Ahhhh! Summer!

Maybe now I can relax a little.  I've been working furiously at night for the past month trying to finish the coursework for my Ed.S.  It is done!  I have one last class left this Saturday and it's over.  While I am glad I completed the year long program, I am also glad I am at the end of it, and not just beginning.  It wasn't as hard as I had thought it would be, just time consuming.  Looking back at some months, I wonder how I got it done.  I thought summer would be easier, since I wasn't working.  I had grand plans to get things finished early so I didn't have to worry about homework.  Ha!  I learned just how well I can procrastinate.  I am truly shocked I am done five days early.  Actually, if it weren't for John pushing me yesterday I wouldn't be done.  He kept Wheeler busy so I could get finished.  (In reality he was procrastinating, not doing his own homework!)  I couldn't have done this without him this past year, though.  He was always willing to forego a cooked dinner, take Wheeler out to play, or just give me a nudge to get things done.  I am truly blessed to have him. 

I love that Wheeler will come to me when I am working and ask "You doing homework momma?"  I love that he can see his mom and dad working so hard for something.  We tell him like my mom and dad told my sister and I, "WHEN you go to college......."  We want him to be driven to follow his dreams.  If his dreams are a trade school, then that is fine, as long as he knows it's important to work hard for what you want, which I think we are showing him, even at 2 (almost 3, but that's another post!) 

So, what does this new degree mean for me?  Well, I would love to teach at the college level. I'll have to look into how to get into that.  But, in the near future, it means a pay raise! 

With three and a half weeks left until school officially starts (realizing that, I just got a bit depressed!), I plan to watch a few movies in the evenings, take Wheeler out for more fun, and set up my classroom.  Oh well, no rest for the weary (or wicked or whatever! LOL)

Our Day Off!

Today is only the second day this summer that we haven't had anything to do.  So here is what we did.....

We put together the train tack and played trains.

Although not too thrilled about it, he insisted mommy be in a picture.  

We made chocolate chip cookies.

He helped me mix.

 He wanted to eat his cookie in front of the refrigerator!

We also made blueberry muffins.

Fun with a paper towel tube.

We found a creature in the sandbox.

Then we found a bazillion ants on the sandbox.

And our sandbox fun was brought to an abrupt end!

All this before lunch!  I am not sure what all happened after nap.  I also took a  nap.  Daddy let me sleep (til 5!) while he and Wheeler played.  All I know for sure is that water shots (the new super soaker water guns) were involved and their clothes are strewn over the front porch.  The nap was much needed, and much appreciated!  I wish we had more days like this.

Some of Our Summer Activities

So as I posted before, we've been busy.  I didn't even mention (as my friend Nancy pointed out! LOL) that I am finishing my Ed.S. and I'm in school this summer.  I have done homework, promise!!

Our summer began with the sweet wedding of my cousin.

We have done our fair share of time at Dollywood.

We've been to the playground.

We played in the fountains at The World's Fair Park and had a picnic afterward.

We've had fun in the backyard.

I've been trying my hand at canning and growing a small container garden.

 Mmmmm.  Strawberry jam!!  We even went and picked the strawberries!

 A bird got to our first red tomato, but I think another one is ready to pick!

 Blueberries....for the fun of it!

Peppers!  Yum!

And then there's game night!!!

 That leads us up to the Fourth of July!!

We made red, white, and blue chocolate covered popcorn!

And to think....we're not even going on vacation this year!!!

I hope you've had a fabulous summer, too!!!