Week (Plus) in Review

We got home from Sequoia on Tuesday night, and after relaxing Wednesday and Thursday, we went to Newport Beach on Friday with friends. A cove near an RV resort featured this blowup obstacle course, with big slides, bouncy things and climbing wall. (You can see it behind the kids in the water.)

They had a great time, and it was nice and cool, not like back at home!

We then had dinner with our friends; Violet entertained herself with darts, and managed to throw one into the head of the screw!

On Saturday, Liana and Cora's friend Violet came over, and the girls all painted their D&D figures.

What a joy, to have friends who enjoy your new hobby!

Sunday was Father's Day, and this was Stace's face as he read the card Cora picked out for him.

It said, "It isn't always easy to be a father, and that's especially true when the kids are someone else's."

It's for a step dad, but when Cora saw it in the store, she cracked up at the thought of giving it to Stace. I thought it was hysterical, too. 

Stace eventually saw the humor himself (and Cora did have a NORMAL card for him, too).

We ended our Father's Day with the pool, and another Three Howard Tower.

Our neighbors a couple of doors down are moving, and they were VERY committed to taking their backyard shed with them. Definitely something you DON'T see every day!

Violet and Liana participated in their final week of VBS - next year, they can be helpers, if they so choose. They both enjoyed the day they got to plant flowers/plants at the church.

Also this week, Cora filled out paperwork for a summer job she'll be doing later in July! Big steps! She'll be working for the county parks system through a youth job-training program.
 

Violet's Fun Week

While Cora went to Hollywood U2, Violet had a music adventure of her own.

She went with Colleen and Rigo to Glory SCV, a big Christian music festival. She spent the night with Liana, and the girls spent the whole day together on Saturday, too. After spending so much time with Cora's friends (all boys) lately, it was especially nice for Violet to be with a girl her own age.

Violet lost her second bottom front tooth this week, and she had a funny message for the Tooth Fairy.

Funny, if a bit demanding.

We sense a bit of Calvin and Hobbes with this note.

Here was the TF's response. And Violet's reaction to that response.

We chatted in the evening and Violet is aware of the truth of the TF. Oh well, at least her first (and maybe second) lost tooth happened while she still believed.

Violet attended Vacation Bible School this week, and was in a group with Liana. Here was her group's turn to lead the singing on stage.

On Wednesday, Violet and I hit the final free June breakfast at Chick Fil A before VBS. Yum!

Violet's First Week Home

Violet had a great time at VBS this week, especially with Melanie and Liana in her little group. Each day the children sang songs, heard a Bible story, played games and made their own snack (shown here).

I wasn't there, but Colleen and Christina shared these pics with me.

On Friday, Cora and I helped set up the family lunch and water play celebration after VBS ended. She had a great time on the giant water slide...

...while Violet enjoyed helping spray down the sliders with soapy spray to make them more slippery.

On Wednesday morning, our Chick-Fil-A had its final free breakfast in June, so Violet and I took part before VBS while Cora was waking up at Sophia's house.

Later on Wednesday, the girls went with Grandma and Grandpa to Disneyland, and they brought home this light-up, musical Ariel bubble wand. Violet was so cute with it, dancing to the music surrounded by bubbles. A picture of pure joy.

Back Home

Our trip home went super smoothly, and we spent Monday unpacking and doing laundry. Violet went to Vacation Bible School in the morning, while Cora stayed with me. We were all up early in the mornings, and tired early in the evenings.

Cora and I had a week with a lot of one-on-one time while Vi was at VBS. On Tuesday morning, we went to our church's cool coffeehouse with a gift card. I took with us a couple of gratitude journals my sweet friend Michelle gave us.

 Cora picked out a croissant for her treat, while I had a chai latte. We did our gratitude entries, and I flipped through the Hawaii guide book. We're getting ready for our next summer trip at the end of the month!

 Later on Tuesday, Sophia came over to play. The girls did craft projects, played with Stace's old Star Wars toys, and sang VBS songs together.

Cora ended up going home with Sophia and having a sleepover.

 On Thursday morning, I took Cora in to the bank to open up her own savings account. She's been doing paid chores for over five years now, and in her "savings" envelope at home she had accrued $120. We deposited that amount in the bank, in her own account. Big day!

We then went to the orthodontist - Cora finally lost the tooth on the top we've been waiting on, Wednesday night on the way home from Disneyland with Grandma and Grandpa.

We started the orthodontia process Thursday, with little spacers in between two top molars. Next week she'll have metal bands put around those teeth, and the following week she'll have the expander put in. Then, in a few more weeks, braces on the top teeth. And later again, head gear. Poor girl. I was so very proud of her - she handled the news like a pro, though I could see by her face she was worried.

 On Friday morning, while Violet was at VBS, Cora and I went roller-blading. It's fun doing big-girl things with my big girl! This is something she mentioned weeks ago when we were thinking ahead to our time together.

 Not to say that Cora had all the fun! While she was at her sleepover, Stace and I took Violet out for ice cream.

