Thankful Thursday

1. I love my mom SO much, and I'm very grateful for the 70 years of life that God has granted her thus far. Her birthday was on Friday. We had originally planned to meet her in Harrisburg (pretty close to a half-way point between our homes) that day at the State Museum but due to the homeschool gym class (which was cancelled on Friday due to the snow) we are rescheduling our get together at the Whitaker Center (science museum). I'm so grateful for the time my kids get to spend with their grandparents!

2. I finally got a haircut on Saturday afternoon. It had been three months since my last one, and I prefer to get one every two months, if possible. While I was there I bought a gift card that covers the cost of 4 haircuts for $50, which reduces the normal price by $3.50 per haircut. Yahoo!

3. Paul and Nadia enjoyed watching Liberty University's Soar Dunk team (they use trampolines) at the Upward closing program on Saturday night. I stayed home with the boys. All the players came home with a basketball, which we can put to good use here at home.

4. On Thursday afternoon I stopped at a consignment shop because they were having a 50% off sale, and I brought a few things to sell there, and they paid me more for what I brought than what I paid them for what I purchased that day. I am definitely going to keep bringing them items. On Saturday when I got my haircut I also made a quick stop in a Gymboree store because I knew they were giving out $20 coupons for Shutterfly (they gave me two of them), but I actually bought a few things off the clearance racks (which I have very rarely done at that store over the past almost 7 years of being a mom). One of the reasons I did is because I know the consignment shop favors a few brands - one of which is Gymboree. A lot of Nadia's current clothes are Gymboree brand that I bought at yard sales so in the future I should be able to sell them at the consignment shop.

5, Paul's mom got a good report at the doctor on Tuesday. We're SO grateful she has remained healthy after her radiation.

6. Nadia finished her extra credit book in AWANA last night (this is the book given after going through the regular book two times). Way to go, Nadia! I'll come up with some verses for her to work on in April.

7. I can't recall the last time Oliver had an accident in his bedroom. This means it's been weeks not just days since his last bed time accident. He also has been telling me far more often when he needs to go (it's rarer that it's at my iniative). Now if I could just get him to leave the toilet paper alone. The child is trying to learn how to wipe, but he's not really ready for that. I do give him credit for wanting to be independent in that regard. I had to force Ian to start doing it himself. Ian didn't want to do it himself. Oliver's only accidents in the last few weeks have taken place in the bathroom. Progress.

8. I'm grateful that next fall Paul won't have anything beyond 5pm at Bucknell. This year he's had one night a week that he had class until 8pm (and he goes in around 6:30am on that day). He thinks he won't go past 5pm next spring either. That would be wonderful, and if that's the case I think I'll switch the kids back to AWANA at the Alliance church here in Watsontown in September. Paul can take them and pick them up while I'm at choir rehearsal at our church. I'm also thankful that he'll only be teaching 3 days a week in the fall (compared to 4 days a week last semester and this semester). Hopefully this will translate to him working on research two days a week next semester.

9. We finished the 15th Imagination Station book and now we're really enjoying A Little Princess (albeit we got to the sad part today).

10. Nadia has continued to help me with cleaning the bathrooms. I clean the mirrors, floors, and shower while she cleans the toilets, sinks, and countertops. I pay her one dollar each week for this assistance. She has earned $30 towards the lego set she's saving up her money to buy. It's far more pleasurable to clean the bathrooms with my princess. Today she earned $1 by dusting two pianos, three nightstands, and three dressers.

11. We walked to the playground today!!! It was in the high 50's. I put Oliver down an hour early for his nap so that we could make it to the playground before the rain started, and our plan worked. Oliver woke up from his nap at 2pm, and we went to the playground and made it back before the downpour started. It's supposed to be a lot colder the next few days, but this gives us a glimpse of what will hopefully soon be the norm!

This Sleeping Beauty slept until 8:10 this morning (whereas her brothers were up at 6:30).