It is finally summer

Yep, it is finally summer in the Morgan household. The girls have enjoyed themselves the past week. And I have to admit I have gotten a lot done myself, though none of it was what I planned on doing. Always the way though.

The excitement for this week is Chloe is getting her second degree black belt. She has worked very hard for it. As you may recall, she worked on one form for six months (it is our longest at 94 moves; and my least favorite). She has already written her "What Making My Second Degree Black Belt Means to Me" speach. I believe she is ready. I know she is excited.

We'll be starting school back soon. I had a date already in mind, but found out John's holiday schedule is not what I thought. Now, I'm rethinking our start-up date. I have all the paperwork done for last year, now I just need to mail it with next year's paperwork in the next week or two so we'll be official. How fun! lol

This is what happens when we go out...

We ran a few errands tonight, then had dinner at our local Chick-fil-A. Of course, it was Kid's Night and there was face painting. I think Ms. Kim did a great job considering they were the second and third people she had EVER done! Jesse has a butterfly; Chloe has an angel.

The harvest begins

We had our first veggies from the garden, eggplant. They were small but oh so good! Put a little stuffing/bread crumbs on them and fried those bad boys up! They lasted all of five minutes out of the pan. John did a great job cooking them. Can't wait for some tomatoes!! The peppers are going crazy.

Thoughts on this school year

Well, we have almost officially finished our last school year. Chloe, as I type this, is completing her last English test. Jesse still has a few more math and English lessons. Now seems to be the perfect time to write about a few things I've been thinking about.

I have to admit, here and now, that I never actually finished planning for this past school year. Some was done as needed, which tended to put a few things off longer than I planned, or thought. I do hope to be more prepared when we start back on July 6th.

We do struggle with lessons and with each other. I know some people find it hard to believe that my children can, at times, be difficult. At least, I find them difficult. Sometimes that is all that matters. This week was one of those weeks. A time when separation is best. However, those are the moments others, outside the homeschool arena, seem to want to point out that maybe I should put them into public school. That maybe it is too much for me or they are lacking in something, whether it be socializing or academics. It almost makes me want to keep things internalized. My view is this: sometimes I argue with my husband does that mean I should divorce him because things are not always perfect? Well, of course not. Life is always challenging and changing. The moments when things are imperfect are the ones we learn and grow by the most. I hope I do not have to stop homeschooling. I enjoy watching their faces light up when they learn something new. I also, for the most part, enjoy being with them.

I am currently struggling with our classroom. I know a lot of you do not use a room but a closet to store things, so I am spoiled to have a room. I should not complain, but I am. It is not really a complaint as much as it is wishing I could find a better way to organize things. I have books we are not using right now, but somehow I can not give them up yet. Books we are going to use in the future. All of our arts and crafts things, which are many for someone who does not "do" arts and crafts. I came across a new blog, through my friend April. This woman had a dream classroom. I was almost drooling. It was so organized. So ME. Yet, I struggle with our own space. I mean I AM the person who, at every office I was in, had everything organized...right down to which direction and in what order my pens were laying in my drawer. No, I am not exaggerating. (And yes, I know I have a problem.) I have only two weeks to reorganize an entire classroom while getting all of my planning complete. It should be a crazy two weeks for me.

I know we are going to continue going to the nature classes when they start up this fall. The summer is just too hot for us to be out in an open field in the middle of the day. The one class we did attend reaffirmed my choices for science this past year and I was very thankful. Plus the girls get to have more socializing time outside of TKD and play dates.

I think all-in-all this year has gone very well. I have not computed averages yet, but I know both of them have As and Bs. And both know a lot more now than they did a year ago. (But, so do I just by teaching them.) I'm convinced next year will be even better for us, because every year seems to get a bit easier.

I posted quite a bit...

Please make sure you scroll down to see ALL I have posted. There was one I had written but not posted because I needed a picture from that night. Just look for one about Chloe then you will have seen everything posted today.

You are asking, why? John informed me last night that I have not blogged and that is the only way he knows what happens around here. LOL He is so funny, yet he gives me grief when I do blog. Go figure! (FYI - "grief" is him picking on me, which happens a lot around here.)

Okay. Okay. Stop bugging me!

So it is, the new yard. No, it is not finished. No, I'm not working on it while it is 100 degrees outside. I am not totally insane! I am looking forward to seeing it all done. But for now here is a glimpse of where we were and where we are. Enjoy!

Yep, I turned 40!

I have to admit this one, like 35, hit me pretty hard. I've been thinking about it since I turned 39. I think that me thinking about it has put me in a state of analyzing myself. Seeing where I've been and where I am. I have to say I'm quite happy with who I am and where I'm going.

First of all, I have my wonderful husband and the two sweetest girls I could ask for. I have wonderful friends. I am enjoying teaching TKD, even though it has been a challenge, to say the least, for me. We are still homeschooling, which honestly takes most of my time between actually doing it and planning it; but I wouldn't change it and I believe John feels the same way.

I have noticed in the last few months a subtle change in me. The kind of change you would only notice if you really knew me. The way I've been able to completely let myself go in a crowd and "shaka shaka" the chocolate coating for ice cream. They way I laugh at loud, fully and completely, no matter where I am. I've also shaken the "I don't care about anything" mood I was in January. And February. And March.

Okay, so I haven't been forty that long. However, I think I've been ME long enough to finally feel comfortable being me. I'm going to enjoy the feeling!