Where to Start

I don't really know where to start the account of what has been going on here, so I will start with the school stuff. 

Elizabeth finished her last school lesson on Saturday, June 3rd.  The reason that this date is important is because she was supposed to finish it at the end of May, but she didn't.  Which meant that I had to be a mean mom and keep my word and not let her do anything til she got it done.  Which meant that she missed her soccer practice on Thursday and her game on Saturday.  She was mad, but I do believe that next time she will finish her work on time.  I wasn't home anyway, so I didn't even get to witness the 'madness' that went on, so honestly, I'm not concerned.  At all. 

I had ordered her a yearbook from the school that we took her out of, and she went today to take back a few books that she still had and to get her yearbook, which she got in the mail yesterday, to be signed.  But, when she got to the front desk, they told her that she could not go back to her classroom because the teacher was in the middle of class and couldn't be disturbed.  It's the last day of school.  How much lecture do they think he is going to be doing?  Anyway, at least she got the book even if it isn't signed by anyone.

The last 2 weekends Jesse and I have been going to festivals for the Pampered Chef.  It's been a lot of fun, but it makes for a long weekend.  He hangs out with me either sleeping in his seat or hanging around in his Bjorn.  He's such a trooper. 

Last week Thursday and Friday Jesse and I went to the homeschool convention.  It was pretty awesome although a bit overwhelming.  The used curriculum sale was pretty incredible, but Jesse decided that he needed to fill his diaper when we got in and then, of course, after the filling of said diaper, he had an empty spot in his tummy that needed to be filled, so we didn't end up getting to look at all the books that I wanted to.  But that's probably ok anyway because I found the science and math books that I needed for Elizabeth and I found the readers that I was looking for for Jo.  So I feel much more prepared for the coming year.  I just need to find the other books for Elizabeth, but I am tracking them on eBay, and I will purchase them soon.

Elizabeth is working like crazy babysitting.  She has earned all the money that she needs for the mission trip and camp, and now is just working to save up for whatever.  She is excited because she got a checking account and a bank card with her name on it so now she can pay for her own stuff and write her own checks.

Gabriel and Jo are signed up for classes at the rec center for the summer.  Jo is taking gymnastics and the class for Gabriel is just called Zoom Around the Room.  I thought that sounded exactly like something that would be good for him!  Both classes are just one day a week for 45 minutes, but they look like fun and will give us all something to look forward to in the heat of the summer.

My mother in law left to go to El Salvador and has a return ticket for August.  At first she said that she was not going to come back in August, or ever, for that matter, but now that she has been there and seen how things really are, she is ready to return.  My father in law is still here and is still looking for a job, but he has some good leads and has been told that if he gets his asbestos license in VA, then he will be able to work there, too.  Which means that it appears that we will not be getting our room back anytime soon. 

Jesse is a smiling giggling machine.  Seriously, that's all he does.  He is an amazing baby.  Have I told you that he sleeps for the night?  Yeah, he's been doing that pretty much since he got home from the hospital.  He also often sleeps at the same time as Gabriel and Jo in the middle of the day.

Which reminds me that Gabriel is doing much better going to bed now.  Jimmy and/or I can usually get him down with just one try, meaning that I can just rock him for a few minutes and then put him in bed and he will stay there. 

And Jo has been doing really well with her quiet time.  I give her a few choices of what she can do, draw, a puzzle, look at a book, fold laundry (yes, this is an exciting activity for her) or something like that, and she stays quietly in her room for at least an hour. 

And my canning has been going well, too.  I have canned strawberry preserves and raspberry jelly.  I'll tell more about that, but that's for another day.  It is getting late here and my 2 oldest, Jordan and Elizabeth, will not go to bed!  Jordan is under a dog blanket barking and wagging her tail.  Jordan is our other 'adopted' daughter, along with Annie, who has been MIA for a while now. 

Anyway, that pretty much sums up the last week or so. 

Pictures?  Well, you see, I pretty much write in the minutes that I find lying around at the end of the day, and they never happen close to a camera, so I'll catch you up on those next time.  Promise.