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.

First Day 2019!

Off they go, my sweetie pies! Adam has the same teacher as he had last year (same teacher Ellie also had for kinder and first. It's her fourth year teaching, and I joked with her last year that I hope she'd go four for Ford) and Ellie has a teacher who is new to the school. Both kids were incredibly excited this morning, and they each have last year's school bestie back in their class again. Ellie's class looks to have fewer of the rowdy boys who drove her bonkers last year, so that's a relief. Can't wait to see what the year holds for them!

Last Week of Summer!

Well, we did it, we survived summer 2019! And had a great time doing it. Our last week was spent mostly trying to get things back in gear - we bought all of our school supplies, organized new back packs and lunch boxes, figured out first day of school outfits, the usual.

Here they are, apres swim, having some popcorn and observing the butterflies in Gigi's yard.

We also did a lot of stuff with friends - it's nice to have neighbor kids in and out having fun, and on Friday, we took it up a notch and went down to San Diego County to visit an animal sanctuary called Lions, Tigers and Bears. They have about 30 animals on the property, and all of the big animals are rescues - most of their back stories are incredibly sad, as they were part of the exotic animal trade, or bred to be used in cub photography (usually the animals are then destroyed at 12 weeks when they're no longer cuddly enough for photos) or one tiger was used as a brood mare, and had over 200 cubs before coming to the sanctuary.

They offer tours throughout the week, and it's a great way to learn about the animals and what they do for them. During the tour the animals can come over to the fence for a snack, which most of them do (they are very firm about how no one ever touches the animals or goes into their cages, but obviously, since they're not trying to release them back into the wild, it's okay if they learn to come and be friendly at the fence) and it was so awesome!

Moon Bears coming for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

Bob cat time

This guy actually roared at us, which was amazing! And the cougar, Pumpkin (not pictured) actually meowed at the keeper when she came over with the food and meowed to get her attention.

Jaguar having some enrichment activities. She loves pinecones, and even big cats do "if I fits, I sits" with cardboard boxes.

The most amazing part? I paid into a raffle and won the chance to feed an animal of my choosing! So, I picked the tiger. This is me and Maverick.

It was SO COOL. Even though he's enormous, he still was very delicate taking the meat off the fork. I wish I could have reached through and petted him on his big, beautiful head. But I did not, because I mostly follow rules. The kids had such a fun time, well worth the extended drive. Summer fun memories for all!

Mid-August

How is it possible that next week is our last full week of summer vacation? We've had a such good one!

Last week the kids went to probably their best week of summer camp, at Camp Ford! Such nice counselors, many activities, plus matching shirts! They went to Soak City, to the Fair, and to ride a bicycle built for many people. And a scavenger hunt!

Meanwhile, Tim and I went out to various dinners, laid around our house like lazy turds, and went two stepping with friends one night. He was still at work during Thursday and Friday, so I maxed out on just enjoying the quiet of the house.

We went to the beach this week for my birthday!

It was very sweet to watch Ellie and Gigi out searching for good rocks and beach glass on the shore. And since it was my birthday, when I came to search with them, they pointed to pieces on the sand so that I could pretend that I found them. They are so kind to me in my old age.

Tim also took the kids bowling with our friends, I arrived in time to eat the last mozzarella stick

Yesterday the kids spent the day with Mimi and Poppy and then we met up with them for a performance by the Air Force band, starring an old family friend! Did not take any pictures, but I was really proud of how well the kids behaved during the show. Very nice little audience members! And then today, we continued our time of art and culture by going to the Tar Pits and LACMA.

This statue has no nails in it

This whole installation is made of human hair

This is 8,000 pieces of paper

This is Ellie walking our friend Piper down to stand under a giant boulder. Modern art is crazy, y'all.

And tomorrow we're going to a baseball game! It's so fun to pack in the end of the summer so that the kids think the entire summer was awesome.

BAD NEWS PORTION.

Despite the cuteness of this picture. our time with Sky was only three weeks. He is truly one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen, but it was not a good fit. Our cats hated him, HATED him, and he was acting up in bad ways. Our agreement with the rescue org was always that he would have to fit in with our family in order to stay, and they were very kind about the fact that he wasn't a good fit and took him back in hopes of finding him a place where he can be either an only cat, or have a kitten friend his same age to wrassle with. We all just wanted the cats to be happy, and Lucky and Taco weren't happy with Sky, and he wasn't happy with us. There were some initial fireworks from Ellie about Sky having to leave, which is completely understandable, but she has since come around. I have been joking - will this be a lesson about how if you love someone but it isn't working out, you can't stay together, and she'll cut loose a bad romantic partner in her future OR will she someday tell her therapist "when I was eight, we adopted the most beautiful kitten and then my mom gave it away while I was at my Grandma's house." Who can say!

Happy Campers

The kids have been at their day camp for the past almost two weeks, and they are having a blast. They are each with a friend (super cute - on the first day a counselor introduced themselves to the boys, and after Adam and Judd introduced themselves back, Adam goes "we're friends. Best friends!" Noted, my dude) and the camp is very intensely outdoorsy. They've gone horse back riding, they've gone to the tidepools in Dana Point, they do slip and slides and rock wall climbing and archery and skateboard and all sorts of other wholesome activities led by nice young men and women who go by funny camp names. This year Ellie and Lexi are with Decade, and Adam and Judd are with Hero.

Scrawny McSunburn, on his way to the slip and slide.

Ellie, whose mean mom won't let her attend camp in one of her regular teeny weeny bikinis, because her mean mom doesn't trust that she won't come home totally roasted.

A very filthy foursome last week when there was some sort of scavenger activity with dinosaur dust and cavemen hunting the kids.

A shot from beach day - Adam and Judd are the two in the lower right corner (Judd has his back to the camera)

They are loving the whole experience, and I am loving #1, that I have the entire day to myself and that #2, when they come home, they are so happy and tired that I feel no guilt in having them shower, eat dinner early and watch TV until bed time.

Also pleasing to me: this three pound dingus, with his stripey back, his spotted belly and his weird little feet. That's right, I talked Tim into a third cat! His name is Sky and we all love him (except for Lucky, who isn't really into other cats who want to be in her business. She hisses at Taco almost every day for bothering her, what's one other obnoxious cat pest?)

Man, I haven't updated in awhile, so I missed out on informing you all that while I had a girls weekend in Ojai, Tim got to take the kids to Disneyland with a friend of ours who works for The Mouse. My beautiful family, all having a great time on Space Mountain, as you can see.