Chess Tournament!!

 Today the kids had their first ever chess tournament!!  Chess is something Daryle loves and is really good at, so we were thrilled when they offered it as an after-school-enrichment program at their school this year!  They're still learning but it's amazing at how much they know!!  I'm easily impressed because I have NO idea how to play, though after today I find myself mildly more intrigued by the idea of maybe learning how....

 Most of the elementary schools out in California have outdoor eating areas, so  they set the practice games up on the picnic tables outside.  And the weather was absolutely perfect today, so it made all the waiting that us parents did far more enjoyable!  I love Ma-lak's "thinking pose".

 The tournament area in the gym.  There were 4 people at each table, and at each of the 3 rounds, you played a different person at your table, so everyone plays everyone!

 Rea thought it'd be appropriate to wear her strawberry necklace today in honor of the tournament being held at Strawberry Elementary School.  I agreed!

 Watching and sorta learning....

 Ni'ke waiting to start Round2

 Rea doesn't look too happy.  Maybe a little nervous??

 Rea with her medal!!  She had 2 losses and 1 draw, and I love that despite how they did, everyone who participated got a medal or a trophy.  Well done, Chess For Kids!!

 Ni'ke was very bummed because she has never "Check-mated" anyone before.  Ever.  Even in  a practice game.  I told her no problem, I can fix that.  "Go home and play your mother."

 Ma-lak had 1 loss and 2 draws, to equal 1 full point!  Good job, Buddy!!

 With their friend, Isaac, who also takes Chess with them.  He won all his matches!

 Had to do a funny pose....

 Jumbo chess game!!

 Time to head home!!!!  (Ya'shar was sick, so stayed home with David.)

Today I'm Twenty Eighteen!!

Today I turned 38 years young.  I was presented with this one-of-a-kind original art piece by Rea and Ni'ke this morning when I woke up! Very classy.

Today I did a lot of reflecting.  (I had lots of time to do so, because little man Ya'shar had a fever of 102.1 and he got spend the day on the mend with me!)  He's hoping to be better by tomorrow morning, frantic, is the word actually.  I didn't have the heart to tell him that it wasn't looking good for us to go gallivanting off to the ocean on the field trip that we've both been looking forward to for weeks when he has a cough and a runny nose and still a bit of a temperature...  We prayed.  We'll look for the miracle in the morning!

But anyway, back to reflecting.  So I graduated high school TWENTY years ago this month!  Quite the trippy realization!  And it was 16 years ago this very day that I had my nurse's pinning - ON my birthday, how special was that?!  Our college graduation ceremony was held the next day on the 11th and I bounced off the stage with my Bachelors degree.  And here I am, 16 years later, married with 5 beautiful children, and preparing to go back to school AGAIN!!!!!

Yes, I'll be getting started on my Masters degree this fall - and hopefully will be done by the time I'm 40.  A nice little goal I've set for myself.  I might be 40 and 11 months and 29 days, but hopefully still 40!  It's a good number to complete something big on, I think.  So in the mean time, I'm cramming for the GRE, and wondering what I've gotten myself into, and chasing the butterflies in my tummy, and getting more and more excited at the possibilities this will bring as well,  and pretty much just thanking God for blessing me so much.  Especially with the most amazing husband that He picked out for me....  He is my biggest fan, and my, how I love him!!

And speaking of loving people, David is coming home tomorrow!!!  We have him all to ourselves for the next 2 months till we have to share him with his final semester of law school, but hey, I think that's a fair trade....

Let the summer fun begin!!!!

Phase 2: Complete!!

 Finally done!  What a fun and HUGE project this has been!  The girls love their new room...  They came home from school yesterday to the new renovations, and by 7:30 they were asking,  "Is it time to go to bed yet??"  Together again, sharing a room, and loving sister time!  Just how it should be! 

Rea's desk is built into the end of the loft, pretty snazzy!  We searched high and low for the perfect chair, and finally found it at Office Depot!

 The bunks!!  Rea got dibs on the top, and Ni'ke loves cuddling in the cozy bottom bunk, with her own little desk area tucked back in there in the corner!  (I fear the  "pack rat syndrome" could easily strike in that particular area, so I'll be on sharp look out....)  And Rea's dresser on the left built right in, too!

 A dresser that doesn't fall apart every time it's opened - I'm in heaven!

 Ni'ke's "hide out"!!

 Rea's top bunk

 Again, with the neatly lined shelves...  aaaahhhhh.....  (sigh) I give it a week.  Tops. 

 Rea, hard at work.  Not really.....

 Ni'ke's lamp in her cubby hole!  Perfect for the little book worm who's reading when she's supposed to be sleeping.....  That might be hereditary.

Project "Fix Up the Kids' Rooms So I'm Not Anxious Everytime I Step Inside": Phase 1

 Whew!  Phase 1, complete!!  I decided to take down the boys' bunk beds.  It makes for less floor space, but it looks so much nicer!  (No before and after shots - it was too filthy. You wouldn't believe the crazy stuff I found under their beds when I cleaned.  Or maybe you would....)

  I let them pick out their bedding.  Ya'shar of course gravitated towards the dinosaurs, and Ma-lak had to have the sports theme!

 The bulletin boards were a must!  They had one entire wall covered with their ribbons, all stuck to the wall with scotch tape....  This is much better!

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 I thought this was a fun picture!!  A little science lesson?!

 The lamp was too cute.  How adorable ARE you, little pterodactyl light pull?!

 AAAAAHHHHH!!!  Books, all neatly lined up on shelves......  So nice and orderly.......  I give it a week, TOPS.

Tonight begins the renovation of the girls' room!  Rea's moving out of the loft and back in with Ni'ke because 1. David's coming home Friday and will be here for 2 months!  Dude needs his room back, and Rea has "girlified" it all up!  And 2. When she found out that I was putting bunk beds in there, she decided she would LOVE to sleep in there again, and then she promptly claimed "dibs" on the top bunk.  :)  Stay tuned!!