To play or not to play?

Clearly the answer is...

Hopkins Homecoming

So many years since I'd been back! What a beautiful campus, with so many new gorgeous buildings. More like a college campus than high school. Hugo has fallen in love, unfortunately to Marc's chagrin. Hopes of any future Miltonian, or is it Miltonite, are dashed. He's sealed the deal with a maroon 'H' emblazened on his cheek. Surprisingly, and I guess happily (?), it's still steadily on there despite a pretty substantial face wash tonight. Hugo's not terribly bugged at the prospect of its rubbing off since he announced he'll just "get another one when I go there." To boot, his assigned Foote color (children are assigned either grey or maroon upon matriculation at the school) is also maroon, so the Hopkins maroon 'H' is just too good to be true.

Oh, yes, Hugo has also announced he wants to play water polo (we watched a riveting game at the school pool today)... he is, however, concerned since, to quote: "I want to play water polo, but I don't want to be stressed." He must have overheard Marc commenting on what a tough sport it is.

7:03 a.m. came and went!

And now she's four!














Cracking up singing "Happy Birthday to myself, happy birthday to myself, happy birthday to myself, happy birthday to myself!"






Baking my flourless chocolate cake with Aye (Aunt) Lynn



The party continues. I mean she is four, after all. Why quit at 8 pm?


Best Buds


Hugo and Pippi (daughter of totally genius mommy who got me blogging and made me inadvertently into an HTML experto)










Yippie kay yay, my first taste of the beauty of small boxes!









Bootie gives a thumbs up for cake!

Low and behold, 3 is almost... over

It seems impossible! For months now, and even up until tonight, when asked how old she is, Portia automatically replies, "three and a half." Even tonight, on the eve of her fourth birthday, she's still three and a half. We enjoyed a great 'Mommy and Portia Day' today, celebrating 'threedom' with a picnic (together with Iago) on the green and pre-bday festivities with neighborhood friends and a surprise (sadly overbaked by me) brownie heart cake. Yesterday we had birthday snack duty at her preschool; Portia alone came up with the idea to serve chocolate-covered strawberries dipped in pink sugar sprinkles. And for her birthday tomorrow she has requested a flourless chocolate cake with strawberry flowers adorning the top...



Upon completion of our terribly fun to make snack strawberries, Portia announced with glee: "Mommy, these are adorable!"



Ever the eager helper, Hugo went wild for the leftover chocolate







Post picnic, chatting away in the car on our way back home, Portia spots the Yale Whale, where we enjoyed hockey games last year and says, "That's where we saw the Gold Gates play the Yales!" Referring to the Colgate vs Yale game. (Kay, you'll be pleased to know that Hugo is an avid Colgate supporter and is mysteriously forever devastated by a Yale victory) A moment of horror follows, "Mama! That dude didn't have a helmet on!" Referring to a helmetless cyclist zooming past. She's really not three anymore. So mature, kind, perceptive .... and more than anything pure joy to be around.

Gotta get cracking on the cake. Gourmet Magazine's flourless chocolate almond cake - a true winner every time. I am just surprised it trumped Ashley's ice cream cake for my little girl.

Tomorrow we'll celebrate not only Portia's 4th but also the first month of school!

Germany: A Retrospective

Tune in for the upcoming retrospective in honor of Boppa's birthday (happy official birthday!!) and a wonderful trip to Germany this past summer.

In the meantime, we enjoyed hosting the principal of Yali Middle School for a few nights and hosted a dinner with him as well as Xiang Jiaxiang, a visiting Chinese teacher to Hugo's school for the duration of the semester. In turn, Foote 9th grade students visit Yali Middle School in the spring semester. H & P took happily and immediately to Principal Sun's and Xiang Jiaxiang's friendliness and warmth. Xiang Jiaxiang has an impressive curriculum planned for Kindergarten-Grade 9. He spends a substantial amount of time with each class, teaching Chinese language, culture and art.


Welcome dinner at our house


Portia with Xiang Jiaxiang at farewell reception for Principal Sun and visiting students

AND, Peanut danced beautifully today:







And we're just plain old having fun:

Happy Birthday, Bop!

We miss you and hope you're celebrating a fabulous bday in Germany! Happy happy birthday!!!

We've had a fun weekend filled with friends, food and hiking. We're gearing up for a month full of family birthdays and Halloween. Here we are getting in the spirit a few weeks early.









After Saturday's deluge, we took advantage of today's gorgeous sun and headed out to the woods. What a beautiful, adventurous hike we had! The 'Challenge Trail' beckoned with its caves and rocky precipices, and we all had great fun. Then proceeded to undo all the cardio goodness by gorging on kettle corn and sushi.











Miss you and wish you a SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUper happy birthday!!