Earlier in our ornament countdown, I mentioned the DisneyLand ornament and how we had left early due to snow for that trip. The first part of that trip was Vegas. The kids were in awe of the buildings and the lights. Anderson was so impressed with all of the “games” in our hotel and could not wait to get downstairs and play some of those games. We never got around to letting him play those “games” at the hotel but Robby and I did. I was pretty unlucky and just decided that I was going to take the rest of my money and head to the gift shop and that is where I found this ornament. (Click here for pictures from the trip)
 |
| Birthday Party Time! |
Highlights from today: (Click here for pictures)
- Keaton woke up around 6 this morning and Graham was the next one to wake up. Campbell seems to enjoy sleeping back in the closet and is sleeping longer. When you ask her if she slept in the closet she will just grin.
- Robby worked in the yard a bit this morning and before we knew it, we were scrambling around trying to get ready in a hurry. The kids all had baths and Reagan even had two baths. I was downstairs with the boys and the girls upstairs decided they were finished and climbed out of the bathtub. They were even putting on their clothes when I came back up. But Reagan desperately needed her hair washed so she had to get back in the tub. I hate to squelch anyone's independence but had to wash that hair. Poor Campbell needed her hair washed but it wasn't worth that battle-I just combed the toothpaste and everything else out of her hair.
- My van was loaded up and we swung by to pick up Grannymom and Grandpa and then met Robby at the Clinton Library for our pictures with Santa. The kids were very excited to see Santa and Reagan has been debating for days about what to ask Santa for. Reagan, Anderson and Graham all set in his lap and talked to him. Next up was Campbell and she wasn't too happy about being in his lap but she didn't fuss. When he asked what she wanted I reminded her to say "toy" and she did. Reagan asked for an American Girl giftcard, Anderson asked for a monster truck that goes upside down and Graham asked for a train that makes it's own train tracks. Since I hear Santa only has 1 out of 3 of those presents, I reviewed that Santa will get a present that he knows they will love and enjoy.
- So after we had our pictures made with Santa, we went in the area to wait on the pictures. When we walked in, each of the kids picked up a cookie. They were all coloring their pictures and Grannymom was feeding Keaton, so I decided that I would also like to eat a cookie. I went up and got one of the table and the lady asked how many kids I had and was going to help me gather their cookies. I told her they had already had one and I just wanted one-then she told me the cookies were just for the kids. Ooops, I already had the cookie in my hand and offered to put it back but she politely told me eat it quick.
- Anderson and Campbell finished their cookies and saw the cookies on the table and walked up and got more. Reagan then decided that she wanted another one and went to the table. The lady asked if she had eaten a cookie and she said yes. So she was told that she could only have one. Poor thing-seriously, I think the Clinton Library should ask Santa for some cookies!!
- From there, we all headed back to Grannymom's house for a quick photo shoot of the kids in their dressy clothes. Robby and Anderson then hurried off to go to Brody's birthday party at Larry's pizza. Anderson was so excited and wanted to make sure that Robby had some money in his pocket. I left Reagan, Graham and Campbell at Grannymom's house and Keaton and I headed home.
- When we made it home, I worked for a bit and then Keaton had to eat. By the time Robby and Anderson arrived pretty much everything inside was ready. Anderson helped Robby hang the pinata and blow up the fire truck. Later when I looked out to check on their progress, I saw Pops climbing out of the fire truck. He came early and Anderson enjoyed hanging out with Pops. They sat and looked at the monorail for a long time. And then when Anderson was showing Pops his cupcakes, Anderson again said "this is going to be the best birthday party ever."
- Soon the guests started arriving Noah and his 3 brothers, Jacob, Ethan, Kennedy, Camryn, Laynie, Lilly, Cash, Harrison, Brody and his brother, Anna Claire and Collier and his brother. Those 17 plus our 5 made 22 kids at the party. Keaton slept through the entire party-in the swing in the middle of the kitchen. Seriously, she was sound asleep-if 21 other kids and plenty of adults talking, eating and singing didn't wake her up.
- The kids played in the firetruck outside and then came in to eat. After we ate, Anderson opened up his presents and we have now cancelled Christmas (no one boy needs all of this stuff-though Graham was just as happy as he could be because he realized that he gets to keep and play with all of those presents too. Reagan even found her a present that she enjoyed as well). An airplane, firetruck, motorcycles, Buzz Operation, play doh, a helicopter, feetie pajamas, art supplies, lots and lots of trucks and tractors and a movie. The boy could not have been any happier.
- Next up was cupcakes and singing Happy Birthday to him. I seriously can not believe that he is 5. It didn't take too long for them to gobble down their cupcakes when they heard the pinata was next. Everyone had a turn at the pinata and Todd did the final honors and busted it for everyone. They all dove into the loot. I had filled it with candy and little firemen. And those stinking kids just got the candy and left all of the firemen on the ground (a few were picked up) but most of them were just left for me to pick up.
