I've been feverishly working on a project for the past few weeks so everything feels neglected, save work. The holiday brought a much appreciated break, but the contemplation of thanksgiving started the week before. I attended an event for Vital Voices (at this amazing home in Malibu..dreaming...), where a Kenyan woman shared her life story (thus far, she's just 30 so I suspect she'll have far more to accomplish and share over the next decades!), and her dreams of starting the first school for girls in her village. She's been educated in the US, a major feat for a woman from a small village in Kenya, and her story, while somewhat familiar in a world that more easily reaches across oceans and continents, resonates deeper when shared in a personal environment. The evening reminded me that our lives all touch one another and that by simply sharing knowledge, we support each other.
The next day we attended the opening of Halloween City, a city that the first grade created. They spent the past couple of months electing officials, creating jobs, making goods to sell (wonderfully tacky, feathered trash cans sold by the sanitation department, check book covers at the bank, book marks at the library, jewelry, and more). There were buildings that were decorated and set up in the three classrooms where each business showed their wares. Cole was one of the librarians. There were four and each one wrote a story and read their story to any customers/guests who dropped by the library. Cole's was recorded into his Tango! so he could read about why he'd like to be an astronaut...It was amazing...The whole city was so detailed and the kids created everything...They have another project after winter break, and then after spring break they are building a rain forest as the culmination of their section on environment...I don't remember doing such creative, interesting projects when I was in elementary school...let alone in first grade!
The long holiday weekend was festive. We had a friend in from the UK so we took a year off from the big family festivities and hosted a dinner ourselves to share the holiday with him and with our dear friends Nancy, Muse & Sophie, and grandma Babe...Dan, Nancy and I cooked together which was fun and relaxing and as it should be for Thanksgiving feasts! The nieces stopped by for little while after the family dinner which pleased Cole to no end...If I could tape the squeal of glee he shouted when they burst through the door, everyone would want it for a ring tone or something...it was sheer delight!
Friday I took Cole to a birthday party at a jungle themed gym with a forty foot blow up slide, among other torture devices...We climbed up, no easy feat, and then I looked down and had a moment of panic...Not a fan of heights...alas, no way down but to slide so slide we slid...and it was fun...fun enough to do it again!
But the real fun came Saturday when we went hamster balling...A friend of a friend had one of the Bolt promotional giant blow up hamster balls and we took it to our park for some rolling...We all tried it and I now wish I had been less shy about doing it more because I really want to do it again, and again...There's nothing like sheer unadulterated play time to relieve any stress or sorrow...
Yesterday we put up our tree...This year we went with the fake silver sort of 60's style mod tree...We're going away after the holiday so we thought it would be better than a live tree this year...It's decorated in pink and silver and is completely, but beautifully, cheesy. I personally love it. I know Dan would like a more traditional set-up (next year)...but the sparkly pink tree really cheers me up and amuses Cole...
And now today...I should be working...Cheers!
