So long, August!

As always, I'm happy to bid farewell to August, but I have to admit that I'm learning to appreciate it more than I have in the past.

Mostly because my children keep meeting really nice friends who all seem to be born in August, so that has softened my heart toward the longest, hottest month.

Speaking of birthdays, happy belated birthday, Aunt Shannon!

And still speaking of birthdays, here is the probably incomplete lineup of people who are important to us with August birthdays:

1. My Aunt Shannon
2. Chet's and my nephew/the kids' cousin
3. Sydney's California best friend
4. Sydney's Mississippi best friend 
5. Lorelei's California best friend
6. Lorelei's Mississippi new friend
7. Sydney's and Lorelei's Mississippi friend

I can think of three more children off the top of my head with August birthdays (all in our neighborhood!), but isn't the above list enough to feel better about August than I have in the past? I think yes.

Because I haven't posted enough pictures of the kids lately, here is one of the three oldest in the midst of our school day today:

Happy Monday!

Sunday

We didn't make it to church this morning, because by the time I remembered to reserve our spots there weren't any left.

That reminds me to reserve spots right this moment before I forget.

Never mind. Next Sunday's event isn't "live" yet.

Isn't this an exciting blog post?!

Today I spent some time planning for our homeschool community group day (on Tuesday):

I was a tutor our second year in California as well, so this process is familiar to me, but it's going to take some time for me to remember exactly how I was able to get it all done. 

How was your Sunday?

Saturday

We had a productive, enjoyable Saturday.

This was our 3rd week cleaning Saturday mornings, and I still love it. I think mostly because throughout the week I'm not having thoughts like "I should mop" and "Our room really needs dusting." It's fine, because it will get done SATURDAY! (And the other people who live here will all pitch in to get it done!)

Sydney and Lorelei went to a pool birthday party this afternoon, during which I considered going grocery shopping, but went to the antique store instead. It was a good choice. Sydney, Lorelei, and I went to the grocery store after I picked them up from the party (and the store closed when we were about 3/4 finished with our shopping -- oops!).

Chet continued working on his garage project this weekend. He's waiting on some drawer pulls to arrive in the mail for it to be 100% complete, and I'll post a picture of it when he finishes.

What else?

Our neighbors in California handed down to us this table:

It has long legs (pictured), and short legs (which make it coffee-table height). Until recently we were using it as a coffee table on the other side of that couch. I decided to buy some chairs (Amazon!) and use it as a craft table/extra surface for the kids to work, and so that I didn't have to ALWAYS immediately clear off the dining table after meals or snacks for them to work/craft. We all like the new set up.

Happy Saturday!

TGIF (again)

We had a good Friday.

I hope you did too. 

Now time for bed. 

Thursday

Last night I went to bed with a heavy heart, knowing Hurricane Laura would make landfall in a few short hours and that hundreds of thousands of people were simply bracing themselves. I'm praying for everyone dealing with the devastation left by the storm. 

Today was our second day of what I'm considering our full-blown homeschool schedule. Yesterday (Wednesday) went really well. Today also went well, but we spent the morning getting the kids' hair cut (Ford and Ruthie were needing haircuts especially badly). We got home just before lunchtime, and instead of trying to catch up (i.e. urging the children to accomplish their usual morning schoolwork quickly, quickly, QUICKLY), I took a chill pill. We had lunch, and we proceeded with our usual afternoon schedule. It was lovely and productive, and it seems that I'm finally figuring out homeschooling.

Tonight when I started the clothes dryer it started making a loud noise, as if a piece had broken off and was ratting around (not inside the dryer itself, but in the INNARDS of the dryer). We put the kids to bed, Chet watched a dryer YouTube video, and we took the dryer apart. There was a small rock (which had no doubt fallen out of Ruthie's pocket) that was a caught somewhere, and causing the noise. We put the dryer back together, and VOILA! Chet and I were both relieved we wouldn't be dryer shopping this weekend.

It was a good reminder that there's ALWAYS something to be thankful for.

First Day

I remember the funny thing Chet said last night.

I was stressing slightly over feeling ill-prepared for our first day of school, and that I felt like I needed another week. Chet asked, "What exactly do you still need to do? I can help you." 

Me: "Well, I'm prepared to tutor tomorrow, but I haven't planned anything special for OUR kids' first day, and I'm not sure I'll even have time to take their picture in the morning. I also don't have a sign for them to hold in the picture (that we might not have time to take)." 

Chet: "How about this. I'll sneak into the kids' rooms tomorrow morning while they're still sleeping and take a picture of them. Then I'll text it to the family with the caption, 'First day of homeschool 2020-2021!'"

I was (mostly) not amused (even though I laughed).

Turns out I DID have time to take their picture. And even though I approved their outfits and they indeed brushed their hair before leaving the house, they're looking a bit raggedy in this first day of school picture.  I didn't serve them a special breakfast, there were no decorations, and there wasn't a sign (as you can see). But it's okay. We all had a good first day.

Also, because I often forget myself, they're 5th grade, 3rd grade, 1st grade, and Pre-K this year.

School Tomorrow!

