8:40 a.m.

So far today I've. . .
*Played an hour of tennis
*Made breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen
*Boiled eggs for dinner
*Tried to work on my "catching up" blog post but the power blinked and I lost it
*Bought a Christmas gift for my girls and nieces
*Sent a few e-mails (sorry, Nancy, I was half-way through yours when the power surge happened)
*Solidified weekend plans with my sister
*And one of my children began his school work for the year:

Looks happy about it, doesn't he?  Really, in all sincerity, we got done May 20th so it's time to get back into it.  They all did math placement testing last week and yesterday we picked up their school books.  The kids are technically in "private school" because the school does all testing, grades, offers tutoring, etc.  We pay them tuition. . .I just make sure they get their work done and get them there on their testing days.  For instance, Frederick will have to complete and test on 5 history books, 5 Language Arts books, 5 Math books, and 6 Science books before December 15th.

Here is their "first day of school" picture from yesterday. . .in front of their school/testing center:

 

Today. . .well. . .it's a good day for the pool :)  We're planning on heading out in a little bit to Gilley Pool. . .because summer isn't over yet so we might as well take advantage of flexible schooling!!!

Parents, I promise, I will get the "catching up" blog done soon. . .OH trip, night boating, Thomas's Death at Dawn fitness experience. . .

Love,

Jenni

Letters

Yea!!!!  So good to hear from the kiddos.  And they seem to all be having a GREAT time -- !!!!  Thomas only took one self-addressed stamped envelope but the girls each took two so hoping for some more happy mail tomorrow maybe?  We get them Saturday morning. . .can't wait.  They all said in their letters that they are loving camp and Marie wrote that "I want to go next year too" -- ha!  Thinking ahead.  Margaret named all of her friends, and, as usual, Thomas had the most "newsy" letter.  He's a great writer.

Frederick is busy in OH with his cousins.  Golf camp every morning.  I guess he's pretty good and some mornings gets up early to practice.  Ha!  I told him to get it all out of his system up there because there is no one here to golf with.  I've never been on a course in my life.  He's gone to a swim meet, lobster bake, pig roast, swimming, Chick-fil-A, yard work for Grandma. . .the list goes on and on.  He's a busy boy.

Tom has been busy at work all this week.  In GA Monday.  Nashville Tuesday.  KY yesterday.  Busy all day today getting ready for a customer run-off tomorrow.  So. . .not too much time for "us".  Or the project list.  Not. One. Thing.  Oh well. . .I've gotten lots and lots of tennis in. . .last night I was on the courts until a little after 7 p.m. then again today at 6 a.m. and then again at 6:30 p.m. -- it's great!  And working a lot of shifts at the YMCA because it's easier to do when I'm not schlepping kids around :)  But I miss them fiercely.  And know that it's important for them to have time away from home too.  We've had a car in a shop every day this week too, getting maintenance done. . .so that's one thing crossed off the list.  And I've watched lots of movies -- probably more than I do in normal a 6-month period :)  Radio (an old one I found on Netflix) has been my favorite so far.  I think I'll let the kids watch it on a rainy afternoon this fall.  I don't feel lazy though. . .this is all stuff that I don't get to "normally" do so I feel lucky to have the chance.  I've only run the dishwasher once and done two loads of laundry -- !!!  And I had another job interview at another school on Tuesday. . .not feeling very hopeful since it's Thursday night and I haven't heard a word.  He said he'd let me know by the end of the week. . .tomorrow, I guess, is technically the end of the week.  I interviewed with this same principal for the same job last year. . .a "hometown" girl with a certificate I don't hold won out.

I am tired of the empty beds, though, but know I am one of the most fortunate people in the world because they will soon be filled again!!!

Blessings,
Jenni

An Empty Nest

They are officially all gone.  For a week.  Wow.  It hasn't been 24 hours since we dropped the last three at camp yesterday so I'm still o.k.

Friday night we drove to Knoxville and got a hotel room so when the VJ's (my sister & her family) drove through sometime after midnight from their vacation in South Carolina to their home in Ohio we would be there to unload Frederick onto them.

