Vision Walk

Last month, our family joined Lydia's family and lots of other families to walk around Lake Harriet to raise money in a "Vision Walk."  Vision Walk is the national signature fundraising event of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, and this walk around Lake Harriet raised over $120,000 to aid in research for fighting blindness.

It was a beautiful Fall day.  Our group was called "Lydia's Princess Parade," and so we dressed the part.

 Todd & Lydia

 Lots of pink people (some of Lydia's family)

 Laura with some of Lydia's vision teachers.  They were good sports!

 There were a lot of other groups there.

 These two don't own pink clothing, but they wanted to be supportive anyway.

 This is the start of the walk.  We were toward the middle of the pack.  That quickly changed to the end of the pack...to totally bringing up the rear.  No big deal!  It wasn't a race.

It was a family event, so people kind of took their time about meandering around the lake.

 This was part of our view as we curved around the path on the lake.  Beautiful!

 Lydia's Grandma Cheryl and vision teacher "big Lydia."

 Another beautiful view!

 These little dudes, Drew & Owen, had a good time together.

 Laura & Lydia

Our family really enjoyed the great outdoors on such a lovely day and for a lovely cause.  We had a good time together and with the other folks who were walking with us.

 We finally made it to the end, and everyone was still in good humor.

It probably helped that their Vision Walk was 80% stroller ride and 20 % actual walk!



Sophie's First Day of Kindergarten

The first day of Kindergarten has come and gone.  Sophie laid out her first-day-of-school clothes the night before, but she accessorized that morning (note the sparkly headband and purple beaded necklace).

Owen kind of thought he was going to the first day of school too.

After we all drove to school together and waved goodbye together and returned home from dropping Sophie off and we'd gotten back into the house, Owen said, "Where's Sophie?"

Sophie was very excited about school and did not seem nervous at all.

Sophie's school has a "kissing lane" where you just drop the kids at the door and they go inside on their own.  You don't even have to get out of the car because they have helpers who open the doors for you!

Sophie's teacher told me that this is the preferred method of drop-off for kids who are driven to school, and I was mentally preparing to do so...(on the first day, for goodness sake?!)...because I am a rule-follower...and a former teacher...and I want everyone (especially the new teacher) to like me.

I consulted other parents, but that got me nowhere.

 Some confirmed that they also use the kissing lane with no difficulty, and what about those bus kids that just have to walk in on their own?

Others felt my pain as they exclaimed, "Send her in...on the first day ever...all alone?!  Well, I'd just walk her in anyway.  They can't tell you not to!"

 So we decided to leave it up to Sophie.  It was HER first day, after all.

So, this little munchkin, when given the choice between going in on her own or having me walk her in...chose to have Daddy walk her in.  Well, we knew that wouldn't work out so well...for either party...so, I took her in...because I am evidently more hard-hearted...and a now-confirmed rule-breaker.

We got final goodbyes in at the car, and then Sophie and I headed in to school.  No one stopped me on the way in.  No one looked at me like, "What are you doing in here?"  And I even saw a few other moms walking in with other Kindergartners.

And then I saw the bus kids traipsing in together and looking as confident as if it were the last day of school, and I felt a little silly about worrying.

But after I tearfully hugged Sophie goodbye and she entered her classroom without looking back, leaving me to cry my whole way back to the car (oh yes, I did!), I decided that she won't always want me to walk her in to school so I'm going to do it as long as she asks me to and I don't care what anyone thinks.  Around day 8, she quit asking...  *sigh*

Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window...sunny and it's supposed to be 70.  I think it feels like 55 in the house.  My fingers feel stiff from the cold.
I am thinking...about prepping for the monthly grocery run.  It is not for the faint-hearted.
I am thankful for...an awesome women's retreat at Camp Shamineau with four girlfriends! 
From the kitchen...pumpkin soup and homemade bread for supper.
I am wearing...Gap trouser jeans ($5), Gap outlet purple sweater ($6), turquoise necklace (free--I made it at camp this weekend!)
I am creating...a to-do list for my to-do list
I am going...to get my flu shot soon.
I am reading..."The House of Seven Gables" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  But I haven't made it past the intro yet.
I am hoping...to finish my Bible study lesson before ten o'clock the night before Bible study this week.
I am hearing...Sophie whisper-singing to herself as she colors at a desk near me.  Naps are a thing of the past evidently.
Around the house...I am trying to set aside Thursdays as my power-cleaning day...laundry, vacuuming, and cleaning the bathroom and kitchen.  So far so good.  It's only been two weeks.
One of my favorite things...trouser jeans...I now own 3 pairs in different lengths and slightly different washes.
A few plans for the rest of the week...Free pie night at Baker's Square on Wednesday night, anyone?  Anyone???!!  (I've tried to do this the past two Wednesdays, and I've had no takers)

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Brenda, Me, Leah, Tara & Lisa at camp

These ladies went shopping with me, bunked with me, crafted with me, workshopped with me, ate tremendous amounts of food with me, zipped down a zip-line with me, and watched in shock and awe as I cried about every 5 minutes (it was an emotional weekend, but in a good way!).  I had a super-awesome time with them at camp, and I'm so glad to call each one of them a good friend!