Yellow Belt

Let's not talk about how long it has been since I've posted. Long enough that Zane has now moved up to yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do. He had his test on Saturday and was so thrilled to pass the test.

time flies

zane started to take tae kwon do and is LOVING it!

wisdom day 2009 - see seby in his striped vest? he got to carry the class flag in! this might be the first year we had our own flowers to cut to bring for wisdom day. i guess i should explain what wisdom day is? Here is how the school describes it: Children bring a single flower from fields, florists, and backyards to greet their teachers. The flowers are brought into individual classrooms to create a bouquet.
We began this celebration in 1988 as part of a cultural exchange with Moscow School #31. It is a Russian custom to welcome the youngest children into the school and to remind us all of the privileges and responsibilities of education. Parents and children gather to hear our principal, Paulette Zoë, speak to the LCS families and staff, sing songs that are part of the life of the school community, and welcome the new year of opportunity and learning.
The ceremony concludes with two Children's House students carried upon the shoulders of two Junior High students. They lead the procession entering the school and are the first to be welcomed by Paulette Zoë. Next in line are the Children's House students (beginning with CH1) followed by the Elementary 1, Elementary 2, and Junior High students.


i know my updating is WAY over due - but these pics will have to suffice for now. life has been busy - the kids have been in school for a month. soccer is ending this week for cody & graham. cody takes his drivers test next week! yikes!

First Day of School

Here is Zane, ready to ride the city streets to get to school. He started his day at 1pm. He spent most of his morning looking at books while lying on Olive.



Zane also spent his last morning of summer arranging the animals for he and Seby "just so"!



Everybody started school on the same day this year - a first in a while! Cody & Graham were off on their bus at 7:50am, Seby then was picked up by a friend to start at 9am, with Zane attending his first day of Elementary 1 at 1pm.

I couldn't be more thrilled to have the teachers we do for both boys. Seby has a teacher that has been at the school since it opened many years ago, she will be working part time with the new teacher who will take over after 2 years. A very nice transition. I hope to learn as much as I can from her. Zane's teacher has been wonderful, letting Zane come and check out the classroom one day when we were at school (before the first day). I feel extremely fortunate to have such an amazing Montessori school available to us.

I promise to take some "retake" photos of Seby, Cody & Graham. Ops!

Walk For Justice

My trainer (I've been seeing her for about 6 weeks) advised me to volunteer at a triathlon so that next year I might want to do it. I associate even thinking of doing a triathlon as a very negative experience. The last time I tried to do one and in all the training and making sure I was doing the right stuff for my body - my doctor advised me to have my gallbladder removed, which resulted in some minor complications (but made me unable to keep up with my swimming training) and then we also moved - and that about broke my heart. Seeing this triathlon I think I can finally put those memories behind me and hopefully move forward to completing one for my 45th b-day, instead of my 40th (as previously planned).

I had never been to a triathlon and it was truly an amazing experience. I was placed along the run portion (which is also the last) - at a point where folks were just starting that leg - or just ending it. It was amazing to see all the different folks who did the race. How determined they were. It became obvious to me that how in shape you are has nothing to do with being able to do a triathlon - it is your determination. It also made me realize that Slade and I could and should do a run this fall. I found this, Walk For Justice, I found it thru our church (First Universalist, a Unitarian church).

So in just two weeks he and I will run a 2 mile race. Then I hope we will find a 5k to do in the spring. Today I did walking/running training for 1 mile - it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Thank you Kitty & Christina for the reference of the couch25k site. I have downloaded their 9 week training and my trainer loves it and I think will be passing it along to other new runners.

more recent oldies ...

Graham - our trash retrieving hero!



It was I don't remember how many years ago - 3? The Chicago cousins were there (O'd, Liz, Urris, Alex, Wes & Liam) and my sister and family (Christina, Chet, Catie & Becky), I think my parents were there as well.

A bunch of us were down at the dock (freezing!) and we saw a beer can floating in the lake. We all talked about how horrible it was and who was going to retrieve it? The moans all said it was too cold. Graham became our hero as he declared that he would go on the expedition to retrieve the trash.



