Hello Dear Ones,
I feel like I have been quiet on the blog lately. We have had a lot going on, life is so good. Thought I would take a few minutes on this quiet Sunday morning to write an update. Carla Bruni on the stereo, nag champa burning close by, fresh coffee in hand, happy kids playing in their rooms - a perfect morning.
Griffin is doing excellently in school. His reading skills are increasing by leaps and bounds and his cognitive skills are sharpening. He has an excellent teacher, Ms. Wright, who plans amazing projects for kids. On Friday she had a bunch of sand trays filled with buried fossils and the kids got to be paleontologists and dig and put together dinosaur skeletons....you wanna see a classroom FULL of happy 6 year olds, WOW! I am volunteering in the classroom with another Mom every Friday afternoon and I love it. I love supporting our teacher and school, I love seeing Griffin interact with the other kids and getting to know them, I love being present in his school life.
We had our first major issue with the school last week. We had a problem with a man who was representing the Cub Scouts who poisoned the boys with a speech filled with chauvinistic attitudes. He told the boys that "real men" would come to their club meetings and those who didn't "Might as well stay home and play with their sister's Barbies or wash the dishes". He also instructed the boys that if their parents said no they were to beg them until the parents gave in. When Griffin told me, I was upset, but when Bruce heard, he was irate. He was so offended that a grown man would try to bully our son and also present all kinds of attitudes that he had been working so hard against with Griffin. His anger made me love him even more, what a feminist supporter he is! The very next day he called the principal and she was appropriately shocked. I am happy to say that the situation was taken care of that very afternoon. Although the Cub Scout man admitted that he did say those things, that in fact they were written into his speech and that we were the very FIRST parents to complain about it, he would be willing to re-think what he said to the boys. That is all that we were asking for. In the end we felt really good about how the Principal treated our concerns and are confident about her ability to be a diligent and competent administrator.
Although Lucy has been under the weather the last week...sinuses? teething? possessed by a demon? she actually had been doing really well since school started. We are so pleased to announce that she is PLUG (pacifier) FREE! The first week of school we were just letting her have it to sleep with but then one day she lost her only one left and that was it. We had 2 nights of her sleeping fitfully, but she was still able to fall asleep within a couple minutes and soothe herself back to sleep quickly. A week later and she never mentions it - YEAH. Her other big news is that she is working on being potty trained. She is now wearing panties all her waking hours, although she still has and accident or two every day. We are getting there and that is what is important. I wasn't even thinking she was this ready, but I let her pick out panties (Dora) and that was all it took, she just went for it! Her favorite reward - STICKERS. So if you have ugly stickers lying around, send them my way. She doesn't really care what they look like, she just likes to cover herself in them. The only bad part - I am continuously scraping stickers off the floors!! :) She is also really starting to bond with her little library posse. The same group also hangs out on play dates together and they are starting to become pretty good friends - it is sooo darn cute.
I am doing FABULOUSLY. I got to tell you, over the last year I have met so many wonderful, kind, talented, inspiring, beautiful women and have started to build some really lovely friendships here. My life has become increasingly filled with lunches, parties, club meetings, play dates and girls nights out (or in). For me, I can truly be myself and see myself more in the company of good friends. Thank you, to each and every one of you, friends near and far, for making my life so wonderfully colorful.
I have been sewing like crazy, trying to get ready for a fair I will be doing in mid-September. I am starting to put more energy into trying to start my own small business and sell my wares online, details coming later. Starting to think about whether or not I am going to attempt to make Christmas presents this year - such a time commitment if I decide yes. Starting to think about Halloween costumes...anyone have a wolf costume that would fit child's size 6? Starting to fill up the calender till the end of the year with weekend trips, friends and family visiting us, activities and soccer schedules. Thinking about making homemade applesauce! :) We went out and got our first bag of local apples last week - so crisp and fresh.
Bruce is doing really awesome too. He is loving his new position in work, happily accepting and excelling with his new responsibilities. He is playing his guitar more these days, which we all love! He and Griffin are still having tons of fun conquering the Star Wars Wii game (do you miss it Uncles??) !
Lottie is a sweet big puppy these days. She is loving our morning walks and occasional opportunities for her to swim. Her manners are getting slightly better each day. Most importantly she is the best playmate I could ever imagine for our two kids. She gets roughed up, teased, rode on, petted, wrestled, kissed and cuddled all day, every day and she loves every minute of it.
Zed is still a cricket eating machine, no real news there. ;)
Happy Fish was sent on to his next life with a tear and a flush. RIP Happy Fish, we miss you.
So that is the Gast update, friends. Hope you are all living a life that suits you perfectly, that gives you space to feel safe and be challenged, loved and cherished.
