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| Whitman: Welcome to Texas! |
- Seriously, leaving for a trip in the middle of the day is the hardest thing to do. I would rather leave in the middle of the night than have to wait all day. Maybe if it was just me waiting all day it would be fine but there were 6 other people with me that were pretty excited. This excitement led to lots of questions, lots of messes and lots of rowdiness.
- The day started with the kids having breakfast in my room while they watched a movie. I even let them deviate from the breakfast menu because I really did want them to watch a movie this morning so I could do a few things. And since pancakes were on the menu and that involves syrup, pop tarts became the breakfast of choice.
- And another reason I let them watch a movie is because it is just so darn cute looking at all 6 of my kiddos sitting on a blanket together. There is usually a brief minute or two that everyone is happy and not fussing about something.
- After eating and the movie, Reagan did her reading, Anderson read a book to me and Graham did his reading book. I wish that we were more of a reading family-the only reading that Robby and I do are the reading blogs and occasionally magazines. I do have my kindle and love loading free books on it but most of those are for the kids and rarely do I read any of the books for me. I just play games on it-hmmm, wonder where the kid get their obsession with games. (I never let the kids see me play those silly games though)
- I heard Reagan open up the back door today and asked what she was doing. She told me that the ladybug was dead and she was going to set it free. I told her I thought it was a bit late to set the bug free if it was already dead. She said "you never know, it might still be alive." If that bug was the least bit smart, it would have played dead so it would have been left alone. After it was released, a big fight between Reagan and Campbell ensued. Campbell went to the bathroom to throw away the ladybug food (raisins) and Reagan thought she was going to throw away the whole lady bug habitat. So Reagan chased Campbell and Campbell quickly locked the bathroom doors. Reagan was near hysterical when Campbell happily emerged with a now cleaned out habitat ready for the next laybug (God rest its soul)
- I had the kids help me clean up. Everyone vacuumed some part of the house but I noticed Reagan's area was vacuumed like Robby and I would do it (not the circle lines that I saw from Anderson's vacuuming) We worked on the toy room and eventually cleaned it. People would never believe how that room looks after a few minutes of my kids playing in there. Soon the house was clean and I was painting 30 toenails and 20 fingernails.
- We had lunch just as Robby text to say that he was coming home and then we all pottied up. Everyone waited while reading a book for Robby to come home. It is nice that the kids are big enough now to be a bit of help while getting ready-they loaded the fridge and ice chest with cokes, carried the trash, hauled backpacks-they can be pretty useful.
- We were on the road at 1 and didn't stop until Texarkana. Texas is Whitman's second state and he has lots of catching up to do to Reagan and her 47 states that she has visited. It won't take him long though and I believe that he is going to be a pretty good traveler. He never fussed today (I know I am jinxing tomorrow) and he stayed awake the longest time grinning in his car seat. We laughed though because Reagan would have had a cute mobile to look at and Whitman has nothing cute or bright to look at-just the back of the seat. I did see him staring at his hand once-poor thing.
- Once when the car was getting a big noisy, Robby told the kids to not talk anymore. Campbell hollered at Robby "Daddy? Daddy?" He answered back and she said "I need to tell Momma something." Of course, there was nothing to tell me-she just needed to hear her voice.
- After about 2 more hours, we stopped for gas and a potty break. Inside the gas station, Robby let the kids pick out an ice cream treat. Some were 50 cents and others were over 3 dollars-highway robbery. The ones that my kids picked out were the more expensive ones-that do have good taste in ice cream.
- Since they really couldn't have the ice cream in the car, we ate it at the gas station standing in front of the van. I wish we would have grabbed the camera-everyone but Whitman standing right in front of that huge van with ice cream treats in their hands. Why did we not get the camera you ask? Well, I was holding Whitman who was finally hungry, holding the diaper bag and getting out wipes for hands and Robby was making a bottle, wiping hands and watching for cars. By the time we did get back in the car everyone's ice cream was gone, hands were clean and Whitman had almost finished his bottle. I sat in the back and gave him the rest and soon we were in Dallas.
- Actually, it was a bit later than if Robby had been driving because I had to drive while Robby did some work. Not a big fan of big city driving but we all survived and my wrong turn or two just helped us end up at our supper stop. We ate at a Soulman BBQ.
- When we walked in a lady walking out with a small child said to me "no matter what they do, they will not be worse than this one." She was talking about her child. Hmm, so that left me with 2 response choices "oh you never know" or "mine are always great in restaurants." I chose the first one just to be polite but I knew that the second response was more accurate.
- Our hotel was minutes away and the kids were pretty bummed that we weren't going to be at a motel. They love it when the rooms face outside and not a hallway. We reminded them that this hotel had breakfast and that seemed to appease them.
- It is always like this at hotels-when we are in a room for 1 night, our room is big but when we are in a room for multiple nights, our room is small. The room today even has a separate room that we have quarantined the kids into. It was great for them to play in and spread out this evening. I was telling Reagan that tomorrow's room may not be this big and she said "I am just praying it will be. We are a large family and have lots of kids and need lots of room."
- Around bath time, Robby called the kids into our room and he said "I want everyone to come here for a second. I need to tell you something." Robby has said those same words twice lately but not just to give the order of baths like he was planning on doing tonight. He has said those same words to call the kids together to tell them that Belle (the dog) had died and then later the next week to tell them that Papaw has died. So when he said "I want everyone to come here for a second. I need to tell you something." My sweet Reagan matter of factly said "What? Did someone else die?"
- During baths and ipad time, Graham noticed the ironing board hanging in the closet. He looked at me and said "why did we bring an ironing board? Because we aren't going to iron." Little guy couldn't figure out why I would haul an ironing board this far when I have never used it at home.
- Everyone went to sleep around 10. Keaton is in her pack n play in the bathroom, Campbell is beside Robby's bed, Whitman's bouncy is between our beds (yes, we are going to sleep well in our separate beds tonight). Currently, Whitman is sleeping on my chest.
- Graham is near the bathroom door sleeping-he was in the other room but was removed. Actually, he was told he was going to sleep in the hallway and was pretty close to getting moved out there. Probably if our room tomorrow isn't this big, someone will have to sleep in the hallway! And Reagan and Anderson are in the other room.
- Tomorrow is the Bush library and the drive to Houston. But first is the hotel breakfast-one of my favorite parts of a trip!
