March 7, 2018

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• Whitman crawled into our bed at 6:58 by our clock. I am not sure how accurate our clock is, but that must mean that Graham has an alarm set for before 7 or his internal clock is waking him up early. Either way, I tried to get Whitman to go back to sleep, but after laying there for a bit, he was up headed to find someone to help him get his breakfast.
• My goal on Wednesday mornings is to empty the dishwasher and do the laundry along with, of course, getting myself and everyone else ready for Bible study. There was a time when all of this would happen along with me cleaning the potties. Maybe I was younger then, had more energy or possibly just went to be earlier. Today I did manage to empty the dishwasher which is one of my most dreaded chores. It is silly to dread emptying the dishwasher since it takes about 2 minutes but since I have to do it every single day, I just abhor it. Now, I know that I could have the kids do it but I don't want to start the day off with dishes in the sink.
• We made it to Bible study in plenty of time this morning. The kids adore their teachers, and they really care about my kiddos. One teacher is so concerned that we are having to bring snack so often. My boys love to bring snacks and sign up whenever they get a chance.
• After Bible study, we met Robby to pick up pizzas for lunch. I had gift certificates for the pizzas but left them at home, so Robby had to meet us there. We then went to Sara's house to eat our lunch. The kids played some and Reagan, Sara and I got sucked into a puzzle. We stayed until we finished that puzzle. I am sure that Sara was glad that her puzzle was just 500 pieces and not a thousand.
• The big boys stayed at Sara's house, and I took her girls home with us. Once at home, the girls watched some videos, they played tag, played outside, played dolls and were just busy all afternoon long. Reagan watched a movie or two while she tried to avoid the little girls. Whitman spent some time with me working on his reading book. We are officially on lesson 40-almost halfway there. 
• I heated up our leftover soup from yesterday for supper along with grilled cheese sandwiches. I guess the girls were too interested in playing because they didn't eat a ton so I have 2 leftover sandwiches in the fridge. After supper, we loaded up and headed to the library and then to church.
• Tonight was upgrade night so the 4th graders (Graham) went up to see what all the preteens do and the 6th graders (Reagan) went up to check out the youth. Graham loved it and Reagan, and even one of her friends that I talked to, said that she didn't love it. Her exact words were, "all they did was sing and preach." Hmm, kind of like church!
• Once at home, everyone had showers and then ate some of the cookies that Robby had made for everyone. They had a few minutes of downtime before it was finally bedtime for the crew.

March 6, 2018

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• Whitman jumped into our bed a bit after my alarm rang this morning. He stayed there until I got up to pull out his clothes for school. The only thing he is worried about in the mornings is if he will have time to eat in the living room while watching a movie and who is going to pick him up from school. He was able to eat some in the living room so this made him happy enough to quickly put on his clothes. Though, I did grab the "wrong" shirt for him. He insisted that he wear the shirt he wore yesterday. It was clean so that was fine, but I wondered if I should have attached a note for Ms. Stacy so she would know that his shirt was indeed clean, and that I didn't let him sleep in his clothes.
• Everyone else had lunch while I did some reading and then we worked on our together work. The kids are usually anxious for me to finish reading so they can finish their work but on the other hand, when I don't read a book or skip something someone usually gets upset with me.
• School went fine. I was in a rush since I had to leave to pick up Whitman. Most everyone was almost finished with me except for Anderson. His math today was learning how to do the area and circumference of a circle. He got the idea but it is just a lot of math. 
• Keaton, Campbell and I ran to pick up Whitman. He had a good day at school but did get hit in the eye with a dinosaur. He said that he cried and even came home with a note. Now, his eye looked a bit red but then didn't. Though tonight I think that I can see a scratch on his eye. 
• We had our lunch before working on some chores. My mission today was to try and straighten the girls room. They just have so much stuff in their room, and everything is apparently sentimental to someone so there was no throwing anything into the garage sale box. However, we did straighten the room and their drawers under their bed so at least it looks better right this second.
• Soon, it was time to load up and go skating. Whitman was thrilled about this but his brothers don't care a thing about skating. They aren't the strongest skaters and getting better might help their enjoyment. They do fine but would rather be home. Robby did say that he always felt like skating was pointless. I guess just rolling around in circles might be a bit boring.
• Everyone else had fun. Keaton rarely used the skate aid today (4 bucks wasted, but I will know next time.) Reagan was with her friends so she had fun. Campbell continues to improve and had fun. Now, Whitman, bless the child. He did good today since this was just his second time to skate. He would get tickled and flop himself right down on the ground. He didn't mean to but just couldn't help himself.
• We skated until almost 4:30. Then we headed home. On the way, there was a fire on the side of the road. I cut through a neighborhood to avoid it and the commotion, but the kids were disappointed that I didn't drive them right beside it.
• Once at home, the kids all headed out and played with the neighbors. They started trickling in around 6:30 and the last crew (Reagan and Campbell) came in at almost 8. They were cold and hungry. After showers, everyone ate as soon as they were done. Chicken tortilla soup so it was a pretty perfect meal for this chilly day.
• After supper, there wasn't too much time until bedtime. It was 8:15ish when Campbell and Reagan ate. They had a few minutes, and then bedtime came calling. Everyone was a bit bummed that we wouldn't let them stay up to go with Robby to pick up Grannymom and Grandpa.

