It’s been an interesting past month with a few things that have sent our immediate network into a tizzy. Fortunately, the two things that have been pretty smooth sailing are:
1. Reese’s start to first grade
2. Brooke’s potty training
However, one week into school having started and the Seattle Public School Board announced the highly anticipated proposals for school closures and it shocked all of Seattle. The two proposals were targeting to close 21 schools in Proposal A (TOPS, Reese’s school, included) and 17 schools in Proposal B (TOPS excluded). Instant panic set in for most parents throughout Seattle and meetings were set up to come up with plans to protest and advocate for schools. The panic lasted a full week until the School Board meeting, which I watched for the very first time, which made clear to me that the Board was not likely going to vote yes on either proposal and agreed that the plan had shortfalls and was not well thought out. The Superintendent this Monday announced that they needed to do more work and research to come up with another plan so I think everyone has settled back down from the shock of the news.
Then last week another announcement came out, that all Boeing non-union employees would be furloughed for 25% of their time. This includes Bryan as managers are non-union employees. Bryan will be required to take a full week off every month until the strike with the machinists is over, most likely until December. Bryan is feeling alright with the news and I think in some ways is looking forward to having some time away from work and a few difficult employees but it is also a stressful time for Boeing and their financials in general so I know that it has caused some additional stress for him.
Aside from this news though we all keep chugging along.
Reese:
- School has started out well and I got to meet her teacher, Ms Sorrentino, last week at their Back to School night. Reese has not complained about going to school any day since the year started and seems to be really enjoying it all.
- Her soccer team is doing well and played the other TOPS team, who we practice with weekly, this past weekend. It was a high stakes game but both teams looked really good and the game ended in a tie after our team had been up 5-1.
- Reese has significantly improved in soccer and really goes after the ball now. Several parents have remarked on her defending skills, which is really what has seemed to click for her, which is quite the contrast to the rest of the team whose main focus is on goal scoring.
- Reese continues to love her gymnastics class and particularly the bars. She’s been asked to join the pre-team, which we will try to make work once soccer is over in October.
- The takeaways from school Reese brings home the most is her knowledge of sign language. I am actually surprised by how much she has learned.
- We had her eye doctor appointment last week and her eyesight with the glasses continues to improve. They adjusted her prescription slightly so we will be getting her new glasses, but getting the same frames after trying on others that were not nearly as good.
- Reese had her dental procedure about two weeks ago and her teeth look great and she hasn’t complained about any tooth pain at all. I’m feeling very relieved with how everything went and so happy with the outcome on the appearance of them.
Brooke:
- Brooke has worn undies to school for the past two weeks and there was only one day that she came home with a change of clothes as a result of an accident. It was not all surprising to me that the one day she had an accident was when her bestie, Madison, was absent from school as Madison usually takes Brooke with her to the bathroom.
- Brooke had a fear of pooping in the potty but as of the last two nights she is now at least attempting it so the idea of it no longer seems horrific to her.
- Brooke has really enjoyed laughing and doing silly things with Mira’s brother Max at Reese’s bus stop in the morning. The two are pretty funny with each other and Brooke sincerely hates it if she ever misses bus pickup. Occasionally Brooke is so difficult in the morning to get dressed that she needs to be left behind if Bryan is still home and this will send her into hysterics. It doesn’t happen too often though.
- Brooke has started walking or riding her bike to school now more often than riding in the stroller. It’s pretty nice at times, until she decides that she wants to be carried instead.
- Brooke is so into her magnetic tiles these days and puzzles and sometimes coloring. She will spend a lot of time stacking and building towers with the tiles by herself. Puzzles she can do by herself but requires someone to sit with her and assist her.
- She has picked the same two books to read at bedtime for the last three weeks and Reese and I are over them. We’ve read “Elmo’s P is For Potty” and “Fill a Bucket” more than we care to.
- Brooke had her doctor’s appointment this past weekend and there were no shots to be had and just a finger poke. Also, Brooke’s face from a fall off of the stroller a few weeks back has healed quicker than I would have ever imagined.
Chelsea:
- Nearly at the cusp of the end of my studying. I have my California Seismic exam on Wednesday and the SE retake on the following Thursday. The end is near and I’m hoping for the best outcome and just really want to close this chapter. I’ve still been pretty disciplined with studying and feel good about the exams but also anxious about the unresolved computer issues with the SE computer based format.
- I’m not happy with the end of summer, cooler temperatures and it getting darker earlier, but I do like fall. I like fall flavors, fall baking, football games, sweaters, movie nights, Halloween, etc. I can’t wait for more time on my hands to bake, cook, read, and not study!
- I’ve sincerely enjoyed coaching soccer this fall. I think I have a better handle of rallying the team and getting them focused when I can and less taxed when the group or individuals are not focused or giving a hard time. We are three games in and our team is 2 wins and 1 tie.
- I’ve also really enjoyed playing soccer on my team which has morphed quite a bit in the past year. Most of the legacy players are retiring from the sport so they have added quite a few new, younger, random players. It’s an adjustment as I’m not familiar with each of their ability and way of playing but it is nice to have a bit more speed and endurance back on the team. I do miss some of the older players though.
Bryan:
- Bryan has had a lot of stress related to work lately and I feel for him on that. Some of it is personal and some is just the business of things but I think between the furlough and potential changing of the guard in the winter months, things will start to get a bit rosier soon.
- Bryan did get away this past weekend for a pretty stellar backpacking trip with friends Philipp and Luis. They went to the North Cascades and did a 30 mile backpacking trip over two nights that sounded wonderful (but hard) and looked sunny and beautiful in their pictures. Bryan finally got to break out his new pack and got some guy time which he definitely needed.
- Bryan’s pretty thrilled that Texas is leading the pack this year in College Football. His team is pretty darn good and he has every right to feel good about that, even if it is a result of whooping on Michigan at the beginning of the season.
- Bryan’s become a pit master at our house. We’ve used his new Solo Stove a handful of times and we love it. It’s good looking and well-functioning and we have a bunch of cherry wood now for burning as we had to take down a tree in our yard, although we need a way to cut it smaller and dry it out.
So yes school is chugging along, soccer is midway through the season, I have two exams in the next two weeks and then we have a week of fun and the parents are here!
—
Chelsea
