Random 5

1. Rick has a continuing education class to take in New Orleans in January. Although New Orleans is not my favorite place to go, getting to go anywhere with my husband alone without the kids quickly makes it a favorite! With his airline points I am able to fly with him for free and relax in the already-paid-for hotel while he is at his class. In other words, it's a free vacation!! He and I haven't gone away together for more than one night for a couple of years. I am really, really looking forward to it!

2. I have mentioned it a couple of times this week but our new direct vent furnace was an incredibly smart purchase! It works perfectly for us, and we have been toasty warm all week.

3. Dawson and I are meeting with an Army Recruiter on Monday to discuss his future. He knows that he wants to go to community college next year to utilize the A+ Scholarship he has earned. He wants to be a high school history teacher. After two years at the community college he will need to go onto a state university to receive the remainder of his teaching degree. He wants to come out of college without any debt. He also knows that he will not make a ton of money has a teacher. So he is looking into the Army Reserves or the National Guard for college money and for additional income for when he is teaching. He will not sign on until he is done with community college, but he is wanting to learn everything he can about it to decide if it is a viable option for him. I am very proud of him for considering his future so seriously.

4. We are finishing up our latest book in the Little House on the Prairie series. We will complete On the Banks of Plum Creek and all remaining activities for it on Monday and Tuesday next week and then will take our Thanksgiving break. That leaves us with about two weeks before we take an extended Christmas break so I don't want to start a new Little House book as the lessons are broken down into four-week sessions. So, I am thinking of switching gears to Christmas and doing two weeks of Christmas literature studies with Tomie dePaola. That will require some planning on my part but the planning will do nothing but get me in the Christmas spirit.

5. Yesterday I bought our Christmas turkey because it was on sale for a great price. When I was carrying it into the house, the grocery store bag ripped and I dropped the 15 pound turkey on my toe. This morning it was purple. Ouch!