March 5, 2018

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• I slept as late as I could this morning since I was hoping that the kids did do quite a bit of their school work yesterday. We herded Whitman off to school and then started on school ourselves. 
• Thankfully, the ones that did do school yesterday were pretty far ahead. I think that Graham, Reagan and Keaton had completely finished almost everything except for working with me and a few other things last night. 
• Anderson and Campbell still had quite a bit of work to do. Campbell could get her work finished a bit earlier if she would just close her mouth for a bit. Now Anderson finished fairly early today since he did pick the easiest of things to do since it was Monday, and he had plenty of choices. 
• Around noon, Robby ran to grab a bite to eat with Keaton, Campbell and Graham. They picked up lunch for all of them and a bit of supper for Reagan and Anderson. While they were gone, I worked on quite a bit of my chores and even did my treadmill time.
• Once they made it home, everyone spent some time outside until Whitman came home. He had spent the afternoon with Nonna and Pops, and they brought him home just in time to load up for soccer tryouts.
• Whitman was a bit nervous about tryouts. He did well though and tried his hardest. He will certainly be a hoot to watch during the soccer games. Everyone else ran off going from station to station without me. When they finished, they all helped Robby and his station. Not only did they help Robby, but they also helped at other stations and even helped clean up.
• Once at home, everyone had showers to warm up. It was pretty windy out there today. The kids had their supper-some had nachos, some had sandwiches, some had leftover sandwiches from lunch. 
• When supper was over, I passed out some cookies, and we settled around the tv to watch a few videos about what Grannymom and Grandpa have been seeing this week on their trip. Afterwards, it was soon bedtime for my crew!

March 4, 2018

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• When I went to bed last night, my stomach was still in a know from all of the stress of having the house in a disarray during our "great drawer switch of 2018," but thankfully this morning everything was back in it's new place, and I felt much better. On the other side of the bed lay Robby, who's back was pretty soar from hauling drawers up and down the stairs. We did make the kids do some of the hauling of drawers, but they don't seem to be as concerned with the paint on the walls as we are.
• Church this morning, and Whitman did a bit better today. I told him I wouldn't hold him unless he sang so he rarely asked for me to hold him. During the sermon, my rule is you have to have your Bible in your lap. I really don't care if it is open, turned to the wrong book or even upside down. However, I did not approve of Whitman dangling it above his lap by its bookmark. We will get there someday; I shall again here all of a sermon someday.
• The little girls went to the coffee shop after big church to spend the last little bit of their gift cards. And gracious me, they still have 50 cents left. I don't think that we will ever finish these gift cards. It has been good business for the coffee shop since Graham brought his own money today to buy something, and we even saw Reagan up there though she didn't buy anything. Robby met us up there after dropping Whitman off and bought himself a sausage biscuit and me a scone, which is the most delicious thing ever.
• After church, we headed to Dickeys to eat lunch. Robby and I had the BBQ nachos which we were pretty disappointed about. The free ice cream and kids eating free did make up for our lack of the nachos. We even had some sandwich bites leftover which Reagan ate for supper tonight.
• At home this afternoon, Robby and I laid down for our Sunday afternoon nap while the kids played. Whitman, Campbell and Keaton were pretty noisy so Robby called Whitman into our room. We put him between us and even though he tossed and turned, he eventually fell asleep. Now, we know that it is a trade off-Whitman taking an afternoon nap made for a wonderfully peaceful afternoon nap for us but it means that he won't fall asleep until much later tonight.
• I did get up from my nap to peel a kiwi for Reagan and to tell everyone that they could grab their snacks. I read for a bit before waking up Robby and Whitman. I sure didn't want for Whitman to sleep too long. Soon it seemed like we were trying to figure out supper. Some chose leftovers and others again picked waffles. I ate the rest of our chicken lettuce wraps, and it was just as delicious today as it was the other night.
• After supper, the kids did some of their school work while we watched a Billy Graham documentary and then watched The Case for Christ movie. We were doing our best to get some religion today. Actually, one of Anderson and Reagan's teachers complimented them today saying that they really knew their Bible. Robby was quick to credit it to CBS and to church. I am glad that they know it, now we just pray that they live it.
• When the movie was over, we facetimed Grannymom and Grandpa. They were starting their last full day before they begin their travels home. They were talking about Bethlehem and on the other side of the screen was Whitman having a fit because we are not getting to go to Bethlehem too. Apparently, he thought that Bethlehem was on the way to Alaska!

