It's beginning to feel a lot like...breadsticks?!?!

Claire and Daddy enjoyed a spa experience this morning.  Louise told them, "Now you know how the breadsticks feel when we butter them!"












 Last weekend, we met Santa at the YMCA and did a Christmas craft.  Strangely, Santa had a different accent, look, and personality than he did in England.



















Charlotte took her first Karate test this weekend.  She did well, but she froze on the final question (video below).

 

Louise's basketball team has showed spirit and spunk as they played to another second-place finish this weekend:

In other news, Louise is getting into the Christmas spirit through fashion...

...and a trip (with Mummy) to the Nutcracker.






And this gingerbread house, on display at the Evergreen Elementary Winter Fest, won Daddy's heart:

Basket-boo

We had our annual ritual of silliness in front of a professional photographer today.  Louise chose "coordinating" outfits for everyone:

Earlier, we were very excited about Halloween.  First, there was a "trunk or treat" event at the girls' school:




 









Next, there was a Kindergarten Parade:



 








Finally, the main event, featuring the pumpkins we'd carved with friends the previous weekend:

In other news...Charlotte scored a basket against one of the Harlem Wizards during a school assembly.  She was the only child to do so, and she won a ticket to their exhibition game on 22 November.

Also, Louise remains increasingly committed to cat ownership and looks at adoptable cats whenever possible:














As a minor sidenote, we added a new baby to the family:

Punkin pickin'

Autumn is here in all its glory - pumpkin patches, fall fashion, and baking.  Charlotte, Claire, and Mummy picked their first pumpkins today.  C&C will pick more whilst on a field trip next Friday.

Charlotte & Claire have begun Girl Scouts (Daisy Scouts).  They will receive their uniforms next month.  Louise has started art class, which she enjoys.  School continues to go well.  Mummy and Daddy are looking forward to parent-teacher conferences at the beginning of November.

Mid-September Mayhem

This week, Daddy has been in NC, and we've all missed him greatly.

However, we've kept busy.  Louise won a math award for working quickly and accurately:












Charlotte has now lost two teeth:

Tonight, a neighbourhood teen will look after the three girls whilst Mummy goes to Meet the Teachers.  Apparently all three teachers are 'awesome,' so she is quite looking forward to the event.  Unfortunately, the specialty teachers won't be present.  Claire believes her art teacher is a superhero because she has Tickle Power ("she tickles better than you, Mommy!"). Mummy thinks the teacher is a superhero because she got a five year-old tomboy excited about "dayGAH", and begging for a trip to the museum.

Back to school!!

The girls were VERY excited to start school yesterday.  Louise, who told us Wednesday evening that she doesn't "usually" like the first day of school, woke early and repeatedly asked, "Now?  Can we go to the bus stop now?  Now?"  Charlotte was also keen, and although she's in afternoon Kindergarten, wore her backpack to the bus stop at 8am.

We asked our school children what they wished to be when they grew up.  Louise eventually settled on veterinarian.  Claire wanted to be a dog, "so Louise can take care of me."  Charlotte wants to be a pop star.

Louise loved her music class, and wants to take violin lessons.  But her favorite part of the day was lunch - not surprising, since she was too excited to eat breakfast.  Charlotte & Claire both believe their teacher is "the best," but they'll quickly defer to Louise, since her teacher's husband is co-owner of an ICE CREAM restaurant.

The girls are settling in nicely.  Louise was asked to pick 4 things to describe herself and put them in a bag.  She had no interest in putting anything in to represent North Carolina.  We think that part of the easy transition is due to the great neighborhood friends, and particularly L's new favourite local second-grader, Allie:

Graduation!

The night before graduation, Charlotte asked Mummy, "Can I still live with you after I graduate?"  We're softies, so we said "yes."

The girls sang very sweetly.  We'll post the video once we resolve technical issues.

Before graduation, we've been having fun with friends, outside (at Duke Gardens, and the pool)

 ...and indoors (at a birthday party)

 ...and at Marbles Museum, where Louise was able to indulge in her latest obsession, chess.