How about them apples?

Last weekend, Amalia's Brownie troop went apple picking at a farm about an hour south of San Jose.

 The Pierce girls put their hair in braids because, you know, farm. 

Not content to pick the ones she could reach from the ground, Amalia took matters into her own hands. 

 Big sisters tagging along. It was a family field trip. 

That's a lot of apples. 

Long lost violin footage

Andy recorded Lily's violin recital last spring but overzealous government security measures kept it trapped on his phone until now. Enjoy!

Tri, tri again

For the second year in a row, the girls participated in a youth triathlon with some of their friends.

 All inked up with their ages. 

 Lily was first. 

100-yard swim.

 Elbow, elbow, knee, knee.

 Transitioning to bike. 

 3-mile bike ride. 

After the 2-mile run. (I missed the finish because Amalia was in the pool at the same time. Sorry, Lil.)

 Then it was Amalia's turn. But first, hugs with friends.

More friend pics. 

 40-meter swim. 

 She was so eager to get to the next event, she was ordering Andy around. 

2-mile bike ride (on her brand-new bike). 

 1-mile run, finishing strong. 

Snaggle tooth.

 Friends at the finish line. 

Post-race feast. 

OK, these are obviously not my kids, but I couldn't help taking some video of them doing the Whip/Nae Nae.

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.