March 3, 2018

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• Last night when I we went to bed, I joked that I better set my alarm for 9 so I could get up in time to take Whitman to his birthday party. Robby laughed and said that we would be up way before then. Indeed we were up much earlier than that, but we sure didn't leave the bed and my alarm did ring while I was still laying in my bed.
• Everyone else was already awake and had eaten breakfast. I just had to ask Whitman once if to put on his clothes for the party. This was his first friend birthday party to go to by himself. He was so excited and so very polite today. 
• The party was an adopt a pet party. It was adorable, and Whitman ate it all up. The kids picked out a stuffed animal, made it a collar, made it a house, filled out the birth certificate, picked out a blanket and then gave it a check up. Whitman is so proud of his new little stuffed puppy, and it is sleeping right beside his bed.
• While we were gone, everyone else ended up outside. They really spent all day long outside. There is much playing in the woods which is fine but the kids are all scratched up. Anderson even has a huge scratch across his cheek. 
• On the way home, I picked up Graham. He had spent the night at Grannymom's house and came home with money in his pocket since he helped with some yard work with Pops and Jason. He had fun, but he was ready to get home and catch up with Cash. 
• After I came home from Whitman's party, I was home for about 15 minutes when I loaded back up and headed to church again. I picked up Reagan from her sleepover and brought her home to shower and repack. Once she had done this, I loaded up again and took her to Camryn's house to spend the night. 
• When I finally came home, I was home for good. Robby had spent some of the morning and the afternoon working on building the new shelves for the girls' closet. They weren't too hard to build so when he was done, we took them upstairs.
• The girls and I had already done a bit of prework yesterday and that certainly helped. We moved their drawers out, and I filled up their new drawers and straightened the rest of their closet. 
• One set of their old drawers went to the boys' closet. Robby helped switch over some of their clothes and then I did the rest and straightened the rest of their closet. We also added some drawers that were in the attic into their closet so I had to fill them up as well.
• So the drawers that were in the attic were full of things I am keeping for my grandkids (yes, really). I am not too happy about how that stuff ended up since I just had to bag it up and put it in bins. It will work but isn't ideal.
• We measured (incorrectly) and brought the larger now extra drawers down to the school room closet. We were just about a half inch off from it fitting. Exhaustion was setting in so we just left those drawers in the school room which is now becoming full with the tall table from the kitchen in there as well. (School room redo will happen this summer or maybe right before the road trip.)
• Since the big drawers didn't work, we brought down the little drawers. That meant that we had to empty a shelf and stack it on another shelf before reloading it. Robby had to move and work on plugging in the printer. The new drawers fit perfectly in the school room...except, I don't have anything in them. I really have no idea what I should put in them. I know that I will soon have them crammed full.
• Now, it seems like whenever we had projects like today, the kids are wild and in the way. They weren't today at all since they were mostly outside...until I was leaving the third time. The girls stopped me and asked if they could bake cookies. They were in the neighbors yard, and I assumed (wrongly) that they were going to make cookies at their house. I said sure if it was fine with their mom and drove off. I also assumed (wrongly) that they were going to make slice and bake cookies.
• A bit later, Robby called and asked, "you said they could make cookies?" I didn't understand they had meant bake cookies from scratch at our house in the middle of our drawer shuffle. We told them they had to wait until I came home. Once I was home, they worked on their cookies and did it all by themselves. They had even "cleaned" the kitchen. The disasters that we had left in the living room (from building the drawers), the girls' room and closet, the attic, the boys' room and the school room were fine, but the kitchen mess bothered Robby enough that he had to clean it up right then. Their cookies were quite good, and I might just have one again tonight.
• Robby and Graham went to eat at Freddys tonight while the rest of us had showers and ate some supper. The kids facetimed Grannymom and Grandpa before everyone headed on to bed. They were all very exhausted and so am I!

