July 18, 2017

(click here for today's pictures)

• School day number 2-Keaton zoomed through her work. Her math is so, so simple. It has been for everyone. I give her 3 pages a day but could easily give her more. These daily 3 pages in kindergarten is what has helped all of my kiddos to be about a half year ahead in math. 
• On the other hand, phonics has started out easy for her but it will quickly get difficult. Until she really gets to be a pretty good reader, it will take a bit of time and some help for her to figure phonics out. That is fine because the difficult phonics balances out her easy math. 
• Everyone did their school with a bit less help today so that was good and we finished about 45 minutes sooner than we did yesterday. They all read a few books to Whitman which kept him off of his ipad. He loves it when anyone reads to him and will listen forever to books.
• By lunch time, the kitchen was a wreck. I had never really had a chance to clean up too much from breakfast. The kids had convinced me to make them blueberry and chocolate muffins for breakfast. It was of course a hit but unfortunately my lunch of sandwiches was not.
• After lunch we loaded up to take Keaton to her playdate at Harper's house. She could not be any more excited and Whitman could not have been anymore heartbroken that Keaton was leaving him and that he wasn't going to get to play with his buddy Harper.
• He soon forgot about this when I dropped him and his brothers and Campbell off at Nonna's house. Campbell wasn't there long until she asked to bake something. Campbell loves the kitchen and loves to bake. The other day she made brownies when I wasn't home and since then she has asked to bake something at least twice a day. I had not said yes again yet but Nonna did today.
• When Reagan and I returned from our third orthodontist consult (I've decided on one now) we ate Campbell's brownies and showed the girls what we had bought. Reagan has convinced me to tackle making her and her sisters pineapple shaped bags to take to Hawaii. After buying the material this afternoon, I read the instructions tonight and my head is spinning. Sometimes girls are so much more high maintenance than the boys. 
• After we picked up everyone from Nonna's house, we headed to pick up Keaton. She was not ready to come home but Whitman was sure happy to see her. When we made it home, Robby was there with the new delivery.
• A few weeks ago, our treadmill died and Robby was able to fix it but after being concerned that his fix is not going to hold and realizing that the treadmill is 13 years old and probably on its last leg, he bought another one. We have committed to exercise together until it does break again. We will see how that goes.
• The exercise program began tonight as we struggled to get the box out of his car. Then it took us a good while to heave it up the stairs. It must have weighed 300 pounds and we weren't too sure we were going to get it up there. We worked until almost 8 to put the thing together and when we did, we were in awe. That thing is so crazy quiet compared to the other one. Like you wouldn't even have to turn the tv up or could even carry on a conversation. He could walk in that thing and I could sleep in the same room-seriously, it is amazing.
• We finally fed the kids, who had been very patient waiting on us, I pulled out lots of leftovers and they ate up-of course they were starving. Afterwards, they had a bit of downtime-Reagan made some pineapple pencil holders, Campbell and Keaton started on school work and my boys played on their ipads. Soon it was bedtime for the crew!