As we prepare to enter a new school year (Jill'll be in second grade, Beth in kindergarten, and I'm doing some preschool books with Kate), I've been thinking. I'd love to be more organized this year. So far, I've already got lesson plans done for the first six weeks; I'd like to get more done, maybe even the entire school year. That'll take time, yes, but it'd be nice to not have to scurry around every day and wonder what's coming.

I'd also like to get on a cleaning schedule (bathrooms certain days, sweeping/vacuuming/mopping certain days, etc), so that I don't feel overwhelmed and try to get it all done at once.

I also want to do field trips with the girls. I'm planning to call around to different places and see what I can manage. There's nothing like hands-on learning to make the things you're learning real and stay in your brain.

I'm hoping the coming year is a good one.

Back when it was time for me to get a better phone, I wanted one with a good camera, and I wanted it to slide up. I'd had a flip phone, and I didn't want one of those, nor the kind that opened to reveal a qwerty keyboard (I have a qwerty keyboard, I just didn't want the kind that snapped open--I like it sliding). In December, I could get an upgrade, and we found me one, the Kin 2 (it had bad reviews, but mostly for its data plan, which I wouldn't be getting). I have been SO pleased with it. Yeah, the button for taking pictures could have been put in a better place, but I really have no complaints with it. And it takes really good quality pictures, so I don't even use my digital camera anymore.

Anyway, as much as I love taking pictures, I'm by no means a professional. The only reason I get as many good pictures as I do is that I've learned to take about a million just to get the two or three good ones.

Ginny's planted marigolds out front, and I've been wanting to get pictures of the bees that alight on them, but I kept not having time or not having my phone when I was out there. The other day, though, I had my phone and the time to get some pictures. I'm really pleased with the ones that I got.



The second one is my favorite. :)

Glasses!

I forgot to update and show you guys my girls' new glasses!

These are Jill's, and they have lightning bolts on the earpieces and in the front. :)





Here's Beth. They were supposed to glow in the dark (they don't) and have jellyfish on the earpieces. She's finally adjusting to them and remembers to put them on most mornings. :)





And here's a bonus pic of them. :)