A Plug For Noah’s School

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 3 Comments

If you live in our area and are looking for great school for our kiddos–consider The College School.  When looking for a school for our kids–we knew they wouldn’t go to public school–I looked long and hard at a lot of private schools and we have a lot of them in our city.  There was one that stood out among the rest.  We choose to send Noah to The College School.  It isn’t the biggest and it isn’t the most diverse (but it’s more diverse than it was without Noah).  But we are so happy with school as is Noah.

Here’s their mission:

The College School engages children, ages three to fourteen,
in joyful, meaningful and creative learning
through an adventurous, theme-based, experiential curriculum.

Our diverse community works as a partnership,
cultivating excellence in academics, character and collaboration,
as we prepare our students for life-long learning,
service and citizenship.

It’s a great school.  Our open house is this Saturday the 14th from 12-3.  Stop by and see the kids experiencing life and learning.  Hope to see you there.  Stop by the Big Bend room and say hi.

Her First Right of Passage

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 3 Comments

So, today I took Zoë to get her ears pierced today.  I have been wanting to do it for some time now and Bill and I agreed that I would wait until after her 2nd birthday.  I have been talking to her about it for a few weeks, getting her prepared.  I have to say that she really did awesome.  I, of course, would be lying if I said she didn’t cry but the tears only lasted a minute until she noticed something sparkly and shiny at the accessories store.  She has been doing really well with leaving them alone and letting me clean and twist them–I have only had to do it once today as we got them pierced this afternoon. But so far, so good.

And she looks adorable….

earrings 2

earrings

Here is a token Halloween photo–more details coming about Zoë’s first trick or treating experience and her birthday(those pics on my desktop and I’ll pull them off soon).

halloween

Not This Year

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

I am sad to say that this is the first year that I won’t be doing NaBloPoMo.  I am sad but also a little relieved.  As busy has my life is and has been, I was terrified of this month.  But then I decided I wasn’t going to do it.  How liberating that was.  I will try to post as much as I can this month–because I miss it so but I am not putting pressure on myself to post everyday.  That would just be too much.

This past weekend was a blur–Halloween, which is now Zoë’s favorite holiday.  After we finished trick-or-treating because Noah wanted to be done, Zoë demanded “more houses” and we went out for another 7 or 8 rounds of “trick or treat.”  She thought it was the most amazing thing ever.

My little girl is going to be 2 tomorrow.  I can hardly believe it.  As it really does feel as though we were just in Ethiopia to bring her home.  How quickly it all goes.  She had a party this weekend which of course she thought was awesome as well.  I’ll get some pictures up tomorrow from Halloween and Birthday.

How Smart Do We Think We Are?

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 4 Comments

I know there are those who think we are the smartest, most evolutionarily savvy organisms on the earth.  Well, I have to say that the Flu is smarter than us–all 400+ strains of it.  I will first start by saying–I don’t get a flu shot.  I will also say I didn’t get my kids a flu shot this year nor did I get them the H1N1 vaccination.  Why you ask?  No it isn’t because I am a bad mom and want them to get sick.  It’s because I believe that they are gonna get the flu whether or not they get the shot.  Last year the scientists picked the wrong strains of flu and the shot was virtually worthless.  We were lucky and no one at our house got sick. This year flu season is in full swing in reality but theoretically it hasn’t started yet, and we already have thousands of cases of flu.  My kids and hubby both got it as have half of my sons friends at school (the good majority who got flu shots already) and all of the kids at my daughter’s daycare.

I am a firm believer that germs are good and that we are evolutionarily well suited to adapt.  This year was the first year that Noah has gotten sick and it is also Zoë’s first illness of note since being home.  I cringe at the news with all the hysteria of H1N1 and flu vaccine shortages.  When I grew up there was no flu vaccine and I survived just fine.  You’d think we’d have learned our lessons with what has happened with antibiotics and how viruses and bacteria adapt as we attempt to eradicate them, leaving us with drug protocols that don’t necessarily work.

So did you get a flu shot?