June 24, 2014

(click here for today's pictures)

A serious painter...

• My Campbell isn't sleeping too well these days. Something is causing her to scream out in the middle of the night.  Last night Robby had already been upstairs a few times and later I went.  I had her potty and then climb back in bed and when I left she was fine.  But as soon as I laid back down she started up again.  Robby then made her a spot in the floor of her room and she did sleep all night.  So tonight she is going to sleep in Reagan's bed and we are going to see if that change makes a difference.  
• We are a bit puzzled by Campbell's sleeplessness.  This all started after the night that Campbell slept in our room.  That would make you think that it is a ploy to get herself back into our room.  But she says that she is afraid of the shadows.  So we have added an extra night light.  Crossing our fingers that tonight will be better.
• Everyone was awake way too early this morning-before 7. Graham took to his usual morning moaning for a while and then him and Anderson got up to go to the bathroom.  Last night Robby put our Key West pictures in the album and I finished it today but this morning all I could think about was our trip to Key West when Robby and I would just lay in bed and watch HGTV.  This morning the bed was full of kiddos-poor Whitman was the only one who wasn't in our bed with us at one point. He would have been but he was still in his bed and that boy is soaking wet and messy every single morning lately.  
• Once we were all finally out of the bed, we kicked it into high gear.  The kids worked on their chores, helped me get the bins ready to start packing, did their summer school work and changed into their bathing suits all before 9:30.  I was really shocked at everything that we did accomplish (though when we made it home from swimming, I noticed that my big kids slacked a bit in the chores so they were all done again-straightening the bedroom, picking up the toy room and dusting)
• We met the Kamps at the pool this morning and the kids enjoyed swimming.  My Whitman loves playing in the fountains but Campbell desperately wants me in the big pool so she can swim to me without her floatees.  That means that I have to hold Whitman or put him in his floatee. Since he doesn't like the floatee at all, I am holding him with Keaton hanging on to me and watching my Campbell swim and having to grab at her.
• Campbell is really getting good swimming-I am pretty impressed.  But she will occasionally jump in or go down the slide and not be able to figure out what to do next.  Sometimes she can hear me say "put your head under" and will start swimming or other times she will just doggie paddle looking frantic.  So I have to watch her like a hawk!
• We ate our lunch at the pool and came home around 1.  It looks like I didn't put enough sunscreen on Reagan's face but 5 out of 6 isn't too bad!  :)  Once at home, Whitman and Keaton went right to bed and the rest of us changed out of our bathing suits.  Then we all read a bit followed by some movies.  
• After their movies, the others woke up and then I kicked them all outside.  Robby eventually arrived with supper and we ate on the patio since the kids were already soaking wet and filthy.  Robby worked a bit outside while Graham re-spray painted his desk (worked perfectly this time).
• Then it was time for the Dennie summer activity-kickball!  My team was down by 5 but ended up winning in the last inning.  I wonder what the neighbors think with us yelling and hollering out in the yard just about every summer evening.  
• Showers and then we let the kids stay up a bit later playing their kindles.  At one point, we saw them all laying in the floor with pillows watching a movie one of the kindles.  Then it was Bible story and then bedtime.