November 1, 2013

(click here for pictures)

Beautiful day for a trip to the zoo!

• Oh my kiddos were tired this morning. Well, Whitman did wake up at 6:30 and soon fell back asleep cuddled with Robby and me.  No one else, and I mean no one else, stirred until almost 8.  Even though I had secretly wished that Halloween was rained out, now I wish that Halloween was every single night-tired kids make good sleepers and I like that!
• Robby left with Keaton and Campbell waving bye to him in the big window and then again waving out the front door as he drove down the driveway.  Soon we were eating breakfast and then starting our school day.
• I told Robby tonight that we might just be in a fairly good routine for school.  It is not always pretty but the kids seem to be showing more initiative and the day is fairly smooth.  Reagan really gets her stuff finished and works until I help her with her stuff.  Anderson still needs reminders to keep going and is usually the last one finished.  He doesn't seem to mind though and does well with his work.  And Graham still needs help with his phonics (too much help if you ask me) but he is getting there slowly. 
• We had our lunch, read a few books and were putting up the dishes when Grannymom text.  She asked about the zoo so we scurried around here to put on clothes (Keaton, Whitman and I were the only ones dressed).  Before long, we were loading Lilly, Cash and Grannymom into the van.
• The kids were so excited to go to the zoo and the weather was perfect.  I think that all of them were still a bit tired because they would sit down every chance they got.  Keaton was all about feeding the fish but she did not want to even look at the noisy monkeys above the fish. Whitman probably was able to see a few animals but they didn't really interest him too much-everything is still new to him so he had plenty to see.
• Of course one of the favorite parts for all of the kids was the playground.  They could have stayed there much longer but the zoo was closing because of Boo at the Zoo.  The kids did enjoy seeing all of the pumpkins out and they did run through the hay maze as we tried to make our way out of the zoo.
• By the time we made it home, Robby was already there.  He helped us unload and then ushered everyone into the showers.  Supper was next up and he took care of that while I scurried around trying to get a few of today's chores accomplished.
• And the highlight of the evening was a movie night.  The kids had earned enough rocks from working hard in school to have a movie night.  We watched Richie Rich and everyone enjoyed it.  Keaton even made it for most of the movie until she went to bed.  Before that Whitman had fallen asleep in my arms and even snoozed for a bit in the pack n play before waking up at the end of the movie.
• The big kids went to bed great but poor Whitman has himself a pretty good cough.  We sat him in the hot shower with lots of steam while we worked on the laundry.  It seemed to help and he went to bed easily-hopefully he stays asleep.