May 14, 2015

Celebrating at Altitude!

(click here for today's pictures)

• Thursday morning and we didn't have to rush to get Campbell to school today...she skipped! Now, this is always hard for me and yes, I know that she is in preschool and is probably not missing that much but I never skipped school...not even a class in college (I got your money's worth, Dad!)
• The kids were as excited this morning as they would have been if it was Chirstmas morning-we were getting to use one of their Christmas gifts...gift cards to Altitude.  The boys were dressed and ready before breakfast and the girls weren't too far behind. 
• The did a bit of their summer school work but pretty early this morning we loaded up for altitude.  My kiddos don't look too fondly on school buses and there were quite a few parked in front.  But still it wasn't too crowded and everyone had a great time.
• Whitman jumped and jumped until he was worn out.  Keaton's favorite part was jumping on the trampoline and then jumping into a pool of foam blocks.  Now some kids would jump 10 feet into the foam pool but Keaton would sit and then jump about 3 inches from the platform.  The one time that she did jump a little ways (6 inches) even the worker man standing their watching cheered her on.  Campbell was everywhere and did everything that she could.  Anderson and Graham both loved the dodgeball.  And Reagan probably enjoyed the foam pit the most and spent quite a bit of time over there.  
• The bus loads of kids all left at about the same time and that left the place pretty much deserted.  We had the dodgeball court to ourselves and Reagan and I moved all the balls to one trampoline, then organized them by color and then put them on the line.  All of this tormented poor Whitman who wanted all of the balls on the trampoline near him.  For every few balls we moved, he would carry one back to his spot so that made our organizing into quite a game!
• Robby bought everyone drinks and then we jumped a bit more.  On the way home, we picked up lunch and the kids ate and Reagan quickly packed.  We then quietly left the house and I dropped her off at Nonna's house for the night.  Then I headed to the dentist...my least favorite activity ever.
• While I was getting my teeth cleaned, Whitman took a nap while the others relaxed a bit and watched a few movies.  The kids rushed to Robby at the beginning of their second movie (like they do when I am there) and begged for a snack.  Eventually, they were given one and all was well with the world again.
• Once at home, it was soon time for supper and then a fairly restful evening.  We watched an alligator show and then everyone had really quick showers before bedtime!
• Tonight, I read an article that said if you have lots of siblings then you are more likely to be more creative, more intelligent, happier, less likely to be obese, healthier and more likely to stay married-let's hope so for my Dennie six.

May 13, 2015

3:16 Live Awards Celebration!

(click here for today's pictures)

• This was the first morning that no one had to get up for school here or for Campbell's school so we took advantage of it and slept in a bit.  The boys and tehn everyone found their kindles (we forgot to lock the closet door)  
• I eventually made breakfast and then everyone started on their summer school work.  It was a pretty slow morning-Campbell's reading book, laundry, Reagan's writing book that she hasn't yet finished and that was pretty much it.
• Campbell, Keaton and Whitman spent a long time playing with playdoh.  This was one of the first times that Whitman really understood what he was to do with the playdoh...then he started throwing it on the floor.
• Campbell and Keaton were all crafty today because they even did a bit of painting while I was on the treadmill.  Lunch was the next big event.  We ate and read and then ran around doing our afternoon chores before getting ready.
• Once ready, we went to see Beebee.  It had been a while since we have been there and we caught her just before she went into the shower.  The kids were fairly well behaved and Whitman was perfect...as long as I was handing him candy as quickly as I could.
• At some point today, Whitman ran up to me, grabbed my hand and said "potty."  I felt his warm diaper and indeed he had just pottied.  I played along and took him to sit on the potty for a minute but boy, I am sure not ready to potty train anyone again.  
• Once at home this afternoon, the kids watched tv and played their kindles until it was time for supper.  Before heading to church, we dropped by the library for me to pick up a few books for everyone-mainly for Graham.  He is my reader and is constantly reading all of the books that I have for him.
• Tonight at church, Reagan, Anderson and Graham all received trophies for saying all of their verses this year.  Keaton also received a certificate for her attendance and hopefully Campbell will receive one next week!  The kids deserved a cookie when we made it home to celebrate and then it was bedtime for my crew!

May 12, 2015

Tough-looking crew!

