Nine

Matilda turned 9 today! Rather than a party this year she decided on a visit to the Medieval era. She brought two friends along and we all thoroughly enjoyed our mediocre food and raucous cheering. Our knight won!!

Since play acting violence and greasy poultry is not quite enough, we continued the birthday celebration with a sleep over. These lovely girls were actually arguing over whose turn it was to look up the next word in her new birthday dictionary. This girl of mine is awesome, with some mighty fine friends. It is midnight now and I still hear them whispering in bed.

Nine years of parenting. Wow.

Morro Bay Fun

Do You Need a Valentine?

Matilda decorated this bag to bring home her Valentine haul from class today.

She loves everyone! (Now I need to listen to some Lyle Lovett.) 

Today's Fun: Ice Skating on a Hot Day

Today's Fun: Valentine's Sweat Shop

Today's Fun: A Lazy Sunday

Science fun with color experiments, acid and base mixing, and Oobleck. Porter exclaimed, "Oobleck IS science!"

Board games with a neighbor friend.

This two day old game is still running! Porter is a ruthless real estate mogul.

Zoo building with grandpa's blocks.

A very sunshiney afternoon spin around the neighborhood.

Beautiful City

Amazing views of the city this morning on my hike.

Jet lagged

Candy House Bonanza

Porter and Matilda each invited a few friends home after school today to decorate houses. I can't say gingerbread house since I just did my usual cheater graham cracker house assembly. However, with all that candy flying no one seemed to complain!

 It's important to sample the supplies. 

 Success, another candy house in the books.  

Before

If you don't hear from me, it might be because I've been entombed in icing.

Certifiable

It's Chime Season!!

Hands down, my favorite Christmas decoration.

Naturalist

I love this shot that Tim captured of Matilda on our hike in Joshua Tree last weekend. She likes to carry a notepad on any nature walk to document her observations, thoughts and quick sketches of any animals we encounter, especially the cute fuzzy ones! It is amazing to me the quantity of little notepads that she manages to fill. Thorough documentations is important in good research I suppose.  

Weather!!

We are thrilled to be getting some much needed rain. Although water falling from the sky seems to be such a rare occurrence that it's making people act a bit crazy. Walking back to the car at pick up from school, we heard the principal come over the loudspeaker system asking a parent who had left their car double parked in traffic to please return to their car immediately. Don't lose your head everyone, it's just some precipitation.