January 2, 2020

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• Another fairly lazy day around here. The first thing that happened was another walk on the treadmill. I will say that my shins are so sore that I am hobbling through the house tonight. I am not too sure that I will be able to do that silly treadmill tomorrow. I did tell Robby that if we had one of those Peloton bikes, then we could exercise while sitting down!
• This morning was a blur of house stuff-dishes and laundry. I did help Anderson organize his bedroom shelf. Keaton and I spent a huge amound of time to organizing his new basketball cards.
• Around 2, I loaded Reagan up and we went to the State Police Department. I was a bit worried about how well she would do-remember we have never really had any real tests around here. She has studied well-even taken notes from her book. 
• The line was long (note to self: don't go during a school break), but we moved quickly. Soon she was off taking the test. I barely finished looking at my Instagram before she popped out of the room with the permit in her hand. I don't know who was more relieved. I definitely know who is more afraid now!
• We ran to get a celebatory drink from Planet Smoothie and then the library. Campbell was home when we arrived home. She had a fun time at Grannymom's house and told me all about it when I came in.
• Soon Robby was making pizza crust for the kids. We called them in so they could get their pizzas ready. They worked on their pizzas. The kids had their pizzas while Robby and I had our leftover ChickFilA soup. 
• There were showers tonight along with some ipad time. Then, we ended our day with watching some tv together while eating popcorn. 

Dennie Family Resolutions 2020

Here we are again; the beginning of the year which means that it is Dennie family resolution time. It is always fun to set a few goals even though we know that many we probably won't accomplish. Some of the kids had quite a few ideas this year:

Robby:
-More hugs
-Walk/run 100 miles in January
-Weigh 190 by the end of the year
-Go to a Razorback baseball game

Tara:
-Walk/run 100 miles in January
-Weigh less than I do now
-Read through NT with the church
-More prayer time

Reagan:
-Drive on the interstate
-Get taller

Anderson:
-Make wise decisions with money
-Rebuild 6 Lego sets
-Go to a Razorback baseball, football and basketball game

Graham:
-Get taller
-Go to an NBA game
-Collect 10 more Funko Pops
-Drive the car (completed today-1/1/20)

Campbell:
-Make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from scratch
-Have a lemonade stand
-Try starfruit
-Go to the beach
-Get a new bike

Keaton:
-Make cinnamon rolls (completed today-1/1/20)
-Do a backflip in the pool
-Drive a golfcart

Whitman:
-Learn to ride a bike (mom's resolution for him)
-Jump 18 times (his resolution)

And this is the part that I know that you have been waiting for-last year's resolutions and our results:

Robby:
-Walk over the Clinton Library Bridge and Big Dam Bridge (nope)
-Go to Silver Dollary City at least 6 times (We went 7 times.)

Tara:
-Improve at meal planning (nuh-huh, actually worse than ever)
-Run/walk consistently on the treadmill (not at all)
-Be generous (that I did do, at least I think so)
-Less ipad time/more activity time for the kids (some yes, but mostly no)

Reagan:
-Spend all of my gift cards (Robby actually bought out all of their gift cards so that would be a yes.)
-Not spend any money (She is not a spender so probably another yes.)

Anderson:
-Spend all of my gift cards (Again Robby bought all of their gift cards from them.)

Graham:
-Go to Branson (Yes-7 different trips this year)
-Go to ChickFilA (Yep again)

Campbell:
-Have a lemonade stand (They did at Dana's garage sale.)
-Go to a baking class (I don't think we got that one done, but she will this summer.)
-Use all of my gift cards (Robby bought hers out as well.)
-Learn how to make homemade brownies (Using the box probably doesn't count, so no.)

Keaton:
-Sell cookies at a lemonade stand (She did.)
-Bake all by myself (She is the muffin making queen.)

Whitman:
-Play Minecraft (Certainly did)
-Go to Disneyworld (2 different trips in 2 months)

Our 2019 total was 14 out of 19 which is 74%. That is much better than some years!

January 1, 2020-Happy New Year!

