December 22, 2018

(click here for today's pictures)

• There wasn't too much happening here early this morning. Whitman was going through his new loot pretty quickly. I had to open play doh can after play doh can. Then there were the magnets that I had to pry from the box.
• By the time all of his presents had been played with, I decided to climb out of the bed. It wasn't too much longer that Robby, Anderson and Graham left to help the Heltz out in sawing up and moving a two trees.
• We were actually at the Heltz house when the trees were cut down, so the boys did get to see it to completion. They worked for about 3 hours and finished the trees. Both boys were able to drive the tractor and trailer so they enjoyed working.
• Meanwhile, back at home the cookie workshop was in full swing again. We had about 3 dozen cookies that we had not iced. We made one batch of icing and that along with a few leftover colors from yesterday we were able to finish. 
• Campbell stuck with it the longest today. Whitman did a few, but just about as soon as he was finished Keaton stopped too. Reagan, who was awake yet still in her bed, opted to pass on this round of cookie decorating.
• There was laundry and some packing before Keaton and I loaded up for the Dollar Store. She had bought presents for everyone in the family and had forgotten Robby. I had tried to offer to pick up what she needed on other trips to the store. However, she refused and wanted to go herself. Now, she did also buy herself a pair of sunglasses along with some pixie sticks that she promptly split between her brothers and sisters when she came home.
• While Keaton and I were out, we stopped for gas and checked to see that Robby and the boys were celebrating their hard work at Freddies. We met up with them and did some shopping at Walmart-light bulbs, dishwashing detergent and trash bags-we are full of excitement.
• Back at home, the kids played outside with the neighbors for the entire afternoon. We had plans of making rice krispy treats but opted to skip out on that. Instead we had some downtime, until it was time for us to leave.
• Tonight we finished off our Christmas lights with a stop at the Inflatable House in North Little Rock. Then we drove to the capitol and walked all around in. I am always impressed at how beautiful our capitol building is. 
• Then we had supper at a pizza joint downtown. Three of six Dennie kids had salad as part of their supper. If you could guess would you have chosen the three salad eaters as Reagan, Graham and Campbell. While Graham was eating his salad, Anderson looked at Whitman and said, "you are my only true brother." I guess he deemed Graham as a traitor since he was eating salad.
• After our pizza, we headed to the Capitol Hotel. I don't think that I had ever been there. The tree there was gorgeous and the kids enjoyed exploring the huge gingerbread house. We also went out on the balcony which was really neat. 
• Once we made it home, it was shower time, but also time for all of the kids to pack. There seem to be lots of bags and lots of clothes and lots for me to pull out of the clean laundry which I still have to pack. So little time and so many Hallmark movies left!