Avery will have surgery

Avery had her 6 month check at the orthopedic yesterday. The good news is that her bone tumor (benign) has moved off the growth plate making her available for surgery. Dr. P said "it's time". The plan is to schedule it sometime in August. The surgery itself will last about 1 1/2 hours, performed by Dr. P. Avery will stay overnight at the children's hospital for pain management and be released the following day. She will be in a knee immobilizer for two weeks while the incision heals. After that its back to normal. We are hoping once this one is removed the pain she has been experiencing over the last few weeks will cease and that her leg will stop compensating. We will keep you posted on when her surgery is scheduled.

Senioritis when you are the teacher??

That can't be good!  Here we are with 3 1/2 weeks left for the girls and about 2 weeks left for Ian.  The littles are in for the ride and doing bits here and there.  I just can't get motivated to finish this out.  I will order curriculum for next year next week but even that thought hasn't got me motivated.  I have a case of senioritis and I'm the teacher.  Egads!  Many other home school moms would say "well no one ever finishes the books in traditional school" but to me I have paid for 36 weeks of education.  I KNOW my kids get 52 weeks of education a year as they love to learn and read and explore but I just want to check off all the little boxes, yet I can't get out of my pjs!  So I proclaim today the get off your butt Traci day and do some school.  We did finish two read alouds yesterday.  Our family read aloud Swift Rivers, should be finished this week and we will move on to The Hobbit.  Over the summer during the extreme heat we will touch on some Language Arts that we missed and work on some writing of papers (our weakest subject).  Mapping skills will be worked on during vacation to Florida.  How to build a really big trash pile fire without getting burned will be a course study at the grandparents house.  Loving on Auntie and Uncle 101 will be a week long course as well.  Conversation with the Older Generations is an upper level course that will also take place with some fabulous teachers called Mimi and Papa.  How to be spoiled and love it will be taught by Papa and GrrGrr.  See educated 52 weeks a year :)

Sprained ankles-Bug bites-Good times

Last Monday I was with Claire at auditions for her choir's summer musical.  My cell rang (whoops) I jumped up to answer it outside not realizing my left foot had fallen asleep.  I rolled my ankle and heard a pop.  It hurt.  By the next day I could walk on it but each night it swelled and turned pretty colors.  I got back in the pool today and could actually use fins so I think the healing process is complete.  

The family discovered geocaching last week.  We took the kids out Sunday afternoon.  We found all the caches we set out for but came home with major bug bites.  Mosquitoes and we are thinking chiggers.  There is a lot of panty line scratching going on over here.  I have been using the burts bees bug bite stick on the itchiest ones for the kids and it seems  to help.  

Other than that we are having a great time.  School is wrapping up and life is good.  Can't complain (well other than the fact that I am behind on laundry again)

Wrapping up the school year.

We are trying to wrap up the last five weeks of school in a little over three weeks.  Everything is ending.  Hannah earned her bronze award in Girl Scouts, Claire, Neil and Avery are done with choir, Ian wraps up baseball this weekend and finished scouts graduating to Weblos Scout.  Been busy, the house has suffered.

What ever happened to spring cleaning

I realize I left spring cleaning in the dust.  The problem....I got a sewing machine and have been slowly playing with it ever since!  Besides Cindy in GA was so scared I was going to hit the floors next I didn't have the heart to tell her she was right.  so if you are up for it go tackle your floors.

Spring cleaning #5 kitchen

Today we are going to wipe down the cabinets.  Just a simple rag dampened will do most of it.  If you have wood consider oiling it too.  Our cabinets look glorious after being wiped and oiled.  Of course check your manufacturers recommendations before doing anything :)

Spring Cleaning #4 The fridge

I hope you enjoyed your break yesterday :) 

Today we are going to clean out the fridge and wipe it all down.  Toss all that expired or UFO's in there.  Make a list of staples you need to replenish and add it to next weeks shopping list. Your fridge will thank you for the little TLC you show it today.

Don't forget to work just a bit maintaining the work you did in the laundry room and on those counters.  Fold and put away the load in the dryer and start a new load.  Put the junk mail and other odd's and ends where they belong and give a quick wipe to those lovely counters.