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• Well, I think that they say what you do on the first day of the year, you will do for the rest of the year. I don't plan on sleeping until 9:30 every day this year, but it sure would be great if I would walk 4 miles every day. 
• Soon after getting up, Robby and I did do a morning walk on the treadmills. We watched a home improvement show which probably kept his attention better than a Hallmark movie. Those Hallmark movies are my grand plans to watch while on the treadmill but I have all year to work on that.
• After I had my shower, it was soon time to make sure that the kids were getting ready. Alyssa spent the night with us and joined us at Grannymom's house for lunch. At Grannymom's house we had black eyed peas and hog jowl for good luck in the New Year. 
• When we left, Reagan did drive a bit around the block before picking up the family. She is ready to try to her permit-we shall see how she does on the test. We debated going to Target but just ended up going home to clean out the fridge and make cinnamon rolls.
• On the way home, Graham did say that one of new resolutions was to drive the car-so Robby took him around the block. I did quickly jump out of the car so I didn't have to take that ride. I would have assume that Robby would just have him drive down the driveway, but not, they made the loop. 
• We spent quite a bit of time on the fridge along with all of the kitchen drawers. Then the cinnamon rolls were up next. We ate our supper at the Wilson's house and had those yummy rolls for dessert. Some of them turned out really well, and some not so much! But if you smear enough icing on anything, it tastes good.
• We stayed out decently late for people that haven't been to bed on time in a very long while. Robby did say that maybe we should start going to bed eariler-that doesn't sound like much fun!

December 31, 2019-New Year's Eve!

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• Another wonderful day of not really knowing what day it is nor having much of anything to do. I am a bit sad that this little break is coming to an end; I could get use to this. 
• Yesterday, I remembered that we had not yet planned for Sunday school for next week. I wrote our co-teachers and told them that I would do it. They quickly wrote back and said they were surprised I was already thinking about Sunday school. Then I finally realized that it was only Monday and not the Thursday that I thought it was.
• There were dishes and laundry this morning like usual. Plus I did make a dip for tonight and helped Graham make Oreo balls. They would have been a lot easier to make if I had a food processor. Maybe that will have to be on next year's Christmas list.
• There was also Legos to be put up. I helped Anderson cart all of his new stuff upstairs. Whitman worked on his Disney pins, and I pulled out school for Reagan for next week. Campbell worked on finishing a Lego set as well. We didn't really accomplish much today, but somehow I was busy most of the day long.
• A bit after noon, we loaded up for our second movie in two week-Jumanji. Don't tell anyone, but I had planned on taking a nap during this movie. However, I was so interested in it that I stayed awake the whole time. Now at the very end I was starting to get sleepy, but as soon as I closed my eyes the movie was ending.
• I was able to get my nap this afternoon for a few minutes. When my alarm did go off, it was time to gather the people and load up. We headed to the Crafts for a New Year's Party. The NYEs that we have had partys have really been less than the nights that we have. 
• We had chili, hot dogs and lots of other goodies. We were outside most of the night long, but the bonfire kept us cozy. Robby strongly disagrees, but I just love going to bed with my hair smelling of campfire smoke.
• The kids were able to run around outside and even watch the tv that Casey had set up. They all had fun-my bigs even enjoy watching and playing with all of the littles that were there. We did move the party indoors for the big event. The station that was on didn't have the NY ball dropping so Whitman was disappointed to not see the ball drop. 
• After it was 2020, we tried to pick up for a second before grabbing our stuff and heading home for bed. We have one extra tonight, but it was still pretty much bedtime!

December 30, 2019

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• I am still trying to be productive, but I believe that I have finished all of the fun things and am now to the not so fun things. I did clean the snack cabinet along with reorganizing everything under the bar this morning.
• Then it was time to take Reagan, Anderson and Alyssa to the church house for game day. They said that there weren't too many folks there, but they also had a good time. Some friends, pizza and games-what more could you ask for.
• Keaton went with me because she was cashing in on her Christmas present! Build a Bear! My bag was full of gift cards, and Keaton could hardly wait for us to get to the mall. She chatted the entire time that we drove there. She was so excited. 
• I had never built a bear before either and was pretty excited myself. We took our time and walked around browsing before we did finally get started. She found herself two bears, a boy and a girl, and we began stuffing them. 
• She had an idea of what outfits she wanted for them to wear, but she did change her mind a few times. We eventually found their perfect outfits and then made their birthday certificates. She could not have been any happier with her bears that she made. She is even planning on going back for her birthday.
• We headed home for lunch with the others. Soon afterwards, Whitman went to work painting some more. He has now used all of the colors to create 2 canvases that pretty much look the same-orangy brown with a W in the middle. He is as pleased as he could be with them though.
• I worked on school this afternoon and did what I seem to do constantly these days-pick up trash off of the floor. I am not sure where this trash is coming from, but gracious me. I could vacuum twice a day. (It actually would probably help if I did vacumm once a day.) Meanwhile, Campbell was baking some cookies-that girl loves to bake!
• Anderson and Reagan came home this afternoon and told us all about their day. We then had a bit of downtime before we left with 3 middles-Graham, Keaton and Campbell. We ran to Walmart, Kroger and then ChickFilA for supper. We did bring the others some supper home so all were happy this evening.
• Tonight after showers, Whitman worked his Lego set from Chrsitmas. He has had sets before but his overly helpful, Lego loving brother usually does more of the work. Tonight, Campbell and Anderson set there talking him through the build. I stayed near by to make sure that Whitman did everything himself. I was pretty impressed.
• After that, I looked at the clock and it was close to 10 so it was to bed we all headed!

