September 17, 2018

(click here for today's pictures)

• I knew that I wouldn't be waking up early this morning, but I did wake up on time. I was glad at least for that. Campbell and Graham were already awake working on their school work. Graham has been flying through his work lately which is pretty nice...except when he is finished with everything by 10:30. 
• I woke up the crew and as usual, Whitman was not in his bed. I couldn't find him at first but then noticed him at the foot of Anderson's bed. He was awake enough that he had already opened up Anderson's blinds a bit so he could see out. Pretty much every night, Keaton or Whitman don't sleep the entire night in their bed.
• We ate our leftover doughnuts for breakfast this morning. Then it was time for our school work. I had to zoom through our reading together today because I had so many books out for us to read. I am trying to take a basket full of books back to the library before we leave for our little road trip.
• The kids started on their school work and things went fairly well. Whitman continues to leave and not come back to his school work quite often. I spend a good deal of my morning hollering, "Whitman? Where are you? Come back in here." 
• Though today during our work together, the girls and Whitman were coloring. He had already left once for the bathroom, but then asked if he could go again. I knew he wasn't heading to the bathroom since he had a paper hidden behind his back, but since the probability was low of him remembering anything we were reading about Hernando Cortez, I let him go. When he returned, he told us that there was mail. I shushed him and continued reading.
• When we were finished reading, he again told me that there was mail. I told him wonderful, and then Graham offered to go and get the mail. I had assumed that Whitman had placed the picture that he drew somewhere in the house. I was wrong. He had walked out to the mailbox and put his picture inside of it. Indeed, we did have mail! And I better have Robby double check that the chimes are working on all of the doors so I can hear when people leave this place.
• Everyone was finished with school by lunchtime...except for Campbell. She had a big time today and was in no hurry at all. Reagan even finished most of 2 days of school. I will tell you, I do believe that I have become a pro at finding the volume of a cone or pyramid. I am almost positive that I never knew how to do those things, but now I help solve those problems daily. That game show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, well, I could probably win that game show right now!
• After lunch, we finished a few chores and did our afternoon reading. Grannymom and Grandpa came over for a bit. Grannymom then took the girls to a store for a little bit. They were out most of the afternoon until Robby picked them up at supper time. They all came back with a new tops and each one of them couldn't wait to show everyone their new duds. 
• While they were gone, I helped the boys pack their bags, helped Robby clean the van and did a little bit of loading it, walked on the treadmill, and read to Whitman. It was a fairly productive afternoon. 
• When my girls returned home, we ate supper-pizza. Then the girls did their packing, well some of it since they still have some things in the laundry. Everyone did a Jr. Ranger book. I have apparently saved the difficult ones for the end. 
• The evening passed fairly quickly and all too soon, we were putting everyone to bed....and pulling out the ice cream!