February 18, 2014

(click here for today's pictures)

Mud pie, anyone?

• I guess we heard Graham over the monitor early this morning because it was before 7 and Robby and I were both awake (we don't like waking up before 7-we like to think we are sleep deprived and not lazy)  We couldn't lollygag to long because Campbell had school this morning. 
• Robby got breakfast ready and everyone was pleased with his cinnamon toast skills.  There was quite a bit of complaints about not having yogurt this morning-it is after all on the breakfast menu today!  The kids don't quite understand that there isn't a Kroger in our backyard (though if there was, I would perfectly happy with that)
• We said good bye to Campbell and the kids started to work.  I don't know what in the world happened today but both boys finished school before Reagan-10:15 and they had finished all of their boxes (not history, science or memory work that we all did later).  
• Reagan did get a late start at school because she was busy reading.  I totaled their read-a-thon numbers and her and Anderson's totals were a bit low and they have been reading like mad today.  If they can have another good day of reading tomorrow then they should be able to make my goal of 800.  Oh Graham he is pushing 1200 already-this helps Reagan's self esteem none but she doesn't realize that his books have 1 line of text on two pages.  
• We did our together work and then the kids had time to play before lunch.  This never really happens but Keaton knew what she wanted to play-"dance."  She begged Reagan to play and sweet Reagan did help Keaton change into a dress but then she redirected her to play something else.  I am not sure what they played upstairs-at one time I thought they were filming a horror film with all of the screaming that was happening.  I did check on them (once) and things sounds okay-enough so I kept working downstairs.
• Whitman woke up from his nap and we all had lunch.  That child goes to the bathroom every single time that he wakes up.  It is almost comical-the kids go in his room to talk to him when he wakes up and then they all fly back out the door coughing and gagging.  
• The kids worked on a few chores after lunch-emptying the dishwasher, dusting, sweeping, cleaning the toy room and straightening their closet.  I am always surprised that no one complains while helping some.  I am working right along beside them and maybe that helps-or maybe the promise of a  movie and snack help more than that.  
• Since our main job this afternoon was cleaning the toy room, most of our time was spent upstairs.  There is no way in the world that Whitman can be put down in the toy room because he would make a set of legos his afternoon snack in a heartbeat.  So we set the timer and the kids would rotate every 4 minutes.  The favorite job was staying downstairs and watching Whitman.  It worked well and I only had to fly down the stairs once when Graham started screaming "help me, help me."  Whitman had found a bite to eat from the floor and this panicked Graham so I ran in and saw Graham's finger in Whitman's mouth.  Not really sure if he was asking for help for Whitman or help for his finger.  Poor Whitman probably wondered what all of the commotion was about since he probably only just ate a dropped cheerio or some other leftover food.
• Keaton and Whitman had their afternoon nap and the others watched a movie.  Then they all headed outside to play.  Keaton was so proud that I put her t-shirt up with a hair rubber band just like Reagan does.  They all played outside with the neighbor kids-this always makes me a bit on edge since I feel like I have to see and be seen quite often when others are around-probably a bit paranoid.  
• It didn't take too long for the kids to get tired and they started trickling in the house one by one.  Everyone had their showers by the time that Campbell and Robby came home.  I even had supper on the table as soon as the groceries that Robby brought home were unloaded.  They started eating and I high tailed it out of the house for a meeting at church.
• Back at home the kids watched the preview of our long web commercial once or twice or five or six times.  Then they watched a bit of the olympics followed by our game show before bed.  Everyone was tucked soundly in bed when I made it home.