Fun Friday at Cal women's basketball

 Emma (and mom) love Coach Lindsay (Gottlieb). When I messaged her Happy Thanksgiving and that I didn't have to go to 49ers today and we were going to come to the game, she said she'd just leave us tickets for her seats. How fun! And, afterward, Emma lined up to be the first to high-five the players and show Lindsay the hole in her mouth where she pulled out her second tooth today. The Cal experience is so great for these young girls and we'll be back for more soon with lots of classmates and friends.

We just lucked out that a photographer friend from the Bay Area News Group, Ray Chavez, walked by right at this moment and captured these special photos of Emma high-fiving Lindsay, who said she considered subbing Emma into the game when they got the huge lead.

 Lily enjoyed waving her pom-pom and meeting the bear mascot, Oskie.

This is such a cool idea: Kids, read 10 hours and turn in your bookmark for a free ticket.

Happy Thanksgiving!

New gymnastics class

 Emma and Fiona have been moved up into a more advanced gymnastics class and they are doing great! Cartwheeling down the sidewalk, handstands against the walls and on chairs and dismounts off furniture have become the normal routine in our house.

She is also doing tap, jazz and ballet classes on Thursdays and enjoys that, too. Here's her makeup tap class from this past Friday.

Thanks to everyone in advance for the beautifully written holiday notes and cards I'm sure you're busy working on already. It has taken so much pressure off me to NOT feel like I have to do one, and I have come to terms with not feeling guilty about it, but do know I appreciate everyone who does send them and that I love reading them. It's been a really hard, busy year and I can't believe it's already almost December. I also haven't totally become comfortable with the idea of sending Christmas cards when I'm married to a man who celebrates Hanukkah, so I find it easier to just not. I hope that might make a bit of sense to some of you. I care about you all so much and miss you.
Lots of Love and Hugs, always.

Janie

Zoo birthday party

 Emma and Fiona's new kindergarten friend, Ninjin, had her 6th birthday party at the Oakland Zoo today and we all had a blast on the rides and looking at animals!

Silly Lily!

These two are such sweet friends.

Kindergarten basketball clinic

 On Nov. 14, I organized a girls' basketball clinic for kindergarteners with two first-graders joining us. It was a rare Sunday where both our NFL teams were on the road, so Josh also was able to attend. I couldn't believe this came together, as I had met a local youth coach with Alameda Youth Basketball (Steph in the black sweatshirt below) and she offered to do this at the Boys & Girls Club. I recruited 18 girls from around Alameda - various schools, former preschool pals, new classmates in both kindergartens at Emma's school - and they're all now begging for the next time they get to play. It was an absolute blast and the girls hustled and did defensive slides and loose ball drills - like this one with Emma and Evie above - for a full hour!

Check out the intensity of Violet and Ivy going for the ball!

Lawrence Hall of Science