Weird but fun

 This weekend the weather was supposed to be crummy, so we've stayed around the house. It turns out that the weather has been great, so some of our home time has also been outside.

Last weekend, we filled the days with some out of the ordinary activities. 

Saturday, we went to the St. Louis Renaissance Festival. It was weird but fun. It felt disorganized and chaotic, but I really think it was probably planned very well. It's just in the middle of a park and the mud was a bit distracting. Apropos, but still. 

Here are the king and queen cheering on their champion for the joust.

Sunday, we went to the immersive Van Gogh exhibit in the Galleria parking lot. That was a bit surreal and weird but overall cool.

Anyway, it was nice to get out and about. However, it really made the weekend go by rather quickly to have actual plans and things to do. I'm definitely not quite up to doing that all the time just yet. 

It's been nice, this weekend, to just relax and stay in our cozy house together. 

Holiday Spirit

We had a lot of fun last weekend with some animals on the patio of Rockwell Brewing. There is no better way to get into the spirit of everything holiday than hanging out with animals who are all dressed up for the season.

This little alpaca was super soft and a little wacky. Sophia had so much fun with the other kids walking them around. It was very fun to watch.

The sunshine was just lovely and felt amazing. I'm so happy that I get to have adventures - big and little - with these two lovely people.

Breaking the Seal

It's hard to believe, though not really, that I have only posted once or twice so far in 2019. It's been a very fast year. There are almost ten blog drafts that never got published. Let's hope that this one doesn't get added to that.

At some point in the recent past, I got a new phone.

Then we went to the brewery and I took some pictures. I will post those here as a way to break the current seal on this blog.

Even the selfie camera is marvelous.

I took a lot of pictures of Sophia. She was making faces in most of them. I love that about her. She's just so darn cute.

She took some pictures of me, and I was making faces, too. I guess she gets the silly streak from me. At least partially.

Scooter Fun

Lime Bike and other short-term rental scooters have been in St. Louis all summer, but we just had our first time out on them yesterday at the Arch.

It's a bit of a hoot, chasing around the available scooters and trying to find one without a dead battery. Once we found a couple, though, we took turns tooling around the grounds. I am looking forward to some time being able to find THREE at once so we don't have to stick to a small area.

Anyway, I'm loving this weather and excited about more Sunday afternoon outdoor fun!

The Other Opening Day

Last night was the opening game for the Cardinals. We would have loved to go, but it was 7 p.m. on a school night, so... we'll probably wait for a while. On another note, Sophia's chorus sings the national anthem (or America the Beautiful) before a Cardinal game in May! And a friend of ours is throwing out the first pitch next Sunday for Autism Awareness Month!

Anyway, this isn't about Cardinals games. This year, we decided to fully support the home soccer team (USL) and we bought season tickets. Mostly because Erick has always wanted season tickets to something, and these were very reasonable. We do love the team. I'm just pointing out the obvious.

It was a really great game! Maybe the most impressive we've seen from them so far. We ended up winning with 3 goals to 2, though we did not see the last goal as some college kids stood on the benches in front of us out of excitement.

I enjoy the atmosphere at this little park quite a bit. There is always something fun for the kids to do. Our seats this year are close to the bathroom. I find that a significant bonus. It did end up being quite a bit colder than we thought. We didn't bring mittens, so Sophia improvised.

Sophia got her goalie gloves signed by the STLFC goalie, and she was so inspired that she wanted to practice yesterday. Pretty good form, I'd say. Biased, I know.

Spring Break

Our Spring Break has been idyllic. We have done some outdoors and some indoors, and we've gotten lots of rest and had fun. I couldn't have asked for a better first week no longer working - that's a different story, but it makes this week that much sweeter.

Erick took Monday off to be with us, so we took full advantage of the nearly hot day we had by going to Laumeier Sculpture Park. We were not the only ones to have the idea, but we were the only ones I saw allowing their kid to dip in the creek. It was warm!



