The Cold Ones

The midnight sneak preview of Twilight.
A theater packed with squealing 15 year old girls, several 'good sport' dad chaperones, and 15 thirty-something moms (that's us).
They came in packs of 5-15, wearing fan club T-shirts, playing cards, and re-re-re-reading the books while waiting in line for hours.
We went as blood - complete with teeth mark temporary tattoos, instigated the twilight trivia challenge and produced just as many giggles, cheers, and giddy laughter as the younger crowd.

The four of us went early to get seats, and to scare off any line cutters with our scariest vampire growls.
And yes...I left the red-eyes unfixed for a reason.

The Farm

Taryn invited us to spend a weekend with her parents at the farm in Gridley and what a weekend it was:
A walnut harvest, shooting skeet, four-wheeling, tap dancing, , kiwi picking, bonfire weenie roasting, cart touring, and even a trip to the penny candy store. Agri-tourism at its finest.

Picking ripe kiwis from the vine, ripping them open, and eating them sun warmed...a quintessential 'I live in California' experience.

Persimmons, ripe, sweet and delish.

Obviously Eva's favorite part - the tasting tour.

Clearly worn out by the day's adventure

Oranges

Almost paradise.

I thought he would burst from excitement...and Eva was pretty thrilled too.

I shot 100%, well 1 for 1, and stopped while ahead.

Nuts

Rows and rows of walnut trees

Beautiful walnuts

hulled, cracked, sorted and packed on a genius homemade cracker. Eva played a vital sorting roll on the line. You've seen the episode..Lucy and Ethel with cheeks full of chocolate...and guilt.

Vroom, vroom

Dancin' Yeah

Taryn's mom, Miss Lynn, has a fabulous studio in Gridley. Of course Eva and I brought our tap shoes and had our very own class complete with costumes, scarves, batons, maracas, and spontaneous choreography. Taryn, Lynn and I had a ball practicing our time steps, wings, pull backs and toe stands. I'm
quite sure that we had more fun than Eva, and I'm quite sure that I still dream of dancing on Broadway.

Matchy Matching

Reviewing these photos, I realize that I am the mom that color coordinates with my girls, wears matching galoshes, and twins my children as much as possible.
Hmmm...must be that teeny semblance of control in my often out of control life
(until they start asserting their own opinions that is, I guess I'll take it where I can get it.)

Shower me Feather Brained

We threw an eclectic colorful bird brunch to help colorful, eclectic Nikki welcome her baby boy.

Sunny SF

A juggling show, fish and chips, clam chowder, sea lions, and the pier...
all on a rare sunny day in San Francisco.

Patch

Growing up, we picked our pumpkins out of bins on the sidewalk in front of the grocery store. Evidently, the pumpkin selection process has evolved and now there are mini amusement parks dedicated to this overgrown squash. Bounce houses, concessions, goats, chicks and bunnies to pet, a haunted barn, hayrides, and photo ops galore....the perfect activity for a morning visit from Auntie Liz.