Emotions have been running high the last couple of days. We had a full weekend with Chet tackling a building project in the garage, and me getting prepared to start our school year this week (I can't remember if I mentioned that I'm one of the tutors this year, which means more preparation for me each week).

Then Tropical Storms/Hurricanes Marco and Laura were heading our way, and the start of school was up in the air. Chet and I also discussed the kids and I evacuating (that decision is always better to make/act on earlier rather than later in the midst of a literal storm). Thankfully, Tropical Storm Marco has mostly dissipated, but the jury is still out on Tropical Storm -- or Hurricane -- Laura. As of right now it looks like Laura will avoid us, but it's always strange to be glad about that when she will likely hit SOMEONE.

Storm prep and the emotions that accompany it always leave me feeling on edge. And because all of my outdoor plants are currently tightly wedged in the garage.

Now for some funny things that will lighten the mood:

1) Ford walked in on me ending a phone conversation with, "I love you too. Bye."

Ford: "Who were you talking to?"

Me: "Didi." (My mom.)

Ford: "Oh. I knew it was someone over 40."

2) Me: "Lorelei, tell me how this sounds for class tomorrow..."

Lorelei: "Wait, I have two questions."

Me: "Yes?"

Lorelei: "Are you wearing that outfit tomorrow?"

***I look down at my running clothes***

Me: "No."

Lorelei: "Okay, good. And are you going to wear your hair like that? It looks a little messy."

Me: "NO."

Lorelei: "Good. Go ahead."

Chet also said something that made me laugh a few minutes ago, but now I've forgotten. I'll tell you tomorrow if it resurfaces (likely in the middle of the night).

Happy Monday!

TGIF

I'm glad for the weekend, but with our homeschool group starting Tuesday the 25th (I think in another post I said we were starting the 26th, which is incorrect, so everyone please strike that from your memories), my mind will be busy this weekend.

We (Ruthie) took selfies at gymnastics this week (Ruthie has a VERY hard time being content during the fifteen minutes between the end of her class and the end of Lorelei's and Ford's classes):

This week I also feel like I got a handle on our homeschool schedule that we will implement Wednesday (the 26th):

This isn't every detail of our schedule; just what the kids need to know. (I also don't have lunch listed from 12:00 - 1:00, because I ran out of columns, and it's not as if ANYONE will let me forget to feed them lunch). 

I fully expect to have to adjust, and am unsure where some of the details (not listed) will best fit in. But we have to start somewhere, and we will.

TGIF! Happy weekend!

Halfway through August

 Here we are, halfway through August, arguably the longest month of the year.

A few days ago Chet and I sat down and decided there were a couple of household chores that weren't getting done on a regular enough basis. Specifically, cleaning the (three) toilets and mopping the floor downstairs (the ENTIRE first floor of our house is white-ish tile).

The kids and I keep the house tidy and mostly clean as we go about our days, but those two chores specifically are hardest for me to make time for.

So Chet and I decided we would ALL work together and get those two chores done Saturday mornings. 

Today was the first Saturday doing that, and we were finished by 9:30 a.m. WE HAD NEVER FELT MORE ACCOMPLISHED.

The children helped, mostly by staying on the rug (along with all of the paraphernalia normally on the tile) while we vacuumed and mopped at lightening speed:

Happy Saturday!

1/3 of the way through August

How is it August 10th?

You may or may not have noticed, but I do most of my blogging at the end of each month. One of my 2020 New Year's resolutions was to blog 10 times per month. So far so good, but I often procrastinate until the latter half of the month, and then feel fresh out of words and thoughts by the time the new month starts.

I am looking at my phone's camera roll and I have nothing recent or interesting to share from that. Unless you count this interesting:

Last night Chet and I had to deal with an air conditioning issue RIGHT at bedtime (isn't that how it always goes?). The (old) filter in the picture is VERY disgusting, and Chet asked me to take a picture of the dimensions so we could have a new one on hand (we replaced the filter last night -- DON'T YOU WORRY -- but it was our last one).

Even though it was annoying to deal with a minor house emergency at bedtime, I'm thankful it WAS later in the day, because had we not been able to fix it we might have had a very hot, uncomfortable night (and it must be quite a big emergency for our maintenance company to make a Sunday house call).

What else?

Here is another picture from my camera roll (which I did not personally take):

The children treat the cat like a person. He has his own blanket and stuffed animal now, and earlier today I saw him wearing a shirt.

This evening we didn't let the kids go back outside to play after dinner. Instead they showered earlier, and then we all worked on sorting/folding/putting away a large laundry basket of clean clothes. Sydney and Lorelei were also helping me with miscellaneous tasks, and Ford (sent by Chet) kept asking, "What do you need me to do to help?!"

He's a good helper, but we were nearly done and there wasn't anything suitable for him to do, so I said, "You can go downstairs with Daddy."

Ford: "But Daddy said I needed to help."

Me: "It's okay, you can go downstairs because we're almost finished."

Ford: "Do you need me to help by staying out of the way?"

Me: "Yes."

Ford (scurrying away before I could change my mind): "Okay, BYE!"

Happy Monday! BYE!