First Day of School

"My baby is in school!!!!" *sigh* *teary sigh* *sigh*

Well hopefully, we did a good job of preparing Maya for this special day. We carefully chose her school, the Field Station. It has an excellent reputation in the community, the curriculum is well designed, the emphasis on nature is not only something we like, but has been shown in studies to be very important to development.

The school had an open house (seems like ages ago) and we all fell in love with the place. It's an old barn out in the woods in the National Lakeshore. The first floor has crafty (code for messy) activity areas - a water table, easels, etc. The second floor is a huge open area with a high ceiling and tons of windows. The children and teachers decorate it depending on the theme of whatever they are studying. When we went for the open house, the theme was rain forest and it felt like a rain forest in there - just incredible.

There are eighteen children in a class, two teachers, and one teacher assistant. The Field Station is a co-operative and parents are encouraged (required) to participate in the running, maintenance, fundraising etc of the school.

The children go for a hike every day. The teachers ask them to dress in long sleeves, long pants, and mosquito repellant is a must! "The Field Station is not about cute." They really told us that in orientation. Well, in my book, cute and rugged can go hand-in-hand ;)

After the open house, we registered Maya. Remember our "sleep-out"? Then at the end of this summer, they sent us the handbook and had a parent's orientation, where we met the other parents and learned about the pick-up and drop off procedures. This always makes me laugh because of the movie portrayals of parents that screw up this all-important task.

We were asked to come to the school on a specific Saturday for outdoor clean up day. Wayne took on this responsibility (whew) and helped clear areas around the school, set up a path, etc.

All parents volunteer to be on a committee. I volunteered for fundraising and Wayne is on the maintenance committee. Only one parent is required to serve on a committee, so one of us may drop out eventually, but for now, we're enjoying being involved.

Then there was a family orientation, where Maya was able to meet some of her classmates, get to know the teachers, etc. This was so nice, I think it will help alot that the first time we were there with her.

Then we come to today.....her first day of school! *open sobbing*

About two weeks ago, I went to the Disney website and looked at options for personalized apparel. I thought it would be nice if Maya had her name where everyone could see it. There were name tags for the orientation but I wasn't sure that there would be any today. It's always nicer when someone knows your name, don't you think? Maya chose to have Minnie Mouse on her shirt and underneath it, her name. The school designates each day with a specific color and the children are asked to wear that color. Her first day was red day, so we ordered the shirt in red. When it came, we made a big fuss that it was for her first day of school. I had to shorten the sleeves, which were three inches too long! I'm not the best sew-er, but hopefully it will hold at least for today!

We talked about school often and how fun it would be etc. Then this morning, I told her, "Today is a special day! It's your first day of school! Let's go put on your special outfit." She started with, "I don't want to go to school. I TOLD you, mommy, I don't want to go to school." but when I ignored here and just kept going, she seemed to get a little better. We put on her outfit and I said, "Let's go show Daddy, he'll be so excited." Her face lit up and she said, excitedly, "Let's go! Let's go!" When we came downstairs, she sat in Daddy's lap for awhile and watched Pinky Dinky Doo. I told her she had her choice of breakfast, because this was her special day. She could have, pink pancakes; blueberry pancakes; waffles; Mickey Mouse pancakes, french toast. She chose Mickey Mouse pancakes. Wayne started cooking and made the best-ever MM pancakes for her. Yummy!

At the orientation, Maya had so much fun playing at the water table with a little boy and doing a craft with beads. We just had to remind her of those two and the hikes and it would chase away any bit of anxiety. I do think it's time for her to go to school. She's getting bored around here and needs stimulation and especially needs to play with little kids!

It also gave her something to look forward to and security knowing the plan, to hear that we would both pick her up from school and then go to McDonald's for a special first day of school lunch.

I asked Wayne to drive her to school - I thought it might be easier for her to have him leave than me. So Maya and I had "hugs and kisses" and off they went. No tears! Yipppppeeeeee! Maya kept repeating, "I'll tell you all about it".

He said they went inside and upstairs, then when it was time for him to leave, Maya did get a bit clingy. But Mrs. Woerneke, one of the teachers, came over to distract her and off he went. He chatted with the head of the school for a bit, downstairs, but there wasn't any screaming from upstairs! Whew!

I can't wait to hear how her day went!

