New school year, fall and other random

I have been shamefully neglecting the blog - partially because someone who shall not be named is always hogging the computer- and partially because I have been extremely busy. I still work full-time, am still the RS president and I have started my French classes again. French classes are Monday night, Leland has Bishopric meeting on Tuesday night, and teaches Seminary on Wednesday night, on Saturday night the boys have swimming lessons. And that leaves Thursday night or Friday night to squeeze in any Home teaching or Visiting teaching (or Sunday night I suppose). So anyway, busy life.

School started again for the boys, like Hogwarts it always starts promptly on September first, regardless of the day of the week that date falls. Monty started first grade and so far, so good. He seems to do well in math (that must have skipped a generation) but is not so quick with reading yet. As with many things in life, he needs a little more runway before he is ready to take off.


Stoney is in third grade now (where on earth did time go??? Wasn't he in preschool just yesterday?) Stoney is in a mixed third/fourth grade class. Which seems kind of odd I guess for American standards. It is not uncommon here to combine grades, but i must say that i am a little worried about it. Stoney is so easily distracted, having two grades in one class, meaning two different things going on almost at all times, might not exactly beneficial. But i have asked some other parents of older kids about their experiences with the grade-combined classes and all of them have been very positive. I guess we'll have to see how it goes. After all, we are only five weeks into the school year.



On a completely different note: I got lucky enough that i won tickets to the zoo. I have never won anything in my life! Stoney had been asking to go to the zoo for quite a while, but unlike the Smithsonian in DC most Zoos aren't free or cheap. But then we won the tickets! Yeah!
Although we had some really nice fall weather lately, the day we went to the Zoo was rather damp and chilly, as you can tell by the winter coats and hats.



Stoney and Emu in staring contest. Stoney won.

This Zoo has an unusual amount of stork. They are everywhere. Some stay there year round, other come in the spring to breed and leave again in the fall.




The Zoo has a lot of play equipment in addition to animals. There are the rope bridges - so you can feel like a monkey i guess.




Here, we are pretending to be seagulls I guess?



Not sure what we animal we are supposed to be here..

In the category "unusual roadsigns..."