(click here for today's pictures)

For early readers of the blog, check back later for a fuller report. Tara's out Bunko-ing so here's the condensed version:

• After disruptive sleep the night before, we slept much better last night so much so that Campbell came to wake us up at 7:40 to tell us we needed to get up. We scrambled around and managed to still leave at a decent time to get her to school.
• Nonna picked up Campbell from school and they made cookies for everyone else.
• Meanwhile back at home, the rest continued to get into their summer routine but did spend most of the day without internet (which Tara said felt like the stone ages). Apparently, the internet was working fine while Reagan did her summer computer math but but by the time the boys tried to do theirs the internet wasn't working.  Tara once tried to unplug it but just figured it was still messed up. When it is movie time, Reagan noticed that the tv wasn't coming on....hmm, no power.  Then she said "could that be because the soccer ball went back there this morning?"  Um yep...we could barely see the plug hanging out so they used the broom to scoot the plug back in the outlet.Keaton though is very concerned about getting the soccer ball back and she has tried to grab it from under the armorie-very interesting to watch!
• Robby came home as movie time was wrapping up.  He was in charge of supper so he started making waffles and sausage -- always a popular meal around the Dennie house.  
• Tara left for Bunko and immediately the kids started asking if they could go to Sonic to play on the playground.  We had done this last week to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.  With no half price drinks this week, all agreed to skip the drinks and just play.
• After about an hour of playing, most of the kids were tired and ready to head home. The others were convinced with a bribe of Campbell's cookies.  Quick showers/bath and cookie time and then it was bed time.

May 11, 2015

Celebrating Mother's Day (just a bit late!)

(click here for video #1:  the kids oral reports from last month)

(click here for video #2:  Campbell was featured on the church's Mother's Day promo)

(click here for today's pictures)

• Robby and I laid down last night early thinking that we were going to have a restful night...we were wrong!  About two hours after we laid down my new silly weather radio went off telling me of a thunderstorm warning (I wanted a weather radio for only tornado warnings but a warning is a warning and we hear them all.)  
• An hour after that, the silly fire alarms did their thing again.  This time the one in the kids hallway was going off.  Thankfully though I made it to the alarm panel before the fire department was called.  Since this has happened before lately it was a little less disturbing.  Robby hopes that it is the batteries so they will all be replaced or an entire new system will be bought (they have smoke alarms that if one goes off all of them in the house will go off)  So after we sniffed around the house just to make sure and calmed ourselves down from hearing 2 alarms in one night, we went on back to sleep.
• As we were about to sleep again, the first round of thunderstorms moved through which caused me to stay awake a bit longer.  This is where I start to get fuzzy about what happened next but at some point, there was quite the commotion upstairs.  I heard lots of little feet out of their beds but didn't hear anyone calling me or talking on the monitor so I stayed in bed.  This morning Reagan said that around 3, Keaton needed covering up and then had to go to the bathroom.  
• At sometime, that the silly weather radio went off again saying there was a flash flood warning.  That bit of useless information caused us to wake up pretty well.  And then possibly before the weather radio's second alarm, there was the second batch of thunderstorms.  Needless to say, it was not a restful night.
• It was less restful for Robby, because at 6 he loaded all of the kids except for Whitman in to the car and headed out to buy my Mother's Day breakfast.  Since Reagan was gone yesterday morning, we celebrated a day late with donuts instead of waffles.  The kids all walked into our room holding something-I had multiple cards from everyone along with a ticket for the kids to do my chores for the day "while I sit down and relax."  I thought about using that one today but opted to use it on a day that Campbell would be home with us.  Later I heard that Anderson did not want to participate in the doing my chores for the day and Reagan and Graham had to "bribe him and play lots of games with him" for him to agree. 
• I also had a Disney photo album for a present.  Each time we go on a Disney trip, I put a few pictures in an album and now our album is completely full and I even had pictures for the new one.  I devoured my donuts and then we went to the kitchen so everyone could have donuts to help me celebrate.  
• Before too long, it was time for Campbell and Robby to leave for the day.  Campbell had a big day at school and went home with Grannymom.  With Grannymom, they ran to the Dollar Store and also to Hallmark.  When they were at their second stop, Campbell decided that she had lost her bow so they went back to the Dollar Store to look for her bow...which they later found back at Grannymom's house. Of course, when I heard the story, I made sure that Campbell understood that we do have lots of bows and can always get another one.
• Back at home, this was our first day of summer break.  The kids did their bit of schooling without too much complaints and then we watched an Innovation Nation tv show.  Whitman went down for his morning nap and I headed to the treadmill.
• After lunch, we didn't have too much to do around here and the kids enjoyed a lazy afternoon.  Robby and Campbell were home in time for supper and then they were all off to soccer practice.  Whitman and I were set to go but we decided that a wet field and a 2 year old wouldn't be the greatest of ideas. 
• Robby said that kids did well during practice even though our boys went into the girls' bathroom during a game of chase.  Hopefully they learned their lesson-especially since Robby saw them and then called them out during his practice and then made them sit until practice was over.
• Whitman wasn't too pleased that everyone else left but he helped me make some banana bread, make some dip for Robby and I to eat tonight, make some caramel-y oyster crackers, work in the school room, straighten and then we even had time to watch a Thomas the Train.  
• When the others came home, everyone showered and then went straight to bed!  Robby and I have said that shower time is like running a marathon-running here and there to wash people, trying to pick up the house, gathering pajamas and dirty clothes and then herding everyone to brush their teeth and going upstairs to put everyone to bed while quietly trying to get Whitman to happily go to sleep downstairs.

