Creative Girls

My creative girls have been at it again. Cora is making dice for D&D, and Violet is making candles. 

To continue candle-making, we visited Bennett's Honey Farm off Highway 126 on Monday after school, to buy beeswax (in the cellophane bag next to the honey we bought). 

Since Liana lives on the way to the honey store, we picked up her and Colleen on the way, for a fun little outing together.

We also bought a bit of honeycomb to try out - interesting experience! It feels like you're back in ancient times, slurping the honey through the waxy comb.

Here's Vi with one lovely candle she poured. 

A fellow mama, Sandy, and I are helping Violet's class as room parents for the final time - how fitting! It's the fourth time our girls have been in class together, and we can help the teacher together. 

One afternoon this week, we were given huge heavy blocks of clay to cut and wrap in plastic wrap, for an upcoming project where the kids will make their own cuneiform clay writing tablets.

On Saturday, Cora took part in a Show Choir fundraiser where younger kids come out for a few hours to learn a song and dance routine.

Cora, circled in red, was with the kids helping the third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders with a dance routine to "Life is a Highway."

We've come full-circle! Here's Cora back at a Show Choir Kids Clinic herself when she was in kindergarten! And look at Ave behind her, the blondie looking up.
 

Meanwhile, Stace took Violet to the archery range with the new bow. Violet is wearing a long skirt and boots she'll wear when she portrays a famous book character/subject at school near Halloween.

Week in Review

We celebrated my mom's birthday with a family meal out Tuesday, at family favorite Stone Fire. 

Not sure why Violet is hiding behind me in the photo of the birthday Grandma and her girls...

Cora is enjoying interacting with Ellie more now that she's getting older.

On Wednesday, Violet went to her first Pioneer Club/Kid Zone meeting of the year. After missing last year due to Covid, I was pleased Vi wanted to take part, in what will be her last year since she's in 6th grade.

Here, she and Liana are having fun with those balloons attached to big rubber bands.

 

Violet has been riding her bike to school most days - she might as well, as we're so close to her school, for this final year. 

We love our friendly crossing guard, Joe the Dodger Fan! Thankful for his watchful eye on this busy road.

Weekend Fun

Cora's school marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with this flag display on the front lawn.

We happened to be there Saturday, because the Show Choir was having its annual fundraiser car wash and rummage sale.

Grandpa got his car washed, and shared this photo of me of one of the students who worked on his car.

Violet and Stace got a new recurve bow, similar to the one Vi used when she did mounted archery (which she'll restart when it cools off). Violet said she likes it better than her old bow, though it does hurt her hand a bit with the knocking.

 

Later on Saturday, Cora and I went to the opening night of Fright Fest, and took her friend Zach with us. 

We went to an illusionist show, and Zach was picked to go on stage! Not only that, he was selected to be the one to lie on the horizontal board while the other helpers held it around the edges. One by one, the people removed their hands, and then the supports under the board were moved. MAGICALLY, Zach and the board remained suspended in the air! 

Cora got to see her favorite slider clown; Cora has hung out with this lady before, when she went with Grandma and Grandpa to the ghosts and ghouls convention. 

We had fun with our favorite witch!

Pets, domesticated and wild

Violet's little blonde mouse Copper died last week, after a few weeks of seeming "off." We wanted to get Jade a friend, as a mouse alone is a lonely mouse. (I just made that up, but it sounds good.)

We went to Petsmart after our trip to Hume Lake, and Violet chose this sweet little brown mouse. Because she looks like a field mouse, she named her Barley. 

She might not have the most interesting coloring, but the other mice in the Petsmart cage were black, and that would be boring in a tank with Jade. And our friend Sage, who works at Petsmart, said she's a very friendly and sweet mouse who's been there for a couple of months, maybe because of her boring brown color.

We looked up how to introduce mice, and learned that we should do it on neutral territory. Violet cleaned out the tank very thoroughly, and we introduced them in a box with an interesting toy. All went very well!

