Holiday ramblings

Wow, what a busy week, aren't they all? Spent about the past three days gardening, mine and a friends. Picked enough beans and cucumbers to feed half this county, and I think we have. Gave away a ton and am busy preserving the rest. Made a HUGE batch of cucumber relish today, first time making it, and not to bad if I do say so myself ~ smile. I even made a few batches of berry preserves and shelled my first soybeans ever! We have more gourds and pumpkins getting close as well as our first red tomatoes and the peppers are ready too. Gardening is so gratifying and the kids get a ton of learning out of it.

Spent the afternoon working on end of semester grades. I have been putting it off with dread as I felt we fell apart at the end, with son being in the hospital and all. But when all was said and done the kids had like 22 extra days than required put in, (a whole extra month of school - don't tell them) and both had better grades then expected. Oldest son just finished his sophomore year with more than half the credits he needs to graduate . He got so many in last year it gave him a cushion for this year and he is only a little behind in math and chem. He will finish up his chem in the first marking period of the fall and math by the end of the first semester if not sooner, so feel like we are back on track with a plan. Being a home school family I don't have much of a gage except what I see here at home, kind of like not realizing your kids got taller since you see them every day. So when I add the grades up, I am always surprised - I thought they were dilly-dallying - LOL The kids follow the state standardized testing schedule as, to help me keep track of their week areas and to make sure they are on grade level. I am always pleasantly surprised : ) So now it is about a months more break then onto 11th grade, 8th grade and the twins will start Kindergarten! Wow. I won't panic about buying curriculum, I won't panic about buying curriculum, I won't panic about buying curriculum . . .

Hope everyone is having an awesome 4th of July. We are heading to the drive-in movies tonight. Hope to see you there.

Blessings, Beth Ann