Thankful Tuesday

1. The kids had their last gym class for this school year on May 24, and Nadia had her last art class that same day. I am very thankful that Nadia is able to take this class at Meadowbrook and that there are multiple organizations that offer gym classes for homeschoolers in our area.

2. In May one day when we walked to the playground we saw went inside a Amish restaurant/shop that opened last year. It so happened that they were having customer appreciation day and were giving everyone a cup of free homemade ice cream! Nadia hadn't joined us for our trip to the playground, but when we got back and told her, she rode her bike and also got some free ice cream.

3. We had a nice vacation from May 28-June 9. I am thankful that we were all healthy, that we were safe during all our travels, that we were able to visit a variety of interesting places, and that the weather was really nice during the days we were at the beach. The homeschool programs at Yorktown and

Jamestown were nice, and those tickets were much cheaper than if we just purchased the standard tickets. I like the photo we bought at the USS Wisconsin. I passed on the ones we were offered at Luray Caverns and USS Yorktown because they weren't as good as the Wisconsin one. It was also wonderful to have so much time together as a family of FIVE.

4. I'm also thankful for the pictures I was able to take at the beach last Wednesday night! A few random strangers helped with snapping the photo when all five (or seven) of us were in the5.  picture. Paul or Nadia took the pics that I am in. I regret I don't have a nice photo of my brother and I. When we visited him in November I took pictures of the kids with Uncle Maurice, but I didn't think to pass the camera to someone else so I could have a picture of my brother and I. Since I am usually the one taking the pictures, I am not in the pictures very often. I have recently made more of an effort to be IN more pictures. I don't want my kids to some day in the future wish they had a picture of me with them that

doesn't exist.

5. I'm thankful I've lost at least 28 pounds. That is also helping me be more willing to have my picture taken. I'm hoping to reach my goal weight sometime in July.

6. I sang with the choir on May 26, and now we're on summer break. I am thankful that when we go to church in the summer (we missed the last two weeks due to our vacation), we don't have to be there by 8:15 like we do when the choir is singing. Also, I'm looking forward to helping more in Kidzway. I'm scheduled to teach five out of six weeks from June 23-July 28.

7. The kids are enjoying horseback riding camp. Oliver is riding a horse this year, not a pony. The weather wasn't that great for camp on Monday, but they had gorgeous weather today which meant they were able to go swimming and spend more time riding horses. I am very thankful that Tab and I are sharing the driving to and from camp this week.

8. My friend, Cheri, resigned from her job a few months ago. I am so glad that she is now retired as it's easier to make plans to get together with her. Today we walked for a little over 6 miles and had lunch together and talked a lot. We spent almost four hours together, which was heavenly. Tomorrow I'm planning to walk with Tab. Yesterday I was able to have a nice, lengthy conversation with Yvonne.

9. I have finished signing the kids up for everything this summer. Today I sent in their registrations for the baseball/softball clinic at Sunbury Bible Church in July. Before we went on vacation I finally decided to send them to history camp the week of July 29 (3 hours a day for 5 days focused on WW1 and WW2) rather than art camp. I'm determined to make art more of a priority during the upcoming school year, but I decided to forgo any art classes/camps this summer.

10. We have been enjoying listening to a variety of audiobooks via the Philadelphia

library on Overdrive and Hoopla.


11. It's summer break!!! I am so thankful not to be juggling a job right now aside from completing some reference checks for former student teachers from time to time. I was able to read on vacation - leisure reading! WOOHOO!