School, gym, b-day, and the Halloween wind sock saga

I have not posted for over a week I think, but it is a busy time. I thought I had better write before I get too behind, even though it is late. School is underway, noni was a little unsettled after her first day, there were some tears. After talking to her it was about some new boys in the class she did not know and did not wish to play with. Once we had a talk, she has decided that she will play with only those she chooses, so all is well. She usually makes friends so easily, but it has to be on her terms-she doesn't let anyone run her, that is for sure. She has even come home reciting the little french rhymes they have started singing!

Gymnastics are many hours a week. The kids love it, they are a really great bunch there. As our time extends here, I am so glad we get to be at that gym longer. I had to laugh when noni's group was in the training room, one of the coaches said, "ok, do your best splits for 10 seconds". After the count I heard noni say " I did eleven seconds!" It was hilarious! Both the girls are working so hard. They spend time "training" each other on the trampoline at home. Even though the hours are long, the kids don't seem to mind at all and never ask to stay home instead. I think it tires us out more. Its funny, I was talking to a friend about it and she said she was glad she didn't have daughters, saying that boys there is less activities. I thought that was funny, I think it depends more on what you put kids in than gender for sport-another friends son is in more hours than my girls between all his sports. I have found the kids need the outlet for their energy.

We had a dinner out for Dave's b-day early, the kids were so good, it was a really nice relaxing evening. I had gone and got my haircut before that and I got the coolest runner for my table at Pier 1, as well as some other fun stuff-I still love that store. All my glassware is from there, as are a set of placemats and napkins, and 5 different sets of napkin rings. I swear, half my house is Pier 1!

I have been taking out fall stuff, wreaths and pumpkins, planted some fall stuff out front. The stores do not bother as much with fall plants here as they do in Ontario, so it has been a pain to find stuff that I want. As such, I have been digging in my fall/Halloween bin, seeing what is there, do I want to get rid of anything etc. Of course I came across my wind sock type of thing with a bat pumpkin, and ghost on it. Looking at it always makes me laugh that we still have it. It was one of those things I bought for the kids. It was cute and they got a kick out of it. The funny thing behind it is that it is amazing we still have it. We got it 6 years ago and every year hung it from our side porch in Kingston, or on my rustic arch etc. Sometimes the wind kncoked it down, I 'd find it in the bushes. However, on three different occasions it was blown halfway up the street. Once it was even found and hung by the mailboxes(we had nice neighbours!) when nobody knew whose it was. We always managed to find it though. Then we moved here. Same thing happened, blew up the street in a storm. I walked about 4 houses up looking for it and happened to see it hanging by the neighbours house-sure enough, it was ours! I can't believe we still have it! It follows us no matter what....!