I just couldn’t do a blog last week. It was too much. But I’m back at it this week and trying out moving the blog to Saturdays instead of Sundays, to separate the blog from Sunday nights when my mom and I used to look through it together.

The kids had a great week with lots of Halloween energy.

Monday was crazy hair day at school. The day before, Amaya and I rode our bikes to CVS to get spray in hair color to help with the wacky. I think it worked. 🙂

Amaya’s friend Peyton is in her gymnastics class.

On Tuesday, I picked the kids up at school and took them to a Harvest Festival at my office. It was so nice to see everyone’s kids again! It’s been since before covid. There was a petting zoo, cider and donuts, crafts and games.

Amaya has always loved my colleague Sean from the times she visited my office. (He used to be my boss.) During covid, she would chat with him on Teams sometimes. On Tuesday morning Amaya came downstairs with a halloween gift she prepped for Sean. She was so cute when she gave it to him.

Sean, asking Amaya about her foot “injury”.

The petting zoo! It was a huge hit with children and adults. That goat Sammy is petting was so cute.

Turkey Craft 🙂

❤️❤️❤️

On Wacky Wednesday, Amaya was wacky by only wearing one choker, and it was clear one. She’s so funny. She kept saying, “my neck looks so long!”

Wacky Bobes

Amaya had a playdate with her friend Dylan on Wednesday and it turns out the reason they wanted a playdate was so I could dye their hair. Dylan’s mom was fine with it so it’s blue ends for both girls. (I was much more nervous dying some else’s kid’s hair.)

Blue hair!

Perhaps to torture her dad, Amaya wore yellow and blue on U of M vs. MSU day at school.

Look at this fall day! Some after dinner baseball on Friday.

Friday night was trunk or treat at Thornton Creek. There were probably 30+ cars in the parking lot as well as two food trucks. Before we left, while the kids were getting ready, Sammy was in his grim reaper costume and told him he can’t go in her room because he’ll scare her babies. Sammy took off his mask and said, “Don’t worry guys. It’s just me.” The sweetness.

The kids ran around from car to car with their friends and had a blast! Just one more thing we’re back to now that we’re past covid. Hallelujah!

Lots of attention for her “injury”.

Here are their “official” halloween pics.

Steven is sushi.

Sammy is the grim reaper.

Amaya is a girl on crutches in a ladybug costume. It is very important that you don’t confuse this with a ladybug on crutches. And, wow, does she commit. Amaya doesn’t put her “injured” foot down even once while she’s in costume. [To clarify, the crutches are part of the costume. Our girl is uninjured.]

The gang!

Like we’ve done for years on the Saturday before halloween, we had breakfast at The Early Bird and then walked Street of Treats in downtown Northville. I love this tradition.

Sooooooo much attention for her injury – even some extra candy.

That’s it for this week! We’ll see how the Saturday routine goes. Have a great week!

It’s late to get started but I’m going to power through and get out a blog tonight. We had some special visitors and I don’t want to miss it.

Steven has been asking to take a picture where my hair is on top of his hair and we finally remembered! He thinks it’s very silly. 🙂

On Tuesday night, while I slept tucked in my bed, Jason and the kids had a Yankees/Guardian’s ALDS first game sleepover in the living room. They were all very cute and I loved memories like that as a kid (but love my bed as an adult).

Amaya has a friend at school who does her hair like this! I need to learn how. I’m getting shown up by an 8 year old.

Wednesday was “Walk or Bike to School Day” so Sophia came early and we made it work with Sophia escorting the boys on a walk while Amaya and I rode our bikes. It was cool and rainy but totally worth it.

For a long time Sammy said he doesn’t like to read but it’s really about finding books he likes. Makes sense! Sammy powered through the Avatar the Last Airbender graphic novels and now he’s made his way through most of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.

The kids all have spelling word bingo as homework this week and had to complete 5 activities from the bingo chart. For this one, Sophia had them write their words in shaving cream.

Look at that hat! And it’s not Steven’s, it’s Uncle Austin’s! Papa and Uncle Austin came to visit for the weekend! They arrived on Friday afternoon and stayed until late morning today. It was so amazing to have them here.

Uncle Austin got the kids into a game called Paper Airplanes and the kids were excited to play it with him.

Steven had an 8pm baseball game and Uncle Austin and Amaya were super troopers and joined Jason and Steven at the game. Steven’s team lost but Steven got 2 hits at the game and everyone survived the cold weather.

On Saturday, we had a lazy morning and then lunch at Deadwood Bar & Grill before went to Maybury Farm for the corn maze. Last year, this weekend, Nana was visiting and went with us so it was nice to have Papa and Uncle Austin there – for the 2nd time, actually! They joined us a few years ago, too.

This year’s maze map.

We survived!

With Papa <3 (I just thought to myself, “Mom will love this picture.” This is still so hard to process.)

The kids each took a pumpkin home with them.

It was a day at home after Uncle Austin and Papa left. I got work done, Jason organized the kids’ clothes and the kids played monopoly.

Quick blog this week but it was so special to have Uncle Austin and Papa here for the first time since right before covid.

Have a great week!

