Changes around here

As you can see below, Sophia is going to start adding some posts to this blog.

She wanted her own, but this is our compromise. This is a safe place for her to share some of her thoughts and stories. I won't let her post more than once a day. I am not going to edit her posts even a tiny bit, although of course I'll help her with posting pictures and such. As a precaution, I am going to disable comments on her posts.

We'll see how this experiment pans out. I have no doubt that it will be entertaining. At the very least, it will be writing and typing practice for the three days that she sticks with it...

the story of lulu

hi I am Lulu.Iam so   very glad I have a friend as sweet as sophia. She takes care of me and  best of  all  she loves me.Plus she feeds me.We have been best friends for as long as I can remember.And I have been with sophia for 7 yaers.And I celebrate all of the holidays with sophia's family.Sincerly Lulu. 

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

First Grade Basketball

There is something that I've been getting more and more okay with as the school year goes by. First graders just don't have the "Awww" factor that Kindergartners (and younger kids) do. Of course they're awesome. No debating that. They're learning and stretching their minds and their wills and doing incredible things! They're awe inspiring more than aww inspiring.

But here's the thing. Last night, Sophia went to her first basketball practice with her team of first grade girls. I have not seen this much cuteness in one room all year.

These girls are so excited! So serious. Determined. Happy. Attentive. They have such a desire to please, improve, excel and dribble that damn ball.

It was ADORABLE.

I just don't know how to describe these girls. Or explain why it was so cute. They're not even unskilled. They're just cute. Really, really cute.

Saturday, they're naming their team. That will be entertaining. Sophia's preference is the Dragons. Why? I don't know.

Plus, she seems pretty pumped about having a "coach." Of course she loves having a new adult in her life. When we got home, "Should I call him 'Coach,' or should I call him by his name?"

Let Down

My body let me down. Although I really shouldn't say that. I got through the majority of this month with my health, even a workout thrown in now and again.

I'm sick now. A cold or something nasty. It hasn't kept us from having a good time, though, for the most part. Mary came over for our Thanksgiving Dinner from Dierberg's. Yummy as ever. This morning, we headed to the farm where Sophia takes lessons so she could get in one extra, since she's been sick too.

It was chilly but worth it.

Now Christmas is up around here. I'm finally starting to feel in the Christmas spirit just a tiny bit. Erick and Sophia take such sweet care of me when I don't feel well. It makes me that much more grateful for them.

Maybe now that things will potentially resume some normalcy, I'll have a chance to blog more. I'm not even sure what I'd write about, but I'll give it some thought.

Hope everyone's holidays are off to a beautiful beginning.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

I'm a little concerned that the light at the end of this tunnel might be a train. But I'm willing to take the risk just to get through.

Sophia has finally gotten healthy, knock on wood. In the three weeks before this one, she missed seven days of school, with a cough and occasional low grade fever that simply would not leave. Finally, in the last week, I took her back to the dr., where we were finally given the answer of walking pneumonia. Obviously not great news, but great to get antibiotics and an illness that will actually be helped by them...

That was going on while I'm still spending most hours of my day on the PTO Auction. Don't ask. Although, I'll probably tell you about it anyway.

And Erick is having his busiest time of the year so far - right now, often not getting home until it's pretty much time for Sophia to go to bed.

So, you can understand why we are all waiting anxiously for the end of this week. The first half of next week will be busy, but for me it will be tying up the loose ends. This weekend, after the penultimate event of this auction, we are so happy to welcome our friends from Seattle! They're just staying for one night, but it will be so great to have them, even if I'm largely in a cloud of angst and giddiness.

I had a minute. So I thought I'd let you in on the haps. Minute's over. Wish me luck.

My Halloween Post

I have a very busy week, and I doubt if I post again. Since I have yet to post anything from Halloween, I'm throwing this out there to tide you over till Crazy takes a holiday...

Halloween was a success in spite of the dreary fall day. Sophia is posing here with her friends the wicked queen and a Flying Wallenda. She is Ms. Frizzle from Magic School Bus.

As we prepare to Trick or Treat, she shows off the red highlights that complete her disguise.

Per usual, Erick and I got in on the action. Wouldn't want the spirits to recognize us, now would we?

There was some rain. Not as much here at the beginning, but the girls were prepared.

I love the Halloween walk around our neighborhood. Sophia had her joke prepared. We went this year with some friends who are not from St. Louis, or from the U.S., for that matter. They didn't know about the joke tradition. Only five houses in, though, and Sophia had taught jokes to her friends so they could enjoy the full experience.

It was a Happy Halloween. Plenty of candy, but Sophia isn't in it for the candy. She's in it for the later bedtime and the chance to make friends...