Back to School 2011

It has been a huge week!

The big girls went back to school last Tuesday :)  Sofia is a 2nd grader!  AND Isobel is in kindergarten!  They have both transitioned fabulously into their new classrooms.  Earning many "keys" for great behavior at school, we are so proud.

Now if behavior at home would follow suit this mommy would be thrilled.  Any transition always causes some challenges in discipline...but, man!!!  We'll get back on track and trying to stay patient while holding on as tight as possible to consistency.

Summer and freedom and endless hours of play are such a blessing and joy of childhood.  But the routine has come back easily.  And everyone seems grateful to be back in a structured routine :)

A few weeks ago I started a new meet-up group for moms and their kids in the area, and we had our first play-date last week.  Everyone seemed to have a great time.  The kids played well together.   And it was great to meet some new people and carry on an adult conversation right in the middle of the day :)

We have also experienced our second earthquake and watched a hurricane affect our family.  The earthquake, for us, was fairly uneventful.  I thought a giant fighter jet had flown over until I checked facebook and family started calling.  The epicenter was less than 60 miles away and it ranked a 5.9 on the scale.  The house shook and it was loud, but since it didn't dawn on me that it was the earth itself moving it was not terribly scary.  There have been a few after shocks, we've only felt one.  So all in all...we live in Virginia!...2 earthquakes in less than 3 years is beyond quota!!!!

Hurricane Irene was the story of the weekend.  Threatening to cause historic damage in a path that has not occurred in recorded weather history.  Mark's parents and their 4 legged children and his sister and children came here for the weekend.  It was great having them and we got to celebrate Mom D's birthday with her.  It would have been nicer to have everyone without the threatening hurricane hanging heavily on everyone's mind.  But thankfully by the grace of God, the storm did weaken.

Since Finn is climbing me and furniture in an effort to see out the window and count cars and horses...I'll be back with more sometime :)