December 3, 2016

(click here for today's pictures)

• If my blog is gibberish tonight, I apologize in advance. My arms are like wobbly jello (and just so you know, I am talking about how they feel-not necessarily how they look) and I can't raise my arms at all. I am not sure how I will brush my teeth tonight and I can tell you that there is no way that I am going to be able to wash my hair tomorrow. More on my jello arms later in the blog.
• Last night Robby had told me when we needed to leave and I thought I had remembered what he said but when I was in the shower, he said "we have about 8 more minutes." Eeek, I sure would not have gotten my hair wet but I was out within seconds to get myself ready and was barking orders at my people the entire time. 
• I had already picked out their clothes earlier in the morning which no one was really pleased about. Whitman didn't want to wear his "costume" which is just a red plaid shirt that he wore for Book Character day at school when he dressed as Mike Mulligan. Graham didn't want to wear his shirt because it looked like a girls (red plaid). Keaton was upset about something but I didn't bother to listen to her complaint. I had picked Campbell a shirt to wear under her sweater but it was way too low so I went to the attic and dug threw at least 5 bins looking for a solid color shirt. This is probably where I got behind on my time.
• We had breakfast on the way to Grannymom's house and after picking up Grannymom and Grandpa, we headed to the Clinton Library to see Santa. This was at least our 4th year to see Santa there.  
• The pictures always turn out great and the Santa is a good Santa....but the workers can be a bit...not sure of the right word here. A few years ago, I went to the cookie table and picked up a cookie for myself. I was immediately reprimanded because the cookies were just for the children. I did not know that and I guess that the baby in my tummy (Whitman) didn't count. Robby has enjoyed reminding me of this each year but this year, he is the one who get into trouble.  No, he didn't eat a cookie-God forbid! He took a picture and the photographer told him that he messed up her flash. Now, we have both been banned from the Clinton Library (not really because they will forget us by next year.)
• After seeing Santa and being escorted out (kidding), we dropped off Grannymom and Grandpa. Robby ran in the grocery store and then we came home and heated up soup for lunch. As soon as it was done, I headed out to buy a few things for Campbell's party at Michaels. Grannymom and Grandpa came over to look at where we plan on moving our microwave. They also took Whitman home because when I arrived back at the house, we turned right around and picked up Cash.
• Robby had won tickets to the Trojan ballgame today. It was raining pretty well and we were parked a bit away but it just added to the excitement. We found our seats which were pretty close to the court and enjoyed the game. The kids all watched the game intently. It was lots of fun. It was pretty much pouring and freezing on the way back to the car but I warmed back up quickly after we picked up our supper (pizza). I sat it in my lap as we drove to Grannymom's house to eat supper and pick up Whitman.
• We ate supper there and then headed home. I started baking, the girls started on showers and the boys went upstairs to play basketball.  And then things really got exciting!
• Here is the jiggly arm part: I was in the kitchen with Campbell working on baking more cakes for her birthday party (I do believe I am crazy for even suggesting a cake decorating party to her) when Graham came bursting out of his bedroom. He was panicked and talking but wasn't telling me anything. I finally shouted at him, "is anyone hurt?" "No," he sheepishly answered back. He continued with an unsure, "but I think it is going to fall." I slowly headed upstairs until he added, "the fan is going to fall." 
• I begin taking the steps two at a time with Robby close behind me. The fan was indeed about to fall-hanging by a cord. I grabbed it and was holding it up above my head when Robby came in. The first obvious thing that we did was holler at the kids to go down stairs! I am still holding the fan, which must weigh 50 pounds, while Robby grabs a stool from the girls room. 
• He gets the fan and I head down to start flipping breaker switches. Of course, it was one of the last ones I flipped. Then I headed back upstairs to hold the fan while Robby found tools and a flashlight. I did take a bar stool upstairs so I could be taller. 
• Robby must have driven to Home Depot to get what he needed from downstairs. Imagine me standing on a bar stool in the dark holding a 50 pound fan-not exactly how we had planned on spending the evening! While I am holding the fan, Anderson, who had been in the shower during all of this, asked for me to throw him a pair of underwear. Oh, gracious me! It took a while to get the fan off of the wire that it was hanging from but we finally were able to-though my arms may never function correctly again.
• Now to what happened-um, not really sure. I told Graham that I know they hit the fan occasionally when they play basketball but I asked if the fan was hit harder than usual. He said that he didn't really see what happened so who knows. At least no one was hurt-when the fan fell or by us! Ha!
• While we were upstairs looking at the fan, Robby said that he smelled smoke. Well, down we went this time. My cakes had dripped in the nice clean oven and were smoking away.  After opening the door for a bit the smoke smell went away but my arms were still wobbly. 
• When things calmed down, I finished with 7 more cakes for Campbell's party. The kids finished their showers and we let everyone stay up until 10-the colored, played legos, watched tv, played xbox and ate some pieces of my cake rejects. And I just plan on sitting on the couch for the rest of the night because I can't move my computer off of my lap, it is too heavy for my wobbly arms.