Saturday Morning Chat

Believe it or not, this was our first full week of summer vacation.  My student and I are both slow, meandering sort of people, and our school year just kind of drifted off as we completed one thing and then another and then another until we found a place to land.  We are both fine with that.

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For me, summer vacation means two things.  

1) Birthdays.  There are a gazillion of them during July and August. Lots of shopping. Lots of wrapping. Some mailing of packages. Lots of cake. Lots of list checking. Lots of happy.  (Lots of anniversaries too!)  

2) Organizing.  A freer schedule in the summer means that there is time to purge and organize...closets, drawers, book shelves, school supplies, kitchen cabinets, and the dreaded laundry room. My plan for this summer is to take two weeks for each room.  

We just finished our two weeks in Bekah's room. Bekah is not a purger. She is a keeper. But she really wanted to tidy and organize her room, so she made a concerted effort to eliminate and give away and store things for her future children. We rearranged her furniture, flipped her reversible duvet to the opposite side, and gave her a fresh look. Kati and I love it! Bekah...have I told you she resists change? She's still not sure...

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Yesterday was a big day for us.  

Bekah began a new adventure. She joined a book club! (A big deal.)

When the homeschool mom who is hosting it first told me about it, I mentioned it to Bekah. Her first reaction, "That sounds like fun!," was quickly followed by a subdued "But I'd have to talk." 

I must tell you that the at-home Bekah is a chatterbox. But the away-from-home Bekah, not so much. So the thought of having to talk, especially extemporaneously (maybe she's like her mama?), was a daunting prospect. However, The Day came, she went to the book club, she actually talked, and on the way home declared that "It was fun!"  Success!

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After the book club, we came home to finish preparations for a mother/daughter dinner-and-games party! 

We made hors d'oeuvres and dessert. I relied on my recent Fruit On Tuesday recipes and made Fire and Ice Salsa (as promised, kicked up a notch with the jalapeño!) and Blackberry Pavlova. We had asked each mother/daughter pair to bring a salad. What fun! We had great variety (a pesto pasta salad, a Greek pasta salad, taco salad, Waldorf salad) and they were oh-so-good! (Note to self: Next time ask everyone to bring their recipe along with their salad.)

We ate and chatted and fellowshipped (is that a word?) and laughed and gamed (all while it was raining cats and dogs outside!)...and remembered why it is good to get together.