Making New Years art with Uncle Nouri

Holiday Style

Molly sporting holiday bling at the GRID party. (photo by Heath Maddox)

Helicopter Family Photo

Stop-motion Clara

We were experimenting with the white balance settings on my phone camera and Clara turned it into a stop-motion yawn.

TBT (aka "Throwback Thursday") is a thing right now on Facebook. I haven't much participated, but since it's Thursday, and Dieter emailed these pictures he found, I figured it's as good a time as ever to jump on the bandwagon. My best guess is that these pictures were taken around 1985. Perhaps even while we were on vacation in Ocracoke?

School Pictures

And now, this year's fabulous school photos. Besides the fact that I think these kids are awesome, I love the stories I hear about the photo process. 

Molly has long reported to me that the LifeTouch folks basically insist on the kids smiling with teeth and tilting their heads "just so" (see Clara, below), and I always assure her that she does not need to do anything in the pictures that she doesn't want to. This year, the kids told me, LifeTouch had footprints on the ground - blue for boys and red for girls - and instructed the girls to put their hand on their hip (again, see below) and the boys put their hands in their pockets. And this is the fun part: a group of kids took issue with this, went to their principal, who has apparently told LifeTouch that this is not to happen again at our school. 

Matching sweatshirts

Molly gets her soccer medal

Go Dolphins!

Pumpkins

Pumpkins were carved at last! Thank you Uncle Seth for braving the fearsome children and the even more fearsome pumpkin guts. I think everyone is pleased with the outcome. And, for the record, Clara said hers is a cat, even if it doesn't look like one. 

Story time!

Clara and Nana enjoying a book about Georgia O'Keefe.

Walk a Thon Reading

Lovely photo of Clara reading at the Walk A Thon (they got credit for one lap of walking for every five minutes of reading). Taken by the amazing Marina Parrera Small. Thank You!

Clara's birthday morning

Happy Birthday, Dear Clara

Dear Clara - you're 7! What a treat. Nona says that 7 is the age of reason. I'm not totally sure what that means, but I do see changes creeping up on you - a little more calm in the face of challenge, different approaches to figuring things out, and cunning observations of the people and things around you.

The last few months have seen you immersed in swimming and soccer, and at home challenging yourself to reading Harry Potter with me (a big deal because it's scary!!). Your friendships are changing as well - I loved hearing your wise older sister counseling you last night on having a fall out with your best friend (she advised you not to write her off just yet, you'll probably be friends again by lunchtime today). 

You have many adventures ahead, and I'm excited to watch as you reach out and grab them!

love,

Mama

She's 7!

Last night, we kicked off a week of celebration of Clara's 7th Birthday. Highlights so far include her very own watch, a special family dinner (with candles!) and Nona's beautiful porch decorations.

Breakfast

Zach and Molly enjoying a quiet breakfast...

Clara's Tooth Extraction

Over the weekend, Clara's tooth got increasingly loose. She was running (slightly feral) around the ranch with Olive and they came up with a scheme to pull the tooth themselves. Rummaging through Mary's toolbox, looking for some pliers, they found a pair of tweezers, which turned out to be the perfect tool for the job! Good riddance to that tooth, too, as I saw at least three deep dark cavities in it. : ( I think we need to do a better job brushing!

Clara as Little Orphan Annie

Clara now fits perfectly in the dress that Nona made for me (!) when I was a kid. I was obsessed with Little Orphan Annie at some point and my mother obliged with an amazing rendition of an Annie dress. Clara found it a few weeks ago in Nona's dress up basket and has ben wearing whenever she can. The dress is in great shape - and has amazing details. 

Sister ride!

April LA Spring Break - Tongva Park part 2 of 2