Hitting Up Hollywood

Fall feels a lot different in southern California, and it's the time I feel most homesick for brightly colored leaves and that first brisk bite of cold in the air. There's pumpkin spice muffins and hot chocolate (and pretty much anything else they can cram pumpkin spice flavoring into), but it all feels a little heretic to me when there are no grey skies and snow flurries to accompany them. The closest we get to the feeling of fall is on the evenings when we pack up our car with a couple of logs and the little tripod hibachi that doubles as cheap firepit and head to the beach. It gets dark a little sooner, and sitting around the crackling fire, listening to waves crash on the sand, gazing up at the stars together--well that's a little bit like a fall bonfire, isn't it? We also enjoyed a neighborhood block party and a couple of visits to Grandma and Grandpa Mitchell's house that brought some of those delicious fall feelings closer to the surface.

Meanwhile, there's something to be said for having good weather every day when you have a baby in tow. I do not miss bundling a baby up to the teeth and then piling on an extra blanket or two for good measure every time I leave the house. If I forget to put some socks on Cora (or if she pulls them off), it's just no big deal. That said, I haven't actually taken her out as much as you might expect. I'm still (years later, it feels like) trying to figure out how to make my contribution to the world. Sometimes I feel like the world is against me, because there are so very few jobs a woman can do with a baby on her hip. And yet, I have grown pretty efficient at the work of mothering--Cora goes right to sleep when it's time for bed, she eats and naps on a schedule, and even if I didn't take time to snuggle and sing to her (which I do and love) she gets so much snuggling and cuddling and playing from the kids when they're home that I sometimes feel practically irrelevant. I've been sifting through graduate programs both close to home and far away (my favorite is Leipzig University in Germany--the exact city where I've been dying to live, especially since the fateful day that the FIFA championship foretold our fate), largely discarding the idea of another degree in music, both because I'm a bit disenchanted with potential job opportunities in that field, and because I've begun to recognize that much of the important change that happens in this world begins with education about the problems, and frankly, the field of music may work to unite people and to soothe problems, but it contributes little to understanding and directly addressing them. So the fields in which I am currently looking (during Cora's nap times) are in fields of peace and justice and international affairs. I expect to reapply to law school, hopefully with an improved LSAT score, but also consider shorter programs in related fields. In keeping with those emphases in my life right now, I have attended a number of events at the University of San Diego's Kroc School of Peace and Justice Studies. On Veteran's Day, Addy accompanied me to an event called "Write for Peace" which once again brought together the women peacemakers that I had a chance to listen to in the spring--four women from Afghanistan, Israel, Botswana, and South Africa who have been active in promoting peace in their nations and among their people, as well as the writers who have been working to record their stories in an accessible way for the rest of us to learn from over the course of this year. I especially appreciated the opportunity to see two of my passions married in such a motivating and influential way. Aaron and I also had the chance to spend one of our date nights seeing the movie Suffragette at the beginning of November, despite limited screenings. It was another reminder to me of the importance of empowering people on the margins of society, and the rich additions those people contribute to the world. It's stunning and a bit frightening to realize that only a century ago, women were considered unfit to put forward their own political ideas and agendas. How many people now are still in the same circumstances whether because of lack of suffrage or simply political corruption in their countries.

In terms of family activities, we had some good fun in October and November. My birthday was awesome--a delicious night at Benihana and then a birthday visit to Universal Studios the next day. We're trying hard to make up for our comparatively modest attendance during the months I was pregnant, followed by many black-out periods during the summer. It works out pretty well to get child-swap passes for the rides so that everyone gets to go, and there are so many fun things to see around the park that Cora doesn't seem to mind being toted around much at all. Coinciding with my birthday (though not really a birthday gift), I finally got a smart phone! I'm mostly pleased to have caught up with the rest of the world technologically, and it certainly is nice to have access to navigation features around the clock, but I can also feel the beckoning of the zombied existence that reigns in our culture. In many ways I would just as soon carry on with a device that has much more limited use, but convenience will out.

For Halloween this year, we kept things pretty simple. Asher wouldn't even dress up a bit, which I guess means that he's outgrown the holiday. I still hold out hope that I'll be able to rope him in some year in the future, but as things now stand, I don't really mind having one less costume to worry about. Addy dressed up as a devil and went trick-or-treating with her friend Madison, who dressed as an angel. Emerson dressed up as a Jedi and planned to trick-or-treat with a fellow Jedi until his friend made a last-minute visit to his grandmother's house. Luckily, he caught up with some other friends for the business of candy collection, but there were no matching outfits involved. Sera used an old werewolf mask and a furry jacket to play the wolf to her friend Alyssa's Little Red Riding Hood. They were pretty adorable, and it was a match that perfectly played to their dramatically different heights. Meanwhile, I dressed Cora in the costume I had planned about thirty seconds after we found out we were having another baby--she was my little Dalmatian, and I was Cruella DeVil. I never quite got my makeup together like I should have, but we made a pretty cute pair all the same.

