Checkmate!!

A fun summer activity for developing thinking skills??? Chess!!! Ethan and Abby are learning (and me too!) how to play and so far it's pretty fun! I was always intimidated by the game, thinking it was too hard and had too many rules and things to remember. It does. But, I think it's challenging in a way that's good for my overcrowded brain!!



I bought this chess set originally from Target - not because I knew how to play, but because I thought it would look cool sitting on the coffee table in our apartment when we lived in the city!! It made the move from the apartment, to the old house and then to this house. We never really brought it out because there were little pieces and no one really knew how to play. Then one day a few months ago, Ethan came across it in our closet and took some interest in learning. So I decided to get a book!!



Thank goodness for Usborne books! This is a great one even for adults who want to learn to play chess. It explains all the pieces, the moves they can make and even has little tests throughout to help you visualize the game. So we had a couple of practice games this afternoon - I am hoping this will help with some of the squabbling we have going on (Ethan and Abby). It seems like all of the sudden my kids aren't getting along with each other!! :( We may be starting our fall curriculum for homeschooling VERY early if this keeps up!! So maybe chess is the answer? Or boarding school?? Ha ha!! Just joking.... sort of..... here they are playing nice with each other for five minutes.


Abby planning her move...


Ethan checking the book....


A practice game...


So anyways, that's what we've been up to. My tooth is finally feeling better! I was able to get into the endodontist early last Thursday and they ended up finding that I had FIVE roots instead of the normal three. So five years ago when I had that first root canal, they never saw two of the roots and sealed them off! So needless to say after being covered up that long, there was quite an infection there and it was no wonder I was in so much pain. I am very lucky that it didn't spread!! I have to go back Tues to have the crown put on, but other than that I hope I am done with dental work for awhile. Yuck!

And yay! Kevin is off ALL next week for vacation! We have been looking forward to it and this week has seemed so long. We're planning on doing a few fun things here in the Chicago area and then heading up to Madison to visit Kevin's brother Matt, his wife Tricia and their twins. They have a beautiful new house and we're excited to spend time with them!! We'll also be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary on July 4th! Very surreal that we've been married that long. Time goes so fast!! I am hoping to post a blog about our relationship with some old pictures, wedding pictures, etc. Just to be all nostalgic and stuff!! So watch for that one!

So that's what's up around here! I hope everyone has a very safe and happy 4th of July!!