The First Day of First Grade

Sophia started first grade on Wednesday! Seriously! My baby is a first grader. Sigh.

She is so happy to be back. And she's loving that it's familiar this year (I can tell already that she's more confident than last year, even at the end of the year).

I can also tell that the long day won't be as tough on her this year. She doesn't seem as wiped out when she gets home and it's been much easier for her to transition from school to playing with Oliver in the afternoon. Still I think we'll keep afternoons and weekends for family even though we've already started getting invitations to join various after school activities.


I'm not sure if I'm entirely ready for the new school year, but, a little like Sophia, I'm more ready than I was last year.

Just Look at these Three

Aren't they gorgeous?
They're as sweet as they look.
Someone tell me how I got so lucky.

We Went Walking

For my birthday.
And it was lovely.
I could stand to have a little of this every day.

Our Summer

Where, oh where did the summer go? If you based that question on the weather you might ask did it ever arrive, but I'm wondering, of course, where the time ran off to.

I vowed to enjoy every moment of the summer, and I did more or less (more on the fun, less on the sleep deficiency) but somehow the whole summer just slipped by anyway.

We did so many fun things, it's a shame I wasn't able to update the blog periodically with our adventures, but since I was so busy having fun (in a sleep-deprived, bleary-eyed sort of way), I never got around to it.

Luckily, Sophia has agreed to do a recap. This then, is "Our Summer, 2010:"

This  summer  was  really  great!
We  started with  going  to  Lopez Island,and  that  was  fun,but the only sad part was when  we left.
And  another  fun  thing was the downtown Jamison  Square !
In August  we picked blackberries and we got ice cream , snow cones ,and  new special drawers!
In July we picked  blueberries  and
 In June I  started  summer  break.

Well, that about sums it up!

We had a great time, as always, in the San Juans, and like Sophia wrote, it was hard to leave. The only other bummer about the trip was that Sophia was sick most of the time. I think she had a sinus infection. In any case as soon as we got home her fever disappeared and she was back to her joyful, energetic self. Oh well.

We also went to the beach with friends (Maya, Herb, Chloe, and Justin) where we played in the sand, kicked back, and even visited Neskowin Valley School for Gnome camp (I know!).

We got a kitten in June, little Posy, who isn't as little anymore, but still cute.

We found a new trail on Mt. Tabor (I never would have guessed there were any we didn't know about!) which is our new favorite.

We spent a lot of time playing with "library" friends, had several visits from grandparents, and spent most of August at the pool (despite the cool temperatures a lot of the month).

And then of course the big focus for us this summer has been baby Norah. Mmmm she's sweet. I knew I wanted another baby, but for some reason I've been taken off guard—yet again (you'd think I'd expect it by the time I'd gotten to the third baby)—by how much I adore  this child.

But of course I'm not the only one. There's some serious love happening in our house these days. Can I just tell you how happy we are? I mean seriously. Concerns about the future aside, it's just pure bliss around here.

You might think I'm kidding, but I'm not.

The only thing that could make life even sweeter would be finding "our place." We're anxious to know where we're going to finally settle—and to do just that. Be in the house we'll stay in. Plant our apple, cherry, and hazelnut trees. Put down roots.

Maybe I'll have an update in the next post. Anything is possible, right?