Labor Weekend Report Plus Fall Activities Recap

We had a couple of beautiful days here - the humidity has dropped and the temperature was comfortable. I didn't quite get outside as much as I wanted to, because I had some work things to finish up, my dad's 80th birthday to get ready for, and random household tasks to take care of.

Saturday: E had a cross-country meet that was an hour away. Jim and I decided to attend, because this is E's senior year and only so many races left that we'll be able to cheer him on... Girls decided to spend that time at a mall, shopping for dresses (H got a dress for Homecoming dance). The rest of the day, I worked on work and dad's slide show for his birthday, kids did homework and chores, E worked on his college applications. We watched a couple of episodes of Stranger Things.

Sunday: We went to the pool for a couple of hours, where I thought I would read, but ended up just hanging out in the water with husban and kids. C's friend came over. I worked some more. Husband and E made a delicious dinner. 

Monday: we went over to my parents' place, had cake, watched dad's birthday slide show (kids and I worked on it for weeks, so glad he liked it!). 

I spent weeks (months?) agonizing and trying to figure out what to do for dad's birthday. I wanted it to be special, memorable, with good food, not too stressful, and something that he would enjoy. In the end, we did what he wanted - he wanted to go to his favorite park. We had a beautiful walk, stopped by a mini-zoo, talked. It was so, so nice. And then we went to a steakhouse that my parents already scouted out a week earlier and that my dad really liked. It was perfect. He knew exactly what he wanted, and it was great. (One time, when we took my parents to a restaurant for some kebabs, my dad complained about his meat in a very heavy Russian accent: this cow is very old!)

Note to self - for people's birthday celebrations, don't try to surprise them with something new - do what they want! It works out much better (at least with my parents).

Now we are almost back to our fall activities. Kids started school last week. We already had a back-to-school night for C (it was great to meet her teachers!). 

On top of school, E's cross-country and orchestra are in full swing. He also has a job at a running store.

H stopped piano lessons. E and C still take violin and cello lesson, respectively.

C auditioned and got into the junior county orchestra (aka, Young Musician Orchestra, or YMO). E is in the more advanced orchestra (DCYO) for older kids - he auditioned well last spring and now he is just a couple of chairs away from the concert master - he is pretty happy about that!

H was supposed to start dive training yesterday, but her coach cancelled the practice. She started her baby-sitting job (watching 2 kids for a family in the neighborhood once a week).

C is planning to join the middle school cross-country team (and we bought her new shoes at the store where E works, with a nice family discount! and it was fun to see E working and recommending her different running shoes)

Dear Reader - how is your fall going? Are you trying anythign new?