Total Recall

We started homeschooling when Jesse was in Kindergarten. It was then we bought office chairs to be used with our long, folding table that we all shared. We just kind of chose a chair John and I thought was comfy. We actually bought three chairs, one for John too. We've used these chairs for eight years. They were getting wobbly and I'd thought about replacing them a couple of times.

Last weekend, I received a letter from Office Depot the chairs had been recalled. We were to return them to Office Depot for a gift card for the full price. Really?! Well, since I haven't been well this week, we didn't get to take them until today (Saturday 28th). It turned out they gave us full price back (which I bought them all on sale), plus tax (our state taxes have increased since then too). Wow! We had a nice budget now to buy new chairs.

We set the girls loose in the Depot to seek out their new chair. Who would have thought it would take so long! lol  There were turquoise, purple, hot pink, and of course your basic black, chairs. They each picked out the chair they wanted, the same chair but different colors. Of course! These chairs are vast improvements over what they before. Okay, they were more expensive but the girls are bigger now, and comfort matters when you are sitting at your desk as long as they do some days. After the gift card, we paid out $43 and some change for three new desk chairs. I'm pretty happy with that! So is John. LOL

Our three new chairs!

Jesse's new chair; she also flipped her desk over to black.

Chloe chose blue...who would've guessed. LOL

Jesse's first mid-term as a 4th degree

Thursday night was Jesse's first mid-term as a fourth degree black belt. And I had to miss it. In fact, it was the first time in eight years I've missed a graduation...any graduation. {sigh}

Anyway, Jesse was doing her new form. I think she does it well, but since I don't know it I have to go by what Master Mike says. She does okay, but still wants her to work on her footing (she has four years to get it right...I think she'll manage. LOL).

Her board break rocked!! I was suppose to be holding one of the boards for her, and helping Alex who can never seem to figure it out. She managed well without me though. Her first kick is a triple round kick, it is focused on balance. Her second kick is all about speed, an unassisted hook kick.

I hate I missed it, but she did well. Of course! And really that is what matters.

I knew things were going too well

Today was our third day of school. I woke up at 3:30am with my throat sore and swollen.

The girls made a giant cookie yesterday for our favorite toy store manager (who is leaving for bigger and brighter things). I had planned on putting the icing on it this morning, but I didn't want to do anything with it not knowing if I was contagious or not. So the girls started their day with more home economics. We delivered the cookie and returned home just in time for my doctor's appointment.

Both of my ears are full of fluid...again. But I'm not contagious so I can still attend taekwondo graduation tomorrow night. Woohoo! Jesse will be mid-terming with her fourth degree taekwondo form. She is doing really well. Her board break is going to be awesome! She practiced last night; it is an unassisted reverse hook kick. Basically, Master Mike will hold the bottom of the board and Jesse knocks the top half off. She did great last night at practice. I'm really glad my graduation is not tomorrow night, since the fluid on my eardrums was preventing me from getting past the fourth move of the form last night. lol

Anyway, back to school. I was so proud of the girls today. Honestly, I have not felt well all day. While I was at the doctor's office, they diligently worked on their school work. They even continued to work after I returned home, deboned a chicken, then took a short nap. They couldn't have made me prouder if they tried. Their reward...they are in the pool with John as I type.

First day of school!!

Okay, I was excited to get started. I think I was alone in that thought. We started our day with geography. Today was matching geography words with their definition. Sounds fun, right?! It totally was! Our favorite word today was fjord. Who doesn't love a good Swedish word? Right?! lol  I started with that particular group of words because fjord was in Chapter 1 of "Kidnapped", which is Jesse's first reading book. She didn't love the book, but she didn't hate it. I'll take it!

Rosie is just too funny. Every time she hears me say "upstairs", she grabs her blanket then trots upstairs. Today was no different. Hank is getting used to the idea of being upstairs. He won't go upstairs until I'm on the stairs. He'll go up a couple of steps, then turn to see where I am. Once I start up the stairs he is gone. Rosie is perfectly at home. Today she spent time on her pillow (her upstairs bed), sprawled on the floor, and standing in front of me barking. She is a renaissance girl. ;) 

Last week I was going through some stuff in the classroom. I had a box from downstairs of things that belonged in the classroom. When I had the box empty, the pillow Hank has been laying on was next to me. Of course I put the pillow in the box to see what he would do. This is how he spent his day today.

Nope! He is NOT spoiled at all!!! :)

Well, I'm off to start a load of laundry, clean the kitchen then start dinner. Some things just never change.

Father's Day and an unexpected trip

I think John quite enjoyed his Father's Day. Chloe bought him a mini LEGO-like elephant from the zoo. (He really liked the tiger she bought herself awhile back, so she thought he needed his own.) She also made him a rainbow loom Hulk (see it resting on his shirt?). Jesse bought him a new lighter shaped like a fishing rod. And I bought him a new Avengers t-shirt and a new spatula for the grill. His other spatula broke at a work function, while he was cooking. Someone threw away the spatula part, but saved the wooden handle. People are just dumb.