Violet also had fun making a cat toy for Spencer.

Week In Review

With that pesky wedding over, it was time for the good stuff - the PRESENTS! The girls and I enjoyed watching Nick and Melly open up their gifts and cards Monday. They received many lovely things, and are a very blessed and loved couple.

Julie and Michael were in town this week, and we all spent time together. They got to see our home and hang out with with us and the girls; Julie brought Florida shells and art supplies and the girls created beachy art.

We also went swimming, before heading over to Lazy Dog so Mel could see them again too.

Just a cute snapshot of our youngest cutie. The shirt says, "Every Girl Needs a Lil' Black Dress," and it came with a black tutu. Violet loves this outfit that Auntie Kelly gave Cora years ago.

Please take note of the cat inside the blowup pool toy. He slept in this little boat thingy most of the day.














The girls attended Vacation Bible School this week at Valencia United Methodist, where the theme was Mount Everest.

Owletta especially enjoyed it.

On Friday, I helped out at the VBS final luncheon, while the girls ran around playing on the water slides. They had a ball, of course!

Water Day, Saturday

Cora and Violet both really enjoyed Vacation Bible School this year, and have been having a great time with the music CD the past few days. They sing and dance, trying to remember the hand motions they learned.

Cora is now in the group of 1st through 4th graders, and they do cool things like little science experiments to illustrate the spiritual points. I think she learned a lot, and she has a pretty good command of the five short Bible memory verses the children were taught.

Violet also did great. It was her first time away from me for over three hours a day all week, and on Friday she was especially happy to see me, with lots of hugs.

I was very glad she had three friends in her little group, and her teacher was Shannon, our neighborhood friend. Shannon said she answered all the questions well and was very funny and chatty.

On Friday, after VBS the church had a family picnic and water play day, with the little pools, big slip-n-slide and giant inflatable slide.

Here's Violet with some of the girls from her group. Cora and Violet were excited about water day all week, since Cora remembers it well from previous years.

 On Saturday, we were around the house most of the day. Cora and Vi played, and Cora gave Violet a "keyboard lesson."

Cora has shown a renewed interest in her keyboard in recent weeks, really since we went to Ave and Johnny's recital. She's been using her old books to practice again, wearing a set of headphones so we don't hear her. She says she will hold a recital, and doesn't want us to know what she's playing.

 Cora also helped Stace put up house numbers above our garage; one of those niggling projects that's been hanging about for months. Then we all went to the pool.

On Saturday night we toasted some marshmallows and Stace and Cora set up the tent in the grass. Cora slept like a champ; Violet ended up inside in her crib around 10:45 p.m.

Pirates and VBS

A bit of what we've been up to the last couple of days...

Arrrgh!

Sunday was a hot one, and we had no plans. And we pretty much stayed in on Saturday. All this meant it was time to head to the beach. Ventura Harbor was hosting "Pirate Days," which meant lots of weirdos get a good excuse to dress up.

 Violet wasn't sure what to think about the costumed lady with the python.

Stace's "pirate name" was Blue Calico Bruce. After the harbor, Stace and Uncle Bill took the girls to the beach, where Cora had a few good turns on the boogie board (or cookie board, if you're Violet).

On Monday, Violet went to her first day of Wee Folks Camp, with Ms. Diane. She'll do one four-week session, on Mondays and Wednesdays. The day goes from 9 to 12:30, which is longer than she's been away from me before, but she did just great!
 This week the girls also have Vacation Bible School! Cora went on her own Monday, but Violet will attend the rest of the week. (Free time for me! Strange!) Tuesday was Crazy Hair Day, and it was Violet's idea to put the clothespins on her crazy pony tails. Cora refuses to participate in any themed days, not even pajama day or backwards shirt day.

 Here's Cora's group having their turn to lead the songs. Cora also did very well with reciting a Bible verse in front of the whole group, which filled the sanctuary.

Vacation Bible School

This week Cora went to Vacation Bible School at VUMC, where the theme was "Sky: Everything is Possible With God."

She had a great week, and brought home little crafts and toys each day that were meant to remind her to trust God.

Violet and I had fun too. One morning, while running errands, Violet asked, "Where are we going, Mummy?"
I told her we were going grocery shopping.
"No! Not again," was her reply.

On Friday, I volunteered for the day, helping with the older children during one of their activities.

Then, we attended the closing lunchtime party, with pizza and water slides.

Cora loved the big slide, which ended in a splash pool.

Both girls loved the tarp slip-n-slide on the big grassy area.

Violet was very brave to try it, and then couldn't stay away. She got the concept of staying in line, and following whichever person she got in line behind. When she'd finish sliding, she'd say excitedly, "I do it again. I get on line and do it again."

Then, she'd line up and point to a child in front of her and say, "This boy?"
Sometimes she'd follow quite closely, which was comical.

I hula hooped for a bit and the girls wanted to try it for themselves.

I'm now looking forward to next summer, when both girls can take part in VBS! I know Violet will love it just as much as Cora has.