Just tri

The girls did their first kids triathlon this morning with some friends. We had a great time. All very low-key and relatively short distances.

 In their Baywatch suits.

 Lily started out doing free...

...and then switched to backstroke.

 Getting marked for one of her laps on the bike.

 Then the run.

 Water break.

Sprint through the finish.

 Finisher medal.

Recovery.

 Amalia, Marilyn, Jorja and Eileen.

 Jumping in.

 Amalia did freestyle the whole way.

 Biker babe.

 

Amalia at the finish. 

Another medalist!

Group photo.

First day 2014

 

Another school year begins.

Amalia was up and dressed in her new outfit by 6:30 a.m. Her 1st grade teacher is Ms. Bacon. With a name like that, I'm sure it'll be a great year.

Lily's in a 4th/5th grade combo class, which will be interesting. It also happens to be part of a pilot iPad Academy, so they'll get to use iPads as part of their work. She, too, was eager for school to start (going to bed early and waking up several times in the night), though with a bit less pink.

  Amalia's friend Caroline is in the classroom right next door to Amalia's.

Lily was getting a bit nervous seeing all the 5th-graders in her line. Thankfully her classmate from last year, Alana (in polka dots), showed up. Can't wait to hear the reports at the end of the day.

End of summer

While Lily was shooting Zombies, Amalia and I joined classmates for an end-of-summer gathering in Santa Cruz.

 Amalia was thrilled to spend the day with her best friend, Caroline.

 Waiting to go on a sailing cruise around Monterey Bay.

 Hanging out on the bow.

 Perhaps flip flops weren't the best boat shoes.

 No, they're not all seasick already. Just watching the water as we sailed out of the marina.

 The Walton Lighthouse

 Oh Captain, my Captain!

Back on the beach the girls set up a cinnamon cookie store. Each purchase came with a palm reading fortune from Amalia (mine was "You will meet your sister very soon. Me: "I don't have a sister." Amalia: "Ah, you have forgotten about your sister.")

 Trying to start a fire.

 Double, double, toil and trouble.

 Quintuple marshmallows!

She manages to find an animal wherever she goes.

Two for two

Yesterday, Lily participated in her second archery competition, the very official sounding, "The Zombie Apocalypse Bootcamp and Training Shoot."

 She again faced her nemesis, Nali.

 

 

 But again prevailed!

 No belt buckle this time.

She's now officially licensed to hunt for zombies, which should come in handy if the CDC is to be believed.

Kennolyn Year 2

Last weekend, we picked the girls up from Camp Kennolyn, where they spent two weeks at sleepaway camp up in the Santa Cruz mountains. This was Lily's second year and Amalia's first.

 Can you spot Lily?

Cabin cheers. Lily's cabin, Elm, won the junior cabin "Golden Sponge," which is awarded for cleanliness (and bribing the judges, I believe).

Watching the other cabins do their cheers.

 Singing cheers before the Closing Ceremony began.

 Amalia was in Acacia. She was the youngest girl at camp.

She loved her counselors and, judging by all the Amalia stories, the feeling seems to have been mutual.

 Raising of the flag. Each morning they sing the national anthem and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

After the Closing Ceremony, we got to see the girls do some of their favorite activities. Of course horseback riding was first.

 

 Amalia is wearing the pink books and is riding Energy.

 Lily is riding Christie. She (the horse) has no bottom teeth.

 

Horse whisperer. In addition to horseback riding, Amalia also took horse care and animal care (plus swimming and drama).

 Next was junior ropes.

 

 

 

 

Hanging out in the new chuckwagon.