Of course he received a proper hero's welcome!

California

What a great trip to California we all just had.

Seby, Zane & I arrived last Monday and stayed at a local hotel as all the rooms were taken at the Melnarik's. It was actually quite fun to have a swimming pool at our disposal. I have to admit I only used the gym once at our first hotel (stayed there 3 nights), then we moved to a different hotel once Slade, Cody & Graham arrived (they are high maintenance and needed a nicer hotel). Again, the pool was awesome - and this one was indoors and warm enough for the Hocia's to join us!

How fun it was to visit with my siblings. How much we have all matured.





We were able to see Dominick and his family - Lisa, Declan & Elta - what a treat to invite ourselves over to their home for brunch. All we had to do was bring our big family and two bottles of champagne.





The the big event - my parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary Party.




There was a wonderful pasta dinner at Paul & Miriam's the night before the big party. It was a great way to get some extra time with family we seem to hardly see!



I was even able to convince Cody, Graham & Slade to help sing a song to my parents at the party.

Look what I found while filing?

From Slade's days long ago working on the CBOE.

kids, what kids?

I'm kid-free and husband-free.

Cody & Graham are both in Chicago and Sebastian & Zane are at Camp Ihduhapi until Friday.

Really I'm missing my honey. So, of course I downloaded my pics from our recent trip to Chicago.

We had such a great time seeing old friends and also falling in love again with Chicago.

80? Seriously?

Yep, that's my mom. Giving Zane a piggyback ride home from eating out at Christo's (our favorite Greek restaurant). She must of done it several blocks. Happy Birthday Mom! And soon she will celebrate her 50th Wedding Annsy! She and my daddy.

They have set us wonderful examples of how to be a loving couple. Thank you!

No picture taking?

I just downloaded photos and can't believe what little I have to show for the life we have been leading this summer. I have NO pictures from our week up at the lake house for 4th of July - well except for some videos of Wes, Cody, Graham, Liam, Seby & Zane taking turns driving the toy tractor down the boat launch and whipping it around to a stop - all with inches to spare before they each either fall off the side of the launch, roll over, or just slide straight into the lake. It turns out these were just examples of what I was afraid they would end up doing, yet they never fell. I did make Zane go and put on a bike helmet, and EVERYONE teased me for it. I like his cute face and we had too recently already taken him to the ER for stitches from a pocket knife cut.

We had Liam come stay with us for the past two weeks and last week Seby, Zane & I drove Liam back to Chicago. I also had to go to a hearing for some building infractions we had on the Chicago apartments. Luckily we are all finished with that and hopefully they won't bug us for a while. If they do I have a few neighbors to point out.

I requested that we have dinner at Reza's our last night in Chicago - an old favorite of ours from when we lived in Andersonville in Chicago. Yum. It was still yummy and Reza is still greeting everyone at the door, with many of the same wait staff. Here are some pics of Seby & Zane devouring a new favorite dessert we had after our very large meal.




They each were able to fit 7 of these tasty treats into their already full tummy's. Zane was in a trance on the drive home. Sitting next to him I was a little worried he was going to throw up on me - and in Liz & O'd new car! But he didn't. Just food coma.

Zane HAD to get in a visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo - and who wouldn't love to do that? It is the best Zoo in the WORLD!



The next day Liz, Liam, Seby, Zane & I drove up to the lake house for a quick weekend. Slade, Cody & Graham drove up from Mlsp in our old Suburban - which we left at the lake house as our emergency car. We are so isolated at the lake house and Slade goes thru cars like crazy - there is always a car that can find a home at the lake house. Alex & Od drove up as well. It was lovely to spend the weekend together, even if it was quick. Driving there we saw the most amazing fog. We stopped and took some pics minutes away from the house. The kids also saw a porcupine climbing up a tree.





Yesterday morning we dropped off Seby at REI for his 3 hour drive to Camp Warren for TWO WEEKS! We had to stop at Target to pick him up a stuffed animal, as he realized he left he beloved Bear in his bed.



Enough updating, now I must go to a class at the Y.