Hot Springs: August 3, 2012

(click here for today's pictures)

• Robby was the first one up this morning-we usually just rely on one of our alarm clocks sleeping upstairs to wake us up.  He went to get the oil changed on the van so he was out the door before 7.  Before too long, I heard Reagan's cry "Daddy, Campbell's ready to wake up."  So up the stairs I went to get her up.  Oh, and yes, they call for Daddy in the morning because he usually gets them because he hears them first (and because I lay much stiller than him and he thinks that I am still asleep).
• Campbell was ready to get her pink shorts on and asked about them when I walked into her room.  Thankfully, they were already laid out.  Robby suggested today that we start potty training in them-she can wear them if they stay dry.  So I do apologize if you see my Campbell wearing her few sizes too small holey pink shorts around town.  
• I had my shower and we had already started breakfast when Robby came back home.  We then did a little bit of school catch up from yesterday.  Reagan and Anderson only had 3 things to do plus coloring a book they have been working on.  And then I mentioned that we could color some flags too and they jumped on that.  We have been coloring flags from countries in the Olympics and are going to hang them around the room when we get enough.  
• Next up was haircuts for all the boys.  As Robby cut Anderson's hair, he left a mohawk.  He stopped and let Anderson go to the mirror and check it out.  Anderson was so happy and begged us to let him keep it.  We did not but we did take a few pictures with it.  He was funny because he wanted to take his mohawk pictures with everyone else in them too.  Graham also briefly received a mohawk and now my boys know what they want to do for crazy hair day at Awanas later this year.  Robby also received a mohawk during his haircut and he kind of liked it and decided to keep his for a few days at least.  (ha, I'm funny!)
• The kids then watched a movie and soon it was lunch time.  After that it was time to clean up and load up.  Everyone was so excited-we have really spoiled them with big vacations: 18 day road trip, 3 theme parks in Southern California, Disneyworld for a week.  Since those have all been this year, a one night trip in Hot Springs is hard to understand.  But it is divine to pack for-though we still take about the same amount just less clothes.  I should give packing classes or maybe I need to take some packing classes (since I seriously asked Robby if we  were going to take the roof bag for this trip!)-we didn't.
• We left around 1:30 and stopped at a yummy ice cream joint somewhere between home and Hot Springs.  Graham asked when we pulled up "are we in the wild, wild west?"  We weren't but the ice cream was really good-nothing like starting out a trip wearing clean clothes and eating ice cream cones resulting in dirty shirts!  It was worth it though-they had a blast.  We actually could have turned around and came home then and the kids would have been happy.
• Soon we were at the hotel headed down for swimming.  The pool was cold so Robby took one for the team this afternoon and swam so I didn't have to (hopefully, the pool will somehow be lukewarm tomorrow when it is my turn to swim).  The kids had a blast and Keaton loves the water.  The boys enjoyed jumping off the edge while splashing everyone in the pool.  Reagan spent her time swimming from one edge to the other in the pool.  Campbell was all over the place and can really get around the pool quickly.  At one time she was standing on the edge trying to convince herself to jump in to Robby so I gave her a push (hey, she was wearing her floaties) and Robby said her face showed that she had no idea what had happened to her as she fell into the pool.
• Back in the room, everyone showered and we headed out for supper at McClards.  We all squeezed into a booth with Keaton on the end in a high chair and started our meal with one spilled water cup.  Thankfully that was all that was spilled.  Oh, and Keaton did knock her whole chair/highchair over at home this morning.  She fell flat on the ground-needless to say, she was pretty shocked and cried for a bit.  She wasn't hurt since her soft highchair broke her fall.  Campbell was the one who was the most upset and cried for a good while thinking her baby sister was hurt.  
• McClards was good but there sauce is too spicy for me so I it is really too spice for the kids.  They did all eat decent and deserved a treat.  So we did what most people do on Friday nights when they are out of town-walk around Sams Club.  Ha!  We took in the kids cups from dinner and bought an icee to divide 4 ways.  The kids all decided that they wanted to ride so Robby pushed a shopping cart full to the brim with 4 kids drinking icees and one drinking a bottle.  (Yes, we did get a few stares).  The Sams here is newer than at home and has quite a few different things-I found a rug, table, and dresser that I want.  The kids found a 3d tv and many types of cereal that they want.  But alas we bought nothing except the icee and soon headed back to the hotel.
• At the hotel, we sat out in the grass for a bit before heading in.  Once in the room, everyone changed and climbed into their spots.  Poor Campbell had the hardest time getting to sleep-she kept asking "why Keaton sleeping in the bathroom?" (her pack n play fits so nicely in the shower) and "where are my red shorts? they in dryer?" (no, they are in the dirty clothes pile and won't be worn tomorrow-unless the 2 year old wins!-wish me luck!)