Weekly Wrap-Up: The One Where We Lost Our Minds

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Wow! How can it possibly be Friday again?  It’s been a busy, busy week here.  The biggest thing is that Brian took the week off to build Brianna her own room.  Well, not build it exactly, but partition off part of our playroom to make a bedroom for her.  She and Megan are both very excited.  They’ve shared a room together for the last four years or so.  Brianna is ready to have her own room again and Megan is ready to have her own room for the first time ever.  Hopefully, we’ll have everything done by the first part of next week and have everyone situated in their new digs by next weekend.

room 1

It’s really cool because Josh has been helping…really helping, not just doing things to feel like he’s helping.  Brian let him hang most of the sheet rock.  He got to operate the drill.  Josh loved it!  There was one time he was watching one of his favorite shows on TV and Brian mentioned that he could use Josh’s help, but he could come help after his show went off.  Josh jumped up and said he didn’t really care that much about watching it.  I think it’s been a great father/son time for them.

room 2

Um, so yeah, all that stuff piled up on the air hockey table is Josh’s Star Wars stuff that we’ve got to find a new home for.  I have no idea where it’s going to go because it’s the bigger stuff that takes up way too much room in his bedroom.  Guess we’ll figure that out later.

So, last Friday night, we moved the school cabinet to it’s new location since it was in the part of the playroom that’s going to be Brianna’s room.  That, of course, meant that everything had to be taken out of it first.  And, of course, if we’re going to take everything out of it, I’m going to sort, cull, and organize.  So, I wound up removing about five years’ worth of papers (times three kids) from page protectors so that I could recycle the papers and reuse the page protectors.  It was probably about five pounds of page protectors.

page protectors 1
page protectors 2

It felt good to get that done, though, and it will save me some money over the next couple of years on page protectors.  Then, while I was feeling industrious, I made the art storage caddy that I mentioned last week.  I got the idea from Jamie.  I was very pleased with how it turned out.

art storage

I did have to use three magnets under each tin because the magnets I got were pretty small.  I’m thinking I’ll probably change the tins out every so often.  They’re only $1 at Target and they have some really cute ones for the different seasons and holidays.

The second big thing was that Brian, Brianna, and I went to see the midnight premiere of Eclipse, the third movie in the Twilight Saga.  Loved it!  Can’t wait to go see it again.  It was my goal to lose 50 lbs. by the premiere.  I lost 55!  I am very proud and excited about my accomplishment.  Now, I’ve just got to dig in and get the next 39 lbs. off.  I hope to do that by Thanksgiving.

Josh and Megan spent the night with my dad and step-mom while we went to the premiere.  Have you seen those things advertised on TV that you’re supposed to be able to put in your yard to keep unwanted pests away?  It supposedly emits a high-pitched sound that keeps dogs, cats, squirrels, and other animals away.  Well, I think my dad and step-mom have one that works in reverse, because, if there is a stray dog or cat within a 30 mile radius, it’s going to find its way to their house.

We hadn’t been there long when the girls called me outside to see this stray orange tabby kitten.  It’s common knowledge at my house that I already have my “empty nest pets” planned out: an orange tabby kitten and a brindle boxer.  Of course, I’m a good ten years or so from having an empty nest, so I wasn’t especially interested.  It didn’t take long, though.  It was the sweetest kitten.  The kid lugged it around all over the place and it did nothing but purr.

You probably already see where this is going, so I’ll just get to the point.  Meet Gus:

Gus 1

At least I think that’s his name.  Megan doesn’t like it (the name — she loves the kitten), but I think everyone else does.  I guess I should give her some say so, since she’s a big part of the reason we brought him home.  See, Brian said no…then, Megan cried for a solid 45 minutes.  She didn’t beg, plead, or act ugly.  She didn’t even make a big deal out of crying.  She just sat in the back seat, on our way home, quietly snubbing.  Deep down, Brian’s a softy.  We went back and got the cat.  We, of course, need another pet like we need a hole in the head, but he is seriously one of the best-natured cats I’ve ever seen.  We couldn’t resist. Here’s where Gus likes to spend his time:

Gus 2

It doesn’t have to be Josh’s lap.  Any lap will do, though he is getting a little braver and more curious about the house.  Our biggest hurdle over the next few weeks will just be to get the inside dogs and Gus to accept each other.  I think the dogs would have been okay if Gus hadn’t hissed and spit at them, which kind of surprised me since my dad and step-mom have an inside dog that the kitten was around when he was over there.  It didn’t surprise Penny, though; it made her mad.  So now, Penny dislikes the kitten and Peanut is terrified of him.  Yes, we think Peanut is part chicken.

I’m hoping that it won’t take them long to decide that they can get along.  I’d kind of like things to be back to normal before we start school in August so that Gus, who I’m guessing is about 12 weeks old, isn’t any more of a distraction than he already will be.

Speaking of starting school, be working on your “next year’s curriculum” posts.  Last year’s themed Weekly Wrap-Up, in which we all shared what curricula we’d be using next year, was very popular.  I thought we could do it again this year on Friday, July 23.  So mark your calendars for the Weekly Wrap-Up: 2010-2011 Curriculum edition!

How was your week? Be sure to post about it and sign up with MckLinky. If this is your first time to join us, be sure to read the Weekly Wrap-Up guidelines.

**Remember, be sure to link directly to your Weekly Wrap-Up post so that others can find it easily when they visit your blog and be sure to post a link back here so that your readers can find the Wrap-Up and join us.**

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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.

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23 Comments

  1. I went to see Eclipse, and we adopted a kitten as well this week. I will not be allowing our 10 yr old to see this one (I always go first), as there was too much violence and love talk for her age…she is a little bummed, I told her 13.
    I have a pic of our kitten Jasper 😉 on my blog too.

