Super Star Emmy!

Emmy was a super star student this month and was selected for her positive attitude :) Her teacher said she is always smiling and happy, does her work and is always helping other. Huh, maybe now that her secret is out she can help around the house?! Hehe. I do see how happy she is, especially with all her friends and at school. Thanksgiving morning I asked her what she was thankful for and she said "All my friends because I have a lot". So sweet.

Spreckels got a new principal last year and she has done an amazing job. She is trying to create a community and you can see its working. I am really happy we sent her there and can't believe buddy will be there next year too!

Emmy and Melody

They hold all their performances and assemblies in the quad around the tree. Its really cool. 

This year Spreckels got a mascot! The whole school went through a voting process to come up with the name. They aligned it with the presidential election and even revealed the name at Round Table across the street from school. Kit Kat won. Ha! I just think this picture with a mascot in front of a step and repeat is hysterical. 

Thanksgiving Weekend

We decided to stay in San Diego this year and had a nice, relaxing 4 days off of work! The Santoros came for Thanksgiving dinner and we had a blast. Josh and I cooked and got organized on Wednesday so Thursday was easy and we could actually have some fun. Everyone ate and drank (too much) a ton. Finn slept over that night and we hit up the c-mont square parade on Friday (which was totally lame compared to last year). They we hung inside cooking and playing while it finally rained! Emmy slept over at Mikaela's house Saturday night. It's so nice to have a buddy live around the corner. I told her moving forward only 1 per weekend (she was a nightmare Sunday night). I absolutely love the holidays and look forward to celebrating with friends and family all month long!! :)

Buddy loves to play football!

I finally got Josh his own apron so he doesn't have to wear my pink skirt one anymore :) 

 

Making whip cream!

Emmett is the cutest!

Sadie girl was actually on her best behavior all weekend!

Buddies

Oh ipads - I have a love hate relationship with them

Crafts in 80 degree sun. Ugh 

 

Mikaela lives in the same model as us so her and Emmy literally have the same room!

23 weeks down...

17 to go!

November Staycation

Since we've been having 80 degree and sunny weather for the past month I thought rather than fight it (like I usually do) we would embrace the still summer like weather and stay at a hotel and pretend like we were are on vacation! It sounded like a great idea expect this weekend it finally turned cold and was the coldest/cloudiest 2 days we've had, well, since last winter. Damn! Oh well, we made the best of it and still had fun :)

Dinner in Del Mar on the way to La Costa

Free arcade! SCORE!

Meanwhile, Sadie was at overnight camp for the first time! It sure was hard to drop her off and we missed her but sounds like she had a good time. I added walks, treats, to her stay, took blankets, etc. :)

Too bad this fire didn't actually give off any heat! Haha

The morning was chilly (55 degrees) but beautiful

And the clouds started rolling in ....  Buddy had the pool to himself!

Little kids slide

Big kids slide with Daddy!

Pretty sure they were numb by this point.

 

We may or may not have had a family fight after this picture after Emmy asked for the 25th time for a second animal balloon and we couldn't figure out/decide where to eat and we were all fucking freezing!

All in all we had fun but we were happy be home (and warm). Isn't that what vacation is all about?!

Sadie sure was happy to be home <3 p="">

History

Emmy came with me to vote yesterday. She's old enough now to remember these times and I wanted her to be a part of history. Not exactly the history I thought it would be...

I know I will never forget turning on the TV with my 7 year old daughter and seeing that Donald Trump won the presidential election. Both our mouths dropped. Wonder if she will remember that moment in years to come too? I am confident that she will see a female president in her lifetime but it will be interesting to see in decades to come, when kids are learning about American History in school, what will be taught about this election. That a real estate mogul/reality TV star/Clothing manufacturer with no political experience became the president of the United States?

What is important to me for me young children is that they grow up knowing everyone should be treated equal regardless of gender/race/economic status, that everyone should be able to marry who they love, women have the right to make their own choices, that you don't need to carry a gun to feel protected, you should always state your opinion even if it doesn't win and to simply respect others and treat them as you want to be treated.

November

Now that it is November, you'd think it would start feeling like fall. NOPE. Our weather forecast for the next 10 days:

I know I shouldn't complain but really? 90 degrees?!

We did enjoy the nice weather this weekend. We had a picnic lunch at the park, went to dinner at the beach and met the Santoros at the La Jolla Fall festival. Fun!

The kid really is a monkey!

Practicing eating with chop sticks. They love going to sushi!

They put down 3 cucumber rolls (24 pieces) in 3 minutes. I am trying to get them to try a california roll. No luck yet but I didn't start eating sushi until college. 

Oh Sadie, you are so cute when you are not barking at me or jumping on my head...

Ry-guy and Emmett enjoying a snow cone. Ryan just loves Emmett. I mean how can you not?!

We had to wait in line to ride the pony. He couldn't stop talking about how fun it was!

These two got along better on Sunday than they ever have! They literally played together all day, doing I have no idea what, but it was the greatest thing ever! Now I am sure they will hate each other this week...

Family Friday

Emmy had a busy day at school on Friday! She had her ancestor project showcase, she did it on her great-grandpa John Lawrence. Since she was in a 1/2 split last year, she is repeating all of her projects, but at least we know what to expect ;) Spreckles is a Spanish magnet school so they celebrate a lot of interesting holidays - day of the dead is one of them. So she had her day of the dead performance (also for the second year in a row!). Then, I went with her class on a field trip to a classical music concert for kids. After being stuck on a hot bus for an hour, sitting next to a kid I didn't know (Emmy wanted to sit with her buddies) I've decided I think I will stick to trips that don't require me to take the bus :). Finally, she had her jog-a-thon in the afternoon. Phew! Busy Friday.

Admiring her project. We brought Ryan with us to the showcase and performance so he can start getting familiar with the school. He will be starting kindergarten in the Fall! CRAZY!

 

They are some special bread after the performance. Of course Emmy put down 3 pieces. 

Emmy Seagrin and Ava. She has so many friends this year, I love it!

Me and my monkey. 

Halloween 2016

We trick-or-treated with the Cocklin's around our hood for the 3rd year in a row! (Hard to believe we've been in our house that long). Emmy and Riley's buddy Mikaela's family just moved in too so they joined us along with a few other neighbors. The kids all had a blast. It took us almost 2 hours to make it around the block. There is a haunted house near the park and Emmy and Riley braved it this year. The both came out screaming half laughing/crying they were both scared shitless. It was pretty funny :) Now onto the sugar high for the next week!

The witch and the power ranger (yes they still do exist and Ryan loves them!) 

Part of the crew

More of the crew!

 The loot

She already looks obsessed!