Dear Internet (friends and family),
I appologize for leaving you these last weeks. You’ve been on my mind. Occasionally, I write posts in my head about the cute things Sylvie is saying, the adorable way Andrew is being her big brother, the milestones that the kids are passing, the job changing that Bryan is going…and then I sit down and edit photos. Because that, my friends, is what I have been doing these last weeks. Fastly. Furiously. Editing. Photos. I finished the last of my Incredible Photography Month early last week, and then we packed up and headed for Maine for my brother Joe’s graduation from Bowdoin College.
I was up until midnight or one or two every night for weeks (except when I collapsed a few times at 8pm). I had friends stopping in to help watch my kids so I could get a few extra hours of photo work in. It was intense…and wonderful. I think I feel most happy and alive and energized when I am focused and productive and a little over-worked. It is a wonderful feeling. Thanks to all my lovely clients who help me get that excellent high:) And to my husband and friends for helping me meet my deadlines!
Our trip to Maine was wonderful…but that’s another post. For now, I’ll share a few tid-bits about our life these last weeks.
We went to Wichita a couple weeks ago for Bryan’s mom’s mom’s funeral (that’s Grandma Harvey). Sweet Grandma. Such a lovely person she was. Grandpa has since moved into an assisted living home with a lot of support from his kids. Although the purpose and reason for our trip was a sad one, it sure was pleasant to see all of Bryan’s family again. Plus we got to see cousins who we don’t see regularly. Andrew and Sylvia really enjoyed playing with Bryan’s cousin’s children, and we had some really companionable meals and get-togethers. Photos from Wichita are in the gallery.
Andrew had his last day of preschool at Monona Grove Nursery School. He is so excited about going to Kindergarten in the fall, he can barely wait. And he talks regularly about how Joe is graduating from college (“That means you’ve completed all the requirements,” he says) and he has graduated from preschool. We (OK, maybe mostly I…Andrew’s a kid who lives in the moment) am going to miss the teachers and kids and parents. Andrew’s years at Monona Grove Nursery School have been really special. Luckily, Syliva will attend preschool there in a year-and-a-half!
In April, Sylvia transitioned rapidly from diapers to undies. She’s a big girl now. I haven’t changed a poopy diaper in months. That, my friends, is a wonderful thing to be able to say. 4.75 years of diapers. She was dry at night for a couple weeks, and then we had lots of accidents, so I decided it was better for me to sleep well at night than for her to be totally diaper-free. Next step: a big girl bed. Not sure when, but it’s coming:)
Andrew had a visitation for his new Kindergarten: Nuestro Mundo last week. While Bryan and I learned about Kindergartner’s daily schedule, Andrew and the other soon-to-be kindergartners all went off to play with a teacher. He came back with a picture he’d colored of a frog. And he is SO EXCITED about his frog. And his new school. And coloring more frogs at his new school starting September 1. Which, as far as he’s concerned, can’t come soon enough!
As a side note, do you know that kindergartners only get two recesses for part of the year? Then it’s just one. And lunch plus recess is 45 minutes. That seems crazy. How are kids going to learn if they’re in classrooms all day with such limited time to move and engage in free-play? And the lunch/recess time seems like it’s setting kids up to shovel down their food as fast as possible. Seems like a bad idea. I liked this article on the importance placed on school lunch in France. But other than those things, the school seems like it’s set up really nicely. It made me a little bit stunned and frankly, ill to watch Andrew bound up the Elementary School staircase. How did my baby become a boy?
Last week was also Eli’s 5th birthday. We attended his birthday party and spent some time with him on his birthday morn. Photos of our playtimes are in the gallery. Andrew’s pretty giddy about the fact that it is now June and his own birthday is coming up!
My sweetheart’s birthday was a couple weeks ago. We were in Wichita for his birthday, and then when we returned home that week, we celebrated his birthday is lots of little ways. The highlight was when we showed Bryan the hammock we’d gotten for him. Andrew kept the secret for weeks, and Bryan was really excited.
Bryan’s last day of work at OpGen was last Wednesday. Thanks to all his co-workers for giving him a great send-off:) He’s home with us all the rest of the week, and then he starts his new job on Monday, June 7.
I took lots of photos during our trip to Maine. Stay tuned!
~Althea
Nice info…I'm looking at that hammock with longing…I think I'm going to trying it out when I'm there…if Bryan will share! 🙂 Glad you're back home safe and sound. Sounds like you had a great trip. Love you!
I just ran across another article about school lunches: http://djbuege.com/lunchrev.htmlLooks like there's some great energy going on to help make the "food education" part of school better.@Mom – Thanks for the note! We'll have the hammock ready and waiting for you when you come out later this month!
I just ran across another article about school lunches: http://djbuege.com/lunchrev.htmlLooks like there's some great energy going on to help make the "food education" part of school better.@Mom – Thanks for the note! We'll have the hammock ready and waiting for you when you come out later this month!
Althea, have you read Mrs. Q's blog about school lunches? http://fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com/
Don't know whether you heard about the lunch program that Natural Ovens (the bread company) was running a few years back: http://www.lauralee.com/news/healthylunch.htmI'm not sure what the status of this program is today. I read about it a few years ago and thought it was cool. Interesting that kids' behaviors can be linked, in part, to what they eat. An executive at my company claims that diet made a world of difference in treating his son's autism. I have no trouble believing that kids who are primarily eating junk are going to behave and feel differently than they would on a better diet (whether this directly translates into learning problems or behavior problems probably depends more on the individual).
Nice info…I'm looking at that hammock with longing…I think I'm going to trying it out when I'm there…if Bryan will share! 🙂 Glad you're back home safe and sound. Sounds like you had a great trip. Love you!
I just ran across another article about school lunches: http://djbuege.com/lunchrev.htmlLooks like there's some great energy going on to help make the "food education" part of school better.@Mom – Thanks for the note! We'll have the hammock ready and waiting for you when you come out later this month!
I just ran across another article about school lunches: http://djbuege.com/lunchrev.htmlLooks like there's some great energy going on to help make the "food education" part of school better.@Mom – Thanks for the note! We'll have the hammock ready and waiting for you when you come out later this month!
Althea, have you read Mrs. Q's blog about school lunches? http://fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com/
My mom has complained about her second graders' limited lunch time for years. They have 25 minutes and sometimes the lunch line can be long, which really cuts into the lunch time of those who buy a cafeteria lunch. No recess, either, although they do have PE time every day.
Don't know whether you heard about the lunch program that Natural Ovens (the bread company) was running a few years back: http://www.lauralee.com/news/healthylunch.htmI'm not sure what the status of this program is today. I read about it a few years ago and thought it was cool. Interesting that kids' behaviors can be linked, in part, to what they eat. An executive at my company claims that diet made a world of difference in treating his son's autism. I have no trouble believing that kids who are primarily eating junk are going to behave and feel differently than they would on a better diet (whether this directly translates into learning problems or behavior problems probably depends more on the individual).
Kira has a terrible time with such a limited lunchtime….she just can't get her lunch done in the amount of time given. It doesn't seem to bother most kids though! It does help a little when she takes her lunch which I prefer she does anyany!
Kira has a terrible time with such a limited lunchtime….she just can't get her lunch done in the amount of time given. It doesn't seem to bother most kids though! It does help a little when she takes her lunch which I prefer she does anyany!