  2. Wow! What a productive week for y'all plus fun stuff rolled in. I love rearranging and re-doing even though it can be tiring. That will feel so good to have things set for the school year. How exciting about the new room AND your +5 above your goal on weigh loss. Wonderful.

    We are thinking alike – I shared my curriculum plans in this week's wrap before I knew you'd planned a special time for it. Marking my calendar for the 23rd because you know how us homeschool moms are always tweaking curriculum 🙂

  3. Aw, your newest edition is so cute! I know I'm going to end up with a small zoo one day. I love animals, and I'm a total softy when it comes to them.

  4. Oh, that cat is the bomb! I am so jealous…we had a yellow tabby growing up named, (by my father), Aslan. He was the best!

  5. I love the containers you have for school supplies! I see those all the time at Target and never thought of using them like that…..I will now!

    Congratulations on 55 pounds. That is awesome! I am pregnant and having the baby at the beginning of December. You are a great inspiration and I will be thinking of you next year when I start on my weight loss quest (I have 50 pounds to lose NOT including whatever I put on from baby).

  6. LOVE the art caddy. I saw it on Jolanthe's blog, too. I MUST have one! I'll have to go check out the specifics… and then stop by Target this afternoon. I tried making an art caddy out of a kitchen caddy some time ago, but there just wasn't enough space in each little compartment, and the middle compartment was too tall for anything. These little tins are the perfect size!

    BTW, and it's none of my business, but I just thought since you mentioned EVERYBODY loved the name Gus, except Megan, that I had to put in my 2 cents and say, I'm with Megan. He just doesn't look like a Gus to me. (Said with much love by the mama of three adorable little purring boys: Tyler, Samuel, and Thomas the Tank Engine – named by my then 4yo). No matter what name he ends up with, your new addition is absolutely adorable! Congratulations!

    Oh, I also wanted to point out that since Gus is a cats and cats tend to live a LONG time, you are likely to still have him when your last little bird leaves the nest, and after all those years and all that time with your kids, it might be nice to have an OLD friend to talk to and cuddle. You know, one who understands how much you actually miss those pesky kids.

    And the room is so cool. I wish I knew how to hang dry wall. I'd love to finish my laundry room – myself!

  7. When I was 8 or 9, my dad divided the room I shared with my sister with a 3/4 high wall. I still remember how wonderful it was to have my "own" room, even if it was really just half a room!

  8. I love to remodel and I am feeling the itch to do our hall bathroom…it really is the last place that we have not touched in this house in the last 20+ years. I have all the ideas on paper but we just need to find a little cash and some time to get it done.

    I am working hard on curricula for next year and I'm almost done so maybe by 7/23 I will have it nailed down. 🙂

    I culled and gathered page protectors last week. I love those things!

    Have a great week!

  9. Love the kitty. I really want a Cat myself but we have so many strays around right now my hubby wants to wait. Your little one is a beauty.

  10. Kris,

    Hi! My teenage daughter and I attended the special showing of the Twilight Trilogy on Tuesday night. We arrived at 6:30, and the first movie started at 7:15. At midnight, we saw Eclipse. I'd never been to an event like that before – we had a blast. What a sea of women! I thought of you and wondered if you and your daughter were at the premiere as well.

    Adorable kitten! He is just too cute. It makes me want a cute, baby animal too! Our cat is 11 and cranky to everybody except me. The kids would love a fun kitten.

    Your new caddy is so cute. I'm going to check out Jamie's blog for more info.

    I've already posted about my 8th grader's curriculum and plan to post about the boy's curriculum soon. I'll be sure to link up on the 23rd.

    Samantha from To Be Busy at Home (I saw another Samantha but we didn't get a new kitten this week!)

  11. The organizer carousel thing came out great! Glad I thought of it. 😉

    I'm laughing at you for the cat. You were such a softie with our Lacy that I saw that coming as soon as you mentioned the kitten. It's really cute, even coming from an anti-cat person.

    I've been working on a curriculum post already, so I'm looking forward to sharing! 🙂

  12. Send your family my way to do some remodeling when they finish up at your house please!!!

    I've got a date planned with hubby to see Eclipse in a week. Looking forward to that!

  13. Congrats on all your weight loss! I might join you after baby number 5 this Winter :0) I've actually lost 17 lbs so far this pregnancy…weird.

    I love the pictures of your son working with your husband, he'll have lots of skills as a man 🙂 Sweet kitty too!

  14. Jealous!! Your tins are so much cuter than mine ~ but I DO love that we can switch them out seasonally! 🙂

    Wasn't Eclipse good???? 🙂

  15. Love the art caddy idea! Gus is adorable. It seems you had a busy week!
    I'm hoping to see Eclipse this week.
    Have a great weekend!

  16. That's so exciting for your girls! We just did some room re-assignments also, with a future door-knocking-through-a-wall to connect two bedrooms (one without a window) for our boys. And they are VERY excited too! They'll get their own rooms for the first time ever. And Gus is adorable. Who could resist a tabby kitten? 🙂

  17. @ Jennifer — By "everybody" I actually meant, you know, the people living in my house. 😉 Brianna and I really love the name Gus and totally think it suits him. We've tried out dozens of other names and they just don't seem to fit him.

    You're welcome to call him Buddy, like Megan plans to. 😉

  18. I enjoy your Wrap-up posts. I've thought about writing one myself, but I'm convinced it would be about 8 pages long … I'm not sure whether I should do less during the week, or condense my writing.

    Guess I'll follow your example and give the short version. I may be back with one. 🙂

  19. I absolutely love the art supply organizer. Thank you for providing the link to the original tutorial. I have a feeling I will be making some of these for christmas gifts for my younger cousins. I don't think I will be needing one in my home for a few years.

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