Weekend Fun and Game

The girls had fun Friday night, with a video-game birthday party for a friend of Cora's. The parents brought in a gaming truck, which Cora disappeared into; she only emerged at the end of the party when it was time for cake and singing.

On Saturday, Cora played her first fall league game with the Auburn Tigers. She caught two innings, pitched one, and played right field and first base.

Cora struck out once and had a solid base hit and scored a run.

Violet has been very interested in drawing and coloring lately, and says she wants to be an artist when she grows up.

She taped down this sign on the kitchen desk that says, "Violet's Drawing Bench."

Violet also screwed in a "shabby chic" bird hook into her wall, behind her door. Now she can hang a few things up on her own, without a stool.

Also Sunday, we went to my parents' house to watch the Dodgers game, as it was Vin Scully's final broadcast at Dodger Stadium.

After 67 years, he'll conclude his Hall of Fame career next weekend. I cried my way through the end, as the Dodgers clinched the National League West crown on an exciting game-ending home run. What a sendoff for Vin!

On Monday, we had our friend Emily over after school, and took her with us to dinner. It was a Pioneer Club fundraiser night at BJ's, so we celebrated with pizzookies. Yum!

Raging Waters and Map Making

 

On Sunday, we made what's becoming an annual trip to Raging Waters for the company picnic my dad's old union puts on.

The food and drinks are always good and plentiful, and the girls love the water rides and slides. That makes up for the hour drive there and back.

Cora had a lot of fun on the body boarding wave machine.

 I am one of the room moms in Cora's class this year, and so I was asked to help out Friday when her class had a special project. Cora's teacher, Mrs. Shafarman, is amazing, but she doesn't use parental help on a regular basis. Sad for me! So, I was very happy to be able to help out Friday.

Cora chose to stay in at recess to help make the dough for the project - a topographical landform map of California.

 Each child pressed the dough onto the cutout map, and added the mountain ranges. Next week, they'll paint them. What a great way to learn and remember what could be a boring subject matter!

We had Sophia over Friday afternoon, and I took them to Pizza Hut to use the free kids' meal coupons they all earned a few months ago from reading.

Saturday Fun

Cora was so happy to learn that Chris and David were spending Friday night next door at Toni and John's house. They aren't over all the time anymore, so we appreciate it when they are able to play.

The kids played together out front, and Stace helped them build a most excellent sand castle.

The day turned very warm, so Stace took the bigger three to the pool.














They also brought along the camera in its waterproof case to play with.














Also Saturday, Stace and I rearranged our pictures on the living room walls, creating what the cool kids call a "gallery wall."

It's a bit wild, but we love it! Now for new curtains, and the rest of the walls. Stay tuned!

Also on Saturday, Violet spent most of the rest of her money from the focus group on a new doll.

She and Cora have been talking about Violet buying another "Our Generation" doll (similar to American Girl but one-quarter the price) for a couple of months. Now, Emma Leigh has a friend, whom Vi has named Adelina. (We have friends with a one-year-old with the same name.)

She was very happy with her purchase, and now wants to get Cora her own doll, so they all can play together.

It's the Desert Region Show!

A big focus in American schools is for students to learn to work in groups on projects, because such collaboration is more and more important as they enter the workforce.

On Friday, we parents were invited in to hear Cora and her classmates present their group projects on the regions of California.

The projects weren't boring presentations, though.

Oh no! The small groups all presented via game shows, which they wrote and practiced many times over the past few weeks. In fact, Cora's group got together a couple of times after school.

Here, Cora is filling in for a classmate who was absent for his own group project.

Cora's own group - Violet, Vivian, Sophie and Cora - entertained us with information about California's deserts. They did a great job, and even presented "fun facts" at the end.










Cora's "character" won the game show, and the $100,000 prize. Good luck breaking that bill, Cora!

Meanwhile, Violet this week did a fantastic, A+ job cleaning her room. It was amazing!

(This came after a couple of very slow, sloth-like mornings that brought about strife - I think she was making up for them. I'll take it!)

Here, Fishy, Fishy!

In Hawaii, after all our snorkeling fun, Grandma was kind enough to suggest we get fish of our own.

Naturally, Cora and Violet thought this was a fabulous idea. They spent the rest of the trip giggling about what types of fish to get, and what to name them.

And so, after lots of discussions, lots of studying up on it, and lots of begging, the girls got their fish this weekend.

They had so much fun choosing the decorations, plants and rainbow gravel.

After setting up the tank and waiting a few days, Stace and the girls went to the pet store Sunday for the most important, but least expensive, purchase: two platies.

Why platies?

