Another Turn of the Calender

We arrived back from our trip to Wisconsin and suddenly summer was over.  We are having our first real stretch of warm weather while the kids are in school.  Around here, that doesn’t surprise anyone.  September can be a hit or miss month as far as rains go.  This year it seems as if we are having a leap month or something.

Noah and Naomi are back at Challenger Elementary and Nathan is a freshman at Skyline, so while Noah is a BMOC (5th grade), Nathan is at the bottom of the heap.

Nathan’s three years at BLMS flew by and there’s little reason to think high school will be any different.  We’ve already endured several meetings about selecting courses so students can get in to their preferred college.  I think the applications go out in a couple of years if that is what he wants to do.  Four more years?  Sounds like a campaign chant.  Let’s take it one day, one week, one season at a time.  He missed the first two cross-country practice while we were in Wisconsin but he’s well in the swing now, running 3-5 miles in practice most days and has one meet under his belt.  Next weekend is an overnight retreat for the school Choir.  He seems to be in the swing of things and like the last few years, he is taking things in stride and adapting well.

Rolling the dice on another year

Noah immediately seized the opportunity to join the Safety Patrol.  He gets to carry the flag and wear the reflective vest one week per month.  I’ll meet his teacher at curriculum night this week but she has a good reputation and Noah seems to like her.  At Challenger, there are four classrooms for each grade and over the six years they get stirred up and mixed around and mostly have class with every other student at one time or another.  Noah’s been best friends with Jackson since kindergarten even though they haven’t had the same teacher.  This year they are finally in the same class again.  Noah and I skipped town over Labor Day weekend  for an overnight backpack with another of his friends.  We went to the North Cascades and hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail.  The sky was clear and the views were immense.  Noah set the pace on the hike out and he seems to be getting used to carrying a pack and hiking.  Noah and his friend had a lot of fun chasing grouse in the meadow near camp.

Excellence in a cornfield

Naomi moved up the ladder to second grade and they lowered the monkey bars again (or so it seems).  School is still ramping up and she has not been completely exposed to the hardships of second grade yet.  Naomi is taking gymnastics on Saturday morning and maybe that will put some muscle on her well-defined bones.  We’ll see.

Outstanding in a cornfield

Laura is easing into her volunteer roles and still trying to clear her head after her seizure.  She’s spending this weekend puzzling at Microsoft with her friends and hopefully recharging her mental batteries.

Mummy in a cornfield

I’ve got two days left at my current job at SAIC.  Then I’m off to start a new job working in Seattle for a long-in-the-tooth startup called Impinj making RFID equipment.  I’m looking forward to new challenges and a new commute.

Me and Molly

All for now, we hope all are well.

Sherpa Noah

North Cascades Sea of Peaks: (from left) Silver Star, Golden Horn, Pickets, Azurite, Ballard, Clark (click to embiggen)

Paintbrush and Sedum flower garden

Sunset, moonrise over the Pickets