March 2, 2018

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• After writing last night on the blog that I wasn't a morning person, I was wide awake after my alarm rang this morning. I did fight back the urges to be a morning person as much as I could since who wants to start being a morning person on Friday morning. I still did get out of bed a bit earlier than usual and quickly started on our Friday muffins.
• Whitman and Keaton helped me. Campbell did a bit but was huffy that there wasn't more for her to do. Muffin mix, milk and stir doesn't leave much for many people to do. Everyone ate their muffins while I read, and then we moved to my bedroom where I read some more. 
• I have started laying out all of my school books each morning-a pile of our together work and then a pile for each kid of what I have to work with them on. It helps so when they hand me something that needs correcting, I can just lay it on their pile to get to when we work together. It does help tremendously, but if I look too long at all of my piles I can be quickly overwhelmed.
• Now, today wasn't an overwhelming day. This was our 4th day of school this week so no spelling for anyone which gave me plenty of time to get in my Whitman work together time, and I was also able to pull out school for next week.
• We had lunch and then everyone finished up their chores for the week. I am not exactly sure that my potties were cleaned adequately or even at all. Oh, well there is always next week; we don't plan on having any guests this weekend. Well, Cash is over here now but since he is family, he doesn't count as a guest.
• Nonna and Pops came over to pick up Graham. He had a fun night out-eating at chickfila and even getting a new pair of shoes. For everyone else, the neighbors were outside so most of the afternoon was spent playing with them. Cash came over this afternoon so he played out with everyone.
• Robby, Whitman and I took Reagan to church to head to Alyssa Kate's birthday party. She was pretty excited about going but was not looking forward to the bike ride tomorrow. Then we ran to Freddys to grab something to eat and bought everyone else some food on the way home. 
• Once home, the kids ate, and then they played a loud game of "hide and seek tag." Afterwards, they showered and watched a movie upstairs while Robby and I caught up on some of our computering. We let the kids stay up crazy, crazy late...possibly because they were being quiet upstairs watching a movie and we possibly forgot about them.

March 1, 2018

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• I am just not a morning person. I guess that I just must accept that. I with that I was, I really do, but every single morning I struggle to get myself out of bed. I thought that maybe I would automatically switch to a morning person when I turned 40, but I guess not.
• From the time Robby and I get out of bed until the time that he leaves to take Whitman to school, is usually about 10 to 12 minutes. Most of those days, I have to wake Whitman up as well. It is surprising that he makes it to school with real clothes on. 
• The rest of us started on school. I think I get a bit more excited about summer every single day. Yesterday, we put one of Graham's books and one of Campbell's up since they had finished it. Keaton finished her spelling book today and most everyone else will finish theirs next week. 
• Robby brought Whitman home from school. The neighbors were already outside for the the kids were already migrating outside to play. Before they left, I did today's school work with Whitman. He loves to work on his school work, but we work for about 45 minutes each day. Gracious, I sure do hope that our working together will help lighten the load next year.
• The kids were mostly outside all day long. Reagan and I did run to a few stores to find a present for a friend, then we did some speed grocery shopping for tonight's supper. After buying mushrooms, onions, garlic, lettuce, carrots, oranges, mangoes, and kiwi, Reagan commented that our grocery cart looked really healthy.
• When we came home, Reagan headed outside, and there the kids stayed until I finally called them in at 7. The plan had been for the kids to make the same supper that they made at the library last week-chicken lettuce wraps. When they came in from outside, everyone had to scrub themselves! They were filthy! Actually, even when Graham climbed out of the shower, I inspected his legs to make sure they were clean. They were just full of bruises and still looked filthy.
• It was nearly 7:30 when we started on dinner-there were people cooking the chicken, tearing the lettuce, chopping mushrooms, onions, garlic, and carrots. We were all busy, and by the time supper was hot, the kitchen was trashed! It was fun though, and I think that my people enjoyed it!
• Supper was good, and when we finished supper we had a bit of downtime before watching a few videos about where Grannymom and Grandpa are. Then it was bedtime for all the crew-tomorrow will be another busy day.