After the creek, she built her own sculpture. Quite lovely, too, I must say.

Sophia had some work to do with her partner on the Science Fair. But, even that took place with quite a bit of play and fun.

Today, we're relaxing. What better way to relax than inside a fort of pillows with a dog and his puppy friend.

Still have a few days left of our lovely week! Nothing on the calendar but fun and hanging out together. I'm so lucky.

Thanksgiving 2016!

I know it's been two months since I've posted. I'm still getting used to this working thing. So, please be patient. I do think I'll get back to the point where I can post once a month instead of once every two months. Maybe.

For now, let me just tell you about our Thanksgiving this year.

It was relaxing and fun. Not a lot of time outside, but just a little to work up an appetite after the Macy's parade. Grandmary was with us, and we all enjoyed the family time.

Sophia wore herself out practicing goalie in the park. So Erick generously carried her back up the hill.

The rest of our weekend was more of the same time of relaxing and fun. We got up all the decorations, and put our tree into our newly orange room.

Sundays at the Art Museum are Family Fun Days, so we try to go there when it works out. This Sunday they had the chance to decorate ornaments for their tree and ours. I couldn't think of a better way to spend a chilly Sunday afternoon in St. Louis.

Tomorrow, it's back to work and school. Just like every other family in this stage, we're all a little melancholy. We have a longer break to look forward to, of course, but it feels like it might be a long month. Hopefully I'll have the chance to tell you something more in the meantime!

Happy holidays!

A willing learner and effective communicator

Sophia started school last week. With the return to our routine, I also started something new - job hunting.

It's not just any job that I'm hunting for. It's a job with purpose. I want to be in a position to make a difference, and I can wait a while or take a completely entry-level job to make that happen. 

Over the last couple of years, I've been the co-president of the Parent Teacher Organization at Sophia's school. She is lucky to go to one of the best schools in one of the best districts in the state. 

Along with the commitment I made to Sophia's school, I've been volunteering at a school in the Normandy District, which is in a much different position than Clayton. It's unaccredited, and its students can transfer out to other schools in the area as long as it remains that way. The two schools can be seen as completely different in some ways. However, in many ways, they are the same. I spend most of my time in both schools in the office. The administrators of both schools know all the kids by name. They are happy to see them in the morning, although in Normandy, there is a pushback on the kids who come in late too often. In Clayton, that's not really an issue. In both schools, the needs of the kids come first, and every step forward is celebrated. The difference is in the steps.

All this to say, I have grown a passion for equity in education. The kids in both schools are bright and sweet and want to do the right thing. They want to go to college, and for the most part, they still believe they can do just about anything. And, for the kids in Clayton, even the ones who don't live in the district, almost anything is within reach. For the kids in Normandy, it's going to be tougher. They shouldn't have to work twice as hard to get the same result. But they do. It's not only one problem - money or teachers - it's a thousand problems. Just because it's huge, doesn't mean it shouldn't be tackled and chipped away at. 

Lots of organizations are working on different aspects of these issues. Food, supplies, extra reading help, behavioral intervention to name a few. There are organizations working toward fixing the gaps at the high school level, so kids can come out and get a quality college education or get connected in the workforce. I have some ideas about which areas I want to invest in, but honestly, I just want to get the clear to jump in and I'll figure it out.

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no “brief candle” for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

George Bernard Shaw

Sweating in the Garden

Yesterday was a lot like today: hot. Very hot. Missouri mid-summer hot. Yet, we're not in mid-summer. Oh well.

Our goal for the summer is to live in the moment and stay busy. To that end, Sophia and I have tried to get out and do stuff every day. Yesterday morning, we were tired and dreading the heat. However, the MO Botanical Gardens are free to residents on Wednesday mornings, so...

We had the best time in the Garden. We walked around to all the areas that we miss when we go for the summer concerts. The Japanese garden is my favorite and Sophia's too. I was taking a picture of that particular garden when Sophia photo bombed it. The result is very cute.

