Break...

We are starting second grade on Monday, and we had a little over one month completely off school. It has been a busy and fun break. This week, Analese is doing Vacation Bible School. The first day that we left Analese there, Mariele cried all the way back to the car. She kept saying, "I want Analese! I want Analese!" Those two are the bestest of friends, and they don't separate very often.
 
 I've been able to knock out some of Mariele's pre-K on these mornings that Analese is at VBS. Mariele loves school, and is learning her letters and phonics.
 Analese has had some math brain drain on her break, but her reading has blossomed. She is completely obsessed with her chapter books lately. She reads a chapter book at a rate of a book every day or two. She is a voracious reader, and I am so very glad. She even got her own library card a couple of weeks ago. Bedtime at our house typically looks like this.
 
 She is engrossed! I'm so glad she loves Ramona like I do.
 I will try to get back into more regular blogging. I was just enjoying the break from our normal structure and routine as well.

Evolution of an Exercise room...

We just had three floors remodeled in our home. The kitchen (which needed it pretty badly), the school room (which is always covered with a rug, but it did need the refinishing also) and the exercise room. The exercise room showed the most dramatic difference. The day we decided to buy the house, the exercise room looked like this:
 It is hard to tell from the photo, but the floor was not in the best condition. It does look like a warm, cozy little office, but we had visions of a home gym. So the first thing we did is rip out those built in cabinets. I know you are gasping, but wait...
 Ripping out those cabinets created a lovely hole in the floor and a lovely unfinished back wall. To add to the charm of this rustic room, we placed an old TV on top of a cooler. We were well on our way to being featured in Better Homes & Gardens.
 This configuration DID get me through the first few months of my first 500 mile challenge. We did spring for a new TV, but the room still had a way to go.
 Following the wall and floor refinishing.......TADA!

Beauties in the morning sun...

Saying goodbye...

Analese's very first teacher at The Little Gym is leaving to pursue her teaching career at a private school. Ms. A is wonderful, and the school will, indeed, be blessed by her many talents. Analese and Ms. A in January of 2009 (just a few days before Mariele was born):

Analese, Mariele and Ms. A yesterday: