October 23, 2019

(click here for today's pictures)

• I walked into the living room this morning as I always do in the mornings and said, "good morning boys." Except this morning when I looked around, there were no boys. It was already about 7:45 so I really needed at least someone to by stirring.
• Maybe the house was still quiet and all of the kids were still sleeping because after the kids late bedtime, Robby and I were in the kitchen at 1. I was quietly emptying the dishwasher while Robby was chopping meat with his cleaver-needless to say, he was much, much more nosier than I was. 
• I was able to stir everyone this morning and not only were all teeth brushed and breakfasts eaten before we left, we were also able to empty all of the trash cans plus pack lunches. We don't get up early, but when we do start moving we can move pretty quickly. 
• We had Bible study this morning, and I do think that most of the kids told their teachers that they would be out the next two weeks. I do think that they are pretty excited about our upcoming trip-Reagan even asked for another shirt tonight. 
• I had a hair appointment while Sara and Candice took my kids to the park to play. Today they went to Fellowship. I met them there afterwards, the littles were on the playground and the bigs were playing soccer on the field. 
• Afterwards, we went back to Academy. Campbell had town a whole in last weeks shorts-the whole is hopefully mendable. Keaton and Reagan also needed shorts so that was all easily accomplished. 
• Anderson needed shoes and that was not as easy. The first shoes that he liked didn't have his size. The second didn't either. I had been crawling all around the floor moving boxes of shoes looking. He really probably should be a wide, but there aren't many wide choices. Finally, he found a shoe, the correct size and was pleased.
• By this time in our shopping trip, the kids have stayed together but have spread out all over the store. Reagan was busy looking for her shoes. She quickly found them, but they did not have her size at all. I sent a picture to Robby and there is not store of any type nearby that has the same shoe. Nor was their any online place that could get them to us before the trip at a reasonable price. However, Nonna and Pops are out of town and can hopefully pick them up for me in Conway on their way home. Crisis averted.
• Back at home, there was some packing along with some doing of nothing! Then it was time for church tonight. We ate at church so that made our afternoon a bit shorter. Robby helped in my class tonight.
• In our large group tonight, the leader said, "the first person to walk to the stage can have the dollar in my hand." Her hand was clinched so no one was really sure if she had a dollar. Whitman, who was sitting on the front row, looked around, slowly stood up, and very slowly walked to the stage with his hands in his pockets. The lesson was about faith-Whitman had to believe, or have faith, that she actually had a dollar in her hand. 
• She did and he was super pleased to leave the stage a dollar richer. He might have even did a dance as he walked off of the stage. That made it a fun evening for sure. 
• After everything was over, we came home for ice cream and a bit of pre-trip talk with the kids. We showed them some pictures of the upcoming accomadations. Then Robby and I worked on seeing what exactly will fit in the car-this shelf here, that shelf there. 
• Finally, we ended our evening in the bonus room surrounded by boxes, bins and bags and going over our trip menu/grocery list. Traveling is a lot of work, but really the planning is just as fun as the actually trip-well almost!