First Day of School! Redux

The Elder started school last Tuesday, but in Saint Paul Kindergarten didn't start until yesterday.

So, here is the second first day of school photo.

The Younger was so excited to start!

He did really well - met some new friends, navigated the cafeteria like a pro, he is so ready!

Today, after a piano lesson, and before some more piano lessons, I have a few hours to relax, do some knitting and sewing that I have been putting off until I had some time, and maybe drink some tea.

What's on your agenda today?

Thank You and {This Moment}

Thank you all for joining us in our excitement!

I was a little overwhelmed with all of the kind words and well wishes yesterday.

It's a pretty wonderful place, this blogland.

Yarn Along and Other News

Joining Ginny again for Yarn Along.
A few weeks ago I saw that someone was reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and I added it to the growing list of books to someday read.

Well, when I saw it at a garage sale for 50 cents I snapped it up and I am so glad I did!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a semi-autobiographical novel by Betty Smith about growing up desperately poor in the early 1900s in Brooklyn.

Her descriptions of the daily lives and social interactions of her childhood home were vivid, raw, often sad, but sometimes beautiful.

The knitting is a pirate sweater for the Younger. He is way, way into pirates right now.

The plan is to put a Jolly Roger pocket on when it's finished, and he asked if I could add an Imperial Navy flag on the opposite side.

He's so funny.

In other news, I have been flipping occasionally through the book that my midwife gave me at my first OB appointment a month ago.

Which means that we are expecting a third baby in the spring!

Thanks to Yarn Along, I won't suffer for great ideas for baby knitting!

Good thing I have a little time :)

What have you all been reading and knitting lately?

First Day of School!

Today is the first day of school in Saint Paul, as long as you're in 1st grade or above.

So the Elder hopped on the bus this morning and went on her solitary way to 2nd grade.

For Kindergarten we have to wait another week!

The Younger did get to go in anyway and have his goal-setting conference with his teacher.

The big goals for this year are to be able to cross the monkey bars on the big playground, play and read 4 books.

Happy First Day, everybody!

The Fair!

We just got back from our annual trip to the Minnesota State Fair, and we had tons of fun!

Even after 6 hours we hadn't seen everything - we missed the animal birthing center, the play farm, the old-time-y village and the fine arts building.

But we did eat lots of stuff,

see the Butter Heads and the crop art,

go on many,

many

rides,

eat more stuff,

and bond with farm animals of all 4-legged varieties.

Whew, summer can end now.

Have a great weekend, and here's to school starting this week!

Exploring Music

I am an old book junkie. I have been collecting old books and old sheet music since Jr. High.

The other day I was in search my old Beverly Cleary books in my parents' attic, and I came across this awesome book - Exploring Music.

The copyright is from 1975, but the book was originally published in 1966.

This is really much newer than the books I usually like to pick up. Most of my library is full of books from 1900-1945.

Anyway, I was hoping to find a song or two to sing with my children's choirs when we start rehearsing next Wednesday, and I found a treasure trove! There are great folk songs in here, along with some church-y stuff that wouldn't fly in today's school environment, but will be perfect to sing with the Alleluia choir.

Even better than the song selections contained within this lovely book are the illustrations -

These fashions! I think the Elder needs a sweater with an anchor on it!

And the Younger would look spectacular in a charming sweater vest!

Mostly, I just wish I had looked through this book when I was a musician at work in a music store! I would totally have had this made into a poster to hang above my work station.

Have you found any treasures in your attic lately?

p.s. Thank you all for your kind comments on the Hello Kitty Compromise! You're all the best!

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