First day 2015

 The 5th grader and the 2nd grader on their first day of school. #brownisthenewgreen

 Standing on the cat's bed.

 The brand new playground, completed 4 days before school started. 

 Lily looped with Ms. London, her teacher from last year, and is very happy about it. 

 Her friend Jenna is too. 

Amalia and Ismene did not get the same teacher, but will get to see each other at recess, playdates and sleepovers, according to their plans.

 The swarming helicopter parents. 

New backpack on, waiting patiently to go into Ms. Sullivan's room. 

Farewell to summer

On the last Monday before school starts, we played hooky and joined  a bunch of friends for an end-of-summer beach bash. 

First, we got fortification with a big breakfast with Grandma Carol. 

 

 So much fun this summer with these friends (Caroline, Amalia, Sydney, Lily). 

 Watching sea lion pups eat fish. 

 After a few attempts at passing, Lily declared that she likes archery better than volleyball. 

 Goofballs. 

Yes, it's as cold as it looks. 

 Hanging out on the giant cement jacks. 

We ended the evening with roasted hot dogs, marshmallows, s'mores and smoke in our eyes. 

Chipmunk sleepover

And one week later, we did it all over again for Amalia's 7th birthday, with friends Caroline and Ismene.

 The mermaids.

Arts and crafts.

 Presents.

 Birthday cupcakes..and an unrevealed wish.

 Dinner on the lawn.

 Dance party in my bedroom. 

 Sock sliding in the bathroom. 

Settling in for a movie with stuffed friends. All of them. 

 Morning after swim. 

Gangnam style. 

Kayaking in LWW

The girls are spending the week up in Lake Wildwood with Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Colin, and they're already hitting the water. 

More birthday-ing

 Practice doesn't take the day off, not even for birthdays. 

@ Black Mountain Bowmen range in San Jose. 

Dinner at Kyoto Palace with Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Colin!

Family love. 

 Action shot: Lily catching fried egg in her mouth. 

Our fantastic chef. 

Slo-mo onion volcano. 

Happy birthday, Lily!

Back to work--at home programming her robot, Dash, trying to win a t-shirt from the company sponsoring the challenge. 

Double digits!

This girl is 10 years old today. 

Last night we had a sleepover to begin the celebration. 

Swimming. 

Chicken fights. 

Amalia vs. Caroline. 

Dinner from the local taco truck. 

 Presents!

Sock sliding on the bathroom floor. 

 After a night of movies, the girls woke up to cinnamon rolls for breakfast. 

Along with a rousing card game of Exploding Kittens (it's not as violent as it sounds). 

And of course back in the pool for a morning swim before heading home. 

A great sleepover! (And we'll do it all over again for the little one next weekend.)

Giggle monsters

Amalia reading an old writing assignment about how to make a PB&J sandwich gave both sisters the giggles.