Survival (from Mom/Grandma)

The kids have all gone to their respective homes, and I am still upright and breathing. I did have a little help from babysitters (poolside) and from Grandma-Far-Away (movie theater).
I hired a teenager to stay with the kids at the pool while I took Kalena back to the house. Emma didn't go in the water, but for some reason loved being down there. Even Tucker mastered the rope swing after some encouragement from his siblings and cousins.

Grandma-Far-Away went to see "Meet the Robinsons" with 6 kids while I again took Kalena back to the house. There was also time at the playground, lots of play in the yard and garage and house. There were no major injuries - just a small cut on Nick's leg from a piece of glass - Kalena broke the glass out of a picture frame and I must have missed a piece in the clean up.

I think they found just about everything I had around for them to play with from the small plastic soldiers to the ping pong to color books. The big kids are all big enough to make the pogo stick go now, and Gabe was the champion jumper.

I was a little frantic at first, but found that I haven't forgotten how to take care of children. It must be like riding a bike - you never forget how. And I never had to fish Kalena out of the creek.

The kids were all good eaters and were game for just about all the food I fixed. They were a little perplexed at hot turkey sandwiches though, especially the Porters. That must not be a food they eat at home. Tucker was also pretty upset when we went to the Dairy Queen where he ordered a strawberry blizzard only to find out it had strawberries in it.

Larry and Tim apparently got a lot of work done, and now Larry is on his way to help out the Rudds. He looked like he needed a long nap, which I'm sure will be first on his to-do list tomorrow.