100 Happy Days: Day 5

 

Day 5:

A leisurely lunch with amazing work friends.

The food was delightful and the company was better.

#100HappyDays

#100HappyDays2021

#AndelesDogHouse

#WorkingLadies

#JillOfAllTrades

#WeCute

Jodi Joined No Pants April!

Jodi texted me early this morning and was so funny that I just HAD to share it on FB, and by extension, here. 
Ahh, sisterly love!

Bwuahahaha

#NoPantsApril

#JodiIsWearingADress!!

It's the Little Things: Day 198

I want to focus on the good things this year.

All the things people get right.
All the times that everything works out just perfectly after we assumed disaster had already struck.
All the times that the right word was spoken at the right moment.
So, let's celebrate those little moments together, shall we? 

• How can this year already be more than half over? I'm enjoying this blog series so much. It has become one of my little things. I don't get to post it as often as I'd like since I can't blog from my phone or my tablet, but whenever I get the chance to review some of my blessings, that's a blessing in itself. 
• It's as simple as a Pandora music station that plays only songs you love and gets smarter and smarter the more you play it. (Currently playing, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound radio.)
• It's a week on my own at the office. Which isn't necessarily a little thing, since it allows Jodi to have a week of stay-cation, but her trust in me to handle the students is a wonderful gift. 
• It's Hercules and DT spending a whole day together playing Minecraft and hanging out. Mama got to work in peace and they had a ball together. And neither of those is a little thing. 
• It's a hilarious Facetime visit with my 'Shua, Lauren and Caden. Little Punk was NOT all about sitting still to talk to {Grand}Mama K. At. ALL. But it was fun to visit with 'Shua and Lauren in their new house looking so happy and content. 
• It's getting a gift of candy corn from one of my this-week-only students. 
• It's my breakfast nook roof not leaking anymore thanks to some extra attention for Dan earlier this month. This is NOT a little thing, but I'm mentioning it just the same. Monsoon season is upon us and it's raining at least for a while nearly every day, so this repair came at just the right time. Thank you, Dan!
• It's an hour to blog in between students. And with DT at home with Dan again today, it's only interrupted by the office phone ringing. And that's good news for the business so that's okay with me. 
• It's pulling random ingredients from the fridge while I'm still sleepy and bleary-eyed this morning and once I woke up, realizing I've got ingredients to make a spinach salad topped with honey-chipotle chicken tenders, tomatoes, cucumber, zesty Italian dressing and Cheez-It crackers as croutons. Not bad, indeed. 
• It's looking forward to "Swing on the Plaza" tonight if I'm not too tired. Free swing dance lessons, followed by 2 hours of music and room to dance. Dastroyah recently discovered swing dancing (with Z Benson's help) and it has changed his life. Even if I don't have the energy to dance, just enjoying the weather and watching the youngsters dance will be pleasant. Plus, food trucks will be there with Taco Tuesday specials. One can hardly go wrong in that environment. LOL! 

All of these and more make up my little things list this week. Isn't it so difficult to not see the blessings once you start looking? What's on your little things list today? 

 

And Just Like That...Another School Year Is In The Books!

Friends, we are done, we are done, we are DONE! Mr. T and Slick have completed their best school year ever as of yesterday and now it's time to let the good times roll. Our 180+ days have been completed, we've MORE than accomplished what we set out to do this school year and they both have grown by leaps and bounds over the past 9 months.

They finished their 3 Rs with "Aunt Jodi Mom" this week and all that's left to complete is a few lingering Teaching Textbooks lessons. They will continue to read and work through DuoLingo over the summer but their formal lessons for the 3 Rs are complete.

As for their MFW curriculum with me, we are switching to "Homeschool Lite" which will be a short lesson or two every other day until we wrap our curriculum, which should be well before Jodi and her boys take their vacation in July. In the afternoons while Jodi is teaching classes at the office, the boys and I will head to the newly created 'teacher's lounge' and do a little work. I'm pretty excited about it.

To the boys, I say, "Well done, sirs! You have worked hard and accomplished much. Enjoy your well earned rest."

