Summer schooling??? Really????

Yes, really. I get that a lot from PS families.
When are your kids out for summer?  Well, when they are finished with all the work, of course. And then they can do some supplemental things to keep sharp. I see no reason to school all summer at full speed unless absolutely necessary, but I also see no good reason to be a slug. 

It is a great time to do things that got pushed aside during the "regular" school year, or to focus more on special interest, or to find fun reinforcement activities.

So yes, we are schooling. The kids go full force until the basics are completed, then do exactly what I described above. Summer will be computer and video learning (including movie watching) and library trips with lots of reading, swimming, skating, bike rides, church camp,  filming, movie parties with friends, dance classes now and then, a bit of piano work, art time, Spanish fun stuff, and prepping for fall.

It is still summer and we are much more flexible...besides, we still have to get 90% of the downstairs flooring replaced due to water damage...after I convince the insurance company that sheet vinyl flooring really is rather expensive. They seem to be under the impression that it is quite cheap. I think they need to go shopping and update their databases.

But I digress. So, what are your summer plans?

Summer yet???

It feels like summer has arrived even though it is the final week of May. Recital is over, so I suppose that is the reason for the feeling...oh, and the warmth and humidity are rearing their heads, and swim season is here.
But it really isn't quite summer...but hey, let's just keep pretending,ok? I like it.
We joined a local country club for the use of the swimming pool, and will probably use it 3 times a week or more. We visited the library today and had frozen yogurt. We are attending Mayfest on Friday, an English Country Dance formal to end the school year. Then on Saturday I am running (and I use that term loosely) the Urban Dash Obstacle Course in Dallas. I paid for summer camps for the four oldest, and myself to go as a counselor. Dance camp starts next week for Kim. And finally, we are planning for VBS. I teach, and Jacob makes videos, and Emily helps with puppets and small kids.
Amid it all we are still schooling and planning all the June birthday parties and the filming of Sandblade. I really hope they get it filmed by late August so we can plan the premiere.
OH! And I am getting a new camera this week. A Canon power shot. Can't wait to play with that! I want to do a great shoot with all the kids!
So where, you may ask, are those recital videos??? Wellllll....I need a large chunk of time to upload them so they will wait a bit longer...but they are coming!  Upload is so slow, even with broadband.
Ahem...now that I have been on a run, played UNO with Kim, and bathed, it is time to relax and watch Holes with the other kids before bedtime.
Tomorrow I will tackle other matters.
Hope your day is blessed!!!

Recital 2013

Well, this year at Timbrel School of Dance, I only had three dancers. Kim dropped in February or she would have danced jazz and ballet. I took my camera to dress rehearsal and took the shots of each kid, but decided to wait until performance night to get shots of all their friends. That was a mistake. The camera died. the lens won't even come out or focus or anything. At least I got these shots and a video of each dance. I will post the dances next time...but not today.

 

 This is Emily ready to dance in tap 3 to I Will Wait for You by Mumford and Sons. She spent the week hanging out with David, Hope, Amelia, Katy, Lily, Annalie, Abby, Bradley.

 Lizzy ready for ballet 3 to Who Am I? by Casting Crowns. She also dancesd to Down By The Riverside by Louis Armstrong for jazz 3. She had a blast with her friends, Jhanna, Bianca, Katy, but mostly holding baby Boaz. I think she adopted him as a third brother.

And here is Jacob ready to dance teen ballet to Batman theme from Batman Begins. He also danced in The farmer aand the Cowmen for theater 3, a piece from the musical Oklahoma. he hung out with dakota (pictured above), Isaac, Bradley, David, lLly, Annalie, Abby, and tohers.

Below is a group of awesomeness in the teen years. Good kids that love Jesus and seek to do what is right. Dakota, Jacob, Bradley, Daniel, Emily, and David. Now it is over and we will miss our times at dance class.

Vacation ...part three

Heading to shop at Ruskin. That first shop on the right corner was so amazing. Had tons of Turkish scarves and scents and unique sculptures.

Waiting on the boys....that is a change!

In the town of Seeaside, doing some shopping before heading to the shops of Ruskin.

Walking the beach is a favorite pasttime.

The surf was cold the first day.

Walking by the front of the house. love it there.

first day at the beach. Gorgeous!

These posts are in the wrong  order. This is the entrance to the beach house.

These are the three youngest sleeping on the way...like fallen dominoes.

vacation ...part two

Still going in reverse order...it's me at Rosemary beach about to visit the Sugar Shack. i bought nothing. I do NOT pay almost $3 for a candy bar. Crazy! But the town was interesting.

hanging out on the front porch

at the beach access, a five minute walk from the house. About to play in the surf and sand.

Yep, that is me...half of me, actually. That white sand is pure relaxation.

castles

and seashells...I personally found those!

Vacation...part one

The final sunset. beautiful. But honestly the best sunsets were the second night. Unfortunately my camera was dying and deided to delete all the Tuesday pics. I was just sick about it.

This was still very pretty.

crabs were all over the place that day. It was very warm in the water by then.

Last day.

Me on the walk to the Watercolor cattail bridge.

In the local gardens

Destruction

Vacation at the beach was heavenly and I fully intend to blog in pictures...eventually. And I intend to post about the kids' recital that is upcoming and other life events, but that will have to wait.

Today as we await severe storms in the aftermath of the OK tornadoes, I await a plumber to hopefully fix the water leak in the pipe behind the fridge. Then i get to discuss this with the insurance company while informing them that the flooring replacement estimate is about $2500 over what they have allotted us. Gotta love those slow water leaks that present as a faulty refrigerator! At least we replaced the fridge, even though the ice maker on the new one went out within 3 weeks. Yea for warranties???

So next on the list of summer fun will be checking the A/C (a texas necessity), fixing the water heater, oven, and kids tub drain pan. And paying for church camp....Man, when it rains, it really pours.

On the other hand, it could always be much worse. Counting blessings!