Here we are glistening as we walk. I'm not sure how much water we drank because we refilled our water bottle at each water fountain. The shade was so lovely, though. The breeze cooled us just enough to feel like we could make it all the way.

Another place we don't normally go is the house of the garden's benefactor, Henry Shaw. This time, however, we went in and did the whole tour. Sophia loved it! She said how great it would be to live in a house like this some day. It is a great house. They have a great deal of original furniture and such, too, which makes it all the more interesting and, according to Sophia, a little creepy.

We made it all the way through the garden, with the final stop at the Children's Garden splash park. It was a lovely way to pass a morning with my girl. This summer is turning out to be quite lovely, in spite of the heat.

Staycation - Boating

We used Forest Park several times during our staycation. Why not? There are many, many things I love doing in the park, but the more I think about it, my favorite may very well be hanging out at the Boathouse and then doing paddle boats.

One of the staycation days we had was marvelously overcast. Just a nice little breeze.

We started by waiting for our table. In preparation for our time at the Boathouse, I've been keeping all the heals and crusts of our bread. Sophia loves to feed the ducks. I love to watch them. She used a few pieces here, but saved most for our boat ride.

Hard to say what's so funny. She's eight, so I'm guessing it was not table talk.

She's in another phase of looking just like her daddy, isn't she?

The resemblance is uncanny. And goofy.

Here's why she likes to save bread for the ride. I think she feels like the Pied Piper or some sort of duck whisperer. Regardless, she's always sad when the bread runs out and they glide away.

Forest Park has a surprising amount of wildlife. They're not usually out and about during the day, though, so we were surprised to see this little guy digging around for crawfish.

My favorite spot. Or top five.

Sophia took the camera for a while. I'm lucky she didn't drop it in, but she was pleased with the hundreds of pictures she took. Here's one.

Paddleboating is hard work. My butt hurts just thinking about it. It's worth it, though. It was a lovely day to make memories.

St. Louis Soccer

Last weekend was the home opening match of the St. Louis Football Club. The stadium is way out in Fenton, which is about 30 minutes away (25 minutes farther than we drive for entertainment typically). It was not the last time we'll be making the drive.

Before the match started, there were lots of fun things for kids to do. Hoops contest, kicking contest, the Bubble Bus!! And, of course, the Team Store...

The match was sold out, which meant 5,500 or so? That's not a ton of people really, but the atmosphere was so much fun! Lots of energy and excitement.

Sophia got into it much more than I thought she would. In case you were wondering, she's the kind of kid who yells out "RED CARD!" any time one of our players is fouled by the other team. She's also the kind of kid who goes crazy when the team scores.

As she learned from her time at Quakes matches with our family in California, Sophia will not leave a soccer match without obtaining signatures and pictures. Here she is getting a signature from the goal scorer, St. Louis native and former Quake, Brandon Barklage.

Like I said, that was not our last time out there, and hopefully in the years to come we can get season tickets if it's going to result in this response...

First Sledding on Art Hill

Now that we've been, it's hard to believe that it took us until our fifth winter here to sled down Art Hill. We used all the usual excuses of crowds and cold, not to mention the fact that we have a more than passable sledding hill at the bottom of our street.

It's true that it was crowded. More than a little crowded. It was packed. Heaving with kids, teens and adults at some stage of getting up the courage either to push off down the hill or make the long trek back. That's the thing about a long hill. It's a lot of fun until you're walking up.

As soon as we arrived, Sophia hopped on and took off down the hill. We shouted after her the reminders of "Roll off if you're about to hit someone!" She made it just fine.

Then we took turns joining her on the sled. I loved going down that hill so much! It really is a test of skill and courage to weave between the crowds and the sleds, dodging and twisting. It's even more fun if you can still have some speed built up when you hit the hay bales at the bottom.

I still love our neighborhood hill. We will definitely spend most of our sledding time there, where we are free to stop in the middle and throw snowballs or wrestle. But I don't plan on letting another winter pass by without taking part in this exhilarating St. Louis tradition. 

