High Five for Friday

I cannot remember the last time I "High Fived" so thought I'd post a quick one:)

#1

Our lovely third grader told us today that he has gone up another reading level at school!  I'm so proud of his diligence and enjoyment of reading.  I'm also glad that after the summer, when many kids slide backward in reading level, he's actually progressing!

#2

We have a retention pond behind our house, which is part of the reason we chose the lot when we built ten years ago (no neighbors immediately behind us).  Anyway, some of the natural growth around the pond has gotten out of control with young willows that like to creep into our yard.  I've been meaning to contact the city to see if they could check it out and decide if anything could be done to keep it under control.  Well, today I finally thought of looking up a contact on the City of Rochester website.  To my lovely surprise, my email to the storm water department within Public Works was responded to within the day!  I'm excited to see what options they present to deal with the wild willows.

#3

We're two weeks into the school year, football seasons (Brent's and Luke's), and my new job/work schedule.  We've had more stressful mornings than I'd like, but I think we're starting to move in the right direction.  Luke and I like order and do well with routine, Brent is a morning person and a great help before he leaves for work, and Nora....well...she's two and likes control and attention.  My plan is to use our strengths and get a routine going that works for Luke and I, continue to utilize Brent's help, and hopefully those two efforts will result in more patience on my part with Nora in the morning as well as her sense of peace knowing the rest of the family is running smoothly:)

#4

I don't meal plan all of the time, but when I do it's so nice to have done:)  With our busy fall schedule, I decided to try more crock pot recipes so we could eat at home but still get a nice, warm meal between football games and practices.  So far, so good on my two week plan!

#5

Brent had a retreat with Leadership Greater Rochester, a leadership program through the Chamber of Commerce, at Camp Victory.  He had a great time away with the group, getting to know them better, and kicking off a year in the program.