I love you,
Christi
I feel like I have been quiet on the blog lately. We have had a lot going on, life is so good. Thought I would take a few minutes on this quiet Sunday morning to write an update. Carla Bruni on the stereo, nag champa burning close by, fresh coffee in hand, happy kids playing in their rooms - a perfect morning.
Griffin is doing excellently in school. His reading skills are increasing by leaps and bounds and his cognitive skills are sharpening. He has an excellent teacher, Ms. Wright, who plans amazing projects for kids. On Friday she had a bunch of sand trays filled with buried fossils and the kids got to be paleontologists and dig and put together dinosaur skeletons....you wanna see a classroom FULL of happy 6 year olds, WOW! I am volunteering in the classroom with another Mom every Friday afternoon and I love it. I love supporting our teacher and school, I love seeing Griffin interact with the other kids and getting to know them, I love being present in his school life.
We had our first major issue with the school last week. We had a problem with a man who was representing the Cub Scouts who poisoned the boys with a speech filled with chauvinistic attitudes. He told the boys that "real men" would come to their club meetings and those who didn't "Might as well stay home and play with their sister's Barbies or wash the dishes". He also instructed the boys that if their parents said no they were to beg them until the parents gave in. When Griffin told me, I was upset, but when Bruce heard, he was irate. He was so offended that a grown man would try to bully our son and also present all kinds of attitudes that he had been working so hard against with Griffin. His anger made me love him even more, what a feminist supporter he is! The very next day he called the principal and she was appropriately shocked. I am happy to say that the situation was taken care of that very afternoon. Although the Cub Scout man admitted that he did say those things, that in fact they were written into his speech and that we were the very FIRST parents to complain about it, he would be willing to re-think what he said to the boys. That is all that we were asking for. In the end we felt really good about how the Principal treated our concerns and are confident about her ability to be a diligent and competent administrator.
Although Lucy has been under the weather the last week...sinuses? teething? possessed by a demon? she actually had been doing really well since school started. We are so pleased to announce that she is PLUG (pacifier) FREE! The first week of school we were just letting her have it to sleep with but then one day she lost her only one left and that was it. We had 2 nights of her sleeping fitfully, but she was still able to fall asleep within a couple minutes and soothe herself back to sleep quickly. A week later and she never mentions it - YEAH. Her other big news is that she is working on being potty trained. She is now wearing panties all her waking hours, although she still has and accident or two every day. We are getting there and that is what is important. I wasn't even thinking she was this ready, but I let her pick out panties (Dora) and that was all it took, she just went for it! Her favorite reward - STICKERS. So if you have ugly stickers lying around, send them my way. She doesn't really care what they look like, she just likes to cover herself in them. The only bad part - I am continuously scraping stickers off the floors!! :) She is also really starting to bond with her little library posse. The same group also hangs out on play dates together and they are starting to become pretty good friends - it is sooo darn cute.
I am doing FABULOUSLY. I got to tell you, over the last year I have met so many wonderful, kind, talented, inspiring, beautiful women and have started to build some really lovely friendships here. My life has become increasingly filled with lunches, parties, club meetings, play dates and girls nights out (or in). For me, I can truly be myself and see myself more in the company of good friends. Thank you, to each and every one of you, friends near and far, for making my life so wonderfully colorful.
I have been sewing like crazy, trying to get ready for a fair I will be doing in mid-September. I am starting to put more energy into trying to start my own small business and sell my wares online, details coming later. Starting to think about whether or not I am going to attempt to make Christmas presents this year - such a time commitment if I decide yes. Starting to think about Halloween costumes...anyone have a wolf costume that would fit child's size 6? Starting to fill up the calender till the end of the year with weekend trips, friends and family visiting us, activities and soccer schedules. Thinking about making homemade applesauce! :) We went out and got our first bag of local apples last week - so crisp and fresh.
Bruce is doing really awesome too. He is loving his new position in work, happily accepting and excelling with his new responsibilities. He is playing his guitar more these days, which we all love! He and Griffin are still having tons of fun conquering the Star Wars Wii game (do you miss it Uncles??) !
Lottie is a sweet big puppy these days. She is loving our morning walks and occasional opportunities for her to swim. Her manners are getting slightly better each day. Most importantly she is the best playmate I could ever imagine for our two kids. She gets roughed up, teased, rode on, petted, wrestled, kissed and cuddled all day, every day and she loves every minute of it.
Zed is still a cricket eating machine, no real news there. ;)
Happy Fish was sent on to his next life with a tear and a flush. RIP Happy Fish, we miss you.
So that is the Gast update, friends. Hope you are all living a life that suits you perfectly, that gives you space to feel safe and be challenged, loved and cherished.
I love you,
Christi
Comments
i enjoyed just hearing all that has been happening in your lives the last couple of weeks. thinking of you often.
chanley
-DeAnna