As for me, I've already brought all our extra books home, just the MFW core is left at the LFAL office, and the homeschooling shelves in the lounge are looking light and airy.

Best. School. Year. Ever. 

#100HappyDays: Day 41

Day 41 of #100HappyDays
Mr. T's golden birthday. It was a sweet celebration for the baby of the whole family.
Good times were had by all. 💗 — feeling happy — with Jodi Starnes.

Oh goodness, this party was the best! ALL THE HANDSOME showed up in full force and the hilarity ensued. There was much laughter and story-telling, and at some point in time, Alec ended up on the roof of Pat's car, courtesy of Nathan. Titus was thrilled that he had BIG BOYS at his party, and it was glorious.

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 13

Still behind. Gotta catch up, hold on, here we go~
Today I want to just quickly mention something that bring me JOY. Taking these trips with the family for David's gymnastics has just been wonderful. We rarely go anywhere outside of our town, as we're all basically homebodies, but we do like an occasional adventure and these have provided just the right amount of excitement. We plan it all out, we pack up and head out. We get to watch David enJOY his new found sport and that brings us JOY. It also prevents us from wasting the whole weekend in front of the TV, running errands or just wasting time in some other fashion. It also makes us appreciate how much we enJOY being home. (see previous post) We've been to Rio Rancho, to Albuquerque twice, we're heading to Phoenix this weekend and before the season is done, we will have been to Albuquerque again, had a meet here in town and possibly even Colorado Springs for Regionals. Along the way, we've visited with old friends, made some new friends, squeezed in some family fun like putt putt golf and our first visit to a tapan grill restaurant, and had several delightful conversations that only seem to happen in the car on a long ride. Such a blessing this has turned out to be! Thanks you Jodi for helping us get started. : )

Bye Bye Bubba~

We have one less dog than we did 2 days ago...*sigh* We've had Bubba (who is named after his original owner, Bubba Rogers) since he was a tiny pup of 6 months or so. He is a black lab/Jack russell terrier mix. Looks like a small lab but has the energy level and jumping skills of a jack russell. Long story short, he'd already had 3 owners by the time we got him and we've always described him as emotionally scarred. If I believed in doggy therapy, he'd have gotten some...LOL! We got him from Jodi whose neighbor was complaining about him and so we took him on as a companion for Shadow....5 years ago. So, it was time for him to go back to her now that they have their own place. Since we are most likely moving soon, one less pet in the menagerie will be good for finding a rental place, but I certainly do miss his exuberant welcome every time I come in the door. He is having a great time with Jodi's puppy Jude and they are good buddies, so it helps to know that he is among friends and being well cared for by Jodi. So anyway, "Bye bye, Bubba...we love you!"

Jodi Bug

Jodi, Jodi, Jodi...where to start?? Well, about 31 years ago now, my parents introduced me to this strange little wrinkled creature and said these life altering words..."Come and look at your new baby sister." LOL! And there hasn't been a dull moment since! Life with Jodi is fun because she likes to have fun, make new friends and have great adventures. She loves to laugh, to sing and to be silly. She lives with us these days and although it isn't perfect, it does suit both of our needs. She gets free childcare from me, and she gets free headaches from my boys. I get another girl in the house and I also get two more boys to play with, clean up after and run around with....and to get headaches from, too...LOL! We have already decided that in our 'new' house...(note: this house only is real in our heads)...we will have a scrap room, a sewing room, a girl room, a computer room and a office...and all of these will be BOY-FREE zones...hee hee! She is directing the local preschool and LOVING it...nobody organizes and delegates like Jodi. Now, if she could just get Lupe (the owner) to quit hovering over her and micro-managing...*sigh*. Anywho, Jodi is probably the most musically talented one of us...she got Mom's voice and Dad's rhythm, so music and the arts are her thing. Not sure if she shared this on her blog yet, but if she didn't, act surprised when she does...but she won a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) award for The Dark Knight. It's SSSOOOO cool! She really seems to like it here, she loves the warm weather and has even taken off her coat several times...hee hee. Anywho, my life was irrevocably altered on that day so long ago...but it's good thing! Love ya, Jo!

Kristy