Month: November 2022
Ben is turning into a little shopper. The littles have swim lessons over halfway to our closest outlets. Sometimes it just makes sense to drive the rest of the way and make a quick stop to shop or make a return. I must go more than I realize because the last time we went, we walked in the door and the lady says to Ben, “I remember you. The last time you were here, you bought a Dinosaur fossil shirt and socks.” She was right and Ben had completely picked them out himself. He loves to shop. This week he fell in love with the puppy slippers.
We spent the day in the car. Wade seems to have come to terms with our crazy travel ways. We did 12 hours today with a stop at Waffle House and then on to the hotel. We didn’t have a suite like on the front end so it was two hotel rooms (and it was kind of nice). Wade took the big kids and I got the littles.
I knew it would only be a few years before Ben’s birthday would fall on Thanksgiving Day. Today was that day. He woke up and requested donuts. I went in search but it turns out no donut places were open on Thanksgiving Day. The grocery store was open and chocolate muffins were a crowd favorite. Then we spent the day watching the parade, cooking, eating, visiting with family, and celebrating a birthday!
Kaitlyn couldn’t wait to get a game of Bingo started. It has become one of her favorite activities at Gram’s house. Wade was happy to join in the fun and we were all shocked to realize he had never played with us before. Kaitlyn won a growing dinosaur, which she gave to Ben. Wade won snowcaps, which he gave to me. Then it was bedtime.
Sticks:
1. Everyone starts with one finger out on each hand.
2. The players take turns tapping hands. The number of fingers out on your hand is the number of fingers that the other player must put out on the hand that you tapped. So, if your opponent taps your hand with three fingers out on their hand and you have one finger out, you add three fingers for a total of four fingers out.
3. If after being tapped you have to add so many fingers that your total is now over 5, put out the number of fingers past 5.
Example: You have three fingers out. Your opponent taps that hand with three fingers. You now have 1 finger out. (3 + 3 = 6, 6 is 1 past 5.)
4. If you end up with exactly five fingers out on one hand, that hand is “out.”
5. You win by getting both of your opponent’s hands out!
The kids were so excited to see Gram! They came in the door calling her name and begging for her attention. Before too long the cousins arrived and that made the day even better. We had our usual Chick-fil-A nuggets, Burch locks, and general chaos.
Kaitlyn brought home the first few books in this series from her school library. I read them to her at night before bed. Then she got impatient and started trying to read them to herself. This past week she realized she really could read them. She is now flying through the books and quite frustrated when both the school library and our town library don’t have the next book in the series. This is the first time Kaitlyn has really read a book on her own so of course I bought her the next book on Amazon and it arrived today.
Ben always gets to celebrate a couple of times for his birthday – once at home and once on the road. Today was the day we celebrated at home.
The plan was donuts for breakfast. I had planned to get up and go to Dunkin. Alex had taken orders the night before and told me he was going to walk down to pick them up, but I didn’t quite believe him. I knew it was going to be early, cold, and dark. Imagine my surprise when I got downstairs this morning and there was Alex sitting at the table, drinking hot chocolate (our favorite is from Dunkin), with a box of donuts.
We had candles in donuts and then Ben chose a present to open. He chose the biggest and it was the Gabby Dollhouse he has been hoping and hoping to get. I put it together and he and Kaitlyn played until the bus came.
Ben and I had a sushi lunch (his favorite) and then he picked Chick-fil-a with milkshakes for dinner. His cake was paw patrol but we did presents first, at his request. He had a fabulous birthday and he can’t wait to celebrate again in KY.