Apple Picking

All great ideas with our neighbors are typically born out of an evening of cocktails.  We've planned Christmas caroling, taco nights and on the ambitious end, a mass trip to Italy.  Most recently Jerry proclaimed a baking throw-down between the three families.  Luckily, I, along with Erica and Sara's husbands secured our role as judges.  Prior to the bake-off we took full advantage of child labor and put them to work picking apples.  Jerry's brown bag apple pie certainly was impressive, but Erica ended up walking off with the top prize.  Revenge will be sweet next year my dear husband. 

Viv, solidly against going to another ballet class finally agreed after she was allowed to dress in head to toe pink.  Sadly she started just two weeks ago and I haven't had the heart to tell her she has six weeks left.  In all honesty, I share her reluctance.  It's a staggering menu of kid's activities.  Do I want my child to take Mandarin lessons at lunch?  Yes, please.  "Mini-Monet" art class?  Ukulele lessons?  Book clubs?  Clay club?  Piñata class with the school's Spanish teacher?  Of course.  It all sounds so great.  Am I perhaps stifling this generations next Beethoven?  Most definitely.  We've been reluctant to join the rat race of after-school kid's activities.  As of now, Ella continues with ballet and has started chess club and modern dance.  I consider any form of dance to count as a three for one special (athletics, music and art).  That works, no?  As for Viv, we plan to follow this four year old's lead and take a break come November.

Study Hall

Studying up on Human Anatomy

Ella's science lab portrait

Strength Training

Last night, Jer and I took the girls on a tour of our high school.  20 years ago we were walking around these halls, making our way through our seventeenth year.  Ella and Viv had an opportunity to run through the library after dark, take laps in our field house and meet two of my favorite teachers.  

Inspired by our latest apple adventures, the girls try their hand at a crisp.