made from pvc pipe with wheels).  My kids are getting better at skating-Campbell didn't fall nearly as much, Reagan is cautious like me, Anderson has one speed-fast but uncontrollable and Graham just gets to tired from skating.  
  • Back at home, Whitman took his afternoon nap and Robby let Keaton stay up.  He sat her up in our bedroom with some milk, a lollipop and a few movies.  She stayed in there for a long time until she joined Robby who was working while sitting on the couch.  When we drove down the driveway, I could tell that there were no lights on in the house-could everyone have been asleep?  They sure were!
  • Once we all came into the house, everyone woke up and then all of our folks had showers.  Earlier in the day, I had suggested chicken spaghetti but we opted to just snack. But Robby thought of a much better idea-breakfast.  Keaton, Campbell, Graham and me made monkey bread-this has been all that the kids could think about since I had made some last week to give away.  And Robby made breakfast burritos as well-over 15 of them.  
  • Supper must have been good-we ate all of the burritos that we made and the monkey bread will be finished off in just a few minutes.  I think someone said that this was the best supper ever.  All I could think about was how in the world we had eaten all of that food?  What ever will my grocery bill when I have 6 teenagers?
  • After supper, we cleaned up from supper and then didn't really do anything else at all!  It was wonderful.  The girls and I played a few rounds of ring around the rosies with Whitman.  When that baby walks up to you, grabs your hand and says "ashes" you just can't refuse.  

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