A Fall Weekend

 Oh, how I have fallen behind with this blog. Life is moving so fast, even during the pandemic - because of the pandemic? - but I need these small moments, frozen.

On Friday night I worked a bit later than usual and came home and scrounged up dinner from the fridge. Movie night was already in full swing - Matilda.  Clementine is performing a ensemble song from the musical version in youth theater this semester. We opened a box of fall-winter Hanna Andersson clothes I had ordered, all in a new size.  Ever since I discovered HA, I buy many garments that go together at once. It is bittersweet to start buying a larger size. Josie loves the skater dresses (one of my all-time favorite memories of her is putting one on and exclaiming, "Oooo! A pocket for rocks!") and Clemmie wanted a cardigan and pleated midi skirt.

Saturday morning: CrossFit at 7 am then home to water the garden and newly planted berry bushes. We are very invested in the success of the berry bushes! I fed my sourdough starter. We went as a family to drop the girls at dance class and perused the farmer's market, buying eggs, labna, and skirt steak. 

Home for quesadillas (Luke bought a huge pack of refrigerated tortillas at Costco... we've been eating a lot of quesadillas). Clementine was owed a trip to Party City (parity is everything) which she took in eagerly, aisle by aisle. She selected a plastic sword for herself and a Fingerling for Josie.  She and I picked up a couple of perennials I had ordered at a nearby nursery - Caryopteris. I bought one two weeks ago solely because it was covered in bumblebees at the nursery and is now covered in bees in our yard.  

Clemmie and her sword:

We had a little bit of downtime before Boo at the Zoo -- one of the events they loved last year (last year... feels like so long ago).

Josie wanted to wear the pj top that we tie dyed last weekend, her new Belle skirt/pants, wings, unicorn headband, and bring her Fingerling and paintbrush. When I asked what she was, she answered "I'm a talented unicorn!"

When I saw this snap on my phone I couldn't believe it!

Clemmie wears costumes at home all the time but was so enamored of her new top and skirt she added a beret - a braid - a basket - and an attitude as "a French girl".

Last year we went on the first night and it was sparsely attended. This year was packed! Luke brought his camera for photos. I whined about the girls' wanting to ride the carousel - the line was very long - but then I thought about how soon they won't ask to ride the carousel again. I waited contently.

Earlier in the day Josie had mentioned how much she likes "the song that begins with a J" from Coco and we listened to it on the way home.

The day had been very full and sunset is early now - despite our fatigue it was only 7:30 when we got home. Frozen pizza and Spirit and Barbie shows on Netflix. The girls finally fell asleep. Luke asked me about classic movies - I've hardly seen any... "like The Manchurian Candidate" I offered as an example. He watched that movie while I did some CME reading and wandered off to read the novel I'm enjoying but can't quite find the time to finish, Fieldwork.

Sunday morning. Outdoor CycleBar ride followed by the grande flat white at the Starbucks next door that I look forward to every week. 

Back at home, I made pumpkin pancakes and baked a loaf of sourdough.  Luke watered the front yard plantings (they didn't fill in as anticipated this year and we are worried many won't return) and I watered the garden and cleaned the chicken coop. We planted the caryopteris and a couple of black-eyed susans. Come on, pollinators! 

I brought one loaf of bread to our neighbors and baked another. (I had a lot of freshened starter. I've gotten in to the habit of refreshing the starter two or three times over the weekend and keeping it in the fridge during the week).

Inexplicably the girls were hungry again: quesadillas to the rescue. Luke took Clemmie to her rehearsal and Josie and I made school lunches, folded laundry, and read Highlights.  Because the pumpkin pancakes called for only a little pumpkin puree and I wanted to use the rest of the can, I made pumpkin muffins from BraveTart.

Tomorrow is their first full day of in-person school since mid-March.  😳

Weekend Fun

On the eve of another weekend, here is a recap of our very busy, very fun weekend:

Friday night: Luke had a gig. Jenny and I had dinner with friends at Yellowbelly in the CWE - delicious! And they accidentally brought us an extra order of fries.  Surprise fries = always great


Saturday: the girls had their tennis lesson and Luke and I played on an adjacent court. I have not played tennis in over seven years. Eight years? I like fitness classes of all sorts but nothing is better than playing a game. Adult beginner classes, here I come...

I was so proud of myself for scheduling holiday family photos in the summer (every year the holiday cards start arriving and I think "oh yeah...") and our date was moved up a day due to rain. This was fortuitous because I had already scheduled haircuts for the girls that Saturday.

