His first big rollercoasters!

Spring thus far has for the most part been rather chilly. It has felt far more like winter than spring. Our local amusement park opened this past Saturday. On opening weekend they always have a BOGO free handstamp sale. We learned from experience NOT to go on that Saturday. The lines are just WAY too long. If we had gone on Saturday, the weather would have been far more pleasant, but we went on Sunday which happened to be a really cold day sandwiched in between some warm days. The high was 20 degrees cooler on Sunday than it was on Saturday or Monday. We *should* have worn our winter coats and gloves. We were COLD! The upside was it wasn't crowded. Oliver was tall enough to ride the big rollercoasters last summer, but we only went to Knoebels once last year (on opening weekend), and Oliver didn't ride them that day. I went with him the first time he rode the Phoenix, and Paul went with him the first time he rode the Twister and the Black Diamond. He rode the Phoenix three times and the Twister twice. He loved them! My baby is growing up!!! The only rollercoaster he isn't

tall enough to ride there is the Impulse. Ian and Paul haven't tried the Impulse yet. Thus far Nadia has ridden it by herself, with me, and with Grandpa.

Ian is tall enough but lacks the courage for that one. Nadia rode it five times - usually the line is so long you can wait an hour or longer, but once she rode it 4 times within 15 minutes! Ian was over 48 inches, which meant there were some other rides he could ride for the first time, but he wasn't interested in most of those (Nadia rides *everything* at Knoebels). He did try one new ride that was for 48+ inches, and he loved it. He rode it at least three times. We had eaten our packed lunches in the van as we drove from church to Knoebels. We usually eat dinner at the park (pizza), but since it was so cold we opted to eat a later dinner than usual and eat inside a (warm) restaurant outside the park before we headed home. Because Oliver was the only one under 48 inches (those passes are much cheaper), I splurged and bought two regular tickets which meant the other four of us had a hand stamp. I have usually skipped

my hand stamp due to BOGO not working out evenly when you have five people in your family. I decided to do a random act of kindness and give the second child pass for free to someone in the park. The woman I gave it to was very grateful!

Today I'm thankful....

1. I only have four more days of either teaching on campus or visiting student teachers this semester! Next Tuesday should be my last day! I will still be grading exams and such for a little bit after that, but my goal is to have everything done by May 10 (or May 12 at the latest). Our last full day of school this year as far as my three kiddos will be May 10 (not counting some field trips we plan to take after than such as a school frolic at the Hans Herr house in Lancaster on May 11 from 9-2. That doesn't mean we won't do any schoolwork this summer. I plan to really work with Oliver on reading, for example.

2. I splurged one day last week and got my lunch at Panera. I *love* their strawberry salad. I did have a bit of sticker shock as to how much it cost, and I got a free cup of water with my entrée. It's definitely not cheap to eat out, which is the main reason we usually opt for pizza.

3. The Family Math Night went well on Friday night that my students put on in a local elementary school. My three kids enjoyed it, and Paul was happy that I came home with some of the extra pizza that the PTO had purchased. My students were impressed with Ian's math skills (the fact that as a 2nd grader he knows his multiplication and division facts). Oliver didn't impress anyone with his math skills, but he had lengthy conversations with many of them! My students told me today they thought all my children were very cute. Aww....

4. I was very impressed with the Saturday Science program at Susquehanna University. The kids and I enjoyed solving the mystery! We also enjoyed our lunch at Garfield's restaurant which cost less than $10 total for the four of us. I had planned to use my "one free meal" coupon from my birthday at Red Robin, but this was a better deal. It was also good timing because Saturday was my 42nd spiritual birthday. My Bible is falling apart. I received it on my spiritual birthday in 1994 so I've decided that is what I'm getting myself for my spiritual birthday this year - a new Bible. I really didn't want a new one as I feel sentimentally attached, but it is literally falling apart - pages are coming out, etc. After 24 years it's time for a new one!

5. We had a great day at Knoebels on Sunday even though the weather was far from ideal. At least it wasn't raining! We definitely skipped the flume. We plan to return on May 12 as we have 6 free passes for that day; hopefully the weather will be nicer then. I took a ton of photos, but I haven't even looked through all of them yet. I edited a few so I could post them here.

6. The pizza we got at OIP on Sunday evening was really good. I like it better than Ciro's (the pizza place in our town). My favorite is Venarri's, which is in Lewisburg.

7. I made a game on Kahoot for my students to use in class this week to review for their final exam. I learned about Kahoot from my student teachers. It's free to use. My students loved it! They used their cell phones to select the answer to the questions as they showed up on the screen on the wall, and it kept score.

8. The department chair told me today that I will definitely be offered a FT full-year contract for next year. She said I will definitely teach the 2 math classes each semester, and whether I teach other classes or supervise student teachers will depend on what happens after the faculty officially retire (three are supposedly retiring).

9. A friend of mine (prof at Kutztown) sent us a package last week. It contained some puzzles of maps of London that contain tracks that battery operated vehicles can drive on. All three of my kids love them and have played with them every single day. She also included batteries and books. I am touched by her thoughtfulness and generosity!

10. I learned about FREE tennis lessons the kids can take this summer! There are many choices (morning or evening, T/Th or M/W, and first four weeks or second four weeks). It includes 8 total lessons per child.

11. Paul got a new car. Hopefully this one will be reliable and safe and last us many years (even if Nadia and I think it's ugly, ha ha). We wouldn't have been able to afford buying a new car without a second income. One of our neighbors was recently in a bad accident where both vehicles were totaled. I'm so thankful that aside from Paul hitting a dead deer on two occasions, we haven't been in any other accidents for the past 15 years.

12. We have thoroughly enjoyed reading the Wilderking trilogy. I got it on interlibrary loan from the university. I HIGHLY recommend the books!!!

13. A student in my department was in a really bad car accident (due to snow) on February 4 and was in a coma for one month. She was given very little chance of survival, but she is alive and making great progress! She is going to be attending graduation and will be going home in less than three weeks! We're so thankful!!!

14. It's finally warm outside! The kids were thrilled as I let them take Patches outside. I mowed the lawn for the first time this year yesterday.