In November, I got around to taking Sera on her 8-year-old trip. We drove up to Hollywood and spent a day at Universal Studios, just the two of us, then stayed overnight at the Hollywood Hotel. The next day, we hit the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and finished up with a visit to the Getty Museum. It was a lovely time with my formerly youngest daughter. Of all my kids, Sera is the easiest for me to identify with because she reminds me so much of myself. She loves reading, thinks deeply, reserves her friendship for only the few who take the time to get to know her inside out, and is a total justice warrior. We had some great chats about what it means to be famous (since, after all, we were in Hollywood), the real value of money (not as much as you might think), and a bit about art (though not quite so much as I had planned). And since we spent a bit of time covering the birds and the bees, Sera has also determined that she is definitely adopting her kids (I'm sure watching me in my cheerful pregnant state contributed to that).

We also managed to squeeze in a day at the Bing Crosby races, which I was very glad of, since we'd missed all the horse-racing over the summer. I love horse-races, and if I ever get into gambling, that's definitely the route I'm going. We did a family pool, and I was the only one who won outright. We also spent a day visiting Grandma and Grandpa Mitchell in Campo, letting Cora meet her great-grandparents for the first time. The kids were pretty hilarious, hiding our little "treasure" in silly spots all over the house and taking photos. Cora is such a very game baby, always up for whatever these other crazy kids can come up with. We really did luck out.

For Thanksgiving, we originally planned to have Grandma and Grandpa Mitchell, as well as Aaron's Uncle Lars and his wife come out to our home for a traditional dinner. But a few days before, Grandpa Mitchell called to say that he didn't feel up to such a long drive, particularly with the Parkinson's disease he suffers from, and so we opted instead to drive up for yet another day at Universal Studios (like I said, we've been trying to make up for lost time!). It actually turned out to be a spectacular choice, as lines were short and all the Christmas decorations had just been put up. We enjoyed Jurassic Pizza for our Thanksgiving dinner, and I didn't have a single dish to wash afterward. Of course, on the way home, a bunch of nostalgia broke loose (not from me) and I somehow ended up making a full Thanksgiving dinner the next day anyway, but not without losing it just before serving it, ranting about how hard I work and nobody appreciates me yadda yadda, storming out of the house, and then returning ten minutes later to a suddenly super-appreciative family. Still, next time we skip Thanksgiving dinner, we're skipping it for real!

Finally, we closed out the month with auditions for Annie, so it looks like that will take a chunk out of the next few weeks. Emerson and Sera are the only two in the show this time around, which should make some aspects easier, but I'm still amazed that they manage to put the whole show together in only 21 days--pretty impressive!

All the Things I Forgot To Mention

We actually did so many fun things in October that I forgot to mention in the narration. At least we took photographs!

We had an awesome time at the Miramar Air Show this year--so much cooler than last year when we roasted and left early!

These two got up close and personal--it was loud!

Remind me never to do this

The Blue Angels are amazing!

Addy started cross-country . . .

along with some friends.

She gets faster every meet!

And this guy just gets awesomer! He tried out several Halloween possibilities before settling on one. This one is called "Thug Life."

Every now and again I whip out my camera when we hit the pool for a night swim--just to remind myself how spoiled we are.

With a day off school and some Get Air coupons, this bunch killed an afternoon. I tried to take photos of them jumping, but they left nothing but blurs.

We spent one Saturday at a pumpkin patch, even though it felt like cheating, since it was 80 degrees.

Papa came to visit! Cora was delighted with her first piano lesson.

He was able to join us for the baptism of this gorgeous girl.

Afterward we celebrated at Ciccioti's, where she got her first taste of crème brulee--which she has since decided is her favorite food.

The next day, she got to share her confirmation day with Cora, who had a beautiful blessing day.

The next day, we sneaked these two out of school and headed for the Birch Aquarium.

It wasn't quite scuba diving, but Papa had a few good facts to share.

Then my birthday party at Universal! We figure that we have to live it up while we live near such fun places.

Luckily Miss Hattie's had a spot for our little girl--sure are going to miss her! ;)

Cora ruling her minions--all three of them!

That Asher--not spooked a bit by zombies.

Can't say the same for these two!

Though apparently Emer adjusted.

Can't wait for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

Perfect end to a perfect day with the perfect people!

Plus birthday dinner at Benihana

Angel and Devil

Little Red and the Wolf

And Obi Wan stuck on a planet he wasn't exactly planning on.

Don't forget us! Cruella and Lucky!

