Yes, I have decided to take a friend-of-a-friend up on a deal to get a cut, color and highlights for $65, BUT that's not really what I was going to blog about...

I thought it might be a good idea to blog some Weekly Highlights....you know, like once a week give a summary of all the main happenings. It just seems that time goes flying by sometimes, and I look up and realized that there was so much I could've journaled about but now it's all passed!!  I've also gotten off my once-a-week schedule with recipes and Family Life ABC's.  

So, to begin with, my kids and I decided that this summer we were going to do an informal "home economics" class. Each week, I'd teach them to do something domestically "new and exciting". They're really getting a kick out of it. Briar and Connor have become a dishwasher unloading-and-loading team. They've all been brushing up on the garbage emptying and set-and-clearing the table (which have been long standing chores). Each have also taken their turn at cleaning their bathroom...mirror, sink, tub AND toilet. Briar has surprised me in his laundry-folding abilities. The other night, he actually sat there and matched socks while I read from our book!! And I didn't even ask him!!

This last week, all three learned how to make tea (we go through alot since it's summer and all...you know, the southern sweet tea.) Connor is making Kool-Aid on his own now. And Sissy, well, she's been baking and cooking up a storm!!! Daddy is loving the cake, cookies and jello!! (Unfortunately, he eats them too fast!) Plus, bless her sweet lil' heart, she brought me a cup of coffee in bed this morning....

I'm so proud of them. They're really trying hard to help around the house more. Now, if I can only get them to be as enthusiastic about their own rooms!!

We've gotten alot done to organize things for the coming school year. They all wanted to have a "report card" this year. So I have this great HS organizing program called K12Journal. I love it! It has taken a little time to get all the information entered into the program. But once it is, I can print off all kinds of reports....transcripts, grades, lesson plans, time schedules...it's wonderful!! And I can transfer info from one year to another so I don't have to keep entering the same subjects over and over.  Anyway, we've gone through the file cabinet and all their files (goes along with my Summer Decluttering Campaign =]), bookshelves, and desks. I consolidated all their work from this last year to keep and put it in an accordian file for each of them. (Mainly, I keep just a sampling of their subjects and special projects they did.) Each will include a transcript, a listing of subjects with special comments from me, a listing of fieldtrips, reading journal, and then everything else. I am so excited!! I have to remind myself to blog our list of subjects and activities for the year ahead.

T minus 5 days and counting! The kids and I will be leaving for the cabin up north for a whole week. Yes, we're sad that Daddy can't come!  He's right in the middle of two buildings with deadlines fast approaching. This cabin is a special place for me because it sits on 40 wooded acres. And because it's been in my family for over 100 years. To me, it's a part of our heritage and something that must be shared with my children. One day, they will be responsible for it. Anyhow, we love to go and hike, swim, explore, burn brush, go over to Lake Michigan for a day, and so much more. We don't have a phone or a TV. We just play games, read and make a fire to sit around alot. It brings back so many great memories with my cousins and my grandma and aunt. And all the times spent with my siblings and parents. It's in our blood!