I'm starting with October, but don't worry, I won't forget September. (We had so much fun then, too: Birthday! Cancun!)
October 1: We landed in SF on Friday night after a wonderful trip to Mexico and stayed the night at my parents' house. A new place opened on University Ave. called Paris Baguette so instead of visiting our normal (and still beloved) Prolific Oven, we tried out the new place. Pastries galore! They were so tasty but their mochas still can't compete with Prolific. Je suis desolee! Also, Siena has graduated to "old enough" to hold mama's camera (with the neck strap in place) and she's getting to be a good little photographer. See if you can tell which shots were hers.
October 2: The very next day, Sam K, Natalie and Karla Miramontes ran the Urban Cow 1/2 Marathon in Sacramento's Land Park. It was a beautiful day, but a week in Cancun didn't leave me quite as prepared as I had hoped. At mile 2 my hair tie fell out. Fail. At mile 4 we gave up attempts to rendez-vous with Shiloh for a new one because the best he could find in the car was a Sofia hair clip. At mile 6 Sam decided that her respiratory infection had not, in fact, ameliorated as far as she had hoped so we exchange my phone for her hair tie and said, "See ya at the finish." At mile 8, I was hurting, because I was trying to catch up to the 2:00hr sign-carrier. At mile10, I passed Sam on a switchback (she decided to finish the race afterall!) but we didn't have enough time in passing for me to give her back her hair tie. She looked, as Nat said, like an Amazon woman. :) At mile 13, I was finally DONE and vowed never to do another half. But there's one in Davis in February that's starting to look appealing.... And of course, I have to mention my wonderful husband who walked and drove around Sacramento to find places to take pictures of us all, even though I forgot to bring him a BabyBjorn and Siena refused to walk far because her "favorite" ballerina shoes are a little (well, kind of a lot) too big for her.
When I am 42, I hope I can run as far and as fast as this lady. Karla is amazing!
October 6: These are just some miscellaneous shots to show that 1) Gracie has returned from Antarctica! 2) Siena and Sofia love to play in the bath together (except when Siena is trying to wash Sofia - she doesn't like that much) and 3) Siena's hair is actually getting very long (but not as long as Rapunzel's)!
October: The season of Grandpa's Barn has begun! (Well, it's actually OVER now...) But for $8 you get a season pass to all the hay maze, baby animal holding, and go-cart sitting (?) you could possibly want!
October 8-9: Matt and Tara Engle tied the knot! Shiloh was in the wedding party and the girls and I were along for the ride. The location was beautiful - Alisal Guest Ranch, just outside Solvang, CA (near Pea Soup Andersen's).
October 10: Prolific Oven is a wonderful place. There are two workers there that we pretty much adore and the feeling seems to be mutual. Sandra and Mona are constantly spoiling Siena with cookies from behind the counter and personal hot chocolates. It was a rainy Saturday morning but when we arrived back in Davis, the Armstrongs were game for a walk to the park. How did we ever manage when they lived more than seven houses away?
October 12: More time at Grandpa's Barn, but this time as an official "class" field trip! The Farmer gave instructions to listen for her ring the bell (triangle) because that meant we'd be changing stations: outdoor baby animals, hay ride, pumpkin pickin', hay maze, indoor baby animals. It was great fun!
October 13: A visit from real Grandpa and Grandma definitely rivals the Barn Grandpa. Even if there are no baby animals, my girls love love love a visit from my parents. This trip the girls painted while Dad helped me refinish/paint a table I found.
October 15: Our yearly trip to Apple Hill was another success. It's hard to beat apple donuts/fritters/strudels/turnovers and apple-picking enjoyed with friends and family. Feel free to scroll quickly - I had trouble narrowing down my selection. What's new?
October 20: Bishop's Family Farm is reputed far and wide as the biggest and best "pumpkin patch" around, so Bethany organized a field trip to check it out. The Farm is in Wheatland, CA, which is only a few miles from where Shiloh works, so he got to join us on this excursion. As much fun as we had, I think Shiloh appreciates that he gets to go to his job every week while I romp around in chaos with our crazy children. :) (These loaded backwards and I'm not feeling like rearranging is worth the time. Sorry!)
October 22: Huge congrats to Natalie Smith for pulling off a very successful WOODLAND MUD RUN! So fun. Do it next year.
October 24: Hanging out around Starbucks with Ruby and the Hollemans.
October 26: The Cool Patch Pumpkin's Corn Bath is definitely worth the $3 for your kid to get into the Fun Zone. I could sit there ALL day. This particular morning was brisk and the sun was warm. It was wonderful!
October 31: Halloween was relatively low-key this year. I just didn't have the energy to make up a brilliant costume (plus my sewing machine is broken), so we recycled a dress from the neighbors and Siena went as Little Bo Peep to the downtown trick-or-treat affair. Sofia was her obedient sheep, using a headband with the ears from a recycled sheep-stuffed-animal glued to it.
