October 7-19, 2022

It’s been a typical few weeks for us.

School, volleyball repeat. I took Cloey to pick up Ally after school and practice one day. 

Before school look.

We decided not to try and do a forced family fun time at a pumpkin patch or apple orchard this year. Instead we went to our local garden center after Ally got her haircut on Saturday.

She humored us with selfies.

But it was a delight to Becky and I to watch Ally carefully select pumpkins and gourds. 

Then we stopped at Walgreens for some prescriptions and new mascara.

Her pumpkin towers! 

Sunday Becky took Cloey for a long walk and stopped for a lobster sandwich on the way home.

Lots of time watching TV on the couch with pets. Ally and I are watching Law and Order SVU now. It’s a little too violent for Becky.

Becky in baby blue.

At night after a volleyball game. Her team lost a game. It was rough. 



Breakfast in bed every morning with Cloey and Daisy.

Her school’s food service put on a rainbow fruit display/buffet for lunch to celebrate National Coming Out Day. It was Ally’s favorite lunch so far. She said the fruit was so delicious.

Another before school look.

Friday night was nails. 

The Autumn foliage colors are spectacular on the drive to Ally’s school. 



Before school looks

You know she’s happy with it when she posts a rare selfie to Instagram.

But then I got a text half way through volleyball practice to come pick her up. She twisted her ankle. It’s a pretty bad sprain. 

Ally is on crutches for a few days.


And lots of rest. 

We had Parent Teacher conferences on October 11. We had the chance to meet with each of Ally’s 6 teachers one on one. Ally is really doing well at school. She tries hard, participates, works well with others. I was struck recently that how Ally is in High School is pretty much how I thought she would be when she was little. It’s amazing how the right academic environment has really allowed her to be her self in many ways.

Then this week mid term grades came out. Ally asked me on Tuesday if I had seen the report. I told her not yet, it’s available to students before parents. And I asked her if there was anything I should know…she said no. Things were good.

Then yesterday we saw the report. Truly impressive:

Spanish A+

Science A+

World Civ A

Math A-

Guitar A-

English B+

We are extremely proud of Ally. But more than proud is happy for her success. And so grateful that she is able to do well and have success academically.

Ally is still working hard on her mental and physical health and we are doing our best to support her. She’s trying to make new friends and find her place socially. Being a teenager is hard. But she is doing it. 

And we love her so much.

Here she is doing homework she did all the work she missed during the day.