Colors

A few we've seen recently:

Fall colors on our drive to and from Ann Arbor on Saturday. Jason and I headed out, coffee on board, to his five-year dental school reunion. We tailgated with old friends, drank beer, tossed the football around, and watched Michigan play on a quintessential fall day in one of our favorite cities. It was so, so good to be there, and even better to catch up with old friends. Zingerman's, you never let us down, either.

Purple, as in the color of Flintstone vitamin that is most coveted by both girls and led to a full-blown temper tantrum by Jemma today at lunch when I sadly informed her that we were out of purple and down to just red and orange. She loves purple, loves to whisper it when asked what her favorite color is, loves to demand it while coloring in her high chair on a rainy afternoon. Red and orange are just not going to cut it.

Blue and gold at Friday night's home football game. We walked merrily down our street and just followed the crowd into the stands one block away to watch our home team score lots of points. The girls were all bundled up in their little coats and hats; they sat snug and STILL between us, sucking away at the mother of all treats, THE RING POP. We held mittened hands on the way home, tucked them into bed while their cheeks were still rosy and sticky.

Black and white and read all over tonight after dinner, when the girls took turns raiding the bookshelves in Jemma's room and reading books on the rug on her floor. Jemma brings me her favorites: "Cow," "George," "Babies," "Carl." I read them to her, and when I don't, she throws a fit. Annie sits down with Five Silly Monkeys and paraphrases the story, patiently counting the monkeys on each page. She pretends not to notice that I am watching her.