The Good Life

It's finally here . . . SUMMER!  All that's left of the 2012-2013 school year is to drive Baby Girl to the high school to pick up her report card and to help Elliot finish his final math lesson . . . woohoo! Tonight we plan on having our annual burn-your-school-work bonfire (with gigantic marshmallows) and a little awards ceremony. I made up a couple of certificates for the kids last night to recognise their accomplishments this year. Elliot is receiving the Reading Award because he has made huge improvements in reading this year, and is still tackling his first ever chapter book. He says he has read other chapter books, but I am trying to teach him that skimming is not reading. For this book, The Beyonders, I am getting him to fill out a story map for the book to help him keep track of everything that is happening and to keep him accountable. Parenting/teaching Elliot is one job where I can never let my guard down! Avery is receiving the Writer's Award because he has learned how to write a paragraph with a topic sentence, a concluding sentence and three supporting sentences. He even does it without a reminder. Wow! Zoe is receiving the Scholarship Award for maintaining an A+ average (anything above 95% in my books, but her average hovers at 98%) for her entire grade nine year. Super brain! I am so proud of each of them!

Yesterday, the teller at the bank was asking me all about our homeschool year, and I could not help but gush over how much my boys have learned this year and how great our year was. We have really hit our stride! Then, I told her all about Thing 4, and as I was leaving she said something to me that I have not been able to stop thinking about. She said:

Gosh! Life is really good for you right now, isn't it?

And I could not help but smile the biggest, most cheesiest grin of all time and reply:

It really is!

I am so blessed to be able to spend my days doing what I love with the people I love the most. I am one lucky lady!

They can't wait to try out their new pool toys today!

FYI: I love spending my days with Zoe too and it has been a blast having her home this past week, but alas, she refuses to let me post any photos of her on the blog that do not meet her approval. Sheesh!

Happy Summer everyone!