The kids in school--Eliza in half day kindergarten--I'm trying to use these 2 1/2 hours best I can. I did lots of housework yesterday. I'm going to keep plugging along on the blog and hopefully dust off some family/travel videos soon. My nesting instincts may lean toward digital organization this time, ha!
So, a little run down on school last/this year. When we moved to California we had little idea of the craziness of the school district in our town. We chose our house largely based on the school that is a 5 minute walk across the street with no idea that it is one of the most overcrowded in the city. So, last year Davy and Eddy were overloaded to a school a couple miles away. It's a great school and the kids had nice teachers. I became resigned to the drive to and from, though I really wanted to be part of the walking crowd instead. Sigh. Anyway, this year Eliza got a place in the neighborhood school for kindergarten and a few weeks later we got a letter that Eddy had a spot for 2nd Grade. Still waited to hear about Davy. When I called the district partway through the summer they said they were looking into adding classrooms and moving children around so I got hopeful. But come mid August we got notice that Davy would still be at the school he was last year (which now we learn was actually lucky--he could have been assigned to any other school). I called the office and they said Davy was still number 18 on their waiting list--only one child in his grade had moved during the year. So I struggled with the decision to continue driving him to and from school, especially when I learned that the start and end times for both schools are the same (they were staggered last year). I don't feel that homeschool is the best choice for us at this point, though I continuously reassess that. Davy all year and summer had been begging to stay at the school with his friends. My mom helped me release a lot of my anger and frustration when she gave me the perspective that I could do this hard thing for Davy. I can't do it for the stupid government and policy but I can do it for my son. So every day we get a little more into the routine of two school runs. Davy has to wait at school a full half hour before school starts, doing his homework and reading. Eddy has his very own key and gets home a few minutes before we do. We are all growing in responsibility and independence. I hate it every minute I think about it, still, but I'm running out of energy to fight it.
PJ walks around the block. Love those longer spring/summer evenings.
Last spring we visited the mission at Santa Clara. It's on a lovely campus now. The real draw, though, was the wisteria blooming. Oh, they smelled divine. The concert in the chapel was gorgeous as well. One of our friends from London had just returned to the bay area and was singing, so that was fun to be surprised seeing him!
So the things I love about California are: the weather, the beach, the frozen yogurt. That is pretty much all, actually. I have to really commit myself to finding more good things about living here. The weather, though, that is worth the high price tag. We can walk out and be outside any old day we want with no preparation for inclement issues. Already we take it for granted. Ironically we spent much of the past months inside because I was not well with depression and then morning sickness. But the times we did get out were perfectly 75 degrees.
Eliza continues to delight me with her help at every turn and her whimsy.
Trying to keep afternoon tea a habit at least a few times a month. Eddy is our resident lawn waterer and snail finder. He made a habitat for the colony of snails he collected. They escaped in no time, only to be recaptured. We enjoyed some flexible work-at-home days. Collin will be beginning a new job next week and it may be some time before we have earned that kind of flexibility again. In exchange, however, we are hoping he will have more regular hours and that we will be able to put some extra $$ in saving.
This summer our family council decided that the children could purchase Minecraft. They were thrilled and have respected the rules of the house regarding its use. I've never seen them so anxious and eager to get the laundry folded and the floor swept. A couple times a week for about ten or fifteen minutes each is a real treat.
They all spend much time building amazing Lego creations. There was a bakery, a yogurt self-serve shop, many modular houses. I love seeing their designs. They have spent other pocket money on specific pieces like doors and stairs and tiles for making wood or tile floors in their buildings. Don't tell them that I would be happy to spend family money on these types of specific things--I love it all the more that they know they must save up and spend carefully their own earned money.
I go through stages of seeing the beautiful in our life. Sometimes all I see are my own annoyances so big they block out everything else. When I can push past those ugly parts I see this right in front of me. My family, so beautiful and so essential.
Collin played in a Deloitte volleyball tournament held in the city. He had fun if out of shape (he said that--I'm not saying anything he didn't first!). The tournament had a variety of fun kid games. Davy was brave enough to go on the big zip line a couple times. We waved from below.
I love when music fills our home.
Davy and daddy went to a scout BB gun shooting activity. Davy got one shot in the black and was understandably proud.