May 10, 2015

(click here for today's pictures)

Celebrating Our Mother's!

• Reagan is the one around here who makes sure Mother's Day morning runs smoothly and is a big production.  But I hadn't realized that this morning was Mother's Day when I let her spend the night at Kennedy's house...so we moved part of the Mother's Day celebration to yesterday and part to tomorrow morning.  We didn't even manage to get a picture today but maybe tomorrow.
• Campbell came down to our bedroom sometime in the middle of the night last night. After laying beside me for a while, she finally asked if I would make her a pallet on the floor.  I certainly did that (really, we need a bigger bed) so soon she was sound asleep.  We probably should have gotten up when she came downstairs and started our morning a bit early but we didn't!
• It didn't take too long for everyone to get dressed this morning.  Then they had breakfast and sat in the dark living room playing their kindles.  While I was cleaning up the kitchen the power went out-I continued my job while talking to Whitman about the lights being out but didn't mention it to the kids.  Robby eventually called for them to put on their shoes so they walked into our dark closet to see Robby holding a flashlight and putting on his clothes.  The kids could not understand what Robby was doing with his flashlight and all of them tried to turn on the light for him.
• Even though the lights were off, it didn't slow us down at all and we were soon on the way to church.  We made our grandparent run and then dropped off Keaton and Whitman.  Reagan joined us then from Kennedy's house.  During big church, Campbell's video was on the screen.  There were lots of kids and she didn't show up until near the end-I was beginning to be afraid that she didn't make the cut.  When Campbell popped on the screen, she said "I love my mom because she takes care of the best kids in the whole world."  Yep, that's my Campbell!
• After Sunday school, we joined Grannymom, Grandpa, Dana, Lilli and Cash for Mexican at a restaurant.  The kids enjoyed having Grannymom read their papers that they wrote about her and when lunch was over, we headed home for my Mother's Day nap!  
• It didn't take too long for Campbell and Keaton to join me and even though I had my alarm clock set, we slept an hour and a half longer than planned.  We had to scurry around to make it to Nonna's house-we took her our award winning peanut butter pie.  The kids played for a while and all gathered around Nonna to have her read what they wrote about her.  Keaton also filmed her oral report (it didn't tape well when she did hers the other day) so she said her lines a few times (about 16)-I think that she likes the spotlight.
• Once at home, everyone put on their pajamas and then headed to bed.  It will take at least 2 days for Reagan to catch up on her sleep from her few nights out and she will be a bit moody until then!  And the boys will need a few days to fall into our new summer break pattern so hopefully tomorrow will go smoothly!

May 9, 2015-Happy (early) Birthday Grandpa!

Celebrating Grandpa's Birthday!

