Tidbits

Cora's skill in painting mini D&D figurines is now well known among her friends, who are having her paint their minis. Somehow she needs to monetize this! She was commissioned to paint this cool creature by Josh, the dungeon master for their Sunday afternoon games at the game store.

On Tuesday, I met up with my friend Melanie for lunch in Glendale. I keep forgetting to take photos on occasions like this, but since we were walking past the pretty fountains at the Americana shopping center, I made her pose with me. It's always great spending time with a friend you've had for 25 years!

Later, I babysat Ellie while Mel and Nick were working. We walked to a local park and she had a nice time in the swing for well over an hour, while holding Bunny and Garfield. 

On Wednesday, Cora had a minimum day, and we haven't used our Magic Mountain passes in months. So, we headed over for a free lunch (with our pass) and to ride a couple of rides.

Our pass also allows for a free snack (we paid for the privilege up front) - so, Dipping Dots for the win!
 

The post-Christmas rain has greened up the hills on my walking trail very nicely. 

Artsy Girls

More creativity from the girls...

Cora has been making lots of dice, including a set for each of the friends she plays with on Sundays. She bought dice molds, resin and dyes, and enjoyed the process.

She also has made candy dice.
 

She spray painted her chairs black, and they now look very nice (and regal) around the game table.

Violet also has been creative, making beeswax candles out of the dice molds, stringing the individual pieces with the wick.

And she also went on a jewelry-making kick, and made this pretty pearl necklace to wear with her Halloween costume.

Final Week of Summer!

The girls head back to school next week, and - so far - it's looking like it will be full-day, "normal" school (with masks), so we're excited about that. Well, I'M excited about that. The girls are nervous - Cora starting high school and Violet not wanting to go back to school ever.

But, be all that as it may be, we enjoyed our last full week of vacation. Cora had registration at her high school, which involved getting her schedule, taking photos for her ID and buying PE and spirit clothes. It went well, until she ran into some snarky older girls in the library. Ugh. All the memories of why I didn't enjoy high school came flooding back!

After registration, we went to Hobby Lobby so Cora could get some supplies for a D&D craft project she's working on. She is so creative! 

While there, I noticed these gorgeous dollhouses and furniture, and immediately got that pang of wishing my high schooler were 6 years old again.

Violet spent many of the nights sleeping on the couch, so she could stay up late and watch her favorite show, Dragon Prince. Seb joined her and looked so sweet.

Violet saw her endocrinologist this week and she had a great two months of growth since her last appointment - a full inch! She's now a hair shy of 58 inches tall.

Our friend Liz had us over Friday for an end of summer pool party. After swimming, the big kids played Jackbox; later, they all played a live-action murder mystery game.

Here are the younger kids, still in the pool into the evening.

We didn't have big plans for Saturday, and Stace has hardly been to the beach this summer. The girls weren't that excited to go, because no friends were going. So Cora spent her time whittling a stick into a wand, to make her own Harry Potter-style wand.

Violet and Stace enjoyed the sea and frisbee before settling into a crossword puzzle.

Cora stayed dry, and later took a nap. 

We picked up dinner in Ventura and ate in a cool mist - crazy with how hot it is at home!
 

Here are some of the healing potion jars Cora made this week to take to share at D&D on Sunday. Aren't they so cool? She made resin, dyed it red and poured it into the bottom of the little jars. She bought red D4 dice and add them, and then melted red sealing wax to put on top of the corks. 

D&D on Sundays at Green Tower Games is the highlight of Cora's week. Violet goes most weeks, too.

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.
 

Week in Review

We had a changing of the guard, a passing of the baton, etc, etc, this past week. Mom2Mom held its third in-person meeting of the spring on Tuesday, and a special guest joined us! Melanie came to check it out, as she's looking to get involved in mommy groups after the Covid restrictions shut everything down in her first year of motherhood. 

And, I noted it was a passing of the baton... Colleen and I have decided it was our last Mom2Mom meeting. 

I've been a part of the group for 14 years, since Cora was an infant, and the time has come for me to move on. Colleen and I met and became close while we were pregnant with our younger girls, so nearly 12 year ago. I'll always be grateful for the fellowship, spiritual encouragement and great friends I made in this group! 

Later on Tuesday, both Melanie and Colleen, and all those kids, came over to swim with us.

On Thursday afternoon, I went to Mel and Nick's to babysit this sweetie. We took a nice walk, and then I gave her dinner and a bath, and put her to bed. All went well, and Melanie and Nick had a great evening out. 

On Saturday evening, we rode bikes to Firehouse Subs with Colleen and the kids to get dinner, and support a fundraiser that our friends (Firehouse owners) Jenn and Jeff were doing. 

That evening, the kids all played D&D in the new room! It worked so well, and was lovely to watch. Cora built the new bookcase in the corner all by herself; it'll hold all things D&D related.

Table... Check!

Cora and Stace finished their project, a table for the GAME ROOM purpose-built for playing Dungeons and Dragons (though other games could also be played thereon!). 

With Cora's ideas and Stace's design, they put the framework together.

Checking that the size would work well...

More progress... I'm happy to brag that the idea of using laminate wood flooring over the framework was mine. 

Trimmed and done!

With storage within the center...
 

...for our other board games.

Stace, again, is so impressive in his ability to dream up a project and see it through to completion.

Violet Turns 11!

Our Violet is now 11 years old! She's fully a "tween" now, between a kid and a teenager. Here she is on the morning of her birthday, with her waffle in one hand and the birthday badge from Nan and Pop in the other. (And her face mask, on a lanyard, around her neck.)
 

Violet had a full school day on her birthday, but after school, Melanie and Liana came over, and Cora led them in a D&D adventure. It was Melanie's first time playing.

Cora takes her role as DM (Dungeon Master) seriously, and we even went to Hobby Lobby to buy these pretty little bottles to put "potion" into.

Violet asked for a cookie cake, which we enjoyed after we ate orange chicken from Mandarin Wong, her favorite.

Happy Birthday!!!

This reminded me of the time Violet helped Cora blow out her candles, when Cora turned six.

We love this girl!