December 29, 2019

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• Last night Robby had seen a brown sweater in Graham's closet. He asked him why he didn't wear that, and Graham said that he didn't like it. Robby told Graham that it was the nicest thing in his closet and told him that he was going to weat it.
• Graham wasn't too happy with his sweater, but he was a handsome guy. I also picked out a matching grey sweater for Whitman. I would have picked out one for Anderson but he didn't have one. 
• Sunday morning and no Sunday school here so that makes things a little shorter at church. It is kind of odd going to church for just a little bit. It was almost like we didn't want to leave when the service was over today.
• When we finally did leave the church house, we found ourselves at Dickeys to eat BBQ for lunch. Pops is still sickly, and we sure don't want to get sick ourselves. We enjoyed our lunch and even met a young man who had 6 siblings. 
• My one question that I always ask people from large familes, is if they are close to their siblings now. That is one of my biggest hopes for my kiddos is that they will be buddies when they are all grown up. 
• We did run through Walmart just to see if there was any sale goodies left for us. We did find some candy for the kids but that was all. Robby said that he was looking for more rice krispy treats...but he didn't say this until we were back home. He probably should have mentioned it earlier because Reagan and I saw plenty that we could have bought.
• Back at home, we had ourselves an early and long Sunday afternoon nap. The kids were fairly quiet-we were only disturbed once when Whitman brought us "debit cards" to use at his snack stand downstairs. 
• When I did wake up, there was painting and organizing...I don't actually feel like we have done as much organizing this holiday as we did last year. We still have a bit of time, but this house could stand organzing in every single room. Maybe I should make a list.
• Around 7:30, we started on supper-waffles and breakfast burritos. The Wilson's also called and after supper, we ended up going to Sherwood Forest to see the Christmas lights. The last time that we went, there were cars for miles. We waited so long in line that one child had to go to the bathroom in the trees.
• It was not at all like that this year. There was pretty much no one there! We drove through and were able to slowly enjoy the lights. On the way home, we stopped at Wendy's for some Frostys. Then it was once again bedtime for the crew.

December 28, 2019

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• When we woke up this morning, Anderson was at the table working on his Legos and Graham was upstairs playing on his xbox. By the time that I was ready and walking through the house, I did make sure to give Anderson a hard time for not finishing his Lego set that he was working on. He has used some pretty good self discipline to not work all of his sets at once.
• We left the house right before 9, and the girls were not up yet. I heard that Campbell didn't wake up until 9:30, Keaton woke up much later than that and Reagan beat them all with sleeping until 1. 
• We picked up the Wilsons and ran a few errands-Dollar General, Walmart, Old Navy, Kirklands, Walmart (another one), Sams and Kroger. We were doing a bit of speed after Christmas shopping. By the time that we came home, we had filled the trunk and had to start filling the back seat.
• Campbell wrote while we were gone telling me that she had taken her medicine and finished her Disney board. Everyone but Whitman has finished their Disney boards now. They are huge and filled with pins. I know that this current trend/obsession will pass with the kids, but it is fun right now. 
• After our shopping, I ran to pick up Whitman. He had a great time last night and this morning. Pops, not so much. He picked up the stomach bug so Whitman didn't see much of him. In the car on the way home, I did make Whitman put hand sanitizer on his little hands! Hopefully Nonna doesn't get sick nor Whitman.
• When we did finally all make it home, I helped Anderson do a bit of splatter paint to his canvas. Then Robby turned on one of the ballgames for a little bit. I watched the back of my eye lids for a few minutes and not the game.
• Then it was time to head to the Wilson's house for the evening. Reagan drove us over there. She did well-it was getting dark and spitting rain. Now, she does like to veer to the right to avoid traffic which would be fine except the right is only a ditch! I don't really remember learning to drive-I don't think learning scarred me, and hopefully we won't scar Reagan!
• Shannon had made chili-we did contribute some meat to the pot and some crackers to the table. In between ballgames, the kids finally decorated ice cream cones into little Christmas trees. Whitman has been waiting to do this for a long time-and things have finally calmed down a bit.
• We stayed until halftime and then rushed home for showers. It has been a great week and I am a bit bummed that we only have one more free week before life gets pretty busy again.