Goings on

Well, it's been busy around here! Between the fires and High Holy Days it's felt very chaotic and busy lately. Here are the highlights!

• Mae started piano lessons! She is a natural. While she will need to work on keeping her wrists higher, her hands curve perfectly and she has lots of strength in her fingers so each note is clearly executed. She likes it a LOT. And because she is a lefty, her LH is nice and strong. I LOVE having a primer book on the piano!
• Sam has had an active few weeks in 1st grade. His reading is going much better; they are obviously doing phonics at school because he can read almost anything as long as it follows the rules. Today three separate little boys (who had been in the other K class last year) approached me after school to ask for a playdate with Sam. They all love him. Who wouldn't?!
  
• Ted returned from Outdoor Ed this afternoon, dirty, tired and testy. But while chatting with Adam (the sole male teacher on the trip, though there were plenty of dads), we learned that Ted had been an amazing role model for the younger kids and was always up for helping anyone who needed it. Julie (his teacher) came up to us at the end of our chat and gave Ted a high-five. "He was awesome," she said. This is why I love the multi-age classes at Horizons. Ted does well striving to meet high expectations (when he is in the younger set) and does even better in a leadership role (when he is in the older set.) I am so proud of him! I hope he sleeps well tonight. It should be easier; at least he doesn't smell anymore (amazing to me how stinky an 8year old can get with only 2 days of mud and dirt!)
  
• My friend Wendy is an Ironman! I am so incredibly proud of her and impressed by her dedication and commitment. We had coffee today and it was so great to hear her race stories and get a glimpse into the enormity that is an IM race. SO proud!
  
• High Holy Days are half over! Rosh Hashanah services went beautifully and the cantor informed us that he was looking to increase the music program at Sinai (more services means more money for me!) so that was great news. We may start singing at one Shabbat service a month and perhaps do some guest recitals. It all sounds good to me! Yom Kipper is coming up - epic days.
• I've been keeping busy training (since both my bike ride and 1/2 marathon are rescheduled due to the fire, I have to keep training ... *sigh*) and have gotten used to my Newtons now. I'm still doing Yoga and am finally able to get into some of the tougher postures. It's going to be a real asset this winter, I can tell. I've done 3 10-mile runs, so I'm ready for the 1/2. Bring it on - please!
  
• I've also fallen into my fall/winter pattern of returning to cooking. The solar oven I lent to the K class last year didn't see much use, so it was returned to me and I've had a blast ever since. Zucchini muffins were a huge hit a few weeks ago and I baked Sam's bday cupcakes in them with great success. This weekend I cooked up a fantastic pot of Sun Oven Soup. I had tons of fennel from the CSA and added it in and I think it really made it into something special. I made it again tonight. YUM!
• Other than that, I've been busy working on the HHS Board and coordinating the liaisons at Horizons. It's been a busy start and now that Outdoor Ed is wrapping up, things will settle down some. Nancy is coming for Thanksgiving so we are all very excited about that!
  

Hopefully I'll update sooner next time! Shana Tova!