Update for the Week

It's been too long since my last post, so this one will be chock full. First, as promised, my quilt pictures. Here's the one I pieced and my Mom quilted. On the body.

Isn't it fabulous?? I just love it. The yellow squares are all batiks (I love batik fabric) and the black is a marbled fabric. It reminds me of the kitchen floor of our house in Mobile. It was a black marbled ceramic tile. I just loved that floor. It was one of my favourite things about our house there. It and the back porch that Dad and I laid.

We still haven't gotten Archie his bunk beds yet, so his quilt doesn't fit (it's for a double bed, not a single). I want to get him the bunk beds that have the double size on bottom and the single size on top. He was so excited about his new quilt, that we couldn't wait to get the new bed. Here is his Cap'n Jack quilt.

Mom pieced this one and quilted it. The back fabric is a gold coin print and the black stripes are treasure chests and skulls with crossbones. The brown is a map print fabric. Archie loves it. We couldn't buy something that cool!!

Over the weekend, I was getting pretty restless to do something outside. It's been miserable hot here. Yes, Southerners, it actually does get hot above the Mason-Dixon Line. The humidity was miserable (but not as bad as Alabama) and the heat index was above 100 degrees for the past couple of weeks. I haven't been outside except to hurry to the air conditioned car, then to hurry to the air conditioned store, etc. I like spending time outside, so the cabin fever was getting to me.

We decided to brave the heat and head to Newport on the Levee on Sunday. Phillip SAID he wanted to go to the chili cook off. But he hates chili. Apparently, there was a car show scheduled at the very same time and place. I feel certain his desire to go to the chili cook off was in NO WAY influenced by a car show taking place at the same time and place as the chili cook off. (Yeah right!)

As it turned out, we got there and couldn't find the chili cook off OR the car show where they were supposed to be. We went down to look at the river front and feel the water. The Reds were playing across the river, and we got to see a few home run fireworks. Well, hear them mostly. It was daylight. We walked across the Purple People Bridge (the pedestrian bridge linking Cincinnati, OH with Newport, KY. We had ice cream and watched a magic act. Archie got a balloon dog on a leash and we went home.

I went to Mount Airy Forest (just a couple of minutes away from our house) to hike a trail in the evening. The trails there are great because they're heavily wooded and go up and down the hilly terrain. Parts have really nice views and some parts you can't see what's coming up in front of you. The trail I chose goes straight up right at the beginning of it, so I was definitely 'feeling the burn'. On the way back through the trail, the sun was setting and there were so many deer! So, so many! I'd round a curve in the trail and I'd see two or three. Then I'd see five or six. Then I'd see one or two. I saw a few bucks with racks, two fawns, and lots of does. They didn't seem too concerned that I was there, either. They would just watch me until I got out of sight. I was watching them so much, that I got a little concerned at one point, that I had gotten off the original trail. But I found my way back to the car. It was so peaceful watching them. Next time, I'll bring my camera to get some pictures to post. And I'll pay more attention to where I'm going!

Morgan started school last Tuesday. She was very nervous, but seems to be doing okay. Her schedule was very messed up to begin with, but is almost completely worked out. We just have to get her in an English class, because she'll need it to graduate. She is able to use the Senior Late Arrival privilege, because she has a study hall during the first class. So she is allowed to come to school at 9:20, instead of 8:20. Her drawing and sculpting class goes later, so she is done with school at 4:00, instead of 3:30.

They are very relaxed at her new school, like they can bring their Ipods, eat or drink in class, stuff like that. They don't fuss about dress codes, jewelry and other stuff that school officials seem to get bent out of shape about. And it's interesting, because I don't really see anyone pushing the limits of dress. I told her that art people aren't like regular people :-) They're kind of like the night shift nurses at the hospital :-)

Now the Southerners reading this are going to laugh, but schools here were closed for two days last week because of ....the heat!! Unlike Alabama, most schools up here don't have air conditioning. And the triple digit heat was miserable with no AC. So basically, the school year began, then was closed the rest of the week.

I'm glad we'll be done with schools after this year. However, as far as schools go, I like Morgan's new school far better than any of the other ones she's ever attended. Even the administrators are actually helpful instead of looking like you're bothering them if you have to communicate with them.

On the home school front, Archie is doing very well with his letters, and we're going to begin learning to read three letter words this week. I got him some computer games from the library and he was really going to town on his phonics. He can now correctly identify the seven continents and point to them on the map. We're still in simple addition and subtraction with the abacus and a few math games. Our history lessons consist of overviews of culture through the ages (like clothing, games, behaviour, etc) and reading books about specific areas of interest. Archie doesn't know most of our history stuff is school...I kind of sneak it in there when he's not looking!! Hee hee!! Bedtime stories and 'pleasure' reading!

We attended our first home school group outing here. We did a "game day" at a nursing home nearby. Not games with the residents, but we use a room at the nursing home to play games with each other. I didn't bring any games, because I wasn't sure what to expect (or what would be good to bring) but there were tons of games there brought by others. Archie was really clinging to me at first, and wouldn't play anything without me, but after a while, he was able to venture out. He had a great time! His favourite game was the Uno game that shoots cards at you. He played with another mom there and several kids. We both had a great time and it was really nice to get out and socialize again. We're going to something else tomorrow after story time at the library. I'll post about it.

Speaking of the library...We went to Cincinnati's main library branch for the first time last week. Wow! Wow! Wow!!! It was amazing! I could've stayed in the History and Genealogy section week long! The movies! My gosh, the movies! And I didn't even get to see the adult fiction section! It encompasses two huge buildings, with five floors, attached by a sky bridge which crosses the street between them. 542,500 square feet of books and more books. Yes, that's 542 THOUSAND square feet! And they have a coffee shop and gift shop. In the library! How cool is that??? Apparently, you can call to schedule a tour of the library! I've never been in a library so big that they do TOURS!! The kids section was awesome and had a large tropical fish tank. Archie was particularly fascinated with the black and white spotted eel.

I told Morgan she couldn't roam around because we'd never find her again! I only paid for 45 minutes in the parking meter, so we only got to see a teensy portion of it. I might have to do a no-kids day when Phillip is home so I can go all day by myself.

Today was a bit of a blah day. I just didn't have the energy to do much of anything. We went to the library branch down the street from our house and rented some movies. Hopefully tomorrow I will bounce back to my old self. Because tomorrow is a busy day!