Happenings

Here's what's going on at our place lately, in brain dump format...

• Soren broke her leg. Oh yes she did. We keep her off the stairs but have worked with her here and there on the going back down skill. I was sitting at the piano and saw her heading up. She stopped to chat with me on the midway landing (our stairs are 7 up to a landing, turn a 180 and go another 7 up to the loft). I remember thinking, well, she needs to explore them sometime. She got to the top step, stood up, turned around, looked at me and smiled and then tumble-bumbled down to the midway landing. Ugh. I knew from her cry that it wasn't good. But it was late. She was tired. She nursed. She went to bed. Next morning, she would not bear weight on her right leg. A buckle break just above the ankle on the inside of the tibia. Major bummer. But she's taken it better than i have. She had a temporary splint for a few hours and managed to weasel out of it (i watched her stand and bang her foot on the floor until it slid off!). So that earned her an over-the-knee cast. Hot pink, no less. She'll be out of the cast (i pray!) on Tuesday, so just under 3 weeks. Hmmm. Maybe this should have been a post in itself?
• Bode started piano lessons the same week school started. He's good at it and seems to like it. But I'm kind of over it. Is that terrible? In hindsight, i would have let him adjust to full day school before adding any after school activities. It's been a ROUGH adjustment. But after a month, it's getting a lot better.
• Keegen is going to pre-K three days a week, two of them full days. He's at Bode's school. He's exhausted on those days, but i think it's perfect for him. He gets a couple of days to chill at home and have Little Brother Playdates. One thing that is working out well with the boys' school is that Keegen goes to the kindergarten class for reading since he's a little more advanced in that area than the other kids in his class. I love that this school can recognize when kids need more help or more challenge and offer it.
• Bode's 1st grade class is filled with boys from his kindergarten class. He seems to love school and has lots of fun. I wish it were better organized and communication existed, but, it's not and it doesn't. He goes to a 2nd grade class for reading and another 2nd grade class for math. He seems happy and that's what i'm most concerned about for now.
• I'm running. For real, finally. It's nice to be back.
• I'm back in my thin jeans. Not my super skinny jeans. I'm doubting the shift of my bones will ever return to their original position, so those jeans may never fit again. And it's fine. What's not fine is that with Baby #3 i acquired a muffin top. I think that's a permanent fixture. Bleh.
• My dad was diagnosed with Type II diabetes and it's blamed on exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam (how do they link that?). He's lost 32 pounds in 2 months and i can't imagine him that skinny. I'm hoping the dietary and lifestyle changes he's making help my mom find better health, too.
• I am teaching the Relief Society lesson at church this Sunday. I haven't taught an adult class in?? Ever? I really don't think i have. Maybe in college, but i don't think that counts. Preparing lessons tends to consume me. I wish i were more confident in my presenting skills and had better ability to actually lead a discussion. It's been good for me having to throw myself into the scriptures to prepare. Just having scripture study for the sake of scripture study has never been my strong suit. But having a purpose like lesson prep helps me a lot.
• I'm sewing little drawstring bags for our Christmas Book Advent. I've wanted to do this for years instead of using wrapping paper every year. My friend Kristen showed me how and let me take her sewing machine home. Hopefully i'll be able to do it on my own! Only 23 more bags to go!

• I've "run" two races this summer. A 10K at the Broadmoor and a 5K in Denver. But i only started really training after my last race. So i walked at least 2/3 of those races. I'll run another 5K in October. My goal is to run the whole thing without stopping. I'd like to do it at 36 minutes or less (i believe in making attainable goals). I may do a 10K in Arizona in November. Like i said, it's good to be back in the running scene. It's good to be taking care of myself a little bit better.

Kristen and me at the Denver Skirtchaser
• Doug's still working like mad and sending off resumes. Not a great time to be looking for a new job, but we feel good about being proactive and feel like things will work out. Some time. Some where.
• I can't wait for Soren to get her cast off. The girl is dying to walk. We were told that with the 90 degree bend over the knee that she wouldn't be able to stand on it. Um. What? Do what? THIS? Ya. She's been cruising on it anyway. I think it will be a huge treat for her to have her leg back.
• She'll be one in just 3 weeks. Whaaaaaaaat?