I let him fall asleep on my side of the bed until he was picked up. . .everyone was exhausted by the time we checked in about 11 p.m. so it was easy getting them all down to sleep.  I just sat in the lobby and read my book.  VJs flew through just before 2 a.m.

And then there were three.

We spent a nice day together.  First lunch at Calhoun's on the River:

They are taking a bridge down and we even heard a blast during lunch. . .the kids thought that was exciting.

When Marie didn't want the rest of her meal, the server suggested they take the french fries over to the ducks and fish -- they *loved* this!!!

They couldn't get over how BIG the fish were!

As a side note, I did *not* get up from the table to take these pics -- the older two took my camera and did a pretty good job with it :)

After lunch we visited the American Museum of Science & Energy.

We all had a really good time.  I was absolutely fascinated with this history:

 

And I love, how in these types of museums, they have information everywhere -- even in the bathroom!!!

 

And TONS of hands-on stuff for the kids to do:

 Margaret had to balance 14 nails on the head of one.  Pretty good, huh?

We went to an "atom" show and Margaret was called up on stage for a demonstration:

 And then Thomas was pulled out of the audience to show charged energy flow:

Fun.  We will definitely have to take the grandparents to this museum sometime. . .I learned so much about the "Hidden City" and the kids just had fun with all the hands-on science stuff.  A great day all the way around!

It took Thomas about an hour to build this

And then Sunday rolled around.  We went to church. . .out to eat. . .ran to the drugstore for some bug spray and sunscreen for camp. . .threw a few "last minute" things into camp bags. . .

And then we were off!  (Hate seeing Frederick's empty seat there. . .holding library books to take back. . .)

 

This is the girls' first year here as campers, but Thomas's fifth year!

 Setting up.  Marie didn't even climb down to say good-bye.

 Oh, yea, she was ready to go.  Their bunks are across the room from one another -- there were only two beds left when we got there!  They have three counselors with them this week.

Thomas and his cousin, Patrick.  It was *hot* out. . .wondering how long Patrick lasted in those jeans seeing as nothing is air-conditioned and their camp counselors said they were in the hottest cabin!!!

I came home to this on the board:

I asked all the kids to write a note or draw a picture. . .and then I added all the counselors' names on the board so I will remember to pray for them by name this week too.

Tom and I had made up a project list. . .ideas of ways to fill our time. . .but now he's out of town today and it looks like it will be a busy week for him at work so I guess it will be an empty sort of week :(  I have BIG plans to really deep-clean the house though!

And no, as of right now, 12:30 Monday afternoon, I haven't heard anything about the job.  Of course I don't expect to get the job I interviewed for. . .but. . .I would love the opportunity all the same!!!!  Hope always lives on in me. . .:)
ETA:  The principal called a little after 2. . ."we offered the position to someone else but there is an opening for {fill-in-the-blank}. . .would you like to be considered for that?"  Sure. . .why not?  School starts in two weeks here anyway so it won't be a long wait to see if we'll be homeschooling again or going this route. . .I did tell the principal that the interview last week made me realize where I want my career to go in the future. . .I think that's the first time I've really admitted that to myself too.  God's in complete control of all of it.  Even considering a lifestyle change this weekend made me a little nervous. . .I really am in love with the life we lead right now!
~ Jenni

3 Things - Company Girl Coffee 7.08.11

 1.  There are four kids outside jumping on the trampoline. . .only one is mine :)  It's always great having friends Grace, Faith, and JC over!  (My other three are at YMCA day camp today -- last week they'll be able to go this summer -- already!!! )

 2.  

This is a picture from a year ago right now. . .we were at Mammaw and Grandpa's. . .obviously the kiddos were heading out to go fishing. . .

Love this picture!!!  Tom's trailing behind (and obviously, so am I). . .Frederick, Margaret, Grandpa Foster, Marie, and Thomas


3.  I had a job interview today.  I look at the job boards every now-and-again and a friend had encouraged me to apply.  I found a few jobs at that school and applied for all I was qualified for.  The new principal called me Wednesday and my interview was this morning.  I played tennis next to the school at 7:45 a.m., crossed the parking lot to the YMCA to get cleaned up at 9:30 a.m., then drove across the street to the school for a 10:30 a.m. interview.  I met Tom at 11:45 at Chick-fil-A for lunch and to pick up the aforementioned four kiddies.  We'll see.  If they pick me (?!?!?!?!?!?) it will be a major life change for our family.  But who knows?  God knows.  I'm content with that.

