February 1, 2016

Fun morning at The Wonder Place!

(click here for today's pictures)

• I was up early this morning and the kids weren't too far behind me. Since we had a few of those magical doughnuts left, the kids were quick to come to the bar and eat. After we ate, everyone put on their clothes and then we started on our chores.  
• I had the kids do a few too many chores because by the time we jumped into the car to leave for the day, we just had a few minutes to arrive at the Wonder Place. Traffic wasn't bad and we were there right on time.
• The preschool department at the church took everyone to the Wonder Place today and we didn't go last year because Campbell was in school but this year we were all able to go.  I don't think that even Campbell remembered going there.  Keaton immediately loved it and has asked me at least 20 times if she can have her birthday party there and Whitman was in toddler heaven!
• The boys had Noah and Ethan there too to play with (it's nice to have a few homeschool buddies) Anderson and Graham played some with the toys and even built a few towers with the different types of blocks.  I noticed them a few times playing hide and seek but for at least 30 minutes those 4 boys sat and watched a marble track.  The track was behind glass so all they could do was watch it and they whooped and hollered and were as happy as they could be.  
• Reagan didn't have a buddy there so she played with Keaton and Campbell.  At one point, Reagan directed a play with Keaton, Campbell, Lilly and Eden.  She helped them come up with lines and rehearsed with them until they were ready to perform.  She was the best help ever not only to me but also to the Wonder Place.  Near time to go, she had Campbell and Keaton completely reorganizing the grocery store and kitchen area.  They put every single toy right back where they should go.
• Campbell loved every part of the Wonder Place but probably her favorite part was the babies that were there.  That is my Campbell.  She would find a little baby and attach herself to it-helping it and playing with it.  She also had to rescue her brother a few times from the water play area.
• Keaton loved the morning too and her favorite part was probably the grocery store area.  She would fill up her shopping cart and then check herself out.  Keaton would run from area to area and would always want for me to come and see what she had found.  Like before, I did leave the Wonder Place feeling pretty inadequate since I couldn't really focus my attention on any of the kiddos since everything I do had to be divided 6 different ways.
• And then there was Whitman.  Near the door is a huge train table and I think that he could have played there all day long.  He also enjoyed playing dress up and coming through the curtains.  At one point, I heard him say "ladies and gentlemen" and then something about "attention." But his favorite area, by far was the water table.  They have nice little aprons to wear so you don't get wet but he often would take his off or get to the table before I could catch him and he ended up soaked from head to toe.  I think that even his shoes were wet by the time that we left.  At one point, someone came up to me and told me that Campbell was a very good big sister.  She saw Whitman and tried to put on his apron and he refused.  Then she tried to find me and couldn't so then she just returned and picked him up and hauled him off to another area.
• After all of this play time, we headed to Taco Bell to pick up lunch (this is no spend month but I did have a gift car-but I did have to pay some for the Wonder Place and Robby ended up back at the grocery store today)  Anyway, then we had a few minutes at the park with the Kamps and Heltz before heading home.  I had to keep Whitman running fast since his clothes were still a little bit damp from earlier.
• Once at home, we worked on our president reports and then snack time for the crew.  They were not happy with me at all about giving them fruit for a snack-apples, oranges or bananas. You would have thought that I was passing them dog poo for a snack but they were all eaten.
• Not too long afterwards, Robby was home and he played a bit of basketball with the boys before coming in.  Cheese was on the menu tonight-grilled and with macaroni.  Before supper and after supper the kids worked on their showers so when showers were over, we all watched a fixer upper show.  So tonight when we put the kids into bed, they were asking us a question after question about what wall we could knock down in our house.