(click here for today's pictures)

• We weren't too sure about soccer when we went to sleep last night and we both woke up when the storm rolled through this morning.  Around 6:30, Robby woke up and saw on twitter that soccer was cancelled and we text everyone but I made sure that I didn't go back to sleep until I received an email confirming that it was indeed cancelled.
• Last time soccer was cancelled, we were crazy productive that day.  Robby said that if I tried to make us productive today then it wouldn't work.  He continued with "productivity should just come naturally."  I think he was trying to get out of being productive-though it didn't work.
• Whitman and I ran to the grocery store and I picked up 8 containers of cool whip, 16 pounds of strawberries and about 10 pounds of chicken-let's just say it is a good thing we have an extra freezer or two!  Then we went to pick up Reagan.  Whitman could not wait to get Reagan and as soon as I buckled him up after the grocery store, he started saying "Reagan? Reagan?"
• We picked up our Reagan and then headed home for a bit.  By the time we made it home, plans had been made for the day.  We all got ready and headed out to eat for an early Mother's Day for me. We ate at PeiWei which is one of my favorite eating places.  I don't have many places that I can enjoy eating at-Robby and I like the food and so do the kids, the kids love the coke machine there and I like that it is pretty noisy and our racket can't really be heard.
• After lunch, we dropped all the girls off at Dana's house so they could go to Lilli's dance recital.  We also dropped off the red van-Dana had invited the girls to go but then after we said they all wanted to go, we realized that her car wouldn't hold everyone.  
• Cash came home with us and the boys spend the first bit of afternoon inside playing on their kindles while Whitman played outside while Robby worked.  (Robby spent his afternoon completely taking apart his riding lawn mower and then putting it back together again-he did manage to put it back together and spent the rest of the afternoon mowing as fast as he could to beat the rain)
• When Whitman laid down for his nap, the boys went outside.  The collected 2 turtles and 2 frogs, played in the dirt pile (will probably have to burn their clothes), rode bikes and shot the bb gun.  It was a big day here but when it was time to leave, they all needed quick showers.  
• I spent the afternoon cutting up those 16 pounds of strawberries and doing a few others things around the house.  The strawberries are done and all in the freezers but I do not have a single plastic container left!  We have quite a bit of eating to do before I can go pick strawberries or blueberries!
• The dance recital lasted quite a long time and when it was over Dana fought the rain and dropped Reagan off at Kennedy's house to spend the night over there.  Reagan is quite popular!  Then we all met back at Dana's house and had ice cream sundaes to celebrate Grandpa's 83rd birthday.  
• Back at home, we quickly tucked in our tired kiddos.  As Robby was kissing Campbell goodnight she said "I don't want to take dance ever, it takes hours!"

May 8, 2015

Just a little tired!

(click here for today's pictures)

• When Robby left early this morning, he woke me up to tell me bye and to tell me that Anderson was working on his school work already.  Whitman wasn't home last night because he was spending the night with Nonna and Pops so that left the school room empty and Anderson didn't waste any time.  
• I laid in bed for a bit longer but by the time I climbed out of bed, everyone but Keaton was in the school room and they were all quietly working.  I celebrated a bit too soon thinking that today was going to be an awesome last day of school. 
• I let everyone have breakfast while they worked and poured milk for everyone.  Things were going fairly well until Graham fell apart.  He tried to calm down, I tried to calm him down but things just went from bad to worse.  Even Anderson was finished with school before Graham but that probably had something to do with the fact that Graham kept wandering around the house moaning "I am never going to get done with school."
• By lunch, things calmed down and I began celebrating that school is now over for the 2014-2015 school year.  When we started back with school, we will have a kindergartner, second grader, third grader and a fourth grader.  You can start praying for me right now!
• After lunch, Nonna brought Whitman home and he wasn't too excited about coming home.  When he and Nonna walked in the door, he kept pulling her hand back towards the door.  Then he eventually decided that he was going to leave by himself and tried his hardest to get into Nonna's car.  
• Soon it was his naptime and I thought that I should celebrate the last day of school with a nap. I had encouraged Campbell and Keaton to watch the movies with the others but soon Campbell came and laid beside me and as soon as she was asleep Keaton came and laid on top of me.  When Robby came in, Campbell and Keaton (and possibly I) were sound asleep on the couch.  It was quite an undertaking for me to get out from under Keaton and off of the couch.
• Soon the kids had eaten and we were all loaded up heading to drop Reagan off at Camryn's birthday party.  Then we had a few minutes to kill so we walked around the grocery store and then to church.
• We dropped the kids off and everyone seemed happy about going to their classes except for Whitman.  He jerked his bag out of the hands of his teacher and ran back to the door after we dropped him off.  I think he eventually warmed up to the idea of spending the evening at church while we went out to eat with Sunday school people.  
• After picking everyone up, we quickly showered everyone and then bedtime for the soccer players...though we aren't really sure if it will rain tonight or not!