Sum-up Saturday

This has been a big week. All good stuff though. Really. I wouldn't trade a minute of it.

On Thursday, Evan and I got to speak at the Howard County Board of Education meeting about the previously mentioned Simulated Congressional Hearings. His teacher spoke as well. They like to highlight programs every once in a while. Not all the schools in HoCo do it, and one of the county resource teachers wanted us to talk it up to create energy for it to spread to more schools. I was happy to do it since it is one of my favorite units. Evan was great-he was super nervous about it, especially when he saw the room with the dias for all the board members (kind of like a courtroom) and the podium, etc. But, he gave his little speech like a pro. I told him it was pretty much like all the talks he's given in primary, and it was. He was totally poised.

Thursday night was the Enrichment Fair which is where all the GT kids show off their various projects. Evan had to go and host a couple of his projects for a while, and they asked me to take photos. Thursday night I also had to finish writing an exam for seminary, but I was happy to have it done because I had been thinking about it all week.

Friday I had my visiting teachers come, then I hosted my in-person book group. We discussed Cold Sassy Tree, which I loved because it took me back to our two very happy years living in Georgia. I made southern corn bread (not as sweet, baked in a cast-iron skillet) and fresh lemonade. The other gals brought a lovely selection of salads. Excellent fun.

Friday night I got a last minute chance to go down to Wolf Trap and see Garrison Keillor and Prairie Home Companion. It wasn't the live radio broadcast, which means it was actually a longer show and a little more laid back. The Wailin' Jennys, one of my new favorite bands, were the guests. As a long-time listener to PHC, it was a thrill to see it in person. And the WJ's were exquisite-three beautiful voices in flawless harmony while playing their own instruments.

Today, I slept sort of late-7:30. Johnathan left soon after I awoke for an Ultimate Frisbee tourny, then the rest of us went to an early movie-9:40-I haver never been to a morning movie. It was a little wierd eating popcorn at that time of day. After the movie, everyone pitched in for some major yard work. I felt like a reasonably wise parent as Johnathan came home upset about something at the tournament, but instead of making him talk about it, I insisted (gently) that he come work with us. He came out with a storm cloud over his head, but by the time we cleaned up and had our grilled salmon for dinner, he was back to his old self. The yard work wore me out, so I actually took a nap in the hammock. That was lovely. I fell asleep watching the birds soaring from tree to tree against the blue skies. I saw robins, goldfinches, starlings, doves and cardinals. I did not see or hear the woodpecker that was visiting our yard in early spring. I wonder if he found better bark somewhere else. After dinner we played a round of Apples to Apples then Eric ran and got us some ice cream while I lit a fire in our little outdoor firebowl. Everyone came out for a while--it's become our new evening tradition-- Sam played his guitar, we watched the embers die and the moon rise. Ahhhh. Now, I'm blogging and the fam is watching a little Napoleon Dynamite. It has been a good day. The best part is, we have another one pretty much like it coming up on Monday. I love long weekends.