More Swimming

Since it's been in the triple digits, this week, the only sensible thing to do is swim.

Summer's Last Chance/ Fall's First Glance

I'm hosting an online Thirty-One Gifts party.

You get a sneak peak at the new Fall Catalog which goes live on August 1st. For each $10 you spend, you get 31% off select items from the new catalog. Click the link to shop now: Jackie's Online Party.

Swimming

We have been swimming, a lot. The kids are perfecting their dives and front flips.

Awkward Family Photo

Yoga

This is me at the Grand Opening of Firefly Yoga Studio. I have been working hard to practice yoga, everyday, either at a studio or a few minutes at home. I'm having some pain in my neck and upper back but the yoga and chiropractor seem to have helping.

My intentions are to build strength and flexibility and cultivate calm.

Sock Yarn Blanket

12 rows completed

Family

D is on extending school year which means he has to work until June 16th but he has Fridays off. It's nice to have everyone home and to spend time together.

Friday Night Knitting at Sugar Bunny Blvd

Friday night, I drove to El Dorado for KIP at Sugar Bunny Blvd's new location.

I brought my Sock Yarn Blanket which is growing and growing. These are all my mini skeins, how I love to collect them. Above is a picture of some micro-mini squares I made.

Just before I left, they went outside to knit.

A few of our favorite things

1. Henna- We are lucky to have an in-house doodler to create temporary tattoos. D free handed this spider for TT.
Our friends from India, told us the best place to buy premixed henna in a cone and the designs last about a week.

2. Starbucks Double Walled Venti cup- This cup is awesome. It's 24 oz and double walled so it stays cold and doesn't have lots of condensation on the outside. I fill it up with Peach White Tea for only 59 cents at QT.

Legos

Both the kids are getting too old to really "play" with toys.

One exception is legos, the more pieces the better. TT is very talented at assembling the kits and imaginative in creating his own structures. Many nights, we will find him in his room creating miniature houses, cars, and cities when he's suppose to be sleeping. His current favorites are Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Knit and Fit

Yesterday, I got my copy of Elizabeth Zimmermann's newest book, Knit One, Knit All. It is full of garter stitch goodness. I have a couple of things that I want to knit in the fall (it's too hot to use wool, right now.) I'm planning some mittens and a vest. Right now, I'm in a KAL for the sock yarn blanket. I love trading the little skeins of sock yarn.

In fit news, I signed up to run the half-marathon (13.1 miles) at Prairie Fire on October 9th. I haven't run any races since the marathon last year and I think it's time to get back to it. My first year of teaching was so busy and intense that there was no time for training. I felt like a hypocrite telling kids to exercise for 60 minutes a day when I'm falling into bed at night without a single step in that direction. I'm not running it for speed and right now I'm walking more than I'm running (using Jeff Galloway's method.) I just want to have fun and run!!

I'm not much of a gardener but I'm trying my best to make the front of the house look nice. D created this area and my friend gave me some plants from her garden. I water it everyday and hope for the best.

Weekend

Friday night, ST and I were in the River Festival parade. We were with Fuel Up to Play 60, an organization that promotes being active and eating healthy.

The weather has been crazy hot!!

We have been spending most afternoon hanging out at the pool.

We planned on going to more of the River Festival but the 100+ temperatures are too much to brave.

Thursday

The best way to take all our stuff to pool is our trike.

My teen's favorite pass time is hanging out at the mall with her friends. Four hours later, I had bought 3 tubes of my favorite Buxom lip gloss, 2 pairs of tights and a GIANT jawbreaker (TT's request.)
The girls love playing dress-up and tried on at least 10 dresses each.

Wednesday

We went for a short bike ride and spent the rest of day at the pool. The water is still a little too cold for me but the kids jump right in.

Tuesday

We spent the morning cleaning TT's room, that was quite an adventure and we only got half done. Then a picnic lunch at the park with friends.

We ended the day with a Wingnut's game and Freddy's Frozen Custard.

Monday

It was cool and windy at the pool for Memorial Day. Big D has been feeling much better since his recovery from the surgery. He doesn't really like to swim but had fun playing ping-pong and Tiny Wings pool side.
Headbanz is a fun game for both kids and adults. The idea is that you try to figure out what your card says by asking other people questions.

I always start with "Am I an Animal?" Be careful when playing with TT, his favorite answer to any question is "sometimes" which might be true but can really throw you off track.

Sunday

We finally got a membership to the pool club that is 2 blocks from our house. Since I have a job next year and they were running a really good special we decided this was our year.

They have a pool, diving board, basketball and volleyball courts, grills and an arcade. Plus the kids get free swimming lessons. You can look forward to many pictures from the pool.

Saturday

Breakfast and Knitting at Mead's Corner with the always glamorous KnitnRide.

Then, a trip to the Downtown Farmer's Market. I bought a pound of Southwest Orzo pasta from Pappardelle's. We are having it tonight with grilled chicken.

These "JazzKatz" were great and I loved the couples swing dancing right there in the square. I hope D and I can takes some dances classes this summer.

Friday

Lunch at Noodles and Company.

TT's art at Final Friday

Summer is fabulous!!

First Day of Spring

This year is flying by; only 8 weeks till the end of my first year of teaching. It has been an adventure to say the least.

I am hapy to report that my principal recommended that my contract be renewed and I have full 6th and 7th grade classes for next year. But I am worried about the budget situation, just like everyone else. Since I have no control over what will happen I am trying to have a positive attitude and make great experiences for my students.

The family is good. D is recoverying from surgery. It will be a while before he will be back to normal. S will be 13 this week. She loves middle school and is doing great in her classes. TT spends his time working on his RC truck and being a ladies man.

Feburary (So far)

It has been a long month, already. Dennis had surgery on the 4th to correct a congenital defect with his kidney. It was suppose to be a simple 1 to 2 days in the hospital and a week off work but it turned into 8 days in the hospital and 3 weeks off work. Complication from the surgery included low blood pressure, nausea, a blown internal stitch (because of the nausea,) anemia and dehydration. The days and nights in the hospital allowed me to complete a cowl but kept me from my workout goals.

Snow Day part Deux

INCREDIBLE, another Snow Day!!

I did everything on yesterday's to do list except for the lesson plans but I added a nap. Above you can see what the kids did. They were outside in 30 minute increments during the day-building.

I am very happy to have another day at home but I have a little anxiety because of all the free time. Since I am usually going a million miles an hour, it feels strange and wrong to just relax. I am working on getting over that.

Snow Day!!

Sunday night, I was dreaming there would be a snow day on Monday. The snow fell all night but in the morning there was no cancellation. My first hour only had 8 students and the buses were 30 minutes late. Throughout the day, I had at least 5 students missing from each class. It continued to snow all day long. Paprika's volleyball practice was cancelled so we spent the evening eating chili, s'mores made in the fireplace and playing Left, Right, Center.

Monday night, I dreamed of no school on Tuesday. Now, it feels like Disney because dreams do come true. Here's my Snow Day to do list:

• 30 minutes of yoga
• 3 mile run (wish I had some snow shoes so I could run outside)
• laundry (about 5 more loads and every stitch will be clean and that makes me happy)
• finish TT's hat (which I started on Christmas break)
• a few days of lesson plans
• card making with Paprika (we love the Card Patterns blog)
• Snow ball fight and fort building with TT
• watch some bad daytime tv (I love my judge shows)

I know that making a to do list could be wrong on so many levels but having my own classroom has increased my Type A personality factors. I like the control of making lists and checking things off.