Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Cannonballs, Horses and Butterflies

Tonight Alaina offered the following, un-solicited wisdom at the dinner table: Babysitting is like riding horses for Jordan. You go around and around doing loop-de-loops. And you do a cannonball over the poles and when you land you are riding the horse again...
This string of thought apparently stemmed from watching Jordan's riding lesson Tuesday night, and is either just goofy or a very deep insight on child-rearing. I'm truly not sure which.

We were outside tonight playing and my horse Bree started running around, carrying on because she couldn't see the other two horses. It is still very mucky out there from all the rain we've had and as she tried to gallop a sharp corner she lost all her four-hoof-drive and slammed flat on her side. She leaped up and started over again, but now with her entire side black with mud and a huge, smooth egg-shaped indent in the mud preceded by a skid mark of about 15 feet. Too funny, you rarely see a horse actually fall down.

Today was Ethan's class field trip to the Butterfly House in St. Louis. This caps off a big study unit on butterflies. It is a cool place and was a beautiful day for playing and picnicking in Faust Park.

Another big hit this year is Running Club. At first Ethan insisted he did not want to join, and would rather go home and play Lego's. I asked him to try one night and he came out so excited! They meet each Monday for five weeks in the fall, then again for five Mondays in spring. Some of Ethan's friends are in it too, and it is limited to 1st and 2nd graders. The coach makes it fun, and the kids are eager to go each time. Ethan has gone between .8 and 1.2 miles each time, which I think is great.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Back Again...

Quick update of current thoughts:

* We love the little kids' new school, and so do they. Ethan seems in his element and enjoys his new friends. Mr Hager, the lower school science teacher, is his favorite teacher. Alaina loves her class, teachers, being at a big kid school, her buddies, going to specialist classes like Spanish, Art and P.E. The toughest thing each day is prying Alaina out of her classroom to go home.

* Ethan is playing soccer on Saturdays this fall. He likes it a lot and is starting to be more assertive going for the ball. Bill and I are clueless as to the rules, or how to properly put Ethan's shin guards on for that matter, but are learning!

* Andrew is enjoying playing football back at Lewiston. He has had several catches so far, which was what he wanted most to do.

* Jordan loves her freshman year. Algebra is tough, as well as Physics and German II, but she is getting in the groove. She has lots of friends and has fun going to football games and other school functions.

* Alaina is very interested in learning her letters now, and also spends lots of time drawing pictures and singing spontaneously made-up songs. She is at a time of emotional maturing, with lots of ups and downs along the way. Generally though, she is a bright, shining spot of joy in our days.

* I am doing well but have hit a hurdle with trying to jog. Even a little bit makes me very sore for days after. Maybe if I get my overall fitness better, I will have better luck. Today I was sitting on a hard surface and when I moved back and forth I could hear creaking from my leg. Creepy!!!

* Bill is engrossed in Fantasy Football for the first time in years. I love that he is having fun with it, but it is frightening how much devotion it inspires. It reminds me of him and a bunch of goobers from his dorm crowded into his dorm room for the "draft" of their fantasy football league. His work schedule has improved a bit with the new pharmacists on staff, but I know the store still weighs on his mind all the time.