piano recital

This afternoon was my daughter's annual piano recital. Here are a few of my favorite things:

1. seeing how all the students have grown and progressed

2. seeing friends

3. listening to all the pieces

4. seeing my daughter progress in the line of students

5. seeing my daughter move into the older group of girls, helping out with the younger ones

6. seeing my daughter perform well

7. hearing no mistakes in her pieces, even if her fingers are taped together because of an injury!

8. hearing her teacher brag on her

9. hearing everyone else brag on her

10. enjoying her gift

what a week

This past week or so has been crazy as usual. Here are a few of my favorite things from the week:

1. our good friend's 20th birthday

2. his birthday cake turned out really delicious!

3. not having to grocery shop, able to make things stretch

4. cooking out

5. measuring my daughter's height (I am still taller by 1/2" or less!)

6. got Jeep running

7. playing sand volleyball

8. running eight miles

9. biking 15 miles

10. pizza and chocolate chip cookies

13

My daughter turned 13 today. I know that having two teens in the house is going to be lots of...fun! As a new teen, she wanted friends to come over and "hang out" as opposed to a "scheduled party." It made it easier for me. Here are a few of my favorite things:

1. no planning

2. she did all the inviting

3. pizza, popcorn, candy and fruit was just right

4. little to no presents

5. movies from library

6. no entertaining, directing, emceeing, etc

7. few friends

8. less expensive

9. more quiet

10. I sit and blog while she "hangs out with friends"!

birthday presents

My daughter will have her birthday this week, turning 13! It's unbelievable to me. Here are ten things she wants:

1. money

2. guitar hero

3. a wii to play gh on

4. phantom of the opera tickets

5. her cell phone bill to be paid for by her dad

6. remove the texting limits

7. a party with all her friends

8. pizza

9. oreo pie

10. to finally be a teenager!

lapbooking

Last year I discovered a great new way to utilize projects in our homeschool. It is called lapbooking. I often refer to it as project folders. Here are a few of my favorite things about it:

1. used for any age

2. used for any subject

3. cheap

4. student works independently

5. comprehensive learning over specific unit

6. a way to mark what is/has been learned

7. easy reference for review

8. fun

9. many ideas can be found online

10. easy to store

church retreat

We leave for our annual church retreat tomorrow. It is always over Easter weekend and is a great time of spiritual renewal for all involved. Here are a few of my favorite things:

1. seeing old friends

2. spending time working together with old friends

3. making new memories

4. shopping and organizing the food for camp

5. staying in the cook's cabin

6. the beauty of the camp

7. the intense lessons

8. seeing the kids learn the lessons

9. listening to the kid's perceptions of the lessons

10. hoping that the camp's lessons cause growth for the kids involved

Down Days

On days like today when I feel beaten down, I just need a random list of ten things which I can be thankful for. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. husband

2. children

3. health

4. safety

5. house

6. cars

7. friends

8. sunshine

9. "this too shall pass"

10. Jesus