Team S Update

I have been working like a dog - hence me laying down like one in this picture. Stella is bewildered. "What the heck are you doing down there, Momma?"

As some of you know, I am now the Marketing Director for the Lauterstein-Conway Massage School here in Ausitn. I'm trying to wiggle my way in to their Workshops department, too - mostly so I can take all the classes for free and scoop the commission. It is a good job, and they respect my opinions and experience there, which is very nice. I also am working with the new Fitness Director at the YMCA on youth programs and community relations. I have been doing it for a while, but without the Fitness Director - because there wasn't one - which was horrible. I am still teaching toddler gymanstics and dance there. Ethan, as you can imagine, is an expert tumbler now, and Michael has mastered the art of man-handstand. Go, Dad!

I also wrote a ridiculous children's book for Ethan about the power of making choices. I am about to start working on illustrations...someday.

Which brings me to the babies:

Ethan is such a gentleman. He has very good manners, and he loves his grandparents. He, of course, is a video game fanatic, and loves playing "mens" just like his Uncle David did when he was Ethan's age. The night before last, he and I took all his "mens" and hung them, propped them and staged them all around his "Spiderman hideout." Let me just say - he has a lot of "mens." He is fabulous with sounding out words - reading with me with relative ease at bedtime now. We are trying to make it to the library once-a-week for new material to practice on.

Stella is into books - way into books - and animal noises. (Sheep say baaaa!) Michael and I read the same books over and over and over to her - in a five minute period. Sometimes she reads to her "babies," and sometimes her brother reads to her, but when she comes up, book in hand, and turns her back, ready to be lifted onto my lap, there is no doubt that I am going to read Winne the Pooh a dozen times. She loves swimming, and much to her parents' dismay, has NO fear of jumping head-first into much-to-deep water. Loves it.

Michael is well, but you will have to check out his blog for the nitty-gritty details...

Much love!
J