Leaving Fall

Today we had chinook winds...or hurricane weather...or Indian Summer with high humidity and periodic rain. Funny weather. We've got the raking almost done, the gutters cleaned, the patio furniture put up (other than the table, which splintered in a big wind last week :( ), so other than the actual weather, it feels like we're leaving fall!

Ori is taking a new class this fall - imaginart! He really is digging it!

Here he is, hamming it up for us at the camera.

The first week we did hand prints, turning them into funny little turkeys. Ori LOVED painting on his hand. I actually got the impression that he's somehow paint deprived or something. The other children were equally enthralled.



Cartwheels also has a sensory table that the children can use. Last week it was full of corn.



And some gratuitous pictures of my georgeous children. :D





Aren't they pretty!




Orin is very fond of playing games these days - peek a boo is certainly one of his favorites!

We're well into the swing of life now, with school and Aikido forming the major pattern, Girl Scouts (and my Service Unit responsibilities), Sunday School, Ori's art class and toddler montessori classes, babysits in the coop, and the occasional meet up with Brig, Lori, or Lynn filling out the schedule. I've joined (well, gone twice, but intend to continue going) a writer's gropu that I like very much. Sometimes I even remember to get from the library and read the book club book, sometimes not. JAC still likes meetups with his fella friends on Thursdays, especially during football season.

I'm enjoying my writing a lot, working on and thinking of the depth of the characters and the twists of the plot, an enjoyable way to fill out my time. I made some big leaps last Tuesday with the group, and look forward to working on their work. The group is usually pretty small, but thoughtful and intelligent. Can't ask for much more than that!

Beca is doing very well at Aikido. She passed her first stripe test a few weeks ago, and is enjoying the movement, contact, and challenge that it offers. Censai Rick is really wonderful with the kids, they learn well from him and respect him a lot. I hope to take some pictures of them soon - she is quite sweet looking in her Gi.

Ori is starting to communicate better - words and sentances intermixed with Orinish - a mixture of ancient Mandarin and angel speak. We've been doing lots of babysits lately, enjoying having other children his own age over for a play date. Josh is still his best buddy, but these other children are fun for him as well. Today he beat up on Maggie a bit too much, but accidentally. He was very generous with his time, toys, high chair and food. So nice to see.