Job Update

I mentioned earlier that I had a job interview while in Utah. I didn't get that job, but I got two other jobs. I now work two part-time jobs, and life is very crazy.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I'm the "office assistant" at a local nursery. In theory, I help with accounts payable and accounts receivable. In reality, I do all kinds of things. I've discovered that working in corporate finance does not translate into being accounting saavy. Fortunately, I am learning slowly but surely.

I also do SAT and ACT prep for a local center. I tutor high school students (in two-hour blocks) for the verbal portion of the SAT or ACT. Being anal about grammar is a big help, and the kids have been great so far.

Going from no jobs to two jobs created challenges at home. I think we're getting into a rhythm at last. When I go to work, Camille just says, "Bye Mom" and gives me a hug.

Halloween Preview

I know it's not Halloween yet, but I already have some pictures of the girls in costume (from a neighbor's birthday party).

Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we went to a pumpkin patch with the girls and some friends. It was really crowded, but the weather was nice. We went to the same pumpkin patch when we lived here years ago. We rode a boat over to the pumpkins and saw a scary shark and dragon along the way. After picking pumpkins (which get transported and dumped in the field from elsewhere), we rode a little train back to the cashier to pay for our pumpkins.

Finding just the right pumpking was the most difficult part of the outing. Almost as difficult was waiting until Monday night to carve them. The girls thought they would die having to wait so long. Now we just have to see if they rot on our doorstep before the big day.

Teaching Stubborn Kids

We headed off to our annual community/church service project on Saturday morning. We went to one of the local high schools to do yard work. As we got out of the car, the kids said, “I hate to work.” “It’s too cold outside.” On and on and on with the complaints.

We hauled the three girls from the car and checked in. The coordinator assigned us to remove ivy. (Apparently this is a type of ivy that is now outlawed in Oregon.) Russ and I started pulling the stuff out and eventually moved to shovels to attack the incredibly thick roots. And guess what? Madeleine and Elodie worked right along beside us. We’ve never seen them work so long. They spent about one-and-a-half hours uprooting ivy, clipping ivy, and pulling it off the walls. They were almost the only little kids there, but they did a fantastic job. No, we didn’t last the three hours we signed up for, but I was still impressed.

Fun Run

I spent Wednesday morning volunteering at the First Annual Fun Run. The local elementary school usually raises money through an auction. However, the lousy economy is keeping businesses from donating the way they usually do. The school’s answer was a “Fun Run,” where kids got pledges for each lap they completed.

I was happy to see both of my girls participating happily. Neither of them ran the entire time (which was about an hour), but they both kept moving. I was especially happy to see Elodie completing laps. We tried to participate in a family 5K walk last spring. Elodie made it about twenty steps before she said, “I’m tired. I don’t want to walk anymore.”

Even Camille participated. She only did one lap, but she thought hanging out on the playground was great.

Here's Elodie getting a snack between laps.

Elodie Cracks Me Up

On Sunday, we sat at the very back of the congregation during church. We sat on the folding chairs in the gym, rows added in the back of the regular chapel because the entire membership overflows the pews. Sitting in the gym inspired Camille to run back and forth on the wooden floor. I finally stood at the back of the gym to contain her. While I did this, I noticed Elodie creeping around the rows of chairs periodically. She would sneak up a few rows and then return to her chair a few seconds later.

I discovered what Elodie was up to when Camille and I finally returned to our seats. Elodie slowly stole all of the hymn books from the people in front of us. She had about twelve books by the time Camille and I sat down. Reverent? No. Funny? Very.

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Driving home yesterday, we discussed Elodie’s teacher who got remarried over the summer. Elodie said, “I’m going to buy a husband.”

“Really,” I said. “Where do you buy a husband?”

“At the store,” she replied.

“What store?” I asked.

“Target,” she replied.

New School Year

We’re at the end of the third week of school, and I’m just NOW getting around to posting anything about the new school year. Here’s the brief recap:

Madeleine: The school decided to “loop” Madeleine’s class from last year. That means Madeleine has the same teacher, meets in the same classroom, and attends class with many of the same kids from last year. The district split the school during the summer. Instead of 31 kids in her class, she now has 26. Madeleine was excited that one of the boys from last is now in another school. “He could run faster than I could,” she confided.

Madeleine has done a good job getting off to school each day. She has been a really good big sister to Elodie, especially riding the bus together in the mornings. However, Madeleine already told me, “I spend my whole life sitting in a chair!” She also said, “I don’t get enough time to play. I like summer better.” Madeleine also feels envious of her two younger sisters who don’t go to full days of school and get to “do things” at home.

Elodie: Elodie attends a.m. kindergarten. It has been difficult getting details out of Elodie this year. All I know is that she likes to take the bus in the morning and seems happy (but starving) when she comes home just after 11:00. I’m hoping she will share more details as the year progresses.