What we've been up to.....

School has been in session for a full four weeks now for us South Dakotans and I bet you are all just dying to know how it's going, how we've been and what we've been up to (other than partying in the Cities). And so, as the resident blogger, I guess it's my job to inform the masses.

We are definitely back into the "school's in session" groove. Ella is enjoying 1st Grade immensely. She loves her teachers, doesn't love the lunches she is served and as a result takes her lunch almost everyday. When questioned as to when her aversion to chicken nuggets, hot dogs and pizza began, she replies, "They don't taste like yours, Mom. You just make the best food". Good old Ella knows just the right things to say to get her way and almost every morning, I pack my little doll a lunch of homemade succulence and a little bit of love. She seems to have taken a liking to reading which I must admit, I am thrilled about as reading is probably the fourth love of my life (coming in right after family, friends and eating). Her excitement to read to me as soon she gets home is wonderful. The determination she shows when figuring out words is inspirational. And the pride I see on her face when she completes a book is beautiful. My little love bug has been busy chasing boys at the playground at recess and we've had numerous talks about possibly finding a better way to spend her free time. Thankfully, she has been responsive to redirection and lately she and her cronies have swinging and spinning the time away. Last week Ella brought home a paper on which she had written a brief story about an attached picture. At the bottom of the paper her teacher had written, "Beautiful spacing". It is a little atypical for 1st graders to understand the need for spaces between words and I, myself, had noticed the spacing as well. I compliment her on this and she informed me, "My teacher told us that she is very old and her eyes aren't very good. She needs us to make good spaces so that it isn't so hard for her to read our papers." At that moment, my love for Ella grew just a little bit more. I'm not sure if the reasoning resonated with the other students but it was just the perfect explanation for Ella and her kind heart.

As for Grace, 4th Grade agrees with her. I am not sure if she thought she could love her teacher this year more than she loved her teacher last year but guess what...she does! (This has been the pattern every year since she began school.) Happily for all of us, very little homework has been assigned. Occasionally she has had minor assignments to complete but for the most part, Grace has been freewheelin' once she is sprung from John Harris. Although her new BFF, Carly (newbie in the neighborhood from Minot, ND) is not in her class, it sounds like they get to hang out and jump rope together during recesses. Grace has introduced Carly to some of her other friends and they are like one big happy family. Is it possible that the anguish I remember from 4th Grade-12th Grade will completely skip these innocent girls and they can continue to live happily ever after? I am going to keep my fingers crossed but will not hold my breath! As 3rd Grade came to a close last year, Grace was struggling slightly with math. Much to my surprise and delight, she seems to have developed a math-inclined brain over the summer and is killing the multiplication quizzes thrown at her. Today she informed me that only she and three others have "graduated" from multiplication to division. I was so proud of her and I could see that she was quite proud of herself. In addition to her math prowess, she has yet to take a spelling test because of the success she has had with the pre-tests. As long as you get a 100% on the pre-test, you get to skip the post-test. Grace has been happily skipping them week after week. I think 4th Grade just might be Grace's year!Lily and I have managed to keep ourselves busy. Of course, all of the incredibly household management tasks fall on us (well, most of them anyway) and I am extremely lucky to have my trusty assistant. Lily makes terrific Rice Krispie bars, is an excellent cleaner, loves to recycle and serves as a fantastic chaperone for errands (even when the errand involves shopping, aka-going to a funeral). In addition to all of these important tasks, we have lunched with Jason, babysat for nephews, playdated with Emily, put together many puzzles, read books upon books, played games, chased butterflies and basically just enjoyed ourselves. At times I feel like a total slacker. It's pretty amazing how peaceful things are going from three crazies to one crazy. There are days I feel like I am on vacation. Today, however, was not one of my vacation days. At the beginning of the year, I volunteered to help in Ella's classroom one time a month and today was my first shift. Patrice, graciously agreed to watch Lily so I could go and offer my services. I've only left Lily less than a handful of times and each time it was completely against her will. Today was a whole different ball game. When I told Lily of the plan, I was braced for resistance and was surprisingly met with none. She was totally stoked and told me she would not cry at all. Her response went something like this, "Yay! A playdate with Emily. It won't be too far away either. When we went for that bike ride and were at the apple tree, that is right where you turn to go to Emily's house." Alrighty then! Skeptical but hopeful, I readied her this morning and prepared for the waterworks which never came. We arrived at the Denevan compound and Lily scampered off with nary a look back. I hollered my goodbye and off to the school I went.

Volunteering in the girls' classrooms is something I have done a lot of over the past several years and have enjoyed (for the most part~a room full of Kindergartners can have the tendency to test one's patience). I was reminded today of how much I actually enjoy doing this. In addition to the fun of helping the kids learn, I am able to do some learning of my own. Ella's teachers are awesome and being in the classroom listening to the strategies they use is so great. It never ceases to amaze me the unique ways they come up with to engage the students and get their point across. I am already looking forward to next month! Anxious to get back to Lily and hear how her morning went, I sped back to the Denevan's and was met with a big smile. Patrice said Lily did really well until she cracked at 11:07AM when the separation proved too much for her. A good friend and sidewalk chalk were just enough of a distraction to help her make it through the next 20 minutes until I returned to retrieve her. A huge thanks to Patrice and Emily for welcoming Lily and making her feel comfortable! Maybe next time she won't cry at all!

Of course, Mr. Kolb rounds out our family and he deserves a mention too. Work slowed for him a bit but has rebounded and he is busy as he can be again. As things slow, Jason isn't about to let the grass grow under his feet and he goes out actively seeking work. Every time he does this, he finds what he is seeking and then some. Remodeling, trimming, siding~the man does it all! Luckily there has been plenty of time leftover for projects around the house also.

Other recent highlights for us include a long, relaxing Labor Day weekend just hanging out doing whatever we felt like (namely sleeping in), enjoying the lovely weather for Fall soccer, being the gathering post for all of the neighborhood children who are inclined to drag every single toy we own out of the garage and then disappear when it is time to clean up and Ella's self-imposed milestone of the transition from bathing to showering. Last week Ella approached me and asked if it would be OK if she could start taking showers instead of baths. "It just seems like a bigger girl thing to do." was her rationale and who am I to stand in the way of progress? The other night while she was drying off, I asked her if she enjoyed showering rather than the bathtub and she said, "Yes, it's proof that I am getting to be a big girl". When I told her she would be my little girl forever, she replied, "That's OK. I can be your little girl until I am eighteen~or actually just until I can drive". I guess I'll let her believe that.

This weekend the Kolb family party bus is back on the move with a wedding in the Cities as it's destination. Jason and I both have swanky new ensembles. Aunt Kimmie is all lined up to babysit the wild ones. Looks like another sweet weekend is in store!