But when we put them in the tank, Jade bit Barley, and there was a lot of squeaking. Back into the box they went! After a few more tries, and some time alone in the box for Jade, they settled in together and now are getting along just great.
 

Violet also wants a bird, so I just show her the finch feeder outside. Boy, have they discovered it! I love the bright yellow on the males.

Spencer also likes watching the finches.

So far, he hasn't caught one from our feeder. (Months ago, he caught one, but way before our feeder was in place.)

Hume Lake Weekend, Part III: The National Parks

We visited Kings Canyon and the Kings River on Sunday, enjoying a picnic lunch by the river.

The drive is winding and beautiful. 

Thanks to Colleen for most of these photos!

The air was hot, but the water was very cold and refreshing.

On Monday, after we left Hume Lake, we went home through Sequoia National Park, and took a short detour for a photo opp with the Sequoias.

Getting this photo took a lot of cajoling, and inspired a good amount of whining.

This is the tree we were posing by - crazy how big they are, when you see how wide it is when we're standing in front of it.

Silliness - the album cover.

Hume Lake Weekend, Part II: Conquering the Ropes Course(s)

Part of our fun at Hume Lake was taking part in two ropes courses, with big jumps and zip lines. 

On Saturday, the smaller course was in operation, and Cora, Violet and I did it. I can't remember doing something like this before, and I found it difficult! A good kind of challenge, and I felt good when it was over.

All done!
 

On Sunday, a larger course was available, and Cora and Stace did it, with Colleen, Lucas and Liana.

Here's Stace, leaning into a rope while inching along on a chain.

Proud participants!

The end involved a big step off a platform, with a short freefall. Getting to the platform involved a human-powered pulley system.

Hume Lake Weekend, Part I

We were blessed to spend the long Labor Day holiday weekend at beautiful Hume Lake, in the Sequoia National Forest, with our dear friends.

Violet had wanted to return to the area, and also had asked about camping again with Colleen and Rigo. Colleen invited us to join them at Hume Lake Christian Camp for the weekend, where the camp was celebrating its annual Labor Day Country Fair and, also, its 75th anniversary.
 

We caravanned up Friday evening and shared a cabin with 6 bunks (12 beds) and lived like the teens do when they're at summer (or winter) camp!

On Saturday morning, we had a yummy breakfast among the big trees.

There were lots of kids carnival games and rides, which our kids were too old for, but Cora bought two chairs at the rummage sale. Thankfully Rigo had driven his truck, so we could get them home. Cora will paint them black and they'll go with the D&D table.

We walked around and got our bearings in the camp, and most of us did one of the ropes courses. I'll post on that separately. We then went back and rested/napped in the cabin.

At dinner time, we met up with some other friends, Christina and her family.

Kids table - playing a hand-slapping game, not holding hands...

Violet and I got in some reading time Sunday.

Violet loved being at the lake. She and Liana had so much fun together, like always. Sadly, a few days before our trip, the National Forest closed access to all campgrounds, trails and lakes, all over California, because of increased fire risk. 

Thankfully, Hume Lake Christian Camp is private property, and could still host the event. BUT, the lake itself was closed - no boating or paddleboarding, which we'd been looking forward to.

The girls wore their "crazy sister" shirts Cora bought for them last summer. 

Violet's reads: "Back off! I have a crazy sister. She has anger issues and a serious dislike for stupid people. And I'm Not Afraid To Use Her"

Cora's reads: "I'm the CRAZY SISTER everyone warned you about!"

On Saturday night, we enjoyed pie on the giant lawn, and then the kids played all sorts of games on the grass and at the volleyball court.

On Sunday morning, we attended a church service on the same lawn, where we admired the lake and thanked God for 75 years of ministry and growth at the camp. Violet definitely would like to go with Liana next summer! (Cora liked it all, but isn't sold on the idea of sharing a cabin with 10 girls.)

On Sunday evening, we returned to the same lawn for a worship concert by Matt Redman, a Grammy-award-winning singer whose songs we've sung at church for years. That was a lot of fun, too!