Post Thanksgiving Fun

After a quiet Thanksgiving (during which Matt and I were just getting over stomach flu), the kids have been keeping each other busy. They have built a robot named Zig Zag, complete with an inside "keyboard."

Building Zig Zag.

Notice the zig zag on the front.

The keyboard is the string of letters on the side.

Finn shows off the backside.

 Then Merete tried to teach Finnegan finger weaving. Shortly after I took these photos Finn decided that he "needed to be 6 to learn how" and gave up, much to Merete's frustration.

Then they both got the camera and starting taking photos. Here's a small sampling. I didn't include all 37 of them, since I don't think you want to see fuzzy photos of random household objects.

I love Finn's face here.

How Finn sees the world.

I think Tasha is trying to figure out what Merete is doing.

Finn is really taking a photo of Matt's bike. Matt's an added bonus.

Merete gets Matt's camera smile.

Merete's recent art project.

Merete captures a close up of me.

This isn't from today, but I found it on Merete's camera. It's so totally Finn.

My sweet boy

This morning Merete and Finn were discussing Christmas. They were talking about what they were going to ask for. I mentioned that they needed to start thinking about what they wanted to get each other. Finn got a glow in his eyes and told me, "I know exactly what I want to get Merete!" He then whispered: "An American Girl doll!" When I told him that was a great idea, but may be a bit expensive, he got very serious and told me: "I can ask Santa to get it for me and I'll give it to Merete."

Green belt, soccer, and singing

Merete with her new belt.

Last week Merete had a karate belt exam. She is now officially a green belt. Merete reports: "I'm 6th grade green belt. It's the 4th level."

I think it means she can now officially beat up Matt.

Finn showing off his soccer medals.

Meanwhile, Finn is busy with soccer. He will finish up his soccer season with a final scrimmage this weekend. Finn reports: "I am very good at soccer. I'm great at looking at the goal" (that means when he gets the ball he is good at facing the goal he's scoring on). And, "I'm great at scoring." Can you tell that Finn is rather impressed with his soccer abilities?











Finn is also discovering the wonders of kindergarten: school lunch (which he thinks are wonderful), recess, gym and free choice center. He's really into numbers and math. His teacher reports that he is a nice kid and "everybody wants to play with him." Every day he gets off the bus glowing because he sat with Max, a 2nd grader. Here's a recent song he's learned:

In case you can't quite make out the words: "Happy birthday to me,I'm a 103, I live in the sea,  I eat little fishies, and a big one ate me." He sang it non-stop for 3 days. Ah, the life of a kindergartner.

I did it!

This semester I am teaching a writing course on extremes. My students had to come up with an extreme project. I figured that I should do it, too. So, today I jumped (okay, more like fell) out of a plane!

After my jump.

 It was an amazing, surreal experience. I went through Skydive Orange in Orange, VA, which is about 2 hours south of DC. I did a tandem jump, which was part of the extreme part for me - the whole giving up control, putting my life in someone else's hands, and, quite frankly, being attached to someone I don't know. My instructor, Mario, was great.

My parents are in town, so my dad went with me. It made it easier to have someone else there. I think he had fun, too.

Dad and me pre-jump.

We jumped from 13,000 feet. The hardest part was the seconds before we exited the plane. My heart was racing. When we left the plane, it felt completely surreal. It was loud, and cold. I remember thinking I wish Mario would pull the parachute because it was so loud. Once the chute came out, though, it was immediately quiet and just beautiful. I got to steer the parachute a bit. The landing was odd - to see the ground come up that fast surprised me. I was bracing for a hard fall, but we landed on our feet.

Mom, Finn, and Merete watch the plane.

My good luck hugs.

The kids and Matt came along and watched. Finn reports: "When you came down, you looked like that you were not scared. And, you were in a plane. And, you jumped out of a plane."

Merete took lots of photos and watched. She was rather quiet. When I asked her if she thought it was weird, she told me she thought I was joking at first when I said I was going to do it, but then was surprised when she found out I wasn't.

Flying in the Sky!

It still feels pretty surreal. I'm so glad I did it. I don't feel the need to become a regular sky diver, but if anyone wants a jumping partner, I'd go again!

Halloween!

This year Merete went as Josephina, the American Girl doll, and Finn was a Storm Trooper. Our Halloween wouldn't be complete without Laura and Tom bringing Noah - who dressed as a monkey:

After returning, they had quite the pile of candy:

They then sorted the candy so they could select their favorites. Really, I just think Matt wanted to see all their candy so he could take his favorites.









The day before they carved their pumpkins. Merete helped clean out the pumpkins while Finn drew what he wanted his to look like.
 
