Unringing the Bell

Not Sure

I am having a hard time knowing what to write about here. The fact of the matter is, my real life and my online life intersected in an uncomfortable way recently and I don't know what I care to share anymore. This isn't actually a new experience, it has happened before. I have been tossing around the idea of quitting my online blog life for a while. It's a little uncomfortable when you are not anonymous. And that's my own fault. I never went out of my way to be anonymous. And when you are an anxious sort, like I admittedly am, it can get to you.

Though I don't blog all the time anymore, I think I'd miss it. I DO miss it. Already. I like having a record of things for myself, and I like having places to tell the stories of our lives to far-flung friends and relatives. And strangers, too, even. I like having a place to write and work things out, even though the writing has long since become much less revelatory and much more of the "so this happened' variety.

I like meeting new people because of my blog. Not that that happens much anymore. Funny, how, if you don't write much, you don't get many readers.

If you don't build it, so it turns out, they don't come.

So here I sit. Again, I am tossing it around in my noodle. Not, I assure you, to fish for comments of the "please don't quit" variety, or ANY variety for that matter, but because I am trying to figure out what, if any, place there is for blogging in my life right now. To go private or not, to quit and start over somewhere else and more anonymously, to just quit.

I really just don't know.

I used to feel much more fearless once upon a time. I don't so much feel that way anymore.

Let Your E-Flags Fly!

Rainer is way into writing and drawing now. Suddenly.

Today, with just a hint for the 'i' he spelled and wrote his name. To her credit, while I was writing hand over hand with Georgia, she spelled G-E-O in her name all on her own. I had NO idea she could recite it out without looking. When I asked her what her name starts with she just said it. (And she got distracted at "o" by something Rainer was doing, so for all I know she knows how to spell her whole name.)

See his extra flag on his 'e'? How cute it that?

I have to admit, I was impressed. And yes, I suppose I am bragging. But mainly because I am sort of like "wha-? Really?"

And honestly, it's all because of The TV Teacher. I saw a presentation on video modeling by the people who run this company at the convention in Texas this summer and I was enthralled. I really think this is going to be the KEY to teaching Georgia a LOT of stuff. Not, by a long shot, "just" writing.

Apparently, Rainer, too. Although we only purchased the shapes video (which teaches how to draw basic shapes), he saw this video on youtube and between that video and the shapes one he taught himself his own way to write. For instance, the letter "r" is written as he says "Circle it around, draw a stick and another stick."

Funny monkey.

Check it (and definitely video modeling) out!

3rd Boo-thday!

Having a birthday on Halloween will likely always be a mixed bag, baby! It's exciting and fun, but it sure does make for a hectic day--especially when it's a Monday (read: school/work day) and there are class pictures scheduled for the next morning (read: bath night without doubt). But we did it! And I think Rainer had fun! And now, we are the proud parents of a three (and a four) year old!

I wasn't really sure how it should all "go down" so while I was preparing Rainer's requested birthday dinner--boiled eggs--and Alex was entertaining the littles in the playroom, I brought balloons in from the car and arranged the gifts from various far-off relatives on the table. Considering we spend these types of days with just the four of us, he had a nice little haul!

I am making cakepops for his class party on Thursday and cupcakes for the kids' combined party this coming weekend, so we went with store-bought ice cream cake for last night. But! It was shaped like a football, which I think went over well.

With BOTH of them!

Rainer didn't need any direction on opening presents this year! He dove right in!

His first gift conained two knit hats from his Great Grandma Bunny and he immediately put one on and wore it the rest of the evening (until costumes).

He let G wear one, too.

He was quite pleased with his gifts.

Here he is showing off his football wristbands.

One of the pages from a silly photo book.

Halloween pics forthcoming.