Here's the kiddos on their first day of school, January 23. Alex is in year 7, Annika year 2, and Ian Prep (Kindergarten for you all back home!)
Keep in mind were we to go back home right now, Alex would be in 6th grade, Annika 1st, and Ian would be back in preschool until the fall!
So, back to school! Hooray for everyone and we are all happy with their classes, etc. Alex got the teacher she wanted, Annika is in class with her two best girlfriends (I think her teacher last year did that on purpose!) and Ian is in full day as well. He is perhaps the least thrilled with school. First, he got used to having his mamma all to himself and second, he has not gotten to play with the bug shape robots (beebots) he saw during the preview visit last term. Until he gets his hands on those, he tells me every day is the worst day EVER! Funny kiddo!
I spent the 1st day reveling in the quiet house, doing laundry, reading and took a nap without any interruptions! Heaven, I tell you! Now I can get errands done in half the time, no potty stops, and no "are we done yet mom?" from the back seat. Tuesday was an exercise in frustration. I had to drive to the other side of town for car service from the dealer and it was bumper to bumper the entire time. A 20 minute drive took over an hour with rain pouring down in buckets! It took less time to get home, but still nuts. Would you believe an oil change and check similar to what you get at Jiffy Lube costs nearly $200 here! Unbelievable! Wednesday was much more full on. I had enrollment forms for before and after school daycare to fill in, my history lesson to finish and submit, update my resume with Australia info and certification, letter of introduction to the school Principals, and paperwork for the girls aerosport and swim club. Alex is going to swim 2 nights a week and do aerosport (dance/aerobics competition) 1 or 2 days a week as well. Annika is also doing aerosport 1-2 days a week. We've decided to wait and see on the competition level as that is a big time and money commitment, and with swimming we are pretty full as it is. The school competition team is pretty intense-they regularly make it to state and national competitions and place very well, if not win outright!
The rain has been pretty intense here the last several days as well. Between the La Nina currants and typical summer weather here, it is pretty wet. We've had nearly 10 inches of rain this week, with at least as much next week. This is the weather that caused major floods last January, so we are keeping a close eye on the forecasts and the storms as they develop. Many creeks have jumped their banks and there are tons of roads closed due to flooding. It has made it interesting to try and get around town! Temps have been mid 70's for the highs and low 70's at night, with humidity near 100%. Glad it is cool, or we would all be pretty miserable! It is unbelievable how hard it has to rain to get 2 cm an hour. You can't hear much of anything inside because of the rain in the tree leaves, on the ground, on the roof (no insulation here!), all over! You can seriously take a full shower in it, it is that heavy, and nearly warm enough to be comfortable as well. The rain does not stop outdoor activities though-Alex has done swimming twice already this week, the school pool is several inches too high! School recess has been inside as the kids get soaked and as it is the first week back, I bet the teachers are going a bit nuts right now!
Tomorrow is Australia Day! This is their version of the 4th of July, BBQ included. Granted, we will be BBQing in the pouring rain, but it's the thought that counts! The city has cancelled several outdoor celebrations because venues are flooded, but the party will continue despite it all. I did a lot of Aussie themed shopping this week for things to bring home for Christmas in June. . . but you'll just have to wait, won't you!
This weekend will be busy despite the rain. Ian starts swimming lessons Saturday morning, and for those who know how much he HATES the water, this will be interesting! We will be going to a birthday party after swimming (and I bet a nice long nap will be on his to do list as well) and have friends over for BBQ on Sunday for lunch. Whew! I have to clean the house! Ack!
It's so fun to catch up with you guys and read all of the differences between Wenatchee and your new home. It's so bizarre to read about the totally differnt season (seems so foreign right about now) ... and the cost of an oil change, my word! Hooray for a quiet Mommy day!
ReplyDelete... and just so you know, as we were attempting to drive Lightning through the snow on our walk the other day, the cul-de-sac is still, "Ian's Loop" to one little four year old :0)