Packing Day!

We are leaving for another trip tomorrow and today is packing day!! I am such a last-minute person!!


Before I pack though, there were a few things that need to happen ahead of time.

1. I have to clean off my counters in my kitchen.  I usually pile all the stuff from my kitchen that needs to go into the camper onto the kitchen counter and then take it all out.

2.  Megan and I went and got groceries at 8 pm last night! This needed to be done and if I was going to pack today, this had to be done yesterday.

3.  I had to buy some maternity clothes! I can't believe I don't have any maternity clothes from the other three children that fit for this stage and season of the year! I spent $25 on a pair of shorts last night from Target, but I had to get some shorts! I also went to a consignment store on Tuesday and spent some money on a couple of shirts and some cute jean skirts. They didn't have any shorts that fit or that fit right. I still need a swimming suit yet. :)  Hopefully these new clothing items will make it through the next couple of months.

4.  Hire some help!! Packing the camper is such a huge job and lately, I run out of energy pretty quickly!! When we went to the Grand Canyon, I hired the neighbor boy and Courtney to pack the camper. I paid them one nickel for every item they took out! It was wonderful and helped tremendously!!! We were having lunch with some friends yesterday and her girls were begging to come over for a playdate.  I said they could come over, but we're packing.  I then threw the idea out to them that I would pay them for helping me pack. They took me up on my offer! I will have five kids helping me today!!! This should go petty quickly!

5.  I still need to get some laundry done. I like to have everything in the house washed and ready to pack before we leave.

6.  I finally got a new cell phone, so I can take that on our trip. :)

7.  We still need to find a solution for our fish. We usually take them to our friend's house, but Matt is thinking about getting a self-feeder for this trip.  We are only going to be gone for a week or so.

8.  We have talked to our neighbors about mowing our lawn, I guess we should ask them if they can pick up our mail too!

9.  We also need to finish up this week's schoolwork.  Both girls need to finish their spelling lessons today and take a test.  We didn't get to school yesterday, so they are going to do the last lesson and their test today. :)  I am going to check Courtney's math lesson, but not give her another one to do. Megan is also at the end of her math chapter.  Her next lesson is a chapter review and then the test should be the next day, but we are out of days.  I looked at her last night when I was thinking about this and said, "Do you REALLY need to do the chapter review? Do you think we could just skip it and do your test?"  She responded with, "MOM, of course!" I think she will be fine! Then we will be ready to start the next chapter when we get home. 

10.  I have a few bills to pay before we leave. :(

11.  I ended up getting my platelets and iron checked again yesterday. I have been out of breath a lot lately and a little dizzy, so I think those are pretty low again. Hence why I hired children to pack the camper!

12.  Courtney starts her jazz and hip hop class tonight and Christian starts gymnastics, so hopefully the camper will be packed by then!

13.  Matt needs to pack his section of the camper.  He had to take everything out when we put it in storage, so now he needs to put everything back in! That is quite a job too.

We are pulling out as soon as we can tomorrow and have reservations in Davenport, Iowa tomorrow night.  We are going to drive the last 100 miles to our friends house in Illinois on Saturday on Saturday morning and will be there for the next week. It should be a good time!!