- We finished the party with everyone playing on the firetruck until it was time to leave. Anderson was ever so polite and said his thank yous and thank you for coming to my parties but he came back inside the house after the pinata. He was busy trying to open up as many new toys as he could.
- After everyone left, Reagan, Graham, Cash (who is spending the night-this birthday just couldn't get any better for Anderson) and Anderson opened up most of the rest of the toys. They played and played in the living room while Robby and I ran around trying to straighten and then get everyone ready for the next party.
- Our final event of the day was a Christmas party at the Hawkin's new house. We arrived just in time to eat. The kids all followed me and filled their plates and then everyone sat on the wall and ate. Very well behaved-Robby and I were even able to eat a few plates worth of food. After eating, they all went upstairs to play. It got pretty rowdy upstairs one time and Graham got scared and Erin and Reagan were bringing him down to me as I was going up there. So Graham and Campbell went to another room to play with Pheobe who was quietly playing.
- Before too long it was time for a hay ride and we all piled on the trailer. Reagan sat by Kennedy, my boys and Cash sat together (Graham sat by me and held on to my scarf), Campbell sat in my lap and we sat by Will. We looped their street twice and then all went inside to decorate cookies. Everyone took their time making the cookies and Campbell stayed at the table longer than any of the other kids-she even pulled up a chair and was trying to eat the leftover cookies and sprinkles.
- Next up was s'mores (I tell you, the Hawkins know how to throw a party). Robby brought his cooking sticks and the kids made s'mores (they had these flat marshmallows-what will they think of next?) Then more playing inside and soon all of the kids came running down the stairs on their way to a second hay ride. I distracted Campbell and Robby put the others on the hay ride and waved goodbye. When they came back from the hayride, I made them keep their jackets on since we were about to leave-30 minutes later we did leave. They started playing and we started talking but when I called them downstairs, they still had their coats on.
- Campbell fell asleep on the way home and never woke up when we changed her clothes. Before Robby and I could even get the cars unloaded, Anderson had stripped down and was wearing his new feetie pajamas. Graham, the little sweetie, told Cash that he could borrow his feetie pajamas when he found out that the pjs Cash brought were not feeties. After they played for a bit more, Cash took him up on the offer-the 3 boys all of on feetie pajamas and not to be outdone, Reagan is wearing Anderson's last years Christmas pajamas with a purple skirt.
- It has been a crazy busy week and a super crazy day but the kids had a great time and we really did too. The floors need to be swept, the laundry and dishes need to be done and a zillion presents need to find a home but it was been a wonderful, wonderful day.
The Rock and Roll Museum in Cleveland was one of our stops in March. It was freezing cold and this was a warm, must see place to stop. It turned out to be just a warm place and not so must see. We weren’t crazy impressed but hey, it was a memory nonetheless and still deserved an ornament. (click here for pictures from the trip)
 |
| A late night surprise! |
Highlights from today: (Click here for pictures)
- Keaton was our early riser and ate at 3. Robby heard her and fed her. She had a few nights of sleeping all night-I feel like we are about to get on some type of schedule (but I have probably messed all of that up by saying it outloud).
- I guess since Campbell wasn't in the room with the others, she was the reason that they all slept until close to 7:30. Of course, I couldn't stick around and hang out in bed since I had a staff meeting at 9 (and a trip to Toys R Us first and then all of that followed by a money spending trip to the Scholastic Book sale).
- Robby took the day off and started the morning with breakfast. Graham dressed for breakfast-shorts, t shirt and boots. Reagan worked on a box house for one of her animals. The all had a pretty lazy morning which included a movie or two and lots of play time.
- Next was lunch and soon I arrived home to find Robby and Campbell cuddling on the couch (the other 3 were playing upstairs). Anderson had been crazy anxious to help make his cupcakes. When Robby headed out to work in the yard, we started working on those cupcakes. Everyone watched as we worked on making fire on the top of his cupcakes. Anderson was so proud to help me make 5 of the cupcakes and Reagan and Graham were not pleased at all to only get to help with a few. I had about 40 cupcakes to decorate and we were nearing Campbell's nap time so I had to keep things moving.
- Campbell had her nap and Keaton woke up. She just laid in the hallway and looked around. The kids were still wanting to help so then we made Anderson's party favors (white chocolate popcorn). The boys lost interest but Reagan helped tie the bags up-all 20 of them that we made.
- Soon Robby ran to run an errand and returned with pizza for supper. Robby headed outside to get things set up while the kids ate. Then we showed Anderson the special thing we had gotten for his birthday-a big firetruck run through/jumpy. When Anderson saw it he was so excited-at bed time he said "this is going to be the best birthday party ever."