Into the Woods

As badly as I'd love to see the movie Into the Woods, that's not what this post is about. This is about Forest Park. And Leo.

As you know, since we've moved to St. Louis, we have lived across the street from Forest Park. It takes less than five minutes for us to walk to one of the most picturesque locations in the city. And we have. In the last four years, we have used that park a lot. A very lot. Playgrounds, museums, picnics, lakes and the whole thing. We've used most of what the park has to offer.  

However, since Leo has been added to our family, we have discovered its wilder side. In the past, we have only used the woods as a cut-through to the zoo. That is no longer the case. In the past, we had sometimes hopped into the car to get to what we thought were the more useable parts of the park. Or we'd walk to one of the buildings. Having a dog who needs walks has led us to be more creative, and that has opened up a world we didn't realize existed. 

At least once a week since we've gotten Leo, we have followed the much less-beaten paths through the woods. We have been when it's cold, when it's muddy, when it's hot. 

No matter when we go, it's beautiful. Sometimes we have to drag Sophia off the couch to get her there. That's a fact. Another fact is that once we're there, we usually have to drag her back home. Point out growling stomachs or fingers and noses changing color from exposure. She has discovered that she loves fallen trees. She already knew that she loved mud holes and creeks.

There are many things that I love about having a dog, but this may be the very best thing so far. The woods.

New Digs

It's all rather similar in our new place. Familiar but different. I'm loving my work space here, and the kitchen is simply wonderful.

We're all settling in nicely. Even Gabriella doesn't seem to have much to complain about.

It's the perfect time of year in this neighborhood. The trees are changing and the temperatures are just right for open windows. I'm grateful for our new home, which could possibly even be our old person's home one day. We haven't had that possibility for a while, and it makes me happy!

Of the Hotel by Sophia

For the next eight days we are  living in a hotel. We went to the pool.We also get free breakfast. It is called cheshire. It also lets my cat come to. I don’t know about you but I think that is pretty cool.

Weekend Recap

I don't think I've actually brought up the fact that we're moving. That's probably because it was so sudden and it's not a long distance move - just through the alley.

In spite of all the madness that comes with a move, we managed to have a lovely weekend. My parents came to visit - partly to help out with packing and partly so Erick and I could partake in LouFest. Both wonderful reasons, I might add.

Sophia also had a nice time at LouFest on Saturday. I love taking her to places like that so she can experience something new and different. And so we can make great memories together.

Another great thing this weekend was Sophia's first soccer game. She hasn't been sure about the whole thing, but it turns out she loves it, especially when she's goalie. That should make for a very fun fall.

 Next post will either be from our temporary home in The Cheshire or from our newer, smaller, all ours place. Until then!

Circus Time!

Yesterday, Sophia and I made our first trip to Circus Flora, a St. Louis tradition for 28 years. I don't plan on missing another year of this incredible circus.

Even though it was a terribly hot day, the performers worked so hard to transport us to another imaginative dimension. Obviously from this picture, you can see that Sophia was also entranced by the circus. I loved seeing the look of wonder on Sophia's face.

                                              

The Wallendas have been a family of circus performers since the 18th century!! Now there are several branches of the family performing in the United States and around the world. One of them performs in St. Louis every year with Circus Flora. And they were so fun to watch! 

Yesterday afternoon was the first time that Circus Flora had a "sensory-friendly" performance. As we walked in, they gave us an informational sheet to give people in attendance a good idea of what to expect in the way of noise, lights and action. Sophia had always been nervous about going to the circus before because of the noise and intensity. Once I told her this performance would be safe for her, she was excited to give it a try. Next year, we may be able to try the full experience. I don't think it will be much different, but the volume, at the least, will be louder.

The circus included horses, camels, dogs, a clown not dressed as a clown and so many acrobats and physical performers! It was an amazing afternoon for me and Sophia. We both had lots of stories to tell. Can't wait to see what next year's Circus Flora will bring.