Fall

Time to head back to school!  It's a bittersweet first day of school photo, since it marks Brennan's first day of 5th grade - his last year at Grattan.  It's our last year of having them both conveniently just a few blocks from home, with the same drop-off and pick-up; likely their last year of being at school together, unless we eventually wash up somewhere with only one high school.

Brennan and I have toured a few middle schools, in preparation for the 6th grade enrollment application in January.  He initially declared he wanted one school, because it was smaller (700-ish students) and everyone gets a school-issued iPad, never mind that he already has an iPad.  But after seeing the "feeder" middle school he's guaranteed admission to, he said he liked it, despite the originally intimidating larger (1500-ish students) size.  "What did you like about it?" I asked, wondering if it was the designated 6th grade wing, or the wider variety of elective classes, or the extensive list of student clubs for every possible interest.  "The chickens," he answered.

Unlike most of the country, Back to School time is also San Francisco's summer, so it's our best time for bikes, scooters, park exploration, and including Roux -

 

Fall is the prime soccer season as well - yes, there's spring as well, but the season is shorter, and everyone's trying to navigate other sports, Spring Break, family weddings, camping, end-of-year indifference, etc.

Lucie has emerged as a real go-getter on her soccer team, with zero interest in any position other than center forward, and has to be regularly reminded to share the ball with her teammates.

 

 

Brennan has gotten a lot more assertive on the pitch in the last year as well.  He's playing more at midfield and right/left wing, and has made some awesome long passes to get some goal assists, and on one memorable occasion, took a ball to the head, stayed in the game, and then vomited his post-game snack right next to the picnic area.  Which is when we belatedly realized he probably was concussed from said ball.  A day of rest put him right, but he was a bit put out that he couldn't have any screen time.

 

Unfortunately, one of us did not have a good soccer season.  Two games into the season, Daddy had a run-in with the sprinkler system during a "fun" voluntary extra practice session, resulting in a broken ankle and the premature end of Extra Practice Sundays.

The cast was actually replaced with a big plastic boot after about a week, but didn't look nearly as jaunty.

While it sucked to have Daddy out of commission, we still managed to enjoy many of our usual fall activities.   We watched the Blue Angels swoop and scream over the city -

(and our viewing spot was pretty cool too)

 

Grattan Movie Night wasn't rained out or smoked out, so we finally made it back for a night of snuggling with friends and overeating popcorn and candy.

 

I made the tactical error of volunteering to work the popcorn stand, thinking it would be less sticky than the other options (pizza, bake sale, cocoa).  What I didn't factor in was that the popcorn supply was inexhaustible (unlike my replacement for the late shift), and that long after everything else sold out, I'd still be popping away.  I did get a little extra help toward the end -

Fall is also a great time for day trips out of the city.  Lucie has been going to riding lessons in Moss Beach.  When Brennan tags along, we try to add in a hike, or go out to eat in Half Moon Bay, or -

a stop in Pacifica to enjoy the giant bounce house complex they set up for Halloween!

We don't see as much fog in fall, which makes it the best season for sunrises -

- and sunsets.