catching up after a break

goodness, lots has happened since i last posted. i just haven't felt like blogging, so i haven't. things have been good though. we've been having fun as a family, i'm refocusing and that can't be anything but good. 

let me start with first day of school (happened before i last posted, but just now took the photos off my camera) for the kids. ethan is an eighth grader and annie is a junior. they are both very happy (well, ethan is a bit miffed that the school is trying out an 80% test, 20% class work policy, he feels it's very unfair.) and seem to be enjoying the year so far.

ethan's schedule allowed for him to take german all year and he's pretty pumped he got placed in german 2. the fact that his dad and sister speak the language and can assist at home had something to do with frau's decision, but he's happy nonetheless. his core was split this year and all his "popular gal pals" are in the other core, which caused him some despair. but ethan charisma conquers all and he's easily filled up on his quota of new ones. he's found a new interest in the piano, his teacher gave him some classical pieces to learn and memorize for a cash prize contest next spring. funny how money will motivate this boy. i don't mind. practice logs are due today for orchestra, so we've been hearing a lot of cello lately. apparently his strings were strung backwards for the past year, so a trip to the music store and a book of peanuts cello music have made cello practice much more enjoyable. i love that my kids and husband are musical. makes our home such a lovely place to be. he's also decided that he really likes to hike. he and kelly went to REI a few weekends ago and got him fitted for a backpack. the young men at church are planning a high adventure backpacking trip next summer and seeing all the cool gadgets really got e excited. he's even suggested a family hike this fall to get started on the training process. he attributes his sudden love of the sport to being in better shape due to biking to school. oh and getting older. :) i'll take it, whatever it is.

annie's packed her schedule full of sciences, she's digging physics. she had a conflict with her choir, but the teacher said he needed her in there so badly, he's willing to have her come once a week and work on the music at home. that was a confidence booster. she has 8th hour free so spends some of that time working on the choir pieces, but also uses some days to practice the piano. almost an hour of practicing and she's noticing a difference in her abilities. it's cool to see. she's a TA for a couple of her favorite teachers from last year and loves that time with them.  mid-summer, she and the boyfriend decided to break up with him going to college and all, so she's boy-less and seems to be handling it very well. lately, she's been skyping with a guy she met at EFY this summer, despite dad's obvious concern. the worries of a father never end. i'm not worried, he lives in so. dakota. that's far enough away for me. and he's a nice boy. she's found pinterest and loves to search for new ways to style her hair. her favorite one to date is a headband wrap of wet hair at night that gives her curly hair ALL DAY LONG the next day. pretty nifty. she's very into dresses and skirts and someday soon, we'll make a few more for her.

i think i'll parse out the rest over the next few days, because if i blog everything today, i just may have another long span of no updates. however, i'll give you a teaser of what's in store:

• labor day weekend in breckenridge

• bishop's retreat in breckenridge

• scrapfest with maya road

• getting acclimated at cocoa daisy

• thoughts on becoming a writer

and probably more, but i can't think at the moment. enjoy :)