January 19, 2017

(click here for today's pictures)

• What a day this was! The first thing that happened this morning was getting Keaton and Whitman off to school. This was Keaton's snack day-apple juice, jello and cheese cubes. Whitman and Keaton put on their clothes and then helped themselves to breakfast-actually, Whitman's brothers helped him with his breakfast and then they all curled up on the couch with their ipads.
• When they left, the rest of us started on school. I had told the kids that we just needed to work for an hour and I feel like they accomplished quite a bit-we will see tomorrow though. Then it was time for chores.
• We had a bit of time to get everything neat here at the house and then it was off to start our day. Kennedy arrived at here just before we left and the next stop was the library. I ran in and then I ran into church to pick up Keaton and Whitman.
• Whitman wasn't ready to leave and Keaton was telling Ms. Stacy that we were going to see the swans but she kept saying "swines" and Ms. Stacy was greatly confused. We then picked up Grannymom.
• We met the Kamps, Heltz and Powells at the Heart hospital and loaded up. I had the big girls and big boys along with Keaton and Whitman on the way to Heber and it was a pretty quiet ride-it was a very quiet ride. 
• It was cloudy when we left but by the time we were half way there, it became super foggy-like so foggy that we had trouble seeing the road in front of us. We pressed on and were soon pulling right up to the swans.
• The trumpeter swans usually have been coming to Magness Lake near Heber Springs for a few years now. At some point, a storm probably blew them off course and they still come back each Thanksgiving through Valentine's Day. We had all read (or listened to) The Trumpet of the Swan book and it was about a trumpeter swan who couldn't talk so he was given a trumpet. It was a good story so today we were looking for that swan, Louis.
• The swans were all swimming in the little lake and the fog didn't bother us at all. There were so many swans and were right near the fence. Some people there gave the kids some corn to feed the swans. 
• The boys were able to use the restroom behind a tree but the girls needed a potty stop so the visitor's center was the next spot. I know that my boys were super excited that we were able to watch the film. It was old but still interesting. 
• Then we drove to the spot where JFK dedicated the dam. On the drive over the dam, it was so foggy that we couldn't tell which side was the dam and which side was the river. After that stop, it was to the fish hatchery we went-we missed it by 7 minutes. Who closes at 3? 
• Back to the visitor's center we went for a short trail walk. It would have been a beautiful trail if it wasn't for the foggy, damp, wetness that was surrounding us. We walked about half of it and then climbed in the cars to return home-we needed to make it home by 6:15 and barely did that.
• We had one more potty stop at the visitor's center and then it was straight home. The traffic was fine even though we fought the mist/rain the entire time. But when we made it to 630-yuck, that traffic was horrible. We made it to the Heart Hospital and dropped off Sara and her people, then dropped off Grannymom and drove to Immanuel.  
• Kennedy's dad was there and after dropping her off, Robby pulled up and took the boys into practice. So the girls, Whitman and I came home. They had showers and some breakfast for supper. 
• I had just gotten Whitman into bed when Robby and the boys arrived home, They had their showers and I fed them a quick supper. It was a pretty perfect field trip day!