Sweet Summertime Recap: Week 8

Welcome back for Week 8 of my summertime vacay!
I've reached the point where I'm just bored. 

I don't really know that I've ever been bored in life before. 

I always had classes to take, cleaning to do, projects to work on, etc.

My summer classes are over. 

I've already started planning for the new year and have been reading books for literature circles all summer.

I've cleaned nearly every square inch of our house numerous times except for under our huge sectional, which I just can't get under. 

Our house is pretty well renovated.

I need to do some posts on our before and afters of each room. 

So that leaves me with pretty much nothing to do but eat, sleep, workout and go to the pool!

Here's what week 8 had in store for me... lots and lots of baking/cooking.

Friday, July 14

On Friday it was finally not raining. 

I was up early and went for a 4 mile run. 

I spent the rest of the morning doing a lot of baking/cooking.

First, I finished the icing on these zucchini cupcakes. 

Yum!

I swear I could eat the whole batch in one sitting.

Then, I made my first freezer meal. 

The night before Alex and I picked out three recipes that we'd thought we might like. 

We went to the store and bought the ingredients, and I did meal #1 on this day. 

Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole

In the afternoon I went to our local JCPenney. 

Do you guys have JCPenney? I'm not sure how wide their area is.

They are going out of business and the week before had some things marked down. 

On this day all men's ties were $5.99 or below. 

Alex LOVES dressing up. 

Can you catch my sarcasm?!

I couldn't pass up these bargains!!

I came home in time to make some semi-homemade Stromboli for dinner.

Saturday, July 15

Saturday was a bit cooler than normal. 

No rain but too cool for the pool. 

We went to look at new mowers since our riding mower decided to break the night before.
Then we stopped at a local market where we had gift cards to get some meat and homemade soup.

When we got home I cleaned windows, and we trimmed up the grape arbor and found we have more rhubarb to be cut.

I spent the afternoon looking for ideas for the new school year.

One idea on Pinterest was a Literary Term of the Week.

I'm thinking of having a lit term for each week. 

Students will have to use time outside of class to use that term correctly in a sentences or paragraph by writing it on a colored index card (each core would have a different color) and post it on the bulletin board. 

Do you guys know what silent ball is?

As it suggests the room is silent and students stand in a circle. They toss a ball around and have to catch it while also implementing other rules such as stand on one foot or hop up and down. 

If you don't catch the ball, you're out!

My kids LOVE this game!

We rarely played it in class, and at the end of every year I give out a survey and students said they wished we played silent ball more and there could even be a task attached to it. 

They said if I attached work to it they would be more likely to do the work just to play this little game. 

So, I'm thinking the class, at the end of the week, with the most correct usages of the literary term will win 10 minutes of silent ball. 

My predicament is do I allow only one submission per student or do I allow students to submit (staple on the bulletin board) as many examples/usages of that lit term?

I don't want to deter my gifted kids by only allowing them one submission but at the same time I don't want them to have an advantage (because all of them are in one class) over the other classes.

What do I do?

Sunday, July 16

Sunday was a family and friends day.
We had lunch at my grandma's and helped her do some yard work.
Then we came home quick enough to get ready again to head to dinner with friends.
It was a fun yet long day.

We had ham loaf and scalloped potatoes (two of my grandma's specialties!)
She's a rock star and cooks for all of our families basically every Sunday.
It averages from 4-11 people.
She has tons of foods prepared like it's nothing!

For dinner we had Mexican!
Then we stopped at a local ice cream shop, and I got some banana pudding ice cream!

Monday, July 17

Monday morning I was on it.
I got in a good workout, and then made zucchini cupcakes and lasagna.
One to eat and one to freeze.

Tuesday, July 18

Tuesday was another pool day, but before that I got in 4 summer miles.
I spent some time working on school work and cleaning up a bit.
We had dinner at Alex's grandma's as one of his cousins was in from out of town.
Alex chose my favorite pizza place with my favorite salad and dressing.
Props to having a coupon that made our meal even cheaper!

Wednesday, July 19

It's been super hot and foggy in the mornings. 

I was up by 7 and decided to do a little baking before weeding and watering flowers.

I made another batch of zucchini cupcakes and baked and shredded some chicken. 

Then, I headed down to do a workout video. 

It was getting a bit later, so I opted for a 15 minute video opposed to a 30 one. 

I got in my workout and went outside to do my weeding and watering. 

I was back inside in time for Live with Kelly!

She's definitely my summertime must. 

I love watching the first 15 minutes of her show. 

Do any of you watch?

What do you think of Ryan as co-host?

I loved Michael Strahan, but Ryan isn't bad!

I was able to do some dishes and grab a shower before heading to the pool. 

I finished another book that's a potential for one of my literature circles. 

Then, I stopped by the library to drop that book off and pick up some more. 

Wednesday afternoon/evening was spent getting a lot of things in order around the house and planning some more things for school. 

I love these lazy but productive days!

So Week 8 is down, and I only have 3 weeks left! 

Ahh!

Where did summer go?!