It was a nice week. We had some warm early-October days and the kids took advantage of the opportunity to be outside. Leave are starting to change color and I’m not ready, but fall is there regardless of my interest in cooler weather. 😉

Sophia takes Amaya to gymnastics and they had extra time on Monday so they were treated to pre-gymnastics hot chocolate.

School pictures are in! We give them full freedom over what they wear so it’s a fun way to see the kids’ self expression.

After school play time

Wednesday evening, I took the kids out to applebees for a pre-Yom Kippur dinner. The boys had fun looking at old school pictures. Steven was unsure, more often than you’d think, about which by was which.

Jason came to surprise us on his way home from work!

As a family, we lit our yarzheit candles for the holiday and said kaddish. It was pretty rough lighting two candles but with the balance of the Cline 5, I got through it.

Amaya brought her Nana dog.

The kids and I went to the family service for Yom Kippur on Wednesday and then Steven, Jason and I went to the Yizkor service together. <3

On Thursday night, Amaya and I headed to NY for a girls weekend – a real one because Dave and Chase were away for a soccer tournament.

On Friday morning, while I worked, Papa took Amaya out for breakfast. Then, Savta and Auntie came and took Amaya out for lunch and some shopping at the mall.

The highlight for Amaya, of course, is always Charlie. 🙂

Sophia stayed with Sammy on Friday night bc Steven had an 8pm baseball game. This kid loves watching shows in daddy’s big chair.

On Saturday, the Cline Mans spent the day (and them some) filling a dumpster with tons (literally) of junk we’re ready to get rid of.

Saturday we went to Papa and Nana’s house for lunch and then Savta and Auntie came over.

I realize that I don’t have any photos of Aunt Sara!

Girls in face masks, doing YMCA. They were hysterical.

On Sunday, in preparation for our return. Steven and Sammy had a baking contest. Using Amaya’s scoring system, Sammy won with 25 pts to Steven’s 18.

Amaya has a dream of flying as an unaccompanied minor. We haven’t gotten to that point yet but we did agree that she should fly in a seat away from me on the airplane. I was in seat 10A and Amaya was in 28A. A whole airplane apart and she did great! One of the flight attendants offered to take her to her seat and escort her off the plane which was very nice.

Amaya loved it and will probably never sit with me again lol.

Five Guys pit stop to pick up dinner for the whole crew.

That’s it for us this week. Have a good one!

Monday we welcomed in the Jewish New Year. I can’t get over how many people are at the family service at Temple Israel. They have two adult services, one family service and one children’s service. It’s such a thriving community! Being there was emotional. Last year, Nana joined the live stream from NY so she could be there with us and there are so many parts of Jewish life that will always make me think of her. But we did it!

My boys really have no nice clothing. In fact, the day my mom died, my cousin Mike took me to target to get something they could wear to the funeral bc we had nothing at home.

Afternoon cuddles with Daddy

Sophia helped the kids go through fall clothes and to the seasonal change-out. That’s always an opportunity for Amaya to find surprises from Charlie, like these shoes.

Did I mention that I joined an 8-week grief workshop? It’s good self care and, as a result, Sophia takes Amaya to gymnastics each week. We’re really lucky to have the help!

Tuesday was picture day and, as always, the kids can wear whatever they want. Sammy chose his one collared shirt which I love. He also did his hair with gel before school.

After school art started again! This year they’re in the grade 3- 5 program, though most of the kids are in 3rd. The first week was Van Gogh inspired art. In order, it’s Steven, Sammy and Amaya. I love when I get to see how they interpret the same project differently.

This is baby Sammy in Amaya’s backpack straps. She uses it as a carrier. Sammy calls our Sammy “Uncle Sammy” and Steven is “Uncle Meanie.” Apparently all the kids were voting on which dessert to make and Steven said that Baby Sammy can’t have a vote bc he’s not real so our Sammy gave Baby Sammy his vote. 🙂

The kids are getting stronger and stronger at Ninja.

Amaya has been writing a fiction story every night. She’s so committed. She gets ready for bed quickly and then asks if she can write in bed. I love it.

Fall ball! Steven was catcher again. He hit the ball twice but, both times, was out at first. Jason said he’s been doing a great job fielding.

Amaya had a fun Saturday. She had a birthday party at Pump It Up (bounce house place) and we picked up two friends on the way. It’s really nice to be in the age of carpooling. After the part, she and her friend Claire convinced us that Amaya should stay at Claire’s for a while so she got a play date out of it, too.

The kids and I ate dinner outside while the Sparty game was on. I’m clinging to the last nice days!

Steven’s hair is getting so long. I convinced him to let me pull it back and I think he looks so cute. Steven said that, one day at school, he pulled his hair off his face and his teacher, Mr. Connelly, said, “Oh look! Steven has eyes!”

Last night the kids slept in forts and Sammy took these pictures especially for the blog.

He also got a haircut! Handsome dude.

Finally, this isn’t about the Cline kids exactly, but Chase has had a stopwatch running on an iPad for a while. Steven asked me to find out how long it’s been and the answer was over 23,000 hours!

That’s it for this week. Have a good one!

*Amaya named this blog update after the meal she wants to eat.