Day 2215 | Pumpkin Harvest
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Today was the day for picking our pumpkins! They’re perfect, aren’t they? And very heavy. Now they just need to survive the next month so we can carve them. Fingers crossed!
Day 2214 | Dining Out
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We thought we’d be crazy tonight and grab some takeout for an impromptu picnic in hopes of taking advantage of a beautiful evening. It turns out the restaurant we decided on closed at 5:30pm. What?!? The backup plan ended up being an indoor restaurant a block away. It was still delicious but not quite the al fresco experience we were looking for. At least I didn’t have to cook!
Day 2213 | Chicken Art
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I haven’t been taking many photos lately but I ran across this beaut in my camera roll from last week. It’s a new sculpture down the road from us. Funny, right?
Day 2212 | Book Festival
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The book festival newspapers are printed and being distributed around town. If you haven’t already, check out the lineup of authors. I have a feeling you’ll see something you like. And all events have a virtual option so there’s no reason you can’t participate!
Day 2211 | Bubble Tea
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Ever since we read a book that included the main character drinking bubble tea (months…maybe years ago), the boys have been interested. This weekend we made it happen. As you might expect, they were surprised and slightly underwhelmed. Haha. At least we know!
Also, the boys had their faces painted (as cats, in case that’s not obvious), so that’s what’s going on there.
Day 2210 | Sunset Bike Ride
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We convinced the little one to go on a sunset bike ride with us tonight. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. As much as I enjoyed the moment it did make me a bit sad to realize these warm evenings are coming to an end. I do love fall and how the pace of life slows down a bit as the temperatures drop, but, man, it’s hard to beat nights like this.
Day 2209 | Cheese
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It’s hard not to force the boys to pose all the time when you live in a city as pretty as this one.
Day 2208 | Telemark + Hayward
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Part of our Labor Day weekend plans included a trip further up north to visit the Telemark ruins (what’s left of the resort we visited a lot throughout my childhood), do a little hiking, and a stop in Hayward to grab some candy. It was such a gorgeous end to the summer.
Day 2207 | The Lake
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It was a lovely day—very fall-like with a sweet soccer game, a friendly caterpillar, a jump in the lake with real clothes on, the first wood shop fire of the season, a walk to the campground restaurant for Skittles, and a completed puzzle. Not bad, right?
Day 2206 | First Day of School - 2021
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The boys had a great first day. All smiles at drop-off and pick up! Nothing makes my heart happier.
Day 2205 | Signing Day
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They let us back in the school today! The boys got to meet their new teachers and look around their new classrooms. It doesn’t get any more exciting than that. Except for maybe the first day of school tomorrow, I guess!
Day 2204 | Crystal Cave 2021
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Back in 2018, we kicked off our summer with a trip to Crystal Cave. This summer, it was a bookend on the other side. It was the perfect mid-way meet-up location for us and our sweet friends. Between the cave tour, a yummy picnic, and a round of mini-golf, it was pretty much an ideal way to spend one of the waning summer days.
Day 2203 | Summer Biking
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Man, it was a gorgeous day. We made it back to EC with enough time for a bike ride for ice cream. We biked seven miles…pretty good, right? We even had time for this sweet jumping photo shoot. Days like today just make me so happy.
Day 2202 | Watermelon Day
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The boys tried a seeded watermelon for the first time today. That’s crazy, right? Remember when all watermelons had seeds? Kids these days have no idea how good they have it, you know? Even more exciting is that this watermelon came from OUR GARDEN! It was our first (and possibly only) watermelon harvest. Gardening is the best.
Day 2201 | Farmers Market Volunteers
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The boys and I spent yesterday morning volunteering at the farmer’s market for 4-H. I have to say, it was probably one of my favorite summer mornings. The weather was perfect, the scene was nicely, and we were doing something to give back to the community together. I don’t think the boys appreciated it quite as much….but I appreciated it enough for all of us. :)
Day 2200 | 2200!
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The days just keep ticking by, you know? How am I up to 2200 already? And you know what? I looked back and the last three one-hundred-day updates have been Covid-related. I had to go back to my Day 1800 post to find our “before” life. I long for that before life. Everything seemed simpler back then, didn’t it? It might be more complicated these days, but we sure do have a lot to be thankful for.
Without further ado…the team update:
SARA
FAVORITES: Reading (my most recent favorites are Godspeed and The Woman They Could Not Silence), working on book festival marketing (this year’s line up…there are virtual events for you non-locals!), soaking in the sunny warmth (while it lasts), gardening at the lake house, dried mango (still a favorite), my new endless bracelet from Hello Adorn, long (and often witty) text conversations with friends, wearing summery dresses (sweater season is coming too fast)
BIGGEST HURDLE TO OVERCOME: Handling the health needs of these foster cats. Why can't we just get a healthy one who needs some extra love? I'm over forcing medication on these cats.
DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE: Having the boys back at school FULL time, FIVE days a week. Fingers crossed we have a healthy and safe year of school ahead.
CHRIS
FAVORITES: Lounging on our new couch, family time in any form, getting outside (he's not picky), Saturday morning coffee, DoubleStuf OREOS (still a favorite), swimming with the boys
BIGGEST HURDLE TO OVERCOME: Somehow keeping the new concrete driveway clear of debris.
DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE: His first-round draft pick leading his Fantasy team to a victory this year.
CHASE
AGE: 9
FAVORITES: Reading any and everything (especially by Rick Riordan), playing video games (Minecraft at the moment), crafting witty responses, making people laugh, wearing lots of bracelets, snuggling with our foster cats, playing Legos, trips to the library, showing off his new diving skills, practicing just the right amount of sarcasm, chocolate anything, reading the comics
BIGGEST HURDLE TO OVERCOME: The unknown about who is in his class next year. We know of one friend, so at least that's a bit reassuring.
DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE: Managing his drive for independence with his desire to stay safely in his comfort zone.
ROBBE
AGE: 7
FAVORITES: reading chapter books for the first time (he started with a 500-pager, obviously), playing with our foster cats, tying his shoes (he's an expert now), collecting food-themed stuffed animals, trips to the library, practicing his skateboarding, losing teeth (lots of teeth), learning all the swimming strokes, eating anything sweet
BIGGEST HURDLE TO OVERCOME: The need to always know what's coming next. Sometimes we just don't know, you know?
DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE: Getting some of his permanent front teeth (he's lost all four in the top-middle as of today!).
Looking back at 2200 posts
Day 2199 | Teamwork
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When a cat loses a toy under the fridge, it’s all hands on deck around here. And guess what? They found TWO cat toys under there!
Day 2198 | EC Murals
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Look! More murals in our neighborhood! And we couldn’t be happier about it.
Day 2197 | Ready for School
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Hip sneakers: check. Updated wardrobe: check. New masks: check. School supplies (not pictured): check. It’s impossible to believe the end of summer is just around the corner. These two are ready, though!
Day 2196 | Arcade Stop
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Summer is meant for fun. And fun to these boys means video game time. After an impromptu trip yesterday and today, I appreciated my little travel companions so much that we stopped at an arcade for some serious gaming.
