September

Over Labor Day weekend, we went to Carpinteria with our camping buddies (mostly people who moved away from us in the past several years.)  We took our bikes this time, so we were able to explore a little of the town, and the kids had one more thing to entertain them.  On Sunday, one of the ladies had prepared a Primary lesson for all the kids - it involved origami and a game, so everyone loved it!  That afternoon we all went to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, where they had live birds of prey being handled by docents.   
  

Primary

American Kestrel

The dads were worn out after a couple hours of Natural History

Raccoons got into our leftover food during the night!

Making a Mermaid out of Jodia

The day after we got home from Carpinteria was Celeste's second birthday!  She got a mango cake, lots of attention, and lots of presents, including a farm playset and a new doll stroller.
  

September 6th was the first day of school!  Connor started 8th grade, Elise 6th, Evan 3rd (but in a 4th grade classroom), and Corinne 1st.  I was also starting school, since I'd been asked, last minute, to teach Second Form Latin.  I had only finished about half of the course myself, but I prayed about it and felt really excited about the chance to teach again (I even got a small paycheck, like a real grown-up!)  Celeste got to play in the nursery with several other little ones while I was teaching, watched by a great nanny named Olga.
 

The three oldest kids started up their sports activities.  Evan played CSA Fall Ball (Pony League).  He had been wanting to play baseball for awhile, and Ryan decided it was time for him to start.  I've never seen him so motivated to go to an activity before!  Elise did a Lacrosse class at the community center, and Connor did a basketball training program at the YMCA.
  

 

Evan's friend Zach Peralta had his 9th birthday party.  I'm very glad we went, especially since we were able to help out a little.  They played laser tag and then ate pizza at a place here in Montrose.
  

Ryan loves going to Critical Mass rides down in L.A. at the end of every month.  He's been doing this for years, often with the same group of guys.  They usually get food at El Flaming Taco when they finish, which is normally sometime past midnight.
  

Kendall Hales' Epic Bike

Ryan took Evan and Corinne to "Celebrate LA" one afternoon to skate/bike/walk around downtown Los Angeles with no vehicles.  They got to try an instrument petting zoo, listen to live music, and go up to see the view from Dad's office.
    

Random September Pictures:
  

Newly Minted 2-Year-Old

Rattlesnake under the Stroller

Evan made a "healthy meal" for Cub Scouts

My aunt posted these pictures of herself, Grandma Cloe, Uncle Steve, and my mom.

Evan's Artwork.  It depicts a shack in the desert where a homeless man lives.

Elise drew a portrait of Celeste.  Quite accurate.

I took this to prove to Elise that she had not cleaned her room.

The younger kids planned and put on a variety show for us, complete with popcorn and drinks.

Celeste made herself into a whiskered "meow meow".