Weekly Wrap-Up: The Brace-less Edition
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This last week before we start school has proven to be as crazy-busy as the whole summer has been. All of the events that culminated this week actually began last week, though. Last Thursday, the day before my favorite weekend of the entire year — curriculum fair weekend — I took all the kids to get haircuts. I meant to take before pictures, but I completely forgot. I did remember to get a before shot of Brianna, though, since hers was the most drastic change.
Here she is in the van, just before we went into the salon:
Here is the seven inch pony tail that the stylist cut off:
Brianna was planning to donate to Locks of Love, but she didn’t quite have 10 inches. Well, actually, she probably did, but I think the stylist was afraid to cut too much off at once. Here she is with Josh and Megan, everyone looking neat, clean and spit-shined (and a little blind from the sun):
Who does she remind you of? In case you need a hint, look over in the left sidebar, near the top.
Josh and Megan went to Brian’s parents for the weekend. Brianna really wanted to stay home with me and I finally decided that she was old enough to go to the curriculum fair and not be bored…and she wasn’t. We had some nice girl bonding time and she enjoyed running into many of her friends at the fair.
Friday afternoon, Brianna and I went to Walmart to stock up on school supplies:
No, it was not an especially frugal shopping trip, but much more economical than it would have been a few weeks ago before all the school supplies were on sale. My favorite finds were the sketch pads. I was looking for something to use for nature journaling. I couldn’t find anything inexpensive that had a thick cardboard back, which we’ll need for sketching outside.
I was about to settle for some rather expensive sketch pads for the craft section of the store when I found the Mead books. They were just over $3 for 70 sheets, plus they have the thick cardboard back and a pocket folder in the front, which I’m thinking may really come in handy on nature walks.
Monday was another monumental day: After three years, Brianna finally got her brace off!! I’m not sure who was more excited, her or Brian and I. Yeah, okay, I’m guessing probably her. She’s been working hard at making up for three years of not chewing gum or eating popcorn and sticky candy. Don’t her teeth look great?
I love her retainers. She does, too. They’re not metal wire; they are made of clear, molded plastic that just fit over her top and bottom teeth. You can’t even see them when they’re in her mouth. Much better than what I had when I got my braces off.
The rest of the week has been spent preparing to start school — for me, anyway. I’ve got our first three weeks’ lesson plans done and a list of library books that we’ll go get either this afternoon or tomorrow. I have some copies to make and some things to print out and I think we’ll be ready.
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Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.
Yay for no braces! I remember getting mine off, it was wonderful. But I also remember thinking my teeth looked huge without them. I think I said something along the lines of "I have horse teeth!" LOL
i still cannot get over how grown up she looks without her braces. She is growing so fast!
Hi, Kris, I wonder what it is about wanting to put off the first day of school. Maybe since we were jetting around most of the summer, I don't know. One of my close friends here has now put all three of her kids in ps, and it breaks my heart. It is so hard to stand strong sometimes, but I know without a doubt that this is God's calling on my life, and to send my kids off to someone else is completely out of the question.
AF Wife99
I'm new to the wrap-up. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone!
Congrats to your daughter and the braceless smile.
Congratulations to Brianna! I never had braces, but my sister did… she was so glad to get them off… and then one week later she got her front teeth knocked out playing field hockey. I kid you not!
One more thing…. I had your post open right before I went to Walmart today. (A Saturday no less.) As I looked at your photo I said to myself…. "Oh, she got a globe, I need a new globe." (Ours broke last year, and we finally threw it out)
Guess what I forgot a Walmart today… yeah, that's right the globe.
She looks wonderful! I remember being about her age and getting the ponytail cut off…and the braces off! I hope she loves her new look:)