Grandpa and Grandma Visit Maya's School

Back to School *sigh* Haircut

Maya and I had such a fun day! We went to Locks of Fun and both got our hair cut. No, I did not sit in the Barbie car. Ooops, let me back up a little. First we went to The Dish for lunch. I love th box lunch there. They bring your lunch in a wood box (can't believe I didn't take a picture!). Oh well, next time. It includes mini-portions of soup, salad, entree and dessert. Just perfect! After our haircuts, we went to the farmer's market, where a kind man gave Maya a sunflower. Locks of Fun gives gift certificates for ice cream cones - which we were more than happy to redeem. Pretty close to a perfect day!

Back to School *sigh* Shopping

Grandma and Grandpa took us shopping for Back-to-School clothes! We went to our favorite Stride Rite store and the woman there measured Maya's feet. A size 10. We found some great hiking type shoes and Maya picked out some c-u-t-e brown suede boots. Which she wore out of the store, even in they were fall and it was summer weather and she was wearing a sleveless pink dress and tights.....she still looked cute, never fails ;)

We went to lunch at Bartlett's - the owner's have a little boy in Maya's class at school. Yummy food! I had a blackbean soup that was delicious. We ate outside. There were a couple bees and after a leisurely lunch we were ready to leave....when grandpa, grandpa, grandpa, had to order dessert! Grandma and I were piqued, to say the least. Until dessert arrived and we turned into vultures swooping down on his apple gallette. MMMM, was it delicious. Even Maya lobbied to get the last bite (of course, grandpa gave it to her!).

Big fun! Thank you Grandma and Grandpa! Shoes and food.....wow!

Maya is always so helpful with her Grandpa! She takes his hand and they walk together - so sweet!

Swimming Instructor

Paige Jacket

Here's a pic of Maya in her Paige jacket. Aren't they adorable? I ended up sending it back for a bigger size, but I had to snap a pic first. (Yes, it's a prize. Yes, I'm addicted.)

from the Chesterton Tribune

Part of why I originally moved to Chesterton, was an article in the local paper about a robbery. Someone had stolen a policeman's hat off the front seat of his squad car. I was so impressed by the facts that a. this was considered news-worthy b. that this was considered a big crime and c. that the policeman wasn't too embarrassed to report it. I thought of Barney Fife and thought, "I want to live in a town like that."

Well, 20-ahem-some-odd years later, I am reconfirming that Chesterton is where I want to live.....from the front page of the 8/28/2009 Chesterton Tribune.....

"The Zucchini 500 is coming to the European Market on Saturday. The zucchinis will race at 10:30 am. The fastest racer will be awarded a prize, as will the best decorated zucchini. Participants who want to race but who don't have a zucchini can stop by the European Market ahead of time and get a zucchini to put on wheels and decorate. The market opens at 8 am."

I'm speechless, type-less, whatever.

more about our town

From the Post Tribune:

Chesterton residents make a neighbor's life brighter

Damage from the tornado Chesterton residents experienced in a few frightening minutes recently is being repaired, and soon there will be no sign of the devastation.

It is not something that will be forgotten by those who were the victims. However, it always seems there is good that follows the bad.

Last week, my Chesterton buddy, Alice Perney, told me about her caring neighborhood.

Lauren Poppos is 93 years old and lives by herself with her dog, Roscoe. This independent lady rides her three-wheeled bicycle all over Chesterton, to shop, visit with friends, or just enjoy being outdoors. Roscoe rides in the basket as her constant companion.

Her bike is her only mode of transportation, so when the tornado destroyed it, her world became smaller.

When one of her neighbors, Linda Callahan, saw Poppos outside, patting her destroyed bike, she contacted all the neighbors around the area and suggested that they purchase a replacement.

The idea was eagerly embraced, the bike was ordered and neighbor, Ken Jaeger, drove to New Buffalo, Mich. to pick it up and assemble it. Two weeks after the tornado, the sun shone brightly on a corner in Chesterton when five families - adults and children - presented their special neighbor with her new set of wheels.

After the shock wore off and the tears dried, Lauren Poppos and her faithful Roscoe went for a ride right there in the parking lot, and there were enough cheers and smiles to keep the clouds away from their lives for a very long time.

Everyone should be so blessed to have neighbors like the Callahans, Jaegers, Perneys, Shunkitises and Murcheks. I know there is one lady (and a dog) who thinks you are heroes.

