In typical fashion, Avery spent a good chunk of time examining the flowers (dandelions, really) at the pumpkin patch on Saturday. And while looking, she spotted – and began to follow around – a little butterfly who flew from flower to flower.  The name she chose for her little friend (whom she was sad about leaving)? Dandelion.

-M

Before we hit the pumpkin patches on Saturday, we visited OSH (a California chain of nice hardware stores) for a kids event. The girls used screws, bolts, and keys to decorate little pumpkins, and the final products (which remind me a bit of Mickey Mouse) look very much alike. When the cashier complimented the girls and asked if they had planned for their pumpkins to look so similar (they didn’t, really), Zoe answered, “I guess we just like the same things.”

-M

The first of October meant a trip down to Half Moon Bay, where we take a pre-Halloween visit (or two or three) every year. With Zoe’s 10th(!) birthday fast approaching, I couldn’t help but think back to our very first trip to the pumpkin patches with her… Glad she still likes it!

-M

Today marks the start of one of our favorite months, and we’re already feeling excited for all the pumpkin-themed events and activities in store for us…

-M

All week the girls’ school has been gearing up for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) – there have been special activities and lessons, an all-school assembly, and something extra special for Zoe’s class. As described in the school’s newsletter yesterday:

The fourth graders were introduced to the many celebratory and traditional foods of the holiday through a Rosh Hashanah seder (ritual feast). Students read aloud information about the food of Rosh Hashanah—including apples and honey, pomegranate seeds, beets, and green onions—before tasting the items on the seder plates. Says fourth grade Judaic studies teacher Sharona Israeli-Roth, “This activity is all about walking the walk, which makes the students’ learning so much more meaningful.”

-M

Grandma and Grandpa paid us a visit last week. Among our activities: enjoying the 90(!)-degree weather by wandering around a nearby farmers’ market, watching Avery’s soccer game, and gearing up for Halloween by doing lots and lots of crafts.

-M

Zoe was having a rough afternoon one day, and I asked her if she needed a hug. As soon as our arms wrapped around each other, Avery ran over and wiggled her way in between us. “Can I tell you a little secret about hugs?” she asked, oblivious to her sister’s annoyance. “I can’t watch hugs without being a part of them. So I just join in without permission.”

-M

Zoe isn’t running on a regular basis right now (track club isn’t until spring, and she’s not old enough to join her school’s cross country team), but she did recently compete in the San Francisco Giants Kids Race. Like last year, she ran two laps around the field — but this year she came in 2nd in the girls group and 4th overall.

-M

We’re re-doing our backyard (another thing that has been keeping us busy as of late), and our patio furniture came in a pretty big box. In other words: the perfect place for Avery to play.

-M

Just as fun as playing soccer (and perhaps even more) is playing with your soccer friends after a game. Here was the scene at a nearby playground last Saturday morning…

-M

As mentioned, soccer season has begun – and Avery’s team (the Quidditch Queens, named after a game in Harry Potter) has already played two games. They won the second game (and Avery got an assist!) but, more importantly, the girls are having a blast.

-M

I haven’t posted in quite a while. We’ve been around – just busy! I was approaching – and am now fully in – the busiest time of year at work, and the girls are busy with school, with their after-school activities, and (now that the season has begun) with hosting football-watching parties on Sundays. Zoe also ran a race last weekend, and Avery has two soccer games under her plate -pictures soon!

-M

The girls are officially in the swing of things at school: They’ve settled into their new classes and began their after-school activities (drama and soccer for Avery, and photography and chorus for Zoe). Zoe also opted to take band as an elective this year, and trumpet was her instrument of choice. (I may be cursing her pick later, given that it’s not the most quiet of instruments, but so far so good!)

-M

I got to the girls’ school this afternoon at a particularly quiet time: Most kids had gone home already and many others (like Zoe) were finishing up their after-school enrichment courses in classrooms. When I turned the corner of the main hallway to head outside and find Avery, I saw her through the doors; she was happily skipping alone through the playground —  a pink-and-white stripped blur — and I literally froze and watched until she skipped out of sight. It happened too fast for me to grab my phone to take a photo, but it doesn’t matter because the memory is etched in my mind. To see her in her natural habitat looking so happy and carefree made my heart swell.

It was a good pick-up.

-M

For a sunny Labor Day treat, we hung out with our friends and their two little ones, Jacob and Shoshi. Cuteness ensued…

-M