Monday, John was leaving for a work trip to Charleston. He left something at home, so on our way to meet friends at the zoo, we dropped it off at his office. We didn't get a mile from his work, when my friend sent us a text they were not going to make it to the zoo. Since we were just there with John a week ago, we decided not to go. I told Jesse to call her Dad and let him know we were not going (he was worried about us going anyway, because of the heat). He told me to go home and call him when we got there. So I did.

I called him and he informed me the hotel he was going to be staying at accepts pets. And wanted to know if we wanted to go with him. Well, of course we did! So, we had 2 1/2 hours to get ready. Not only did we need to pack, but I needed to do a load of laundry, move some plants to the raised bed so I could leave the drip hose on the plants and take the trash. We managed to be ready just in time for his arrival home. We had lunch then headed down the road to Charleston. We had a great time. We strolled through the Market, swam in the hotel pool, went to a dog park that was just a mile from the hotel, and generally had a good time.

At the dog park

At the kids play park
 

Since we missed starting school on Tuesday, I've decided we'll start Monday. I don't see starting on a Thursday as a good idea at all. lol

We're taking full advantage of our two week summer

Saturday, May 31st, we went to Charlotte to help my parents around the yard. We were suppose to help trim the nandinas, but instead we helped Dad build a post to hold bird feeders.

Jesse hanging the second bird feeder to our new post.



The feeder on the left side of the post.

 As a birthday present to me, John built a deck by the pool. I wanted one because I don't always want to swim with the girls, but I want to be able to see them when they are swimming. The deck is a perfect height to see into the pool and I love it!

 

 



The pool deck

John enjoying the fruits of his labor.

 Monday, June 2nd, we took the girls to the zoo. We had a great time, mainly because it wasn't too hot that day. We ate at the reconstructed Tuskers restaurant. We were rather disappointed to be honest. While the building is beautiful, the food is still not great and now it costs more. I'll be taking a backpack with our lunches from now on. lol

On Wednesday, the 4th, we met our friends, the Smiths, at Pooh Park. We also took Rosie and Hank. Everyone had a great time and we even had the chance to watch a taping a "Making it Grow". If you run across and episode of about fire ants, look for the Morgan and Smith children in the background. lol Cameras rarely stop any of them from being themselves. ;) Below are our favorite pictures from that day.

Rosie LOVED Avery's peanut butter covered fingers.

Sweet puppy looking for a bit of shade.

We see you Grace!

Thursday, we started the day with presents. John got me a float for the pool...forced relaxation! lol

Jesse gave me the rain boots I've been wanting. I now wear them in the mornings when I water plants. They are wonderful!

Chloe crocheted me a purple elephant and bought me a bag of Godiva (caramel!).

Saturday, the 7th, the girls and I drove to Charlotte to help do the work in the yard for my parents. We went through, what felt like a monsoon. I was worried we would get there and it would be raining so hard we wouldn't be able to do anything, but amazingly they had no rain that morning. Thank you universe for smiling upon us that day. We trimmed the nandinas, pulled weeds, cut down some type of bush at the road and mowed the yard. I thought we did really well for a little over an hour's work. (No before and after pictures. We were too busy working.)

John was actually off Monday the 9th; he rearranged his schedule due to a business trip. So, we headed to Lexington that morning with high hopes of BBQ at Hudson's. Guess what? They were closed. Seriously?! So, there we were in Lexington not sure where to go for lunch. Normally, we would have gone to Gilligan's but we were there for my birthday the week before. We decided to just drive. We didn't drive far when we saw the Mellow Mushroom. Now, John has eaten there a few times, but the girls and me have never been. It was an obvious choice. I'm so thankful it was! I had the lunch special: 1/2 an order of hummus and half an avocado sandwich. It was amazing!!!!! I LOVE fresh hummus and I HAVE to learn to make it. I don't think store bought will do anymore. I've had it before at Disney's Boma (John's favorite place on this planet to eat...besides his mother's). But to have it so close to home and so totally awesome (Chloe kept eating it too) just makes me want to learn. I now have a recipe to try, but I'm waiting on my nerves. lol

After lunch, we took the girls to Monkey Joe's. It was the plan all along, but we didn't tell them...exactly (they were told to bring socks). They had a blast and we had the chance to just relax. I think it was good for all of us. And it was air conditioned too. :)

The rest of the week was good, but not as exciting as I was hoping. Jesse tried a recipe she had been wanting to make for dinner Wednesday. We all decided it was a good try, but we won't be adding it to our "favorite" food list. But she did a great job. She actually prepared the entire dinner and set the table.

Chloe had her Summer Camp this week. I think they missed Monday and Friday, but the rest of the week she was able to do it. Tuesday was Perler bead creation day, Wednesday was a SC trivia game (I did not do so well. lol), and Thursday was TV game day. They also spent quite a bit of time in the pool just having fun.

Today, Saturday (yes, it has taken me a week-and-a-half to write this post) we took John out to lunch for Father's Day. We went to Texas Roadhouse then by Tiffany's to pick up a snack for today and breakfast for in the morning. He said he is having a good day. I hope so. Now, he is napping, which is how I am able to finally finish this post. :D