Thankful Thursday

 1. Oliver had his physical on Friday. He was grateful he didn't need to get any shots. I am very grateful that he hadn't been to the doctor since his physical last year. At the doctor's office he weighed 95 pounds (39th percentile) and was 5 ft. 4.5 inches tall. He had gained 11 pounds and grown 2.5 inches in the last year. His height is at the 83rd percentile, and his BMI is at the 11th percentile, which is an improvement as some years his BMI was around the 5th percentile which put him close to being labeled underweight. When Nadia turned thirteen, she was 5 ft. 1.25 inches tall, and Ian was 59.5 inches and 76 lbs. when he turned 13. So, Oliver weighs about 20 pounds more than Ian did at this age, and he's also 5 inches taller than his brother was. At the moment, Ian is still taller than Oliver, but I think Ian's days are numbered as to being the tallest child in our family.

2. The weather has been so nice lately! The highs have been in the 70's, and it hasn't been humid. That's my kind of weather! Paul and I usually walk together twice a day with Milo. Sometimes Oliver joins us on rollerblades for our second walk of the day.

3. I'm grateful to be able to continue to homeschool our kids. Yesterday we took our first day of school pictures one day late because it had been raining on Tuesday evening. We also got ice cream at Becky's to celebrate the start of a new school year.

4. Nadia wanted to get some clothes at the thrift store, so we went there yesterday. Last week she renewed her learner's permit which had expired in June. She drove a lot from September through December last year, but she had barely driven at all in 2025. She was the driver for our errands yesterday. We used a Pizza Hut gift card Paul had gotten through his company credit card previously to get stuffed crust pizza, which is something Nadia really loves. 

5. Six months ago, the dentist thought an x-ray showed I had a cavity in a tooth. He decided to wait six months. On Tuesday an x-ray of just that tooth showed zero sign of decay. Woohoo! 

6. Yesterday was Oliver's spiritual birthday. I got him an Adventures in Odyssey book, and we picked up six donuts last night at Dunkin for our family to enjoy today. 

7. I never know what I'll find when I shop at Surplus Outlet. On Saturday I found they were selling bags of Sun Chips for $1.47 (the size that is typically $4-5 each). I shocked the kids by buying 24 bags. I figured I'd likely never see them at that price again. We all like them, and they are healthier than most chips. I've never bought that many bags of chips at one time before, but I don't regret the purchase.

8. I treated Tab to lunch on Friday as a belated birthday lunch. She suggested eating at a restaurant I had never been to before. The food was tasty, but more importantly I enjoyed time with my friend. 

9. The kids have their first art class for the year at MCS this afternoon. I'm thankful the kids can take art there and participate in their musical. 

10. We have nineteen kids signed up for co-op this fall. I used a Lowe's gift card that I had intended to use toward our new refrigerator to pay for four folding chairs. One of the new moms teaches art for a fee elsewhere. She has agreed to teach art in our co-op for free in the spring as long as the supplies are provided. Art is definitely not my forte, so I'm grateful for this assistance.

11. For a few months I've been monitoring the price of airfare to the United Kingdom. On Tuesday evening I learned of a nonstop, roundtrip flight from Newark to Dublin for less than $350 each. Including taxes and fees, I ended up paying $361 per person for nonstop, roundtrip flights in May. Yahoo! I've been working on a two-week itinerary that includes visiting Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland. Nadia wants us to add in a day trip to Paris so that will likely happen. It will be the third continent for the kids! Paul and I have been to Paris and England, but we haven't been to Ireland, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. I think everything we see in Paris will be a repeat for Paul and I, but only some of what we do in England will be a repeat for us.