TODAY
Out my window: Hot. An absurd amount of rain the past 72 hours. But Summer is definitely here.
Around the house: I finally got myself set up with a non-paper calendar. Let me tell you, old habits die hard, but I think it was the job and the obvious non-portabiity of my fridge (whose side housed my trusty paper weekly calendar/to-do list) that pushed me over the edge. After a bit of deliberation and consultation with Facebook (because Facebook knows all), I decided to go with GoogleCalendar, since I'm already using Gmail and GooglePlay. I like it. Quite a bit. I still have my weekly chore list on the fridge, but I converted it into a 10 week format (oh my word, I can feel people rolling their eyes) and my monthly/quarterly chore list on paper as well, but Google can keep track of my calendar events and "to-do" list (with the "reminders" function) quite nicely, and I don't miss the paper calendar a bit! Can't believe it!! Now to do some clothes shopping......
Finally got around to putting the hummingbird feeder out and got a few more anuals for the deck now that all the pansies and spring flowers are done.
Working on: I've spent some time in my classroom this past week starting to plan and get things in order and that's been exciting overwhelming good. I took a one-day class last week for one college hour, and I have a 3hr online course coming up in July. The one-day class was seven hours with my butt in a chair and about another 2 hours working on the assignments. Not bad at all. Hopefully the online course is equally doable. Apparently when I signed up for these courses though it enrolled me in college, which automatically deferred and then restructured (after I called to request an un-deferment) the term of my student loan. Sigh. And no one can seem to give me an answer as to why this happened and how to get it back to how it was before they deferred and completely restructured it without my consent. Blah. The balance on it is pretty low (as is the interest rate, that's why paying it off hasn't been a huge priority), but at this point I think we're just going to pay it off and be done with it. Once the dust settles from whatever is going on now. I don't even know that I could trust anyone to give me the right pay-off number or make sure the payment is actually applied correctly at this point. Ugh.
The kiddos: They're having a good Summer! So far we've had Art Camp, VBS, are in the midst of baseball for Kolbe, and are sneaking up on two weeks of swim lessons. It's been great, enough to keep us busy and productive and out of trouble, but not so much that we're running around like crazy headless chickens. We are members at the YMCA now, and their water park has been so great! The kids are old enough that I am comfortable taking them all three by myself, which I would never consider doing at a traditional pool with shallow and deep ends. The zero-entry, general shallowness and abundant life guards are such a great setup. So grateful!
In the kitchen: Menu is the other thing I'm still keeping track of on a paper calendar, but I already had a paper monthly calendar in my laundry room that wasn't getting much use so that works out great (quit rolling your eyes). Up this week: shredded chicken soft tacos; crispy chicken salads (we've had some tasty homegrown lettuce...given to us by others...makes me want to grow lettuce next spring); goulash; other stuff (things always get a little dicey the later in the week it gets). I'm back to cooking for three at the rectory for the next two months. Three grown men. Heaven help me.
Learning: I have scaled back my learning loops/computer time incentives because it was too complicated, haha. I can complicate anything. Instead, I found these great printable packets (like, 60-100 pages each) that bridge from KDG-1st (Kolbe) and 2nd-3rd (Gemma) on Teachers Pay Teachers (Moffat Girls, if you're interested) for under $10 a piece, and they are awesome! They include math, reading comp, phonics, grammar and a bit of writing. I staple them into smaller packets ranging from 4-7 pages and the kids can complete a packet and exchange it for 30 minutes of laptop time, twice a week. It's working out well.
Reading: Ready to start the third Ralph Mouse book with all three kids, currently we're reading The Bears on Hemlock Mountain and also a book about St. Damien of Molokai. I am reading He Leadeth Me. It is wonderful. Just today I pulled my Saints of the Roman Calendar book back out. So many great saints and martyrs the two weeks leading up to July 4. We're looking forward to praying the Litany for Liberty as a family again. Letter K picture books for Clem, and next up letter A (which will include fun things like apples and alligators and some of our favorite African tales). I got a bunch of Philip Stead picture books from the library this past week as well. Kolbe has been enjoying Eric Carle lately, and Clem will be getting some CD books (which he looooves) for his fourth birthday coming up NEXT MONTH!! All three kids are enjoying keeping up with the Summer Reading Program at the library. Sorry for the lack of links.
Watching: MLB, American Ninja Warrior, nothing much of note
Thinking about: Planning for the school year. I've been vacillating between giddy excitement and panic attacks over the prospect of heading back to teaching, but when it's all said and done I am really excited to get back in the classroom.
Pictures to share:
VBS, baseball and some gardening. Happy Summer!