Schooled

So September was a bit more eventful for me than usual. Aside from the normal start-of-school stuff (which technically took place last month, but the photos fit better here), I decided to try to assuage some of my disappointment over not attending law school with some classes at the local community college. I signed up for French and Arabic classes and took Cora with me the first day without thinking much of it. However, during the class break, the French professor took me aside and said he believed that babies were not permitted in the classroom. I looked into it, found policies suggesting otherwise, and ultimately ended up submitting a petition to change certain ambiguous policies that could create an unnecessary impediment for mothers seeking to further their education. Along the way, I was featured in an article at Today.com, which was pretty cool. I have so many thoughts and feelings about this that I am looking for a new outlet for expressing them, so I won't clog up this blog with all my umbrage on behalf of mothers everywhere.

As we inched toward the end of the month, Aaron pushed me over the edge on which I had been teetering into getting a ticket to my 20 year class reunion . . . wait, what? It was a super-short trip-- airplane ride out on Saturday morning, lunch with friends, get changed, reunion at night, and back to the airport by Sunday afternoon--but it was just what the doctor ordered for me. I scooped Cora along with me, and though there were certain challenges associated with traveling alone with an infant, it was totally worth it. I brought her with me when I went out to lunch with my dear friends, Kristin and Emily, and then left her with my awesome mom and sisters for the evening. There was not enough time to have the conversations I wanted to with everyone! One of the remarkable things to me was really how little people changed, at least on the inside--including myself. Although lives have taken us in different directions, being back among the people who helped form my fundamental character  made me realize that my core has never really changed. I couldn't recount everything if I tried, but I especially enjoyed seeing friends who sang in the Madrigals group with me and the group of people that I used to study and spend weekends with. I could have spent quite a lot more time talking with every one of them. I hope I can make it a better priority to stay in touch with all of them!

On the home front, we had Addy's birthday (but no birthday party yet--I think she's in the process of deciding whether she feels too old for them or not), and she started running with the cross-country team again. I tried to convince Asher to do the same, but he insisted that his primary responsibility is school this year, and he doesn't want to do anything that interferes with his academic excellence. What mom is going to argue with that? Emerson and Sera are both enjoying their classes this year. Emerson's teacher rolled over with his class, so that it's basically the same class as last year--a fact which thrills both him and me. Sera had the option to stay with a class doing the same thing, but decided against it, since she "wants a new experience." She was very pleased to find out that her best friend is in her class this year.

When everyone is home, Cora is just thrilled about it. We've had half the neighborhood jumping on the trampoline in our backyard at various times, and Asher and Addy have been begging to spend time doing homework at friends' houses several times a week--sometimes the answer is yes, and sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes I get the sense that our kids are leaving the nest a little at a time, and while it makes me a little sentimental, it's not a bad thing. I really do hope that we're raising children who will be able to make a way for themselves in the world, and I'm hope that they're as lucky as me in finding good friends to help them navigate their way through it all.

School Days, New and Old

Back-to-school beach party

Lighting those marshmallows on fire ("because that's how I like them"--ha!)

It might be the last beach day of the summer, but not of the year!

Ninth grade (high school!)

Fifth grade

Clearly they're on their way to being the heads of their respective classes

Seventh grade

Third grade

Again, can we expect less than the best from these two?

Seminary, 6:30 am

(while he's there, I get to run into sunrises that look like this . . .

 

and take random photos of spiders that look like this!)

Carpool to the middle school

 

Emerson holding court on the playground

Sera is thrilled to be in a class with her best friend, Alyssa

Now there's more time for beach walks with this little baby doll

And baths in the sink

And snuggles in hooded towels

But is she happy when her brothers and sisters get back? You'd better believe it!

Seriously though, I've never seen a baby so frequently mistaken for a baby doll

She helped me study for the French and Arabic classes I signed up for . . . until I got kicked out for bringing her along--I call prejudice against multilingual babies!

And then I carted her along when I went out to Salt Lake for my 20 year class reunion . . . er, um 10 years?

Best friends a girl could have! I love these two, Emily, my best buddy since kindergarten, and Kristin, my dearest friend through high school--though they barely knew each other through those years, Kristin ended up marrying Emily's violin teacher's son, who she met in New York City. Such a funny world we live in.

Such great friendships I have with these girls! There's a closeness among those we grow up with that can't be imitated.

Steve is an inspiration to everyone who knows the work of The Piano Guys, but especially to me--there's something just amazing about seeing someone you knew in middle school breaking out into the wider universe. I have incredible respect for the amazing influence Steve is having on the world, and even more for the truly good person he remains through it all.

Those trips down memory lane remind you what it is you are really made of, and the building blocks that got you there.

Truly beautiful to reconnect with such lovely women who inspire me still! Did I mention that I have never been among so many women who have five kids (and more!)--I feel like I joined a really cool club that I didn't even know existed.

Also, this gorgeous girl of mine had a birthday.

But there are some things she hasn't grown out of.

Can't quite believe she's at the stage where she asks for clothes as a birthday gift--she was very excited about a jean jacket.