Riley and Avery

So, clay class is a thing of the past.  I lied to Riley and told her that I could get my money back LOL.  Poor thing was so willing to trudge on through a sub-standard program rather than having me waste money.  So cute.  I need to pick up their clay creations at some point.

We ran out of propane on Monday.  No heat.  No hot water.  No cooking gas.  It sucked.  The propane people only deliver to South Portland on Tuesdays, and I noticed that we were low over the weekend.  In addition, with the storm coming, people who probably didn't really need propane panicked and ordered a delivery for Tuesday, so the company had to double-up on deliveries.  Yay.  This means that our propane guy who normally visits in the morning couldn't get to us until the afternoon.  Once I get a better idea on our usage, I can make sure that we don't run out again.  Like, how am I supposed to know how long 20 gallons will last us?  Or 10 gallons.  I mean, we were at 50 percent last time I checked, so I was surprised to find us hovering around zero over the weekend.  Yikes!

Riley loves reading.  Rudi loves reading, and buying books.  I love reading, and the library.  Rudi loves buying books for Riley.  I love checking books out of the library for Riley.  Who makes more sense?  Riley has a stack of books from the library, in addition to chapter books that she got for Christmas, and yet every time Rudi goes to Borders he buys her a book.  Ugh.

So, Riley and Avery have been taking clay class at the recreation center.  Actually, Avery went once then refused to go again.  I was all sorts of excited for them to be taking this class, thinking of how much they'd enjoy it.  I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting this.  Basically, they play with air-hardening clay for 1.5 hours.  Riley said that the teacher doesn't teach them anything about clay.  There is no firing, no glazing, no nothing that I would associate with a clay class.  However, Riley still enjoys it.  But, this is a 10-week session, and they've only had two classes so far, so I'm not confident that Riley will continue enjoying it.  I mean, we can play with clay in our house.  I wanted something extra, something that cannot be done at home.  Isn't that what classes are for?  If it matters, yes, we paid for the class.  I was, however, very very inexpensive.

The girls actually went outside and played in the snow.  Not altogether remarkable for Riley, but a very rare occurrence with Avery.  Riley was dying to try out her snowshoes.  She had fun running around in them.  Avery, I think, is heavy enough for her own, so we'll keep our eyes out for end-of-winter sales.  She certainly wants a pair, but I can't tell if she wants them because she want to use them, or if she wants them because everyone else in the family has a pair.  Ah, well, if we can get them as cheap as we got Riley's, it's no biggie.

What is wrong with me?  I can't believe I never posted the pics or blogged about it!  Dur!  These days, with my scattered brain, I go through iPhoto to be reminded what's been going on in my own life, then to blog about it, and came across the ear piercing pictures.  I still can't believe I didn't post about it...

Anyway, Riley got her ears pierced on her 7th birthday (a whopping three weeks ago LOL).  She was absolutely sure that she wanted them, and I thought that 7 was a common age to pierce ears, and old enough for her to understand what piercing entails.  She was SO indecisive about which earring to pick, it was driving me crazy!  The actual piercing went okay.  She cried, but didn't resist the second piercing.  She calmed right down after I suggested she pick out earrings for when she can change the studs.  Then she was super indecisive again about which pack of earrings to pick out!  One of her classmates also got her earrings as a birthday gift, and Riley is counting down the days until the 6 week healing period is over and she can change her earrings. 

So, I think I found a great doctor for the family.  At least, he's great on paper.  One, he is close to Rudi's age (as in, graduated medical school in 1980).  So, Rudi is more likely to listen to him LOL!  Second, he is conservative with medication, and is into homeopathic and alternative remedies.  Third, he is non-vax friendly, not having vaxed his own children.  Fourth, he is a family doctor, so I would have my first very own general practitioner since I left my pediatrician's practice at age 19.  Fifth, he is a participating provider with my insurance!  Sweetness!  The down side is that he is about 30 minutes away.  I don't see that as a big problem.

Riley started swimming lessons a week ago yesterday.  They are very serious about their swimming here.  Riley was *thisclose* to completing level 3 in Colorado Springs, but the standards are a lot more strict here. 

It is will great embarrassment that I reveal that the girls went sledding for the first time yesterday.  Yes, the first time.  I wasn't sure where a sled hill was, but searched online and found that the most popular sledding hill is at South Portland High, which is about .5 miles away.  Not too shabby.  Then, we realized that the sleds did not make the cut for the move.  So, Rudi went out in the snow storm to get cheap sleds.

Wow, Riley's growing up fast!  She's just maturing so much!  She carries herself like a big girl, talks like a big girl (although that's not new at all!).  Her poise is maturing, and her rhetoric is too.  I wish she didn't want to get her ears pierced, because that is certainly adding to the general air of grown-upness.  When in a good mood, she's easy on the eyes; when in a bad mood, she's terrible to behold.  She is so willing to help now, rather than being an instigator (usually).  Ah, my girl is seven!