Sky Fest

Between preschool, school, and other random projects, this week has been busy.

Andrew started a tumbling class this Monday--if you ask him (or even if you don't), he'll be happy to demonstrate his new-found somersault skills. He loves it. I'm not a huge fan of physical activity (as you can perhaps tell!)--I exercise because I know I need to and I like the way I feel afterward, not because I enjoy it--but watching Andrew's pure joy in moving his body makes me wonder if I'm missing something. (His lesson in primary today was on talents: Andrew told us his talents are for soccer and for tumbling.) The hardest part of tumbling for Andrew will no doubt be waiting until its his turn to take the floor.

I don't think tumbling is Andrew's only talent--he has a certain flare for creative and imaginative construction. This is what he and Evelyn put together while I was cooking dinner one afternoon: a train (notice the tea set, puzzles, and dinosaurs).

This weekend was the annual Sky Fest. We were tipped off (thanks Jodi!) that Friday morning was the best time to go, as the crowd was smaller. Unfortunately, we arrived just before seven (when the event was supposed to start) and no one was really there but the pilots and crew and they hadn't even unloaded the balloons. (Also--and this memory makes me cringe, still, which is why I recount it in parentheses--we found our way into one of the pavilions where there was some food laid out. I didn't see any signs specifying who it was for, so I assumed it was available and let the kids pick out a few items, until a woman asked me--nicely enough--if we were part of one of the crews. I was immediately horrible embarrassed and tried to shoo the kids out; Andrew protested, "But there was still something I wanted!" Next time we'll know better.)

For the first forty-five minutes or so, the kids were much more interested in a nearby playground. But when they began inflating the balloons, the kids were more than willing to leave the playground and watch the sea of balloons rise around them. (It really was pretty spectacular).



We ran into Jodi as we were preparing to leave; Evelyn and Sam had a bonding moment (they were walking side-by-side--of course, by the time I got my camera out and focused on them, they were doing their own thing).

Andrew absconded with the camera and took lots of random photos (a chain, a shadow on the grass, half a balloon), but he did get this one of Evelyn.

Other than that, we've had a pretty quiet weekend (lots of grading on my end): some house chores and a department picnic (mine). Luckily, Dan is actually friends with a few people from my department and the kids found friends there, so we all enjoyed ourselves (aside from the wind, which was relentless).

In other, unrelated news, I had my first post yesterday for the Segullah blog as an official contributor/staff member.