Carmel

our birthday getaway to carmel, ca...

24 hours instead of 48 because our youngest got a stomach bug and we headed home

we missed out on lunch at post ranch inn

but enjoyed one of the clearest and most beautiful drives on highway 1 down the california coast to big sur!

so grateful for Bart

my love and my dearest life partner

soccer, soccer and more soccer

This San Fran sunset is the only redeeming thing about Friday night soccer practice from 5-7pm!

Caroline (#6) joined a new team...the Sambas.

I think she enjoys having me as mom and not coach.

She is such a great team player, hustles every time and listens.

Clair is on her second year with the Fireflies. Coach Paul is so patient and helps the girls learn something new each week. This year they played four on four, so Clair Bear played her heart out each game...which of course meant rosy cheeks (like mom:)

Our front porch looks like a sports authority with all our soccer gear.

These girls played hard, but we are glad to be hanging up our cleats for a little break.

Now Daddy is preparing everyone for basketball season!

Pumpkin patch

Fun times with Constance, Scotty, Aunt Catherine and Cammie at the Pumpkin Patch.

Cameron went right to a pumpkin and picked the first one she liked!

If only she could pick out her clothes that simply:)

Visiting our state capitol

On a day off from school, the Garrett Girls made the trek to see Sacramento.

It was fun to visit the capitol.

Pretty amazing to think of the first pioneers who sailed from the east coast around south america and back up to the pacific...made their way into the bay and up the Sacramento River. It took about as much time as the settlers who came across the country with covered wagons. It gives you a new appreciation for the Wild, wild west!

History Club

The Gilbert Family is so fun to have down the street.

They are good enough to help us learn our world history every month.

It usually involves crafts, maps, food and some kind of dressing up.

Can you tell we just finished up the Middle Ages ???

Chicks

Not only are we a house full of chicks

but we are trying to raise some on our block.

Our dear neighbor across the street, Carolyn, graciously shares her garden. We got a coop and now have several chickens. We have loved the fresh eggs that they lay everyday. We share some with our neighbors who put up with all the egg laying noises:)

Unfortunately, one turned out to be a rooster. We had to get rid of "Zipper"

Then a few months later our dear chicken Sugar died on Bart's birthday. There were many tears. We think she died from eating poisonous garden mushrooms.

Tomorrow we go to get two more chicks to add to our group of ladies.

We will see how this adventure unfolds.

As for now, we love the small scale urban farmer life.

Remembering San Fran

Giants Game in the city

Sometimes we get so busy that we forget that we live a quick 15 minute train ride from San Francisco!

Now that we have a sweet new babysitter that lives around the corner, we are trying to make more date nights out to enjoy our fun town.

This was a meal in the Embarcadero right on the bay.