Apple Picking with Guat Girls

This has become an annual tradition for us to get together in September and go apple picking. We were sad that Gabi could not join us due to a soccer tournament. But the other 4 had a blast.

I brought my big camera to the orchard and was pretty happy with my pictures.

We met up with Rosa and Julie first. After a quick hayride and jaunt thru the orchard to look for honey crisp apples.

We were all sad that the honey crisps were all picked. Becky grabbed two apples for us to try from a tree she could reach over the ropes.

Rosa and I shared one of the honey crisps. Ally was freezing and all bundled up in her athletic-wear pants and black fleece. I swear she is starting to look more like a pre-teen every day.

 

We met up with Roxie – and then Alice too!

There were so many apples on some of the trees.

As usual the climbing the ladder to pick up high is lots of fun. Alice picked one for her mom Cheryl too. Becky was a good sport moving and footing the ladder for the girls.

Ally and Roxie are pretty tight – these girls were so happy to see each other and spend time together. Roxie’s mom Mary Beth helped Roxie on the smaller ladders.

Julie and I worked hard to get pictures of everyone. She looks great solo above, and Alice and Rosa are full of toothy grins.

After we filled our bags of apples we dropped them off at our cars and took the hayride to the farm stand for cider, donuts and apple cider!

Roxie solo, and then Cheryl, Mary Beth and I were photo-bombed by someone’s caramel apple.

That was Alice’s apple! Love these pictures of Alice.

Rosa and her mom.

The girls begged to do the hedge maze. We agreed, but only the small one. They were in and out in 15 minutes.

Ally in the apple orchard. I think I love her more every day.

Class with Cloey

We signed Cloey up for a 3 week dog training class "Loose Leash Walking". Turns out a 15lb dog can pull a lot. And we often we are being the ones walked.

This class is on Saturday afternoon and Ally goes with Becky. Ally was so good the teacher asked her to come back the 2nd week!

Here are some pictures from today.

After class Cloey did the obstacle course. Ally said "Cloey did SO GOOD".

And it never gets old to watch our pug run:

1st Day of School. 3rd Grade

Wow 3rd grade. It seems so old. When I was in 3rd grade I changed schools, I met my best friend, who now 34 years later is still my best friend. 

We spent the last day of Summer, Labor Day working at home. Lots of laundry, making outfits for school and I spent hours organizing Ally's room. It has been in need of a major overhaul all summer but we never seem to have time. It felt great. Ally spent hours on gymnastics, working on her bar and on the mat. It is impressive what she can do now. She took a break after about 2 hours and watched some you tube videos by other gymnasts her age.

We had Ally's choice for dinner, turkey burgers, fries and milkshakes from a local place. Eventually it was time for bath and then bed. As we expected getting to sleep was a challenge. It always is the night before something new. 

But eventually Ally fell asleep around 10pm.

This morning Becky went to get Cloey to take her out for a morning walk and found this:

After she work up Ally settled on the couch for her morning TV show and snack:

But eventually it was time to leave for school.

At Ally's request I did a fishtail braid this morning in her hair.

Excited and nervous for the first day. 

She has Spanish this week and reporter it was a good day. She understood everything and had a fun day.

The highlight for Becky and I was that Ally had unbeknownst to us recorded each of us a video of herself on Monday and then this morning sent them to us.

Ally has my old iPhone that she uses as an iPod. 

They were possibly the most touching and amazing videos ever.

In them she thanked us for a great summer, for some specific things. Like to me she thanked me for working so hard on her room, "I really like my room" and said how much she loved us and would miss us.

She thanked Becky for playing games with her and for taking her to camp this summer.

She told us we could watch the videos anytime we missed her. 

We were both very touched by her thoughtfulness. I sent her a video thank you back.

What a super special thoughtful daughter we have.