killing zombies

I know nothing about the zombie craze.  I do know that my girl Melissa told me that when she's crazy with work and kids, moving at a rapid-fire pace from one thing to the next, she and her hubby call it, "Killing Zombies."  The term has found its way into my daily vernacular.  A day like today when my only break from teaching or a meeting or mommying is lunch, it's a full on killing zombie day.  Days when my mind has to be so dang clear from one moment to the next, total presence until the fifteen minute transition when I think through what comes next.  Killing zombies.  And somehow we're almost at Thanksgiving.  Zombies are a wild time suck.

I just uploaded pictures from my phone and realized that I have been slacking hard.  There are pictures of my kids playing in golden leaves, covered in make-up and their weird and creative Halloween get-ups, the annual trip to the corn maze.  It feels like that stuff was years ago.  So I'm doing an anti-blog, blog and dumping on some old pics and getting caught up, zombie killing style.  Banging on through. So here.

Now that that's out of the way, I have to say, we're definitely settling into a groove, zombies and all.  It's amazing how the energy reserve always finds a way to re-fill, even when you think you'll never have the energy to do another dish, make another lunch, grade another paper.  My children are troopers and they are very, very good and rolling with our madness.  I know I've said this all before.  But I'm really proud of who they're becoming.  

Eliana is so damn creative.  She had to choose a career to research for school and she decided she wanted to be a, "Dancing Artist."  She picked out this brilliant outfit to be filmed in for her Dancing Artist school program today -- pink legwarmers, a Peruvian wool-embroidered sweater dress, extra accessories, a striped duster sweater -- she made her mama proud.  And I, honestly, had absolutely nothing to do with it.  I sometimes worry that I'm depriving her of things because I don't have her in any lessons or after-school activities.  Our life is too full for me to drive her around after school.  It's just not really an option for our family right now. But then I see what she does on her own.  Today after school she made and wrapped presents for family members, including sewing two pieces of felt together and stuffing them with filling to make a pillow for Mazzy.  I'm kinda blown away.  I do not sew.  She did a puzzle then drew the castle and princesses on separate pieces of paper, made a store to sell her precious rocks and jewelry collection, danced to her best Pandora songs, all while including her brother and actually getting along with him.  It was a special afternoon, to be sure.  They certainly do not all go this way.

Solomon is doing all sorts of cool things too.  His Spanish is taking off.  Tonight he found these red Nikes, like four sizes too big, and he was so into them that all he wanted to do was race me around the house.  He'd yell, "A las uno, a las dos, a las tres!" and then take off from one wall to the next.  He loves learning new things, loves being at school with his sister, loves throwing his whole self into everything he does.  During his parent-teacher conference Adriana told us about how kinesthetic he is, how enthusiastic, how into songs and stories.  He's a boy, though he's had a rough sleep regression and seems to will himself awake around two a.m. so that he can find his way into our bed.  He settles into my body like he did when he was tiny, all elbows and knees, lips and curls.  I'm pretty crazy for him, though Jeff and I are both pretty low on a good night's sleep.  Bring on the zombies though.  Life doesn't seem to stop.