busy day!

It's going to be a short one today.  It was such a busy day with cyber school, orthodontist appointment in New West, 2 dance classes and 2 piano lessons!!  We were just going non stop (or at least I was!!) all day! I still managed to fit in my act of service!!  I helped Avri with a socials studies map of Japan.  She was assigned this yesterday and it was to be finished today but we spent 2 hours going to the orthodontist and she was behind.  Cyber school is great because it allows her to work somewhat at her own pace but she is still learning about how to manage her time.  Anyhow she spent a long time on her map but need some help with the fine lining and the legend and scale.  I enjoyed helping her - dinner suffered though so the kids had cereal and we had leftovers.  Luckily the pork chops will still be fresh tomorrow!!  I am trying a new very simple recipe for them.  You spread honey mustard on the pork chop then coat it with italian bread crumbs.  Then you cook them in olive oil in a deep frying pan with a lid on a med heat for 6-8 minutes.  I'll let you know how they turn out tomorrow!

As for my gratitude - today I am grateful for my sister in law Carrie.  She has become one of my dearest friends and a wonderful Auntie to my 4 girls.  She is a huge part of my life and I am grateful for her.  There are so many things about her that I am grateful for and she has become a huge blessing to our lives but the reason I chose this for today is because she is teaching my girls piano (In fact this is the 6th year she has been teaching my kids!!!).  Carrie is an amazing pianist and one of the most patient teachers I know.  My girls adore her and love spending time with her learning piano.  Normally she teaches them at her house but they are in the midst of finishing their basement and instead of cancelling the classes tonight she drove to our house and taught them here.  I am starting to see the pay off of these lessons as they are now able to read music and memorize pieces of music.  Piano music is one of my favorite things to listen to and I am so happy that my girls are learning how to play.  Avri actually thought about quitting just before christmas but changed her mind after giving it much thought.  Avri is very busy and finds it hard to find time to practice and sometimes it doesn't come that easy to her.  Because she has Carrie for a teacher and she loves her Auntie she is persevering and staying with it.  I am very thankful for her and her dedication to teaching them.

On a side note I am grateful that our cat Oscar is alive tonight!!  I went into the laundry room after putting the kids to bed and decided to throw on a load of towels.  When I opened the front loading washer door our big fat orange cat sort of fell out.  First off it scared the absolute heck out of me and then I quickly realized the seriousness of the situation and that if I had not gone in to laundry he would have died in there suffocating.  As it was he was damp for all the condensation from breathing in the enclosed space and he ripped up a bunch of the rubber seal around the door.  I have no idea how long he was in there but I am assuming a few hours.  I had this horrible vision of me having to tell the girls that he died in the washing machine.  How devestating that would have been.  Thankfully he is alive and fine and maybe short one of his 9 lives!!!