Calling Card: Grunert family, at home

I've been very productive in thesis-writing this past week. I am, however, behind on blogging!

We're also behind on mowing but guess what? We live in Southern Colorado, where this is all the growth we can expect after two months of not mowing:

We continue to love our house; it's just big enough to have room for us, and small enough to be cozy.

Koopa thrives! On plenty of puppy food, two walks a day, multiple play sessions a day and a whole lot of love. 

I cannot overstate how much good he does us all.

After the first week of both kids in school came to an end, we hit up the zoo to celebrate (using the heck out of the zoo pass we were given!).

Look, a pair of lemurs!

These guys were gathered round to look at the picture of themselves I had just taken. They stared at my phone a long time while Jon took their picture.

Do you guys see the size of this bat?

I like the painted dogs better now that I have a canine at home. They seem friendlier and smarter all of a sudden.

lounging lions

And now, dear readers, I would like to tell you a story.

Our back yard, as some of you know, is composed mostly of part deteriorated slatted patio, and part dirt (with a few pleasant looking weeds). I've been saying for a while that I want something for the kids to play with back there. I don't think the space is big enough for a playground. I've been hoping that someday we might build or buy a playhouse.

A couple of weekends ago, I was walking in the neighborhood with Miles and Koopa and what should I see but this sight?

 

 Neither Jon nor I carry cash, but I felt we needed to stake our claim to this dream come true right away. I asked Miles if this house was worth $10 to him, and he agreed that it was. Home he went for his piggy bank. We came back just in time; someone was just pulling up with their truck to buy it while Miles was at the door, giving his dollars to the surprised seller. 

Next, we had to deal with the problem many of you had probably foreseen: how to get this edifice down the street and into our yard? The sellers had no help; they barely managed to drag it around to the front of their house and were without suggestions for us. We know exactly three families on our street, and only two of them well enough to knock on the door. With the help of our elderly next-door neighbor, the selller's husband, and the ever-shirtless guy up the street (father to four children Miles like to play with), we got this little house onto a wheeled platform that Shirtless Guy owns, supported it on all sides, and walked it down the middle of Macnaughton Road. It was just as awesome a scene as you imagine. 

The house now occupies a lot between our house and the neighbor's (since we can by no means fit it through the gate into the backyard! details!) and is pleasantly situated on some mulch, beneath a couple of fruit trees. And Miles calls it home.

A homeowner at seven. Not bad, right?

We continue happily in our new routine, walking Miles to school in the morning...

Driving Adele to preK...

This is the second way they've been misspelling her name. We're being patient.

...and then I return home and get to work.

I've written about twenty pages of thesis so far, and I'm comfortably keeping up with my other coursework as well. What a relief! And what a gift.

Can I be a grad student for a living, please?

"Off they go! Wheeee!"

Tuesday was the day Adele has been waiting for. All last week she'd watched her brother go into his classroom with envy, and missed him all day. But now, at last, Adele has started school!

She picked this dress out from the thrift store for her first day dress. It seems appropriate somehow.

This face, you guys. I am sure I made the same one as a child (and still probably do). This picture is my favorite:

At 7:30 Mountain Time, my 9:30 EST class starts in Virginia, so Jon covers school drop offs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He took these pictures for me as I have still not found a way to be in two places at once (the science still eludes me but I have not given up!).

This child is such a treasure. If you haven't seen her in a while, while she can barely be said to have grown in the past year, her verbal abilities have taken off apace. Both her vocabulary and pronunciation have flourished this past year. It means we no longer hear her saying "baby" for "maybe," but it also means she's able to enjoy being understood and taken more seriously, both things she really values.

Her day was splendid! Also, I've been blessed with an excellent caregiver, who is able to pick her up from preschool so that I can have three days a week with 6 hours to work at one stretch! This caregiver has a child Adele's age, a friendly dog, and has gotten on board with the project to support Adele's potty training. She loves being there, and I've gotten so much done this week. I've written almost half of my literature review (not due until December), kept up with my coursework, and made strides on my thesis, in the form of a lot of research and several pages of writing! My advisor says he wishes all his advisees were as far along as I am. I'm so grateful to any who were praying for the childcare situation. Your prayers have been answered beyond my hopes!

Last Tuesday, I accompanied Miles to his elementary school's roller skating night. Rather, I used Miles as an excuse to go roller-skating! I still love it.

