Life in August...and half of September, oh my!

I forget how quickly time goes by once the whirlwind of school begins. Last time I was talking about how we survived the first week, and here we are now almost 5 weeks in! We're starting to settle into a routine, especially now that Vince has finished his training in OKC. He is working the midnight shift now, so that's taken some getting used to, but he is starting to adjust to the new sleep schedule, and I think I'm adjusting too. We still get lots of good family time, like dinner together every night and playtime after school, so it's working out well. He's loving the job, so that's really about all that matters. I'm enjoying this year so far...a different mix of classes than I expected, but they're good. And I love that I get to teach AP Lit again, so I'm a happy camper.

Ziva is loving school as usual. She got to call me the other day at lunch to tell me that she ate all her food and got a treat--an M&M. Lately she's been sticking food--chewed or not, it's never the same--in her cheek and leaving it there....forever! Once she had several pieces of corn in there for at least 2 hours (from dinner until it was time to brush her teeth) before I noticed. We have no idea why she's doing it, and it has lead to some tearful mealtimes, thus the victory call on Thursday. (Wednesday was a day of no food at all because she refused to swallow what she'd "hoarded".) I did notice a couple days ago that she has two bottom molars coming in, so maybe that's a part of it. Who knows.

I can't think of any really funny things she's said recently, except one a few weeks ago. We were all in the car and she was speaking gibberish for the sheer joy of it. Vince said, "Ziva, what language are you speaking?" And she responded, "I"m speaking KIDS!" at the top of her lungs. Hilarious.

Here are a few pictures that aren't as recent as I'd wish, but they'll do for now....

At the zoo a couple weeks ago. Sorry you can't see her face that well...

All decked out, ready for the pool.

This one should have been a video so you could hear her declaring, "I. AM. PRINCESS. ZIVA!" She's wearing a posterboard crown with "jewels" from a broken necklace glued on it.