- We put their coats on them and they headed outside to play. Just as the kids and I climbed in (since it was so dark I had to drag Campbell inside) the blowers turned off (we had too much plugged in to one place) and it started deflating. Campbell was already screaming because she wanted out, Graham became hysterical, Reagan and Anderson started yelling which only caused Graham and Campbell to freak out more. Robby quickly plugged one of the blowers into another outlet and all was well.
- They calmed down and were back inside running as fast as they could through it. Campbell did come in again with Robby but was happy to just watch the action from the outside. Did I mention that it was rather dark outside so Robby shined the lights from the car on one side of the firetruck and shined the lights from the van on the other side. We weren't out there too long but when Robby went to move the cars....well, yep, we had run the battery down...on both cars.
- Jason was the unlucky one who got the call to come and rescue us. We jumped the cars without a problem and Jason hung out with the kids and watched a Charlie Brown movie for a bit. Graham was falling asleep during the movie and was the first one to head to bed.
- Soon everyone was in bed and Campbell was sleeping in the closet again. Robby left the door open in the closet for her and she did not want for him to close it tonight. In Campbell's bed, Keaton is snoozing peacefully. I had laid her down there when it was time to brush teeth and she was then sleeping too peacefully to move. We will move her back down with us when we go to bed.
The U.S. Naval Aviation Museum, home of the Blue Angels, was another one of those stops that truly surprised us. We hit it this year on our drive to Destin. The most entertaining aspect was the 3 story battleship play area. After being in the car for awhile, the kids had a blast running off lots of energy. Next trip to Floriday, we will definitely stop there again. (Click here for pictures from the trip)
 |
| Who needs a cup? |
Highlights from today: (Click here for pictures)
- Waking up to green grass was less exciting for the kids this morning than waking up to yesterday's snow. But everyone was still in a good mood when they came down for breakfast. Robby got everyone ready for school (boys) and Grannymom's house (girls).
- I took the boys and I miss those days when Graham didn't want me to leave him. After dropping Anderson off , I bent down to ask Graham, who was holding tightly to my hand, if he wanted to skip school and go and get donuts. He just let go of my hand and walked right in to his class.
- Before we all left this morning, Reagan told me that she knew she had to do some schoolwork at Grannymom's house. I told her that I hadn't gotten anything for her to do yet and to run and get something out of her boxes. She came back with a reading sheet and just read it right there in the kitchen so she didn't have to read it. Little smartie.
- The girls made popsicle reindeer. They were careful not to let Campbell lose her ornament this time like the one she lost last week. It hasn't turned up yet! Grannymom and Grandpa picked up the boys from school-Robby had left them the van since they were coming to our house.
- Our builder, Robby's nephew, came over today to see our house and talk about our addition. Not much new information but we are ready to get started so hopefully we will have that new bathroom/garage and more space than we ever need by April (just a guess). After he left, Grannymom and Grandpa soon left as well.
- We had school and Reagan, Anderson and Graham just love working out of the workbooks I have gotten from Sams. Reagan is doing a 1st grade one, Anderson is doing Kindergarten and Graham is doing the preschool. Reagan would much rather do something that is crazy hard for her out of the workbook than do her other work. So as a "reward", I let her do an extra page from her workbook when she finishes her other work (I'm so sneaky).
- Campbell woke up just as we all started a game of Sequence. This is Sequence for kids but I always think about Debbie Dillon and ski trips when we play Sequence. Reagan and Anderson lasted the whole game and Graham made it about half way through. Campbell just sat in my lap and put green chips carefully on the board and then I would remove them quickly when she wasn't looking.
- Next was supper and then we loaded up for a few errands-we told the kids two stops only but it ended up being a few more (grocery store, party city, library-book drop off, restaurant-didn't take our groupon and then another restaurant). Of course the kids couldn't go in anywhere since the boys had on shorts. Graham did have on long sleeves. Reagan had had on a brown skirt and a brown shirt (they were all playing cowboy earlier and had on brown because "cowboys are dusty") But when she remembered that I had said she can't wear her black boots with brown clothes, she changed her outfit to a denim skirt and black shirt so she could wear those boots.
- As a reward for the errand running, we bought them Christmas tree Little Debbies and they devoured them before pulling Santa to count down for Christmas.
- I made Anderson's cupcakes tonight while the kids were going nuts in bed. We repeatedly told them to be quiet and after we were summoned up there because Campbell was standing in her bed naked, Campbell we sent to the pack n play. She was not pleased about that at all-let's just say the neighbors probably heard her. Meanwhile, Keaton just wanted to be held and set up so she could watch tv (seriously). She was eventually sent to bed and was a bit fussy for a few minutes. Both little girls are now sleeping soundly in their pack n plays.
We said we would never go to Disney with our kids until they were much, much older. And those were more words that we have eaten. Our kids can probably lead a tour around DisneyWorld. This ornament is from our latest trip in May with Grannymom, Jason, Nonna and Pops. (Click here for the start of this trip's pictures)
