Max and Esme

Max got himself certified to referee soccer this summer - he's got a badge and a whistle and everything.  He's been spending the past few weekends working as a referee for the local youth soccer program.  On Saturday mornings he goes from 7am-12 working with the little kids - K-2nd grade. He gets community service hours for that work, counting toward National Junior Honor Society.  On Sunday he refs for the U8 travel team when he's not playing soccer himself. $31/game should buy him a lot of legos.  Or something nice for his mom and dad for Christmas to show his appreciation for driving him around Westchester all weekend. Kidding aside, we're very proud of him - he's totally professional out there, works great with the kids, and is handling the coaches and parents just fine.  Way to go, Max.

Max and his friends went trick-or-treating independently of adult supervision.  From all reports they caused no harm, but they did haul home a huge bag of candy.  Here's a shot of FBI agent Maxwell before heading out.

Esme wanted a creepy costume this year, so she chose to dress up as Drucilla from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Not many people of her generation knew the show, but she looked decidedly spooky nonetheless.  She sported the look for two days - in school on Friday for her class Halloween party and trick-or-treating with her devilish friends on Saturday evening.  The final picture is Esme posing with one of the actors at a local "haunted house" - what she can aspire to when she grows up.

Esme is sporting a completely new look this week.  The first addition is probably obvious.  A recent doctor visit showed us that Esme is nearsighted, her new glasses are needed to see the smartboard more clearly at school.  She was not happy about it (still isn't really) but she took a friend with her to pick out her new blue eye-wear, and is sporting it at school today for the first time.  We just picked them up yesterday afternoon, but she's already noticing things she couldn't see before! The second addition may be less obvious. To make up for having to get glasses, Esme also got her ears pierced.  She was very excited about that one!  She's taking very good care of them so far, and now has a whole new category to add to her Christmas list.

Esme baked the cake for Peter's birthday.  It was a Victoria Sponge cake - one she learned from our friend Callum and enjoyed for her own birthday in England.  Basically a white layer cake with a filling of raspberry jam and covered with icing.  Yummy.

Missing photo from Rhode Island. The post was almost 5 feet tall but Max was able to scramble up onto it.

Photo taken before she dug a 30 inch deep hole in the sand. We had a ceremonial filling of the hole at the end of the day.

Watch Hill RI. October summer weekend at the beach.

Max is playing for the Rye Middle School modified soccer team this year. On game days they have to wear a shirt and tie. From the waist down they are allowed to wear what they want.  It took a few tries, but Max is tying his own tie now.

The first day of the last year of elementary school.  Esme practically kicked me out of the school this morning, she was very pleased to be there.  And yes, that is blue hair.

Just what you need on a 90 plus degree day.

A couple of them anyway.

And yes, we were able to climb to the top of the ramparts.

Peacocks. Lots of them.

Staying with our lovely hosts Jane and Alex, joined by Della and Don for an afternoon of punting on the river.  Max did a great job with the 15 foot pole!

Celebrating Esme's 10th birthday at a performance of Romeo and Juliet in Richmond, UK

Hanging out in Cold Spring before seeing Hudson Valley Shakespeare perform A Winter's Tale this evening.

Max had his last final on Tuesday. His final effort as a 7th grader was to play in the Orchestra for the 8th grade moving up ceremony this morning. Esme's 4th grade class celebrated with a picnic today.  Half day tomorrow and then we are free for the summer! 

Borrowed for the weekend, but still.   Bear happily ignored his own human family to dote on Max and Esme during his visit to Rye. 

And the livin' is easy... About two minutes after I moved the new Adirondack chairs into the back yard they were filled.  Kids are beginning a 5 day holiday and loving every minute of it.

Esme participated in her first science fair yesterday with her friend Megan.  The girls spent 4 weeks plotting the rate of evaporation of various liquids - water, vinegar,  oil, oj, and rubbing alcohol. They put a lot of work into their presentation and were proud to show it off to their fellow students and parents.  The highlight was seeing how thoroughly the orange juice rotted.

The Rye Vipers had their first game of the season this morning. Esme had a base hit and played her first ever inning at catcher.   Great effort all around.

Esme played 3rd base today, fielding her team's first out of the season as well as scoring a run. She really enjoyed herself.

Leatning how to shoot a cannon. Seemed somehow appropriate that Max did the measuring of the angle of trajectory and Esme fired the shot.

Not an Oompah Loompah in site. But the hairnets were still fun.

Ziplining over the alligators

Today in St Augustine FL.

Last week in Rye we had snow on the ground.

He doesn't quite pull it off does he? He's enjoying himself too much. This is the face Max uses when there is a skier standing in his way.