September 23, 2017-Happy Birthday (party) Keaton!

(click here for today's pictures)

• My Whitman is the first one awake each morning now-or at least he is the first one to come into our room. Anderson did come in once and was pretty sour at me when I told him to wait on getting breakfast because Robby was going to cook something or another.
• Soon, Robby did get up and start cooking and I began working on the food table. Keaton's party was a little less prep than usual and much unlike me I just waited to the last minute which made it as high stress as usual. Soon though the food table was done and I was able to help with breakfast clean up.
• Robby headed outside to work on the yard and after I worked around here some, it was time to run a few errands. I left the big boys with a chore list for after their xbox game and instructions to help Whitman since Robby was mowing. Then Alyssa Kate, Reagan, and I went to Sams to pick up Keaton's cupcake (second time in a row I haven't been pleased with their cupcakes-last time the gave us the wrong flavor and this time the icing seemed very runny.)
• Anyway, our next stop was to pick up Keaton. She had spent the night with Grannymom and Grandpa. She ate at Chickfila and even went on a long walk/bike ride this morning. When I arrived, she was drying her freshly painted nails. Everyone needs pretty nails for their birthday party.
• Then we dropped Alyssa off at home and headed home ourselves. I realized then that it was crunch time. The boys were already watching the game but when I found out that some of their chores were done half way, they were quickly brought upstairs and told to do it again. I possibly felt a bit bad when they did miss the first touch down but how hard is it to things right the first time?
• Robby was still mowing so I did use my kid power after the first quarter was over. Soon everything was all set in and outside and it was almost party time. Robby even squeezed in a run before the party started. 
• Dana arrived first and set up a few things. She was our resident painting instructor. It was just amazing and I couldn't have done it without her! Keaton was just beyond excitement about her birthday party and could not wait for everyone to arrive.
• Harper came first and then Izzy, her two little friends from pre-K. Then the Kamps, Heltz and Penningtons all came. It was a three tables full of girls-Reagan, Alyssa Kate, Campbell, Eden, Lily, Keaton, Caroline, Charlotte, Izzy, Hayley and Harper. When everyone arrived, we headed outside to do our paintings.
• Dana had given Keaton 5 or 6 choices and she picked a cute painting of an owl. I looked at it and thought that there was no way that it could be done by 4-12 year olds and I am pretty sure that I couldn't have painted it myself. Lilly helped Dana out they painted a canvas as well as they told us step by step exactly what to do.
• The girls did so well and stuck with it even though it took a bit of time. Every owl was completely different (Campbell's owl has these huge eyes and it is my absolute favorite). After the paintings were finished, we took a group picture and then headed in for cake and presents.
• Keaton happily blew out her candles and then everyone dug into the cupcakes and food. I do think that my rainbow jello was the favorite-and the messiest. After everyone finished, we moved to the living room to start on opening presents. Keaton racked up-she scored lots art supplies, gift cards, shopkins, smelly lotion, a Kavu bag, a game (that we played tonight) and a water bottle.
• Afterwards, she passed out her party favors and was a very good hostess. She can be a little booger sometime but today my Keaton was just perfect! After everyone had left, it was time to start cleaning up. Some kids helped inside and others worked outside with Robby. Soon the house and yard were picked up and everyone was inside and tired.
• We drove around the block a bit because Keaton had not gotten a change to ride in Robby's new car. Then it was back home for shower time for everyone. Football was on this evening as I played Sushi Go with the kids and Keaton, with the help of her sisters, opened quite a few of her presents.
• Robby and I ended our evening with a bit of ice cream before sitting down to watch some tv, blog and veg out for a bit after our busy, busy day!