Good Monday morning from these two cuties, well dressed and neatly coiffed for school picture day:

This weekend our little gymnastic got a new leotard featuring cats in space, and did a lot of practicing in the back yard.

Adam got a new back pack for his baseball equipment, though I thought he was doing fine with my old yellow Vera Bradley diaper bag. Sheesh. Coincidentally, he also got his first hit on the ball field. Thank you to Mimi for the excellent camera work!

Afterwards, told everyone he got a home run.

He also went to his first professional soccer game on Saturday night. I had invited our neighbor friends Victoria and Keira to attend the Sound of Music singalong with Ellie and myself at the Hollywood Bowl, and so Tim and Adam were able to take their season tickets to see the LA Galaxy with Robert. Worked out perfectly for all! Tim reported that Adam was a great spectator and they all had a fun time.

Meanwhile, us girls had a blast! I haven't been to the singalong in probably ten years. Not much has changed - they still give out the exact same props, and you know, the movie remains the same, but I feel like it's only better with time, and extra fun to go with my little lady. She'd actually never seen the whole movie through until Saturday night (it's three hours long!) but she had a great time and really loved it. Loved that you can cheer and boo, loved singing along, loved being with her friend, hopefully liked being with her mean old mommy.

I have an actual million fond memories surrounding this movie from my childhood and my adulthood (the last time we went to the singalong we brought Grandma Rosie along with us!) and it is thankfully, a childhood favorite that holds up to adult review. In an era where the US President says that some neo-Nazis are "very fine people," it's refreshing that Captain Von Trapp is suffering no fools and not even trying to see the good in any of the Nazis. And there isn't a bad song in the bunch (though we did tell the girls, if some 17 year old boy tries to tell you that he knows better than you, you shut that right down. That number is redeemed, as always, by the absolute dreaminess of Leisel's dress, which I continue to covet.)

Ellie and I didn't get home until 1am, but she thankfully slept in the car, and I thankfully did not fall asleep behind the wheel. It's the price we pay for super fun big city adventures!

Pal Time.

This weekend was Adam's first baseball game. He moved up from rec league t-ball to actual Little League, playing in the first to third grade division, which is machine pitch. So, a pretty big change for our little dude, but he's doing well. I mean, he didn't get a single hit yesterday, and he didn't field a single ball, but he looks the part, is a good team mate, and says he's having a good time, which is what matters.

He's got a decent swing, hopefully will connect on something soon

They call him the Couldn't Care Less Kid. He spent quite a lot of his time sprinkling the dirt around.

Gigi and Grizz and Sara came to watch his game, which was nice of them, and then afterwards we celebrated Grizz's birthday a day early (since tonight Adam has practice from 5:30-7pm.) I made Grizz some desserts and also a punch hooked Yogi pillow, at Sara's urging.

If you would like a beloved family pet crafted into a terrifying pillow, please let me know, I'm accepting commissions. Only home sewn, terrible looking things are to be expected. Ellie was so cute - she really wanted to have a big present for Grizz, even though I told her all he wants is a party with her, but she went and got a little box and filled it with some treasures - a shell, a shiny rock, a Gryffindor lego since that's Grizz's Hogwarts house, and one of her gold dollars. She even tied it with a ribbon and stapled the card onto it. She's a sweetie. Adam just gave him a hug and a kiss and a card signed Love Pal.

We also made him a birthday slide show! It's supposed to be set to the Beatles "When I'm Sixty-Four" but when I put it up on YouTube, I got pinged for music copyright violation. So, here it is without music - you can put your own song on in the back ground, I guess!

And since Grizz is actually 64 today, I would like to assure him that we do still need him, but as for feeding him, I will mostly continue to eat HIS food. As one does. When one is a leech. 

Settling In.

Week one of school, and Labor Day weekend are now behind us, and it feels like school has really started, and it's truly fall. If you can ignore the 90 degree temperatures (which I can't. It's awful.)

The kids are happy in their classes. Last Wednesday when we were walking to school, they ran ahead of me and jogged all the way to their classrooms, hung up their back packs and were hanging out with their friends, not caring whether or not their annoying mom came over and kissed them goodbye. We've gotten into a good afternoon routine as well, making sure the piano gets practiced and homework gets done.

After school activities have also ramped back up. I have to say, I'm so glad they're not doing soccer this year. It's a lot of time and a lot to manage for two kids who don't truly enjoy the games. Ellie is sticking with gymnastics (which is only once a week) and Adam has moved from t-ball to Little League. They use a pitching machine at this level, which is a big difference and stands to be a challenge, but he's in love with his new helmet and bat and all of the gear. He may be a bleeder and a crier when things don't go his way, but he's a good team mate and a kind friend. We had our first batting practice tonight and he was his usual outgoing little self, chatting up all the other dudes. Ellie will also start back up with her Bio-Nerds after school class next week, it was one of her favorite things last year. Feels nice to be getting into a routine, and back with our friends and classmates.