Julie and Julia and The Time Traveler's Wife

I had a movie day! That's where I sneak off to the theatre and see at least two movies. And eat a whole bunch of popcorn :)

This time I saw, first, The Time Traveler's Wife. It was really interesting. Not the best movie I've seen lately, or ever, but interesting. The acting was very good. The script.....um, strange. I told my parents not to go - the time changes and implausible premise would drive them crazy. One strange twist, don't read if you want to go see it - Spoiler Alert. The couple are trying to have a child, but the wife keeps miscarrying. They think it's because the child is inheriting the gene anomaly that causes the father to travel through time and is traveling out of the wife's uterus. Yeah, I know. Anyway, it become a health risk for the wife to get pregnant, so the husband has a vasectomy. Hang in there, it gets stranger. The wife is angry with him, so she sleeps with......no, not another man..... she sleeps with a pre-vasectomy-younger-time-traveling-version of her husband. And she gets pregnant. When the older-post-vasectomy guy confronts her, she says, well, it's not like I cheated on you. Okay, weird. I do have to say, this movie did make me laugh out loud and cry, which is usually a big criteria for a fave flick. But the time didn't fly by (no pun intended) so I guess it would get 2 or 3 stars.

When you go to see two movies like that, you need to time it. These two worked out perfect - refill popcorn, find other movie, sit down and it starts. Perfect.

The second one I saw was Julie and Julia. I liked it very much. Meryl Streep is once again, just incredible. I forgot that she was Meryl Streep and thought she was Julia Child. Especially when Julie was watching Julia on tv. It did make me hunger for French food though. Especially boeuf bourgonion, which I am probably spelling wrong. They make it at least three times in the movie and it looks sooooo good. Much of the film happens in Paris, but I don't think they really filmed in Paris, it looked a bit too ummmm, how do I say it? ummmm, clean. I love Paris, but it is a bit ummmm, not-clean. Anyway, I would recommend this movie. I liked it better than TTW, but this one didn't make me cry. I did laugh out loud though. Several, okay, lots of times. The people next to me did move half-way through, but I'm sure it was for some other reason! It was a true story, or rather two true stories, but I wish they would have fictionalized the ending and changed the relationship/meeting of Julie and Julia. I like happy endings. This movie, a solid 3 stars.

Blueberries, Blueberries, Blueberries, Blueberries

Brb, I'm going to get some blueberries from the freezer.......

Maya and I love blueberries, and wow, can we eat alot of 'em! We ended up going picking three or four times. Every time I thought we had enough, but we'd go home and start eating and I'd think, hmmmm, maybe we better go once more.

We went to a blueberry farm in Indiana, but on the Michigan border. We took 94 to the first exit (as if going to Fourwinds) but then drove south about a mile. It was also a campgrounds and there were alot of people there - pretty popular. You could drive right up to the blueberry farm. They weren't as big as the ones we picked last year, but oh, so sweet and delicious. I think we ended up with more than 50 lbs! But if we eat a pound a day, I mean a week, that will last us just a year. We'll have to see how long it lasts :) Love blueberries.....

Hot Air Balloon - 70th Anniversary of the Wizard of Oz Movie

"This year the cinematic classic the Wizard of Oz celebrates it’s 70th anniversary. In honor of that anniversary, a hot air balloon designed especially for Warner Home Video is touring the country. It appears tomorrow in Chesterton, home of the Wizard of Oz Festival.

The balloon comes from AeroSports Inc. in North Carolina. The tour from LA to New York was announced in May and the balloon took off on its tour in June.

The Emerald City Green balloon is encircled with the Yellow Brick Road, stands over 75 feet tall, is 55 feet in diameter and holds 90,000 cubic feet of air. The OZ balloon also includes the logo of the 70th anniversary that features Dorothy’s Ruby Red Slippers. The opposite side of the balloon has huge 30-foot tall images of the Dorothy and her other main characters – the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion.

Head to Chesterton’s Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve (located at Co. Rd. 1050 N and State Road 49, Chesterton) for the event. The Oz Characters will be on hand to meet and greet children along with music by blues guitarist, Chris Pabon, and refreshments by George's Gyros. The balloon is scheduled to be in the sky from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., weather permitting." from the Chicago Family Staycations Examiner

Odds and Ends

Dancing to the Wiggles at Grandma's house.



Enjoying a campfire and mashmos

Summer Fun - Kite

Lunch at Lucretia