It's Summer Vacation....Now What?

Today is my first official day of summer vacation.  I think I count about 68 days total of do whatever I want to do with the exception of a week of summer school, kid commitments (like VBS and ball games) and doctors' appointments.  However, with all of that there will still be time for scrapbooking.  That's really all that matters, right?!  

However, today I've done some laundry, washed dishes, went shopping, took a nap and I am thinking what do I do next?  Oh...there's lots to do in this household, but I just don't want to do any of it.  I am ready for something fun.  So, fun needs to show up...I am waiting!  Any ideas?

Why I Teach

I am creating a "David Letterman" style Top 10 reasons why I teach....

10.  Where else can you dress up as a farmer and become the "Mother Hen"?

 9.   I feel a great sense of accomplishment when a student says, "Oh, I get it now."

 8.   I got my hair dyed almost black two weeks ago and truly hated it, but only 1 out of 21 kids told me that I needed to change it back to it's original color.  Most of them liked the Morticia Addams look!  

 7.   How many jobs do you get hugged daily?

 6.   It's never, ever a dull moment in kindergarten!

 5.  I am told more "gossip" in a day from 5 and 6 year olds that you'd ever get in any other kind of job. 

 4.   I can wear the same outfit week after week and no one ever notices or says...."Didn't you wear that on Monday?"  

 3.  They actually pay me for this kind of work!  Very gratifying!  

 2.  Where else can you have a spontaneous popcorn party at and still be considered working?

 1.  June 4th 2009 is the last day of school....need I say more?!

Days 146-150

The days just seem to fly by......

Saturday, May 23rd - This photo was taken at the Orpheum prior to seeing "Wicked".  Fabulous show!  
Sunday, May 24th - We grilled steaks and asparagus on the grill.  We've never fed asparagus to the kids before and of course, they didn't like it.  Madison is quickly washing hers down with a glass of water.  
Monday, May 25th - Memorial Day - We spent the afternoon catching small and very small fish at Oak Lake.  
Tuesday, May 26th - The Clematis finally bloomed at our house.  Andy gets it confused with Chlamydia, which is just not as pretty!  :)
Wednesday, May 27th - I almost forgot to take a picture, again.  So, here's another one of Madison reading a bedtime story to Grant.  

Days 141-145

I missed some great photo opportunities this week, but just am too tired to care!  

Monday, May 18th - We had Madison's first softball practice tonight and I didn't want to walk back to the car to get the camera, so I chose eating ice cream at DQ afterwards instead.  Andy and Tyler missed out.  They were in Ashland picking up trash along the roadside for Youth Group.  
Tuesday, May 19th - Here is Grant and Grant's best bud, Cameron, at Tyler's ball game.  Tonight is the first night for the Jr. Saltdog's team that Tyler is on.  He finished his "somewhat select" team and now is playing with the same kids on a different team.  Can't get enough baseball....I guess!  
Wednesday, May 20th - We had another night of baseball, but here we are watching the neighbor kids' play ball at Fleming Fields.  Tonight Tyler won his game, but once again, didn't think to get out the camera until much later! 
Thursday, May 21st - This use to be our nightly routine (walking the dog) until the kids got so busy.  It was a nice night for a walk...love that spring weather! 
Friday, May 22nd - Yeah, it's Friday!  T.G.I.F!  I meant to get a picture of the five boys camping out in the tent in the backyard, but it was dark once I remembered and the pictures are terrible, so here's a picture of our well-traveled Little Tikes Coupe Car.  What household goes without one of those cars at some time in their lives??  It has the cheapest upkeep on any car we've ever owned!  Hope the government saves Little Tikes too!  :)

Fishin' with the Family

Today we spent part of our relaxing Memorial Day fishing with the family at Oak Lake for a few hours.  I, myself, do not like anything to do with fishing....baiting the hook, taking fish off the hook, cleaning fish and least of all eating the fish.  Since I don't have a license (Andy does) and we are a strict "catch and release" type of family, this event is a little more tolerable on my part.  However, I do enjoy being the photographer of this little event.  
The kids were able to catch a couple dozen little fish off of corn and worms, so it was easy to keep their attention.  Grant was the official "release the fish" guy, but would give each fish a special kiss before throwing it back in.  (BTW, his siblings told him to do this!)  If there's some new pandemic "Fish Flu" going on, you will know exactly where it started from!  
Tyler caught the world's smallest fish on a hook today.  I had no idea that a fish of this tiny size could actually put a hook in it's mouth.  Amazing!  
Here I am, taking it all in....sitting in the shade of a tree, feeling the nice breeze and waiting for the next photo opp!  

Wicked was wonderful!

Today we went to see the musical "Wicked" at the Orpheum Theatre in Omaha and it was fantastic!   I loved the story line of how the two witches from Oz became good and evil prior to Dorothy's arrival.   The story was pretty well thought out with mesmerizing costumes and beautiful music.  I can see why the soundtrack is popular with many who have seen the production.  I thought it was also clever in the way they tied in the old Wizard of Oz story by hinting at it with subtle comments and innuendos.  We didn't take Madison and Tyler with us, but after seeing it now, I know they would have LOVED it!  

Days 136-140

More of Project 365...

Wednesday, May 13th - The kids took the dog for a walk and decided to tie the wagon to Tyler's low riding three wheeler.  They are ready to go because Madison's got her plastic bag with her to pick up Ranger "treats" that he leaves behind on his walk.  :)
Thursday, May 14th - I know that Grant following Tyler with his own lawn mover is a bit dangerous, but I couldn't help but snap a quick picture before taking Grant out the situation and on to Madison's final soccer game of the season.  Darn cute!  
Friday, May 15th -  The minute I stepped into the house after work I started cleaning the house. It was a huge pit!  First the kitchen, then the bathrooms and finally the living room space.  The carpets were in desperate need of being cleaned.  Yikes!  
Saturday, May 16th - Andy made Schwan's French Toast Sticks for breakfast before he headed out and did some neighborhood garage sales.  I found some scrapbooking racks, a sandbox and a Thomas the Tank Engine shirt for Grant.  
Sunday, May 17th - It was such a nice relaxing day that the only thing I could think of taking a picture of was two kids on the couch.  They were watching The Incredibles on DVD.