College Football

We took Samuel and Shira to their first college football game yesterday at Stanford's new stadium. I think it was only the second football game I've ever been too. The stadium is gorgeous, and it really felt like we were so close to the field.

Stanford vs. San Jose State. SJSU got slaughtered, which was a little hard on Samuel because he really wanted "Mommy's Team" to win. He loved being there, though, and wanted to stay for the whole game. Shira slept through most of it on my lap.

Steve was exhausted by the end, since he had to give minute play by play details to Samuel the entire time. I learned a lot about football, that way, though. And they were so cute.

One disappointment: the Stanford Marching Band. I've heard so much about them over the last few years, I expected to be impressed and entertained. They were very small, and not particularly good. I guess their inappropriate antics are to cover up for mediocre music skills?

The bus ride, followed by brunch, followed by the game, followed by the bus ride back home made for a long day. Of course most family members were melting down by the time we got home... still a fun day.

Prepping for School Year 2011

Yesterday Steve and I met with Teacher Rachel for our beginning of the year parent teacher conference.

We met at Peet's, just around the corner from our house, while our neighbors, whose daughter had been in Teacher Rachel's class the year before, brought their kids over and entertained Samuel and Shira so that both Steve and I could meet with Samuel's soon to be preschool teacher. I love living in such a tight knit community.

What did we have to tell Teacher Rachel? Samuel loves art projects, and sports and preschool. We don't really have any concerns for him. Separation can occasionally be an issue, especially if I'm involved in the drop off. Samuel loves books, especially Roald Dahl. Apparently also a favorite of Teacher Rachel.

And since we don't seem to have any concerns about Samuel, or the program, or how much he's going to learn, or how they're going to prepare him for kindergarten, blah blah blah, the conversation turned to Steve's and my most common school topic...

Should Samuel go to kindergarten at 5 years old, or 6? What's funny (or weird, or whatever) is that the more we talk to people in our preschool community, the more they support my perspective (I'm the, "let's wait an extra year" person), but the more it convinces me that perhaps Steve is right after all, and we should send Samuel to school at the "regular" time. Maybe I'm just being contrary.

Anyway, Samuel will be going to preschool three days a week in the mornings, now.

I've also buckled under the pressure and signed Shira up for Parent Observation, just like I did with Samuel. So I'll be going to preschool two days a week myself, once with Samuel, and once with Shira.

I'm very excited for this new year to start. I think Shira will thrive in preschool and love it. I know Samuel will thrive and love it as well, if last year was any indication. I'm looking forward to meeting new moms, new classmates and hanging with some of the old ones too. Samuel won't be with Mason this year, and I'll definitely miss Becky and Wendy.

Well, I wanted this post to be interesting, but it's falling really flat and I'm clearly losing steam, so I'll just end it abruptly right here. Good night.

The Puzzler

I'd say Samuel is very proud of finishing this puzzle, but it might be Steve and I who are the proud ones.

Bounty

We were in Minnesota for a week, and when we came back, we had quite the harvest.

I was worried about arriving home on a Wednesday night, and not having any fruit until the famer's market on a Sunday, but between the four cantaloupe, and huge watermelon that we pulled out of the garden, I needn't have been concerned.

Still not sure how we're going to eat all the green beans... recipes welcomed...

Bubbie brought skates

Sports Camp

Somehow, August has gotten away from me. I just realized as I was downloading the most recent set of pictures, I never managed to post about Samuel's week at sports camp.

There was a lot of discussion a couple of months ago when we went to sign him up for camp about whether he was sure he wanted to go to a camp with all new "teachers" and where moms and dads did not also attend. I was surprised, but Samuel was adamant that he wanted to go to sports camp, even if it meant really pushing the bounds of what he would ordinarily be willing to do. It helped that the camp was located at the school which is virtually across the street from our house, so it was familiar stomping grounds. Mason also attended, which definitely helped Samuel's comfort level.

When we arrived each morning for camp there was one type of game or another in progress that allowed kids to join as they showed up (usually some version of tag). Samuel was not ready to join those games, but watched while staying very close to me. He was happy to line up with the other kids at the appropriate cone, and by the end of the week, he enthusiastically joined in the assorted skills activities to the best of his ability.

He was definitely one of the youngest kids there - the age range was 4-7 - and the skills they were trying to teach in each sport were often well beyond his developmental ability, but he didn't mind, and I really saw him grow during the week. The fact that he was willing to entertain the idea of something so foreign - new kids, new grown ups, new activities - is a testimony to his LOVE of any and all sports.

Getting his t-shirt on the first day of camp.

I took a lot of photos of basketball, since that was the sport that Samuel was rotated into at the end of each day, when I came to pick him up. He also played soccer and baseball, but no pictures of those. I hear he learned a mean throw in during the soccer rotation.

Practicing the bounce pass. He really was getting the hang of it.

The last day they played a "game" in each sport. The coaches definitely had their hands full trying to orchestrate a basketball game among 4 year olds, but "Coach Rocket" tried her darnedest. Simply trying to divide the kids into teams and get them into pennies held pratfalls not regularly encountered in a basketball game where the mean age is at least as old as the average shoe size.

The August Garden

At the beginning of August, our tomatoes and fennel were taller than me :)

Yet another harvesting of the basil. There are days where I feel like all I do is make pesto. Good thing we have an extra freezer.

And look at our neighbor's garden! Hopefully we'll have as many raspberries as they

do next year. And our corn will be as successful.