 






 

 

Cruising the Potomac

Last week Matt and I went on a date night with our friends Jeff and Angela (we've gone to the Outer Banks with them for the last two summers - they're part of our DC family). We had gotten Groupon tickets over the summer to take a cheesy tourist dinner cruise of the Potomac.The weather ended up being perfect - we spent a lot of the evening out on the deck chatting as we floated down to Mount Vernon (or at least that's where I think we were going).

 During dinner we were serenaded by "local talent." Poor Matt, who clearly didn't want the attention so he got more of it, was sung to by 3 of the 4 singers. Our favorite was when he was given the microphone to sing along to "Proud Mary." He had the most annoyed rendition of "rolling" I've heard, especially in comparison to Jeff's enthusiastic version. Luckily, Angela and I were spared the embarrassment.



  I was rather focused on the dessert portion of the evening (I've been avoiding sweets) and was super excited when it - finally - arrived. I think we were the last table served. When it came, though, it made me happy.






  After dinner we spent the rest of the time on the deck drinking champagne and enjoying the great evening.

Finn cracks me up

This morning Finn and I were getting the oil changed in the car (the kids are off today). While we were waiting Finn was reading Ook and Glook. He showed me his favorite chapter which has dinosaurs. I said, "That looks scary. Is it?" He leaned over to me and, in a serious, quite voice, said: "Mom, it's fiction."

Finn dance party

Really, no explanation needed. This is Finn's current favorite song. My favorite move is the leg kick.

Confidence

The other day Merete and I were chatting about how great it would be to have a class filled with all my favorite students. A few minutes after we talked, she said: "That would be hard for me. All my teachers would want me in their class. How would I choose?"

Merete also told us this week that she is the "class president," meaning she was voted to be the class representative for student council. She's quite pleased. I was a bit surprised because when we've talked about it before she said she didn't want to do something like that. When I asked her what changed, she told me she was feeling like she was "now ready to take on this responsibility."

And, Finn reports that he is at "the best table" in his class. He brought home this "detailed picture"; he talks a lot about these. I asked him for a description of it just to be sure, and I was right that it is aliens. The person in the lower right hand corner is not an alien, but rather a sleeping human. Why sleeping? "I don't know, that's just what people do." He also did say that it was one of the best pictures in the class.

Where did these kids get such confidence? And how can I borrow some of it?

New Earrings

 After waiting a LONG 6 weeks, Merete was FINALLY able to put in new earrings today. She chose a pair she got from her friend Nora. They're small flowers: pink rhinestone petals with a white 'diamond' in the middle. I realize you can't see them that well in the photo, but she didn't want to post for another picture. Finn was sad she didn't pick the ones he got, so she's promised to wear those tomorrow. In case you're keeping count, she has 27 pairs of new earrings. I promise I won't send you a photo of each new pair.

As you can see in the photo, she's growing out her bangs.This is yet another thing that's making her feel even older to me. She actually has an opinion on her hair now. And, she brushes it before school. Big changes.

She also told me that I shouldn't post this picture since she thinks she looks silly in it. But I like her laughing.

My Future Frat Boy

This morning on the way to the bus I chuckled because Finn was walking in his usual mode: hands in pockets. But, he didn't have front pockets so they were in his back pockets. He was trying to pull the pockets forward, so he lost some casual points.

At the bus stop he played football with the older kids. When he got on the bus, his favorite older boy - he's in 5th grade - sat down in the seat with him. Finn looked out the window and broke into the biggest grin I've seen in awhile. I think he was feeling pretty good about things. It was super cute. He's trying so hard to be this relaxed, cool, big kid, but he's really just an excited little guy.

The other morning he asked me one of his profound questions for which I don't have answers: "Why is music invisible? Wouldn't it be better if we could see it?" While I was thinking about how impressed I was and how to answer him, he followed up with: "Why do I like party songs so much?"

I'm guessing we can all come up with a decent answer to that second question, but really, I think he's practicing for his future days of hanging out on the porch couch at his future frat house. (And, really, how did Matt and I end up with this kid? He certainly isn't learning this stuff from us.)

In honor of Finn's love for a good party songs, Merete and I are working on putting together a compiled list of Finn's favorites. Feel free to weigh in with songs I may have missed or a good title for the CD. Here's the current list:

• Nickelback – This Afternoon (the party song that started it all for Finn)
• Pink – Raise Your Glass (my favorite line he sings: "we do school for cool" - even if it is a bit different than the real line)
  
• Katy Perry – Firework, E.T. (or really, anything Katy Perry - imagine him walking around saying "kiss, kiss, kissy kiss me")
  
• Beastie Boys – Brass Monkey (yup, bad parenting moment when we decided it would be a good idea for the kids to listen to Beastie Boys)
  
• Andy Grammer – Keep Your Head Up (yes, isn't quite party-like, but he sings it all the time and it matches his overall approach to life)
  
• Hot Chelle Rae – Tonight Tonight (seriously, no comment needed - but he likes this song because the guy says "whatever" which makes him giggle)
  
• Rascal Flatts – Life is a Highway (thank you, Cars)
  
• Beyonce – Single Ladies (who doesn't want a ring from Finn?)
  
