July 29, 2016-Happy Birthday Graham!

(click here for pictures)

• Robby was the first one really stirring this morning and he started right to work on Graham's birthday breakfast.  We usually get birthday doughnuts sometime during our birthday celebrations and I am sure that will also happen but today's specialty was monkey bread.  I had heard Graham talking about how we only have it on Christmas day so we decided that his birthday might be another good day to have monkey bread.
• Once breakfast was out of the oven, we stuck candles in and sang to our 8 year old one more time.  The candles were melting from the fire on top and from the crazy hot monkey bread on the bottom.  We all finished off our breakfast-the entire pan of bread. 
• Then I did let Graham decide if he wanted to do school or not.  It wasn't a surprise when he opted out of our last day of easy, summer schooling.  Robby was working from home and was on a pretty long call so we all hung out in my bedroom for a bit.  The kids were playing their ipads on my bed or on the floor and they all seemed to be relishing their last day of summer vacation...and I was too.
• Around lunch, we heated up leftovers and then loaded up to go and see Beebee.  She said that she didn't feel too good today but I am sure that seeing the kids helped cheer her up.  Everyone had things to tell her-Campbell showed Beebee her missing teeth, Graham talked about his birthday, Reagan filled her in on VBS, Keaton told her about Six Flags and Anderson filled in the blanks that Keaton left and Whitman only really talked about Beebee's candy.
• When we left there, we met Robby who was getting his tires rotated and then we ended up at the bowling alley.  The kids had earned bowling a few weeks ago and since it was Graham's birthday we continued the celebration at the bowling alley.  Everyone really did decent today bowling-it did help that the bumpers were up.  
• Reagan was the winner followed by Whitman (yes, Whitman-Robby did bowl for him once but the other kids also bowled for him a few times.  Most of the time, he went to the line and Robby or I would help him push the ball down the lane.)  Anderson was third, Graham and Campbell were next and the last place award was given to Keaton.  Now she also had the most interesting bowl: she rolled her ball and it ever so slowly rolled down the lane.  We didn't think that it would make it to the pins but it barely did.  The ball was going so slowly though that when the machine came down to reset the pins, it bumped the ball and pushed it back towards us.  Then we watched that same ball roll ever so slowly back up the lane towards us.  We stood there watching that ball roll all the way back to us.  Campbell picked it up and then took her turn with the same ball.  
• We left the bowling alley just as today's storm started.  It was really windy and the rain was pelting down on us.  Thankfully, we didn't have to go too far since we had planned on stopping at Sonic.  Apparently, everyone else had stopped there too and the line was crazy.  Robby decided to drive through the drive through but ordering proved to be a challenge.  The rain was crazy, so crazy that Robby had to use an umbrella to help protect himself from the rain while hollering into the speaker.  The rain was loud so our order was wrong and Robby was still soaking wet, despite using the now broken umbrella.  It was a very memorable few minutes and the kids will never forget it!
• We then picked up Robby's car and headed home for a few minutes.  The kids last night of VBS was tonight and it's times were the same times as a birthday party that Reagan had to go to so I dropped Reagan off at Camryn's house so she could ride with her.  Keaton, Campbell and Whitman made the drive with me and by the time that we made it home, Whitman was almost asleep.
• I wanted for him to stay asleep so I dropped off the girls for about 5 minutes and drove around for just a bit.  Then I picked everyone else up and we drove the 2 minutes to the church down the road.  They had a few less kids this year than last year but the kids were adorable singing on the stage tonight.  Keaton was so animates with her motions.  They all really knew the songs and the words of the songs were words that I want them to remember all of their lives.  We really enjoyed the songs tonight since Whitman was sound asleep in my lap and not squirming around.
• After the singing, the had hot dogs and all of the fixings for supper followed by a pie in the face for the boy leader because the girls had raised more money for their offering.  When it was over, we ran home for a few minutes and the kids showered.
• Then Keaton and I loaded up and went back to pick up Reagan.  She had had a good time swimming and was already back in Camryn's pool when I made it to get her.  We then headed home while Reagan told us all about her night and we told her all about ours.
• The others were watching Ninja Warrior and ended up watching all of one show before going to bed.  Graham was thrilled that we let everyone stay up until almost 10!