Getting big!

Even though I got a sweet new camera as a surprise gift from my husband, I am having problems uploading photos to my computer so I am still using my cellphone camera for the shots in this post.
This school-year has started out VERY WELL for both Ellie and I!!! We committed before her 1st day to have a "daily debriefing" before homework and chores every afternoon and it has been a great success. All we do is grab a snack together and sit on the back porch away from everyone else and she tells me about her day...and occasionally I tell her about mine. Hers are generally MUCH more interesting than mine. I LOVE this time with her and she seems to love it too! This year she is taking piano at school instead of playing flute in the band and she really loves it. They have the technology that allows the teacher to "plug into" any piano in the room and listen to each student individually. Ellie's band background has been very helpful and she is progressing well. I am so proud of my little biscuit!

Here is Walter and Eleanor together. I took about 25 shots and this is the only one that wasn't blurred by their constant motion. Walter is big, but he is definitely still a puppy!! He is a great dog. Very snuggly, sweet, and loyal. His sister is more of a jumper and drooler so I feel like we got the pick of the litter (I am biased, of course). Here is a shot of our fireplace at the new house...ummm....I am not finished decorating...note the lack of window treatments, but I realize that I had no new pictures of our new place on my blog!
My 7th grader! She just seems so much more grown-up this year...and we are all happier because of it! :)

Monthiversaries

So today marked one month since I started working again...and also one month since Ellie started middle school. We are both a lot busier and thus, a lot happier! I love working, if only for the sense of security it brings.

Today was a sad one at work. My employer keeps 2 German Shepherd attack dogs in the yard (I am working in the office for a landscape and lawn-care company right now) and today one of them was hit by one of our trucks. I witnessed the last breath before she died. The saddest thing was how the remaining dog cried and moped around afterwards!

It reminded me of how things can change in the twinkling of an eye! I am so grateful for a knowledge that we will all be reunited after this life. I can't imagine not having the comfort that brings me.

This month I started a new visiting teaching route. For you not familiar, this is how the women of my church keep tabs on one another by making monthly visits to a handful of other women in our congregation. The purpose is to fellowship, teach, and serve one another. So far I have visited 4 different sisters. The fascinating thing is how different everyone is from each other. I love getting to know new people and hearing about their experiences. It's like being in someone's real-life blog!! ha ha ha...that's a little joke.

Anyway, I am about 98% sure that I haven't contributed much to their lives (yet), but I think it's made a huge difference in mine. Haven't you ever noticed how much better life feels when you are thinking of someone else for a change? It's the only thing powerful enough to bring me out of the dulldrums!

I have also been interviewing for a job at a small college here in Charleston for the last several weeks and was told yesterday that I was selected for the position...now I am just waiting for them to get approval from the head honchos and I will be switching back into a university setting. I miss interacting with college students so I am excited!

Ellie got a new flute yesterday. She is taking both Chorus and Band at the middle school, but no PE...I thought that was bizarre, but I guess the PE classes were filled up when we registered her. She loves her music and science classes the most.

It is still hot as blazes every day here in Charleston, but the mornings are starting to cool off and I never thought I could appreciate sweater weather so much as I do this year!

Sorry about this post...with my camera broken, it looks like I will be back to weird ramblings for a while!!

Ultimate Frisbee

On Saturday, the Elder's Quorum had an ultimate frisbee activity...Elle and I tagged along and I captured these cute shots. Later one of the guys left and I got to take his place...it was super fun but then my legs were all kinds of sore Sunday and Monday...I guess I am not used to all that stopping, starting, and changing direction kinds of running! Paul was just happy to start making some new friends.

still cutting hair!

So Ellie was due for a trim and I was hoping that she would let me try out some of the new techniques that I recently learned. Alas, she was ADAMANT that I cut off only a TINY bit. She wants it all long and no layers. BORING. but it's her hair...

I took off an inch.

She read a book the whole time. Then I gave her braids.

The End.