Miles spent almost the last of his birthday money renting this contraption to help him skate:

He really did a terrific job, considering this past weekend was the first time he'd even attempted skating! As an avid roller-skater, I'm proud.

After the skating there was a brief sock hop! The kids whipped and nae-naed and cha-cha slid all over the place.
Ok I did too.

I wonder how much longer I'll be welcome at his school social events...

I'm so enthused about the presence of this skating rink less than a mile from our house!

 

This has been a big week for the kids making friends, both at school and in the neighborhood. I made a lot of progress on my thesis, and marked one month since I started 1-2 times daily running with the dog. I feel the positive results in my body and soul. I don't know how many classes Jon has taught so far, but it's a lot. I've seen one of his presentations; he's really making himself an asset to the school. We're all proud of Papa at CSU-P!

We are off into the semester at a run!

Holiday at the Colorado State Fair

The Colorado State Fair concluded its festivities this past weekend. When I'd heard it described as crowded, expensive and overwhelming I'd thought to skip it, but we just kept being given free tickets! We figured we'd better go, since we'd never been to a state fair, and since this one was being held in the city in which we lived.

I think it's fair to say the experienced exceeded all our expectations.

First, Saturday morning brought us the chance to participate in the State Fair Parade!

It was circus-themed, and the kids marched with Ascension Preschool. Adele started there today!

We did our best with the clown theme.

I always forget how shy she is. She can dance and sing and do cartwheels and light up a room- but not if too many people are watching. Adele was merely willing to walk along, holding onto brother. Miles, though, played his instrument, smiled, waved, and like me, seemed to enjoy the press of enthusiastic people.

They're so close, yet soooo different.

The kids got to watch some of the parade after our walk ended. They loved the horses especially!

Sunday morning started quietly, with pancakes, church, and some puppy-love.

But when we finally got out to the fair, our senses were jolted awake! I love fairs and carnivals, myself. I will admit to be a bit overwhelmed by the parking and driving in traffic, and to the noise and general confusion. But I love the atmosphere of festivity at events like these.

Our first experience was a monkey show that was WAY more amusing than expected.

Next, we hit up the agricultural areas in search of Adele's beloved pigs. At first, we were disappointed as the "Sheep, Swine and Goats"building contained only goats.

These guys were pretty pleased with the goats, though.

Next we hit up the rides. After a summer at the City Park Rides (which are still 25 cents apiece, if you were wondering!), it was hard to swallow the prices! We made each kid pick two.

Adele went with carousel:





 And the motorcycles!

Miles is getting bolder! He picked a larger than usual kiddy coaster...

This is him at the start; his hands were up and he was laughing throughout the ride once it started.

And he and I took a ride on the ferris wheel. He informed everyone on our car it was his first time on a ferris wheel, but that he was trying it anyway.

The experience was a bit hit with him! Lots of laughter and amazed sounds. The view was quite good.

Pike's Peak from the fairgrounds

We thought that'd be the high point. But there was more!

There were cows to pet...

Miles also decided to spend some of his birthday money at the fair. He was fascinated by the opportunity to play in a giant plastic bubble, rolling over the water. So he coughed up the $7 and ended up spending about 20 minutes in his bubble. He had a marvelous time.

Speaking of marvelous times, we found another animal tent!

And what did we find right by the entrance but a pen full of Adele's very favorite animal!

Guys, she just lit up. Thank you Colorado for having piglets to your state fair! This made more than her day.

She got to watch them eat, and pet them through the bars.

Playing in the corn-box

With a pig-crown!

We watched the lamb nurse and wag its tail as it did so. Precious!

I'm not kidding, it got even better. We rounded a corner to find a petting area! Inside the petting area: puppies, kittens, goats, rabbits.... and a piglet!!

I was so exhausted by this point I took hardly any pictures in there. But the kids were in heaven. While Adele stroked the pink skin of her favorite animal, Miles had some cuddles with his favorite animal!

In the same tent, Miles got to rope a steer...

And Miles decided to spend some more money on more experiences (that he wants to spend money on experiences rather than things makes me proud, and makes me wonder too where he came from!). He and Adele both "ponied up" to ride the ponies!

When we left we were, yes, a bit poorer (but not by much, since we didn't have to pay for entrance) but a whole lot more rich in sensory experience in joy! 

There was an early bedtime that night, but I suspect the dreams were very sweet.