The girls wanted multiple fish, so Betas were out. Cora didn't want goldfish, so the simple cool-water-and-bowl were out. But, considering we needed a tank with a heater and filter, these are supposed to be pretty low-maintenance fish. They are similar to mollies and guppies.

Flash (the green one, bottom left) is Violet's, and Blaze (the orange one) is Cora's. Once they've settled in and survived a few weeks, we'll probably get them some friends.

And, in case you're wondering, the cats have hardly noticed.

Week in Review

We could title this post "Bad Photos." Or, "Uncooperative Photo Subjects."

Violet turned in her "Flat Violet" this week, and she did the project pretty much all by herself. She is another self-starter, like her sister.

The fact that she did the project herself explains why Flat Violet has violet-colored eyes. She wasn't interested in taking another photo before we rushed off to school, so this is what we've got.

 Mom2Mom and Pioneer Clubs started this week. To be fair to Cora here, she posed again on her own, smiling and sweet, but Violet wouldn't stay in the photo.

And I needed the photo of Violet, because, ATTENTION, Ladies and Gentleman! Violet now wears a VEST to Pioneer Clubs, and not a Skipper or Scooter T-shirt. One more tangible way that she's growing up...

Cora is continuing as a Pathfinder this year, while Violet has moved up into the Voyager classroom. Their first night went well, and we're anticipating a great year for them both.

I had my first regular volunteering day in first grade this week, and I was impressed with these beautiful chameleons the "firsties" painted. They painted them as a reminder that vowels change their sounds like chameleons change their colors.

 On another classroom wall are the students' self-portaits from the first day of school. Violet drew herself at school, with the blue handball courts on the blacktop behind her.

Our lucky 13th anniversary came this week, and we celebrated with dinner at Marston's. We had fun picking and choosing various Happy Hour appetizers, and still had leftovers to take home.

We ran into a nice couple I knew in a prior lifetime (they are parents of an elementary-school classmate) as we walked in. We chatted a bit, and went on with our evening.

Later, the waitress brought out this gorgeous slice of cheesecake, saying that the other couple had alerted her to our special date. How sweet!

Adventures Await

We took the girls up to the Sierra Nevadas on Saturday to go rappelling.

Cora loved it, especially the 200-foot drops.

Just kidding! But gosh, Cora would be all over that!

We had some free time over our three-day Labor Day weekend, so we took the girls to Placerita Canyon and then on to Vasquez Rocks.

It was a gorgeous day - not too hot, thankfully.



















Here's how Violet dressed for our outdoorsy day - pink fluffy skirt, new Minnie hat and a Minnie purse WITH MONEY. "Can we go to the gift shop," she asked, as soon as we got to both county parks. This girl never met a dollar (or pound!) she didn't want to spend.
And, she's a bit more of a shopper than a hiker. But, she also had a great time once she got into it.

Vasquez Rocks is one of Cora's favorite places. She just lights up, fearlessly running around, climbing, jumping, and scrambling up and down rock faces.

Violet does her best to follow Cora's lead, and shows bravery and courage in doing so.

 

I was there, too! That's me, above.

And our gorgeous girls.

Week In Review

Violet has begun taking keyboard classes at a local music/acting/singing school. It's the same class Cora took a few years ago, and so far Violet is doing very well.

She is enjoying practicing, and looks forward to playing real songs once she's gotten past the basics of black keys/white keys and high notes/low notes.

The girls had been begging to get out the cotton candy maker, and Stace acquiesced. Thankfully, he (with the girls' help) also handled most of the cleanup.

On Wednesday, Violet and I went to Encino to a focus group she had been selected to participate in. Cora did her first focus group a few weeks ago, so it was lovely that Violet also had the chance to make some extra money of her own.

When we got to the office, it turned out that more than enough children turned up, and we were selected (through no fault of Violet's) to go home early, with full pay. Bonus! (Though Vi was disappointed to not see what her focus group would have been like... On the positive side, she is now eligible to take part in another group immediately, with no waiting period.)

So, Violet and I had an early dinner in Encino, while Stace took Cora out to Stone Fire.

Then we all met up together at Baskin-Robbins. No, it wasn't a Tuesday night deal, but rather a 31st of the month special: adult-sized scoops were just $1.31 each.

Violet, flush with her payment card, went BIG with her fancy cone.

Violet also used her new money to treat herself at Disneyland, where I took the girls Friday after school. Out of all the many options at the Disneyland stores, she carefully chose this adorable Minnie Mouse baseball cap. It's perfect for our fair maiden - shady and Disneyriffic, and will fit her into adulthood (if she doesn't lose it).