Halloween 2020

This October was a bit different, but we were still able to enjoy some of the fun fall traditions. We went to the pumpkin patch to pick out pumpkins.

Then we joined friends in the park to carve pumpkins.

We liked our pumpkins so much we entered them into the Jack o Jaunt, a Palo Alto Pumpkin carving contest.  

Liam also spent the 30th carving an extra pumpkin at the Elks.

On Friday, the kids joined their friends at school all dressed up. Liam was a firefighter and Elsa was Tired.

Because we couldn't have a in person parade, Halloween Morning Addison did a video version. 

Elsa is in the Thriller Video and Liam shows up around minute 16 and Elsa around 19:50. Halloween night Elsa trick or treated with friends.

While Liam and I visited friends on our trick or treat.

We then headed to a friend’s  house for a party in the backyard.

Before heading home to a giant stash of Candy!

It was an awesome Halloween for our Tired and Firefighter.

End of Summer at Asilomar

With summer coming to a close, on September 18, we headed down to the Monterey Peninsula, for an overnight at Asilomar. We started the night playing in the room.  The kids always have fun jumping on the beds!

Then we shared a takeout meal from Fishwife at an empty fire pit with friends before going for a walk along the beach and checking out the Milky Way.

The next morning was beautiful and Arne headed out on a lovely morning walk. 

We then ate our bagels and headed down to the beach for fun in the sand. 

The water was warm(ish) and the day was sunny.  I was Liam's surfboard as we played in the ocean and enjoyed one of the last days of summer.

2nd and 5th Grade, Here We Come!

 

We now have a second grader and a fifth grader!  On August 17, our kids headed off to their first day of  the new school year. 

While we took pictures at the front door, like other years, this year the kids are starting off as distance learners.  But for them, the distance learning is taking place on campus, as their after school program (AKC) is running a full day program, helping them log into all their zoom meetings and generally get through the school day.  The nice thing is that they each have a few classmates and can enjoy time with those friends during the breaks during the school day.

While not a perfect start to the year, it is exciting to have a second and fifth grader, and so far this year is going better than the spring!

Pandemic Summer Camp Fun

It was a very different summer for our kids, with the pandemic changing almost all of our summer plans, but it was also an opportunity for us to make last minute summer camp plans.  Summer camps were such a great part of the summer, because they gave the kids a chance, after months of isolation, to connect with other kids. For the first week of the summer, Liam did a Bike Camp and Elsa did a Lacrosse Camp.

The next two weeks, they kids got to play in a our community pool at the Rinconada Swim Camp.  It was a lot of fun for both of them. 

After a 4th of July holiday trip, Liam spent 3 weeks at the Jr. Museum Down By the Bay camp, enjoying learning about nature and hanging out in the Baylands. 

During those weeks, a friend joined Elsa for another week of Lacrosse camp, then Elsa spent some time with my sister in Santa Cruz, and then did the Shoreline Windsurfing and Sailing camp. 

The next week was spent in Oakland, where both kids went to a Trapeze Camp. At the end of the week, they did a Zoom show for the families. 

We then spent a week up in Tahoe, and for the week before school started, Liam did a week of Soccer Camp.

Overall, we were able to have a good summer of last minute planned adventures and camps, in stable groups of 12, while wearing masks!