an update!!

It has been very busy around here!!! We have some updates though, so bullets it is!

• First off, Mae is starting dance class! She is SO excited. She'll be taking a ballet/gymnastics combo class at the Mountain Center, with Gabi. It's a class for 3 and 4 year olds. We got her ballet shoes and adorable leotard yesterday and she hasn't taken it off yet. Next Tuesday is Rosh Hashanah, but we'll start up the following week. She won't wear tights, but loves that tutu!
• Next in news, Sam is enjoying soccer and was very proud to tell the doctor today that he plays. He also managed to communicate that he doesn't ride with training wheels anymore, but he was in a weird goofy mood and was wanting me to talk for him. He got 4 shots today, poor guy, but we made it up to him with a new YouBeFunky guy, Wags.
  
• Not to be outdone, Ted came home today with a newsletter announcing that First Graders officially have homework. Every night. It is to read for 20 minutes. Any kind of reading: to yourself, out loud, being read to, etc. So we instigated "Family Reading Time" and set the time for 10 minutes of "Reading Alone" followed with 10 minutes of him reading to me and then me reading to him (and to the other kiddos). It was really nice. The first 10 minutes passed quickly. Ted read a simple book about peace (I could see him mouthing the words to himself). Sam looked through a Pokemon book and Mae turned pages on a new book we got in the mail about mezuzahs. Then the timer rang, disturbing us all really (I was into our bookclub book, Cassandra & Jane). Then Ted read a book to me that he had completed in school (it had math, colors and reading all rolled into one activity. Cool.) and then I read Peter and the Wolf to everyone. The timer rang during this (!) but we ignored it. Then I read the Peace book to them too. I think this is going to be really nice. Plus I might get my bookclub book read earlier!
• And in delicious food news, we had a scruptious local dinner tonight of Popeye Pasta from EDBV. It had TONS of greens in the sauce and the sauce itself had a touch of sweetness to it. A keeper for sure. Mmm.