'Tis the Season...

 ...to spend Friday nights in packed stadiums (watching a game I don't get).  But the girls love it and it's always good to see my (super awesome!) students outside of the classroom....

Labor Day---according to Quincy

Driving to ballet the other evening Quincy decided to educate us on why we were having a three day weekend.  Quincy:  This Monday is Labor Day so we need to laze around the house thinking about people who work.  Huh.

Here is what they actually did on Labor Day (not much lazing around---but it was fun!).

 

 One of their new games is to hop on their bouncy-balls while they use their hula-hoops as horse-reins. (??)

 

 Quincy did get the meaning of Labor Day kind-of correct when she had Ellie carry her from room-to-room on her back. 

 

 

 

 ...and we finished the last of the Avatar series (sob, sniff-sniff).  It was such a great series (for all of us, not just the girls) that it was like saying good-bye to an old friend when the last episode ended.  Tim (I swear this was not me!) had the girls dress as Katara and Zuko (complete with face-paint and appropriate hairdos) for the last episode.  Tim went as Aang.  Otis was Aapa.  Again---Nerd humor.  But they are my nerds!
 

This is how I found them when I went in to say good-night.  I love them.  They are awesome :)

Where did August go?

 Quincy is excited that she gets to do pretty much the same things that Ellie did last year in Kindergarten...like make a bear hat (???).

 The girl's favorite books are the Pippi Longstocking series and anything by Roald Dahl (Matilda being their favorite). 

 The last pool session before the pools closed for the year :(

 

 

 The girls tried their hand at water-bending (if Aang the Avatar can do it so can they).  This is Nerd-Humor.

 

 Ellie is back in soccer---and sooooooo happy about it.  And Quincy is equally happy she is not in soccer!  She prefers to sit on the side-lines and read.

 

 Piano is back in session---Haemi is still their teacher (and we are ALL soooo happy about that!).  We love Haemi.

And, lastly, ballet began again.  The three amigos are back together for another season. 

Happy September!

1st day of school!

We are all officially back in school.  Q is in Kindergarten (!), E is in 1st grade (and was soooo ready to get back!), and Tim and I are still doing the same ol' same ol'.    This morning was the first day back for the girls.  When it was time to wake Quincy up, she bolted out of bed with a HUGE smile :)  What a great way to begin the year....

Walking up the hill to leave the neighborhood and catch the BUS!

All last year Quincy watched Ellie board the bus for school every morning.  It is now finally her turn and she couldn't be any happier.  Two girls that love school....life is good!

And she is now down by two teeth...

Total bed-head!

Happy Birthday Aunt Liz!

We love you!

The Beach---A really (really) long post

Last weekend the family all got together for a bittersweet reason: To lay our mother's ashes (1/2 of them) in our father's grave.  While the reason for our gathering was sad, the weekend itself was wonderful:  Good company, good weather, and a not-so-good hotel...

The girls (and Jack!) went to Uncle Bill's Surf School again---but this time they got up!  Multiple times.  And rode many, many (really small) waves!  The joy on their faces took away the sadness of the weekend....

 Ellie, Jack, and Quincy

                                      Uncle Bill and Ellie

                                Uncle Bill and Quincy

                                  Cousin Jack                                                                                Cousin Ryan

Uncle Joe

                                                                              Aunt Jill

Aunt Liz.  Possibly the nicest human on the planet.

 

Quincy was born to be on the beach.....Patrick, not so much!

Before we left for home we were all lucky enough to get one last look at the house (including the inside!) that we spent our teenage years in.  Above is the view from the dock in the back of the property.  What you can't see in the above photo are the three Manatee frolicking in the water.  They were so cute I wanted to jump in and hug them.   But then I remembered the alligators and I decided against it.