• Glee – Gold Digger (should I be worried this is on the list?)
  
• Black Eyed Peas – I’ve Got a Feeling (isn't every night a good night for him?)
  

Who needs sleep?

Merete had her friend birthday party yesterday/ today. The festivities started at the pool. This is the pool's last open weekend this season so we lucked out. It was also the first sunny, warm day in almost two weeks; it's been rather rainy here.

Her actual birthday is August 26, but we've discovered that celebrating once the school year starts the odds of friends being able to come is better.




She had five friends come: Sophie, Clare, Nora, Emily and Beatrice. Nora managed to hide from most of the photos, so it often looks like there are only five of them.










After the pool we headed to the house where Merete opened presents and the girls generally acted crazy.









Then pizza and cake for dinner, followed by painting picture frames.













The highlight for the girls was probably the sleepover part. Not so much for us. At 1:30, I finally went down and threatened to call parents. Merete reports that scared them all and after that there was no more talking and they all fell quickly asleep. Guess I've learned that's a good strategy to use at 10:30 rather than once Matt and I have lost patience.

This morning I was a bit of a grump. Oh, well. After chocolate chip waffles the girls were happily playing and insisting they weren't a bit tired.




When asked if her party was a success, she says, "YES!"

How to throw a rock

Today at the bus stop Finn showed off his new throwing style. Apparently it allows you to throw much farther and faster. And, it looks cool.

Carnival

Matt's out of town in LA visiting Liz and her new baby, Skylar. Looking for things to do, I ended up at a local carnival with friends. There were rides, crafts, and unhealthy food. Merete's favorite ride was the Ferris wheel, which Finn refused to. Finn's favorite was the Dizzy Dinosaur. Think spinning tea cups, but instead you get in a big dinosaur looking thing.

While there Finn made a craft:



I think it's supposed to be a sort of picture frame. I asked Finn if he wanted to put his name on it. He said, "No, I want to write 'craft' so people will know what it is. "So, this is his craft. I asked him what it was, how to use it. His answer, "I don't know. It's just a craft."

So there you have it. Finn's craft.

An earthquake, a hurricane, and the first day of school

Guess I am proving to not be very good at keeping this blog up to date. Oh, well.

Last week was a natural disaster bonanza here! On Monday we had the earthquake (which I missed because I was driving). I got to campus and was confused as to why everyone was outside. I called the student I was supposed to meet with and when I mentioned that something must be going on, her response was: "Um, maybe it's the earthquake?" She was too sweet to point out my complete cluelessness.

Then we followed up the earthquake with the hurricane. Takoma Park was hit pretty hard by the storm - 11 trees down in town. We avoided damage, but still have a pretty wet yard. We've got some small branches down in the backyard, but no big problems. The worst part is we lost power for 24 hours - the day before school started for everyone.

Early Monday morning we got the robocall that Finn's school - Takoma Park Elementary (K-2) - had power and was open, but Merete's school - Piney Branch Elementary (3-5) - was closed. Merete was disappointed. Finn was excited to start Kindergarten, but a bit nervous to get on the bus on his own - he had been looking forward to riding in with Merete.

I wasn't able to be there since my classes started that morning as well. So Matt took photos and sent them to me. I kept my class updated on his progress. I suspect they either thought it was insanely cute or incredibly annoying. I explained to them the injustice of not being able to be there. I have been taking Finn to the bus stop for 4 years, and I don't get to go the day he FINALLY gets to get on the bus.

Finn was excited to be the first person in the bus line, as his backpack proves:

Here's Finn in line waiting for the bus:

Matt titled this photo, "The bus is here - Finn is not making eye contact with the bus":

Finn getting on the bus. Notice Merete standing, watching him. I think she was a bit jealous.

Finn on the bus:


When he got off the bus (I was there for that!), he was exhausted. He was practically silent. For those of you who have spent any time with him, you know that means he was worn out. As Susanna, a friend of ours said, "The only time I've seen Finn so quiet is when he's sick."

He reports he had great day, but didn't remember anything from it. Only his music class where he marched to a song. After crying that afternoon because he lost a turn at Operation, we put him to bed at 7:15. We didn't hear a thing from him until we woke him up the next day. He was eager to go back which I take as a good sign.

The next day was Merete's turn for her first day. She was ready to go. I think she felt a bit cheated that she had to wait. She has had her outfit all picked out and her backpack packed for the last week and a half. But now, she's an official 4th grader and reports that she has "the best 4th grade teacher ever."



I don't have any photos to show off my first day, but so far all my classes seem good. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they stay that way!