Thankful Thursday

1. We are looking forward to attending some concerts over the next three months. I recently bought tickets so that Nadia and I can attend a Plumb concert at our church in early February and a Steven Curtis Chapman concert in Williamsport in March. Tomorrow I'm planning on buying tickets for Ian, and I to attend a Jeremy Camp concert at our church in April. Uncle Al and Aunt Millie are also planning to attend that concert.

2. Last Friday when Nadia, Ian, and Melanie (another homeschooler) showed up for their 11:50 art class, they found out the fourth grade art class had been moved to 8:10AM. The art teacher graciously taught a lesson to just the three homeschoolers. She said in the future they'd need to come either at 11:00 or 8:10 on Fridays. 11:00 doesn't work because the kids have gym class from 10:00-11:30 on Fridays. I was not interested in an 8:10 art class for several reasons including how would we get our schoolwork done on Fridays, and at 8:00 we're usually eating breakfast. After having rushed out the door at 6:30AM two days a week next semester, I was not wanting to rush out the door at 7:45AM on account of an art class. I asked the principal if we could have a refund. He was very willing to give us a refund, but he suggested we see if we could work something else out with the art teacher. She suggested a third grade art class on Wednesday morning. What we're going to try first is to have the kids go at 9:10 on Fridays. It's a first grade class, but she said she'd have Nadia and Ian do the fourth grade curriculum while the first graders are doing their first grade curriculum. Nadia would much rather be in a fourth grade class than a first grade class, but compared to not having art class at all, this is the preferred solution. The 11:50 time slot was ideal for us, but 9:10 is better than 8:10. I am planning to do observations on some Fridays so it might mean that Tab will need to do a little schoolwork with them in the afternoon. I did extra spelling and science with the kids today to try to make our list shorter of what we need to accomplish tomorrow.

3. I'm thankful all three kids can participate in Upward Basketball. 

4. Sears has been sending me $14 off coupons. Instead of going to the store, I have been using them online. I have been spending about $11 so that I can get free shipping, but if I am buying things on clearance and then taking an additional $14 off of $25+, I can get some good deals. Thus far I've been buying things like underwear and pajamas, which are not things I typically buy at yard sales. So I'm thinking I might still continue shopping at Sears (online) even after the store closes in our mall as long as they send me that nice of coupons and offer shipping if your order is at least $25 before the coupon. Ian and Nadia both love the pajamas I got them this way!

5. It's nice to have Paul home this week. He was in Baltimore last week, and he'll be in Las Vegas next week.

6. The kids and Paul enjoyed a Disney on Ice show on Monday. I took the kids for the first time in April 2012 when I was pregnant with Oliver. Ian (age 2) said "yay" 100+ times that night. He loved it and cracked up the people sitting in front of him by his constant exuberance. Paul and his parents took Nadia and Ian to a Disney on Ice show in April 2013. Both of those shows were in Hershey. Nadia and Ian hadn't been to a Disney on Ice show since 2013, and neither of them remembered the first two times they went. Oliver had only been in utero. I had planned to take them to Wilkes Barre on Monday, but I had only purchased four tickets. Since Paul hasn't been joining us for vacations, trips to Maryland, etc. I assumed he wasn't interested in going. When I found out he thought we were all going together, I offered that he could use my ticket since it was my fault. I should have checked with him before buying the tickets. All three kids loved the show! He went to work that morning and asked me to drive the kids part of the way there and meet him. I talked on the phone with my sister, Yvonne, for the first time since November, and that was a nice consolation for missing the show.

7. My syllabi are done. I have only eight more PowerPoints to create for the math class. If HR can give me a contract to sign today or tomorrow, then I'll be meeting with my student teachers are 7:30AM on Monday morning on campus. They start their field experience on Tuesday. I should start teaching the math class on Tuesday afternoon provided I have been able to sign a contract before then. I still need to set up the learning management system for both the student teachers and math class, but I will not have access to it until I've signed a contract.