Summer Begins!!

It is always nice to be done with school – even when you enjoy school.  There is something about a break, a shift in routine, a release of responsibility, a throwback to childhood.  The girls were able to start right away.  They had a camp out in the neighbor’s backyard on a beautiful night. 

We had Luke, Steph, and Lilli over that same night for a cook-out and time on the patio.  It was low-key and so relaxing to just sit and enjoy conversation and food. 

Jeremy took us on a surprise adventure on the first Sunday afternoon out of school.  We drove up to Medina to eat some shave ice at a little food truck, Hokuleia.  It was as close to Hawaiian shave ice as you are going to get in Ohio.  It was delicious and refreshing.  And while I wouldn’t drive there every weekend, it was worth the trek. 

   

The girls headed to volleyball camp for three days at the high school the first week out.  They enjoyed their time and always had something new they learned or something exciting to share. 

That same four-day week, I had four days of professional development to get my Orton-Gillingham training (a phonics program).  It was every day from 10-6:30pm with exactly 65 minutes of breaks during that time.  It was all virtual via Zoom platform – 1 instructor (Terrie Vincent, who was pretty good) and 43 participants from around the United States.  It was long, intense, and a lot.  And I wonder how much I will actually use it.  The follow-up class on morphology and vocabulary sounds a little more up my alley, but I wasn’t the one choosing my PD for the summer.  So, you do as you are told and make the best of it.  I learned how to pronounce all my letters as we worked through the kindergarten curriculum.  I learned how about some spelling rules and syllabication as we moved through the first, second, and third grade curriculum. 

While I was there and Jeremy worked from home, the girls held down the fort and had Grandma 4-H camp.  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, Grandma Yoh came and worked with Madison on her laundry project, and Grandma Ediger came wot work with Ellie on her Healthy Living project.  They got a lot done!  I was so happy with the way they worked hard with the grandmas. 

On top of that they were responsible for cooking dinner each night.  Ellie made chili meatloaf casserole on Tuesday.  Madison made Tex-Mex Corn Chowder on Wednesday. Thursday Madison made sesame noodles.  And Friday they worked together to make pizza, and we invited the grandparents as a thank you to eat with us.  I could not believe what they could do unsupervised – cooking, clean up, everything!  I am so proud of the way they just stepped up and had fun doing it! (The only meal I managed to take a picture of… but they were all delicious!)

My favorite thing in the past month has been our patio.  The weather (since Camp Wanake) has been surprisingly dry, which is not good for this long.  However, it has been comfortable  - warmer days, cool nights and mornings.  I love just sitting and relaxing out there.  We have eaten many suppers out there and then just stay and talk.  There aren’t obligations to run off to or things to do.  I feel like when I am out there time slows and life just eases.  I can just sit and relax in shade and breeze.  Bring on summer.