Good bye off track

Well, we managed to make it through our three weeks of being off track, and nobody was too badly beaten. Just kidding, no one was beaten, but its not to say the thought didn't cross my mind a few times. I have to say, I owe Tanner and Tyler's teachers a HUGE thank you for taking them five days a week, most of the time, from 8:30-4:15. I don't know how some people do home school. I guess they are just better than I am. Three days into their break, Jefferson was old enough to finally be able to go to the gym's daycare, so that helped save my sanity. I'm back to going three days a week and it is SO nice. I don't know why I didn't find this help earlier. We didn't do much while they were off track because I'll be honest, it's just too hard to get everyone on the same page with four kids and one adult. By the time I have everyone ready, Jefferson is hungry and needing a nap. Once I get him fed (he can sleep in the car and more often than not, usually does), then everyone else is either wanting a meal or its snack time, then Jefferson is ready for something and its just a never ending cycle.
Anyway, with my mom being in Germany for the first half, we didn't do much. So once she got back, we decided it was time to take the kids for a field trip. My grandpa has been sick lately, so we decided to go and spend the day with grandma and grandpa great. Well, seeing as Jake would need a nap, we decided to leave for the hour and a half car ride, right around when he should be taking a nap. Key word: Should. He has gone three weeks now without a nap, and I'm not happy about it. Well, to test and see if he really truly is done with naps, we got in the car at 12:30. We drove the entire way and he didn't even get drousy. Well, that blew that plan. He's still at the point though, that if I go anywhere after 4pm, he's out in two seconds, which then messes up bedtime and its downhill from there. That's what ended up happening. So we spent Wednesday with my grandparents. Grandpa Great fell asleep before we could get any pictures with him.
Jefferson sitting in a Bumbo. He tolerates this seat. He's actually sitting in it happy a little longer each time. I think he likes being able to sit up and see.

Tanner and Tyler emptying the dishwasher. Their new job being off track. Jake likes to help as well.


So Jake has this terrible habit of coming in to our bed at night. We're so tired, most the time we aren't even awake enough to realise he's come in to our bed. This is one morning I guess he decided it was too bright in the room so burried himself in the pillows. He is really asleep in this picture.
Tanner riding grandma greats stationary bike.
Jake on the mini trampoline. The bike and tramp kept the three of them happy and busy the entire time.
Jake and Grandma Great.
Tanner and Grandma Great.
Tyler and Grandma Great
Jefferson and Grandma Great

Today, Tyson decided we would have a fun day since they would be going back to school on Monday. He decided he wouldn't even tell me what he had in mind. I did end up having a say in what we did though. He's been stuck on going to a pumpkin patch, so we did that first. We started this adventure at 3:30, and wouldn't you know, Jake fell asleep in the car. So Tanner and Tyler picked out a pumpkin for each of them. And we took a few pictures with Jefferson standing in some of the heads. After that, we decided to go to dinner at the Mayan. They've changed their menu and it actually wasn't too bad. Its not someplace I would go often, but it wasn't too bad. The kids enjoyed the divers and we got a few pictures of that as well. We were going to try classic skating after that, but we decided against that, just because the kids aren't old enough to be able to do that without our help and Jake would require too much assistance as well and neither one of us trusted our skills to hold Jefferson at the same time. So we decided to go to WalMart and get ice cream and rent a movie from RedBox. I think the kids had a good time and will hopefully remember this as a good time off track. We'll see what happens.

Tanner, Tyler and Jefferson at the pumpkin patch
Fun at the Mayan


Jake at the Mayan
Tyler at the Mayan
Tanner at the Mayan
Outside the Mayan. Sorry Jefferson about the toys in your face!!

And last but not least, Jefferson asleep. I know random picture, but I have to say, out of four children, he is the only one that will not take a binki and won't take a bottle. However, he is the only child that is turning out to be a thumb sucker. I love it!! I sucked my thumb when I was little and its something that I've tried to get all of my kids to do, to no avail. So, needless to say, I was a little happy when I saw him completely asleep with his thumb in his mouth!