Mid-May Weekbook

Things I've learned recently:
-we're studying WWII and the Holocaust, and I'm amazed at how much I *don't* remember from school.
-I'm still having post-traumatic flashbacks of my skin cancer surgery (but only when I hear about someone else going through it, like in a forum post). I am glad I can be there for them though, in a BTDT kind of way.
-that I need more IRL friends, but I don't know how to get them. I guess I'm making some strides, but I still feel lonely! I think what I would REALLY like is the old fashioned "see moms in similar circumstaces over the backyard fence, invite them in for coffee" kind of friendships! We live in a huge suburb, full of two-income families. It's just not the same. Nobody "gets" me (my dh is nodding his head in amused agreement - I'm hard to understand, LOL)
-that there is a video of a Confirmation Mass at the end of our wedding video! In 15 years we've never run it past a minute or two of static at the end of our wedding Mass. Well, after that, there is an HOUR of somebody's Confirmation from 15 years ago. Whoda thunk, LOL.

Garden notes:
-harvesting some spinach, lettuce, and arugula (my favorite!)
-broccoli is growing. Yay! I've always had so much trouble with this in the past. This year we started with store bought seedlings and did much better. I'm not sure how or when to harvest it though, I need to read up on it.
-Peas are starting to flower. They grew much taller than I expected, I must have misread the seed packet. I need to find something to tie a few to.
-I see a few tiny strawberries hiding. I can't wait!

New at the feeder this week:
-our first (very brief) sighting of a Carolina wren

Today I am finally admitting out loud:
-That I am spending too much time obsessively checking Realtor.com for new homes on the market. Our house isn't even market ready yet! But I feel I've reached the end of my rope here and I just want to GO and get this over with.

Thoughts and plans:
-"planning" on getting take out tonight for our anniversary, and "thinking" about what kind!
-need to decide which Core 4 readers/read-alouds to drop so we can take a nice break and then have FUN with a world/geography study. I absolutely love learning about Eastern Hemisphere cultures, and I think I'll get an even bigger kick out of the next year's learning than the girls do! We're just *done* with American History. Two years is too much, at the intensity we've gone, for my girls at their ages.
-will try to get to the library again soon, with the kids this time
-I want to spend my break from homeschooling the bigs REALLY focusing on the littles, who have been sorely neglected lately.

Recent accomplishments:
-15 years of wedded bliss! :)

Seen around our dining room table, like on the floor and the faces of our cuties:
-crock pot whole chicken, with roasted broccoli/garlic and fresh garden salad
-pasta with chili on top, salad
-homemade soup
-Batty's birthday dinner was macaroni and cheese and Sloppy Joes.
-hamburgers and oven baked fries. Let the summer grilling season begin!

Gratuituous photo:



Jeffrey mid-haircut (the "post-haircut" picture doesn't look much different! I was afraid to cut too much)