Just sent this email update about our family to Oma’s side of the family, so I thought I would post it here too:

Love you Peanut!!

Highlights from our little family:
* Literally this week, Maya’s reading and writing skills have skyrocketed – it’s so heart-melting to see how proud she is of herself
* Our Dan (11) is skiing today too – with ski club from school – and it the perfect day for it here
* Jojo starts puppy training tomorrow – thank goodness, because, though I googled “small breed dog cold poop,” I found no help about how to get a small breed dog to poop outside when he’s so cold he’s shivering. Do I really have to buy this small critter “boots?” So weird… My Siberian Husky never needed silly coats and boots.
* Jim was promoted to associate professor last week or the week before – way past due – but we’re grateful the paperwork finally caught up to his achievements – the title is essential for the grant funding he needs.
* Madeline and I are still taking voice lessons together on Tuesday night, and having a ball doing it! We laugh so hard in that hour, and we both have grown as singers. She is such an incredibly thoughtful, insightful, articulate, passionate young person. Seriously, all three kids are growing right before our eyes. I thought it was supposed to be more subtle than it seems to be.
* Maya has a 2nd “wiggly tooth” – why does it seem so unnerving to wiggle it?
* Got my nails painted yesterday and told the person doing it that she could do whatever she wanted. I now have 8 fingers painted powder blue, and my ring finger on left hand & my thumb on my right hand are a darker, periwinkle blue – she calls the two of them “signature nails.” Hmmm… Okay.