After tennis we went to the Hair Lab and Kellee trimmed C's hair and (because we were running late) braided Josie's hair:

One Dutch braid on the right and a regular braid on the left, looped upon each other into the cutest 'do I've ever seen!

(Looking into mannequin heads on Amazon to practice these braids. Cheaper than you'd think - just as creepy as you'd think)

PHOTO SESSION! It was so fun to catch up with JJ, who shot our wedding, and I am thrilled with the images she captured! Our yard (and the neighbor's) were aflame with fall color.



Fireside dinner of deli meat, tomatoes, and strawberries for these fancy ladies:

Before we headed to family yoga, a once monthly course I signed us up for. (Luke and I both were sore afterwards.)


As we walked by the doors leading to the now-drained outdoor pools, Clementine exclaimed:

                                                               "The Eiffel Tower!"

Then my friend from out of town Ubered over - whom I haven't seen in five years! - and we had a lovely visit. Crossing my fingers she moves back to STL!


Sunday: I went to spin class and took these guppies swimming. This photo cracks me up.

The girls and I were in the pantry picking out a noodle for our pasta lunch when I dropped a bag that burst on the floor. I was mad at myself and groaned inwardly about having to clean it up but Clem said eagerly, "Now we have noodles to make art!" And she picked them all up and began making a sign for the bag: NODLS MAD(e for) ART.

Clementine's teacher gave us the instruction to let her spell things freely to boost her confidence rather than spell words for her. C is also showing signs of being hamstrung by perfectionism (a characteristic I share and one that has kept me from trying so many things) so I offered her this incentive: anything she wrote on a grocery list (food only - no loveys or balloons!) I would buy. (Luke: I have some suggestions.)

Here is her list:

Apples and clementines and more carrots and pumpkin muffies [a la Panera] and cheesy dibble popcorn*

*this is a family joke originating from Penguins of Madagascar, a hilarious movie. The voice acting is so good.

And strawberry ice cream and vanilla ice cream and more mango and salami and ham and bread.

Sorting laundry with these "helpers" after they returned from dance class.

Clem got the idea to decorate the dinner table for a party, bringing up the party supplies from the basement:

Centerpiece: Halloween pumpkin

Photo of my parents plus a dinosaur figurine

Baby all ready in the booster seat.

Party decorations:

Party planner with the unicorn she crafted out of a box, topped with a headband crown.

For dessert I made espresso creme brulee in the pressure cooker - didn't set quite enough but the edge was perfect! Dinner was chicken breast cooked with a jarred tikka masala in the pressure cooker (trying to get my money's worth!)

Looking forward to a visit with Luke's parents this weekend and maybe a tiny bit of downtime ,  lessons, and some cooking (Clem has requested a Dutch baby for breakfast).

Late Summer

A weekend from our summer, when unicorns are possible.


On Friday night Luke left for a gig as soon I as I arrived home with Josie. I made turkey sandwiches and we watched My Little Pony. I read a few magazines from the giant stack in the to-read pile. I love Friday nights at home.


Saturday: stopped by work for a little bit; attended a sashiko embroidery class at Bowood Farms.

As soon I as got home Luke left for another gig. It was an unbelievably hot and muggy day and I needed to go to Costco "but before that, let's go to the carousel and butterfly house!" I told the girls brightly. (This brightness dimmed with every second outside).

We listened to The Music Man soundtrack as we drove that day, with Clem shouting, "BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW THE TERRITORY!" at the end of the first number and asking, "why does Trouble start with a capital T?"

Josie: I can't see. It's too bwight.

Clem sustained a small scratch along the way that she fretted about...

Until a large, stricken butterfly was found. "Maybe it's resting."

Costco was miserable - so busy, so hot outside - but fiddleleaf figs were $15.99!


That night we ate fish fillets (like fish sticks, but wider!) and fruit and watched Tangled. Luke came home very late and the next morning I crept out of the house for an 8 am spin class. Josie told me in hushed tones, "Daddy is sleeping ... even we have to be quiet ... even we have to tip toe."

The day already oppressively humid and warm at 10 am when we went to a fair held by our gym/community center. I told the girls: get dressed for the fair! and they emerged like so...

The fair!

Spritzing a duck with water.

Dunked!

It was very hot in the fire truck...

To a deli for lunch. Baby's first pastrami on rye.

Josie and I went to Target and came home to meal prep for the week and prepare dinner, beer-and-harissa broiled shrimp. Jenny came over for dinner; our family day was complete!