March 29, 2013

(click here for today's pictures)

Häagen-Dazs Night!

 

• This morning didn't start off too different from the rest.  The kids were up early and were loud and wild.  I had everyone find some clothes-the boys came down with shorts and hats (well, one hat and one set of bunny ears), Campbell came down with her clothes in her hand for me to help her and Reagan came down the steps with her holey leggings (which she can now only wear to grandparents or at the house) and a summer shirt from last year that I abhor (mainly because she wore it every single day!)  But since this was only an at home and Grannymom's house day, everyone was fine.  Though I probably should have made a few of them change before going out to eat tonight-as I looked over the kids while sitting in the Heights, I felt like the kids didn't look like they were from around there.  They looked like they live in the country!
• It didn't take too long for us to start on school.  Things lately have been running fairly smoothly (I can say that today with no fear of jinxing it since we will now be off for 2 weeks because of baby 6s arrival on Tuesday.)  I gather all of the things that they need to work with me on and then help the kids one at a time in my room.  This gives Keaton and Campbell more space to spread out and not distract those in the school room as much.  All the individual work ends up being done while sitting on my bed-starting to wonder if that is because I am big and pregnant or maybe I am just getting lazy-at least I am not under the covers!  The downside of all of this is that by the end of school, two rooms (my bedroom and the school room) are trashed.  
• As soon as everyone was finished with school, we loaded up to head to Grannymom's house for a bit of the afternoon.  The kids all made little Easter bunnies and my Keaton was as proud as the rest of the kids to show me her bunny.  I spent my time fighting the crowds shopping at the store but my checker was nice and when one of my discounts ($5 off), he just keyed it in and that made my afternoon.
• Back at home, the kids are really good at helping unload the groceries.  6 gallons of milk, 5 loafs of bread, 4 boxes of yogurt and on and on and on the list goes.  I can tell everyone where to put the items (outside fridge, outside freezer, laundry room, Robby's closet which is what we call our big pantry or the kitchen) and for the most part they end up where I say.  Not today but once I did have to go searching for a missing gallon of milk-thankfully, it was just put in the other fridge and not stuck on a shelf in the pantry.  
• Graham was digging through his candy after we put up the groceries and I noticed that Keaton had someone's candy as well.  A second later, I saw Keaton gagging and choking on something.  She coughed/gagged most up but she still got flipped up and a good smack on the back during this ordeal. This just freaked out the others-Graham and Reagan had their hands on their ears and were running around the kitchen.  Thankfully, though she did give me a good little scare (not the biggest scare I have had so far) she was just fine.  Afterwards, as tears from her coughing was running down her face, we handed her some milk and asked if she was okay and she just nodded her little head with a great big smile.  A few minutes after that, Reagan asked me what a "goner" was.  I wasn't sure what she was talking about until she said "Anderson said that he thought Keaton was a goner."  
• After everyone had calmed down from that ordeal, Keaton went to bed, the others watched their movie and I worked in the kitchen.  Before too long, Robby was home and he played upstairs with the kids building train tracks and wrestling which gave me time to clean the school room and get our next weeks worth of stuff out (yep, I have work out for next time we do school-even though that will be in 2 weeks).  
• We decided to eat at Cheddars and had to wait only 25 minutes which I know isn't long at all but the kids were crazy.  We were outside so they felt like they should be able to play/climb and dance.  Once we got to our table, they all calmed down and were perfect.  Though Keaton whined and whined until our food came.  We finally guessed that she must have just been hungry because she ate and ate.  Well, we all did actually-chicken pot pie, buffalo chicken wrap, cheese dip, edamama, fries, pasta and chicken fingers.  
• Then it was off to Haagan Daaz since our groupon was quickly expiring.  Again the line was crazy long there.  I guess the crowds come in waves so one person easily gets swamped.  The kids were good and of course they loved their ice cream.  We have talked lately about how Campbell has the most beautiful smile but she doesn't use it anymore.  Tonight with the ice cream in front of her, her smile was pretty perfect.
• On the way home, we stopped by Nonna and Pops' house.  She had them a little bag of Easter goodies so they were thrilled with that.  Keaton was just happy to have a bag and walked around showing everyone her bag with a huge grin on her face.  
• Before we got to Nonna's house, Anderson was coughing a bit but by the time we made it home, he was wheezing and coughing like crazy.  I really should be more diligent about his asthma meds since the pollen is so bad right now (according to the weather channel).  He rarely has asthma attacks and this is the first one ever like this with him wheezing.  I quickly had him use his rescue inhaler-all the while I was crossing my fingers that it was full and not old (it doesn't have a counter on it so how do I know if it is empty and I don't even had new ones to open-don't worry, I put that on the list).  Anyway, within less than a minute, his wheezing stopped and within 5 minutes he was climbing on the bunk beds with his shirt over his head.  I balk that the medicine he could possibly need to keep him alive costs as much as it does but I probably won't complain about that anymore.  No worries though, we are about to hit our deductible and will be refilling all medicine every 28 days!  
• Overall, it was a pretty good day.  The kids are becoming really excited about Tuesday and Reagan has started packing.  Apparently she believes she will be gone for quite a few days the way she is so carefully planning out what to bring (and no, she isn't even thinking about clothes yet).  Also the kids took a bit of disappointment well today.  First Campbell's Easter egg hunt for tomorrow was cancelled but she didn't know about that.  But everyone knew all about the egg hunt scheduled at the church down the road.  We went last year and they had a blast.  On the way home tonight, we saw that they have postponed the egg hunt until next weekend-we have soccer games so we won't be able to go.  Oh, well there is always next year!  When I told that to the kids, Anderson said "that is like in 100 days."