Out my window: Sunny, but maybe more rain? We have had so.much.rain. the last month. So much. We are definitely on the cusp of that transition between Spring and Summer. We are starting to have more summery days than springy ones it seems. How did that happen?
Around the house: The kids!! They had their last day of school on Thursday so THEY are around the house now. It's good. It's different. It's not that I mind having them around, because I don't, but school brings so much good structure to our days, that the prospect of summer honestly had me a little terrified this year. But it's all good. It will take some adjusting, but we have a decent amount of activities in June and it seems like we all do better when we have something structured to do. I will report back...
A part of my desk broke off (thanks, I think, to a certain three-year-old who wriggled his toes on it to boost himself up one too many times), so in order to fix it (in order for Aaron to fix it, I should clarify) I had to empty out my file drawers so it could be tipped on its side, which spurred me to go through my files (I think our burn/shred pile about tripled) and I got us down from three drawers to two...one of those drawers is household-type paperwork, the other is educational/letter-of-the-week stuff for the kids which continues to dwindle as they get older.
I spent the first day of summer break altering Gemma's uniform jumpers and getting a few other things in order for next school year. I know, I know.....
The kiddos:
GEMMA seems to have hit a rough spot lately. I don't know if it is the transition from school to summer (she really liked her teacher and I know she's going to miss her) or what but she has been not-so-pleasant to be around at times and it is so hard to know how to help her and communicate with her. Sometimes I feel like I have just completely failed at parenting (that sounded way more melodramatic than it was intended to). We'll work through it though, so enough of that. She is devouring chapter books like no-one's business (she is currently on a Beverly Cleary kick, I have NO idea where we'll go next) and her cursive writing is beautiful. She is obsessed with doing two-minute-math drill worksheets by herself and with Kolbe. She will have a bit of a hiatus from her piano lessons this summer and as much as I'd like to teach her I just don't know that it's going to work out (without ruining our relationship). Sigh. Her playing has come a long way in the few short months she's taken lessons and if we don't continue with lessons this summer I think she will at least continue playing. She is signed up for a tumbling class at the Y in July, plus art camp, VBS and swim lessons with her brother(s).
KOLBE had his first baseball practice this past week. He was so stoked he could hardly eat or sleep the 24 hours leading up to it! I think it lived up to his expectations. We have a bit of time off for the holiday weekend and then we will be back at it with one game and one practice a week for 8 weeks. I hope he has fun! He and daddy enjoy watching the Royals together. Kolbe learned to tie his shoes the week before school was out so he earned his shoe-bead (which is a big deal in kindergarten) RIGHT under the wire!!CLEMENT has had his world rocked with the advent of summer and both older kids being home all day. He'll adjust. His favorite things to do lately are color pictures of his choosing that I print from the computer (this can get exhausting, I don't have a wireless printer, and he can be kind of -shall we say- choosy at times) and watch/help me cook. I am amazed at how much more patience I have with him while I'm cooking than I did with the others. I think it's because I don't have anyone littler at my feet begging to get up and help too. He loves smelling all the spices, whisking eggs, and asking a million questions about how things work and what particular ingredients are for. It's fun.
In the kitchen: It's Aaron's birthday weekend and he has been champing at the bit to work on his piece-de-resistance - a whole brisket on the smoker. So today is all about hanging around the house, yard work, lawn chairs, cold beers and babysitting the smoker. As long as the kids can remain relatively sane, it will be a good day. I made a cheesecake yesterday so that is on the menu for dessert. YUM! Planning on a broccoli and rice casserole and some corn on the cob to go with the brisket. Later this week we'll have salads, sweet-and-salty chicken thighs with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies, and hopefully some good leftovers! Some sort of fish on Friday.
Learning: I made some "learning loops" for the kids this summer, with the motivation of screen time earned after completing the allotted amount of tasks from their checklists (which include independent reading, various writing activities including regular journaling, and math facts). It's too early to make a judgment on how this is all going to work out long term, but so far they are more motivated than I've ever seen them about working on school work during summer. I found this website and it is so great for generating customized math worksheets.
Reading: I have started Seeking Spiritual Direction and I think I'm also going to read He Leadeth me at the recommendation from a good friend (whom I've never met, funny story) so we can discuss it together. Not in person. Because we've never met. The kids and I are on book 2 of the Mouse and the Motorcycle series, and we're also reading a book about St. Damien of Molokai.
Watching: MLB and River Monsters.
Bringing me joy: faith, family, community, good books, coffee, "morning dates" with Aaron (and a cup of coffee) before the kids are up, pretty weather, thunder, organizing things, prayer...God is good.
Thinking about: So much has happened in my life the past month (hence no blogging)...I have accepted a part-time teaching position (music!) at the kids' school this coming school year. I am amazed at the way this all fell into place, and while I'm a bit terrified of the big changes ahead (change is hard!) I know that God will continue to see us through this new stage in our lives if we continue to place our trust in Him and pray that we may always do His will. I will be job-sharing with a good friend with whom I've worked on other musical escapades in the past so I know we'll have good times. I will have both kids in class (this is both exciting and terrifying as well)! Clem will be attending preschool (more excitement and terror). I am trying to find some college courses in which to enroll and get my license current again (I'll NEVER go back to school, I'll NEVER teach again, boy am I getting full from eating my words with a side of humble pie). I have a lot on my mind. But it's all good (as Pete the Cat would say).
Pictures to share:
Aaron found some baby bunnies while he was mowing at the neighbors'.
As I go through my pictures, finding animals seems to be a theme around here of late (the kids currently have a red-eared slider in a bucket and just watched a soft-shell turtle lay eggs in the rocks at our park). We enjoy our little slice of nature here in suburubia.
