September 27, 2025-Happy 14th Birthday Keaton!

(click for today's pictures) 

• We began this day by going to Raymar for football. Keaton could have asked for one of her brothers or sisters to take her place in the concession stand today, but she had Happy Birthday button on and was working hard for tips. 
• One man did give her a 20, so that, of course, made it all worth it. I think that she made around 35 dollars in tips-the birthday button sure did help. Whitman figured out that the tips were all going to the birthday girl today, so he pretty much checked out on helping except when we hollered at him to get us something.
• While we were at Raymar, Robby ran some errands. He came back at the end to pick us up, and we headed to Nonna's house. Graham and Campbell met us there. Since we can't do Sunday lunch tomorrow, we moved it up to today and even made it birthday lunch-we celebrated Robby, Keaton, and Jason's birthday. 
• Nonna and Pops' had bbq plus she had made 3 different birthday cakes. I don't think that the birthday people would have fussed over their cakes, but they each had one so there was no squabbling. Nonna had made so much dessert that we took a good bit home with us.
• Robby opened up some rain shoes and a few flashlights, Keaton had money and an outfit. She has another outfit from Nonna that is lost in the mail in Chicago. Jason also opened up some money plus a book and gift card. It was a pretty good birthday celebration.
• Robby headed to Grannymom's house, Sams, and Walmart after lunch. I went home with everyone else, and then headed to Platos with Keaton. She needed a little bit of birthday shopping-she found a shirt, Campbell found 2 shirts (I bought one, and she broke her no spend September to buy the other one.) I even tried on three things there today, but nothing worked for me.
• On the way home, Keaton convinced me to let her drive. I was in the big white van, but I pulled down the little street in front of ours and let her slowly drive home. She did fine, but I did keep repeating "keep your foot on the brake." We didn't need to be going too fast plus she wasn't too sure which was the brake and which was the gas. I figured if we didn't use the gas then that might be safer-and it was-we made it home safely with no yelling.
• Robby made it home as we were crawling into the driveway. We helped him unload, and the girls helped me wash and get some fruit ready for tomorrow-Graham and Keaton are taking breakfast to Sunday school.
• Then Robby and I crashed on the couch-Keaton's friend Collyn came over, but we still couldn't manage to get up. I did leave the couch first to take Campbell to babysit her Bauxite family. Then I met Robby, and we ran some errands before meeting the Wilsons to eat supper. We ate at the new Mexican restaurant, and it was very good. 
• Then we picked up Keaton and Robby's birthday Crumble cookies, and then I also picked up a very late supper for the kids at home. Keaton and Collyn had made cookies here so they weren't starving, but everyone did dig into tonight's chicken. 
• I prepped as much of tomorrow's breakfast as I could. I did have to send a panic text to Robby telling him that we needed butter-I had one stick, but we needed three so it was a butter emergency. He picked up some on the way home from getting Campbell, and they rolled in around 10. 
• Now maybe for a bit of sitting on the couch before bed after this busy day!