I'm hooking up with Rachel Anne and her Company Girls today!  Go visit if you have time this weekend :)

~ Jenni

Our 4th of July Weekend

We started out our weekend Friday night by driving over to Knoxville to meet up with my sister and her family for dinner!

(Frederick, AVJ, Marie, Thomas, Susan, Margaret)

The  VJ's were on their way down I-75 for one of their annual family vacations and planned on spending the night in Knoxville.  That's not too terribly far from us so we headed over for a quick dinner with them.  We beat them by about an hour, so got some shopping time in at Target!  A treat for us, for sure :)

AVJ looks *so* grown-up in this picture!  Here's the other half of the table:

Even though it was our anniversary, we didn't get a picture of us.  Kind of sad about that. . .just didn't think of it.  Jodi & Brian treated us to dinner, though, and that was nice!  The VJ's just had their 15th wedding anniversary a couple weeks ago (and yes, she appropriately caught the bouquet and he the garter at our wedding -- ha!). . .Brian bought his bride an incredible diamond ring for their anniversary this year and I think I was so busy inspecting it that I really never thought about picture-taking after getting these few shots of the kiddos.

We headed over for about an hour of swimming at their hotel before they hit the sheets and we hit the road back home. . .

Hmmmm. . .why are the Bell girls laughing and yet the VJ girls aren't . .???

 Bell boys!

 Funny thing. . .the VJ girls didn't have swimsuits in their overnight bag so the daddies ran to Target and picked some up for them. .  .Susan's was really cute!  (So was AVJ's but she's too old for "cute". . .sigh.  She only put it on b/c it was the only way for her to get in the pool. . .)

 Yep, the 6 of them pretty much took over the pool for the last hour. . .other guests escaped to the hot tub. . .

SATURDAY = LAKE DAY!!!!  We are so spoiled to be so close to the lake and have a boat to use. . .

 Marie, dozing. . .

 Thomas was on his own on the tube in the crowded, busy lake.  He got air a couple of times :)  And Tom did, eventually, dump him.

 Hey, there, Frederick.

 Beautiful Marie

 When I downloaded my camera there were about 6 pictures of me out on the tube, relaxing.  However, I need to note, I *was* on the tube earlier with Margaret tubing. . .but no one had the camera out then.  You'll have to ask the kids. . .I really did do it.  But we didn't go over any wakes.

 Thomas

 Frederick diving

 The only picture I have of Tom from Saturday. . .we were hanging on the tube together.  And he was nervous the entire time b/c I had the camera out there with me.  Don't worry, Mom, nothing happened to my prized camera :)  Obviously.  I have these pictures after all!

Margaret was NOT left out of the picture-taking. . .she just refused, as usual, to have her picture taken.  Got this one of her diving thoug!

Sunday we had some neighbors over for an afternoon cookout and a few fireworks.  Our one neighbor and his brother, who is visiting from the west coast, went to town and came home with over $100 in fireworks. . .they kids love, love, loved them!!!  Thomas (12) was included in the lighting of some of them, which made his day.  I tried lots of different settings on my camera and actually got a few decent shots. . .

There he is. . .starting out "small" with sparklers. . .

 Frederick

 Don't worry, Margaret, no one can tell this is you. . .

 Playing with my different camera settings. . .this part was fun!

 I'm amazed that I got some of these pictures. . .learning about shutter speeds here. . .

 And a voluntary picture from Margaret!  She was *way* more interested in the two stray dogs in our yard all night and this frog that she found then in the fireworks show.

This is the Picture of the Day for July 4th.  This captures our family (and the day) perfectly!  We didn't even end up going to see any city fireworks on the holiday -- an hour or so after this picture was taken we headed out for ice cream and then back home for early bed (the kids had camp Tuesday morning and Tom & I both worked). . .

Both the girls pulled out a tooth while we were out. . .it was Margaret's 10th tooth and around here it means the very last Tooth Fairy visit and $10. . .now we (I????) only one left to keep up with!  These teeth have cost us over the years :)