Week in Review

On Monday, the girls' first day of school, I had Ellie with us for a few hours while Melanie and Nick went on a little trip to pick up their new kitten.

Ellie came with me to pick up Cora, take her to her singing lesson, and get a third estimate on repairing Grandpa's car. We then made a quick stop to see the ducks at Bridgeport Marketplace.

Later that night, I picked up my parents from the airport, and Ellie spent the night at their house.

Stace has been begging the girls to come up to the swimming pool with him, and one day this week, even Cora agreed to come up. She threw the ball while Stace dove in to catch it. 

Happy Dad.

Violet and I went to see Liana play in her first high school volleyball game! This game was at Santa Clarita Christian School, where I went from the middle of 4th grade through 8th grade. It was cool to show Violet where I spent a few years, and even better to see Liana on the court.

She's in the back, far left side, here.

Careful on your morning walks, you never know what you're going to run into!

Also this week, we watched Our Town, the play Cora will be doing this fall, on television with Paul Newman as the lead. And on Saturday we saw a mystery play at the Main theater with my parents, and went out to a new brewpub after. 

Summer Fun

I heard about a new outdoor "escape room" taking place in Old Newhall, and since we have a lot of free time this summer, signed us up.

It's put on by an outfit called City of Mischief, and we were met by a young man who gave us a backpack full of goodies, including locked boxes. 

We figured out the clues, going up and down Main Street to do so. It helped that we are pretty familiar with the scenery here - some of the clues came from wall murals and window signage. 

The storyline in the pamphlet had a mystery that we solved by finding the final clues. And we did so, in record time! 

Liana came over and the girls made nectarine sorbet with our crop.

On a different day, we made a nectarine crumble. So good with vanilla ice cream!

Our friends Liz and Max invited our friend group over for a pool party. So fun! Here, you see Cora holding up Violet for a game of chicken.

Tidbits

Violet decided she wanted to improve her ramen-making skills, so looked up tips online. We then went to an Asian grocery store in Canyon Country - this was the noodle aisle! We also bought a couple of the many varieties of dried boba, so she can make it at home.

Here was one of her improved soups.

I found this sweet baby oak tree on my daily walk.

Nick and Melanie housesat for my parents when they were away, so we had them over for dinner and swimming on Thursday. Cora shared her Sebby with Eloise.

We found this poor lizard squashed in our screen door - I guess we can't blame Spencer for this death!

We had Colleen, Rigo and the kids over for swimming and dinner on Saturday, and pool time. 

We forced the kids to recreate some old photos we have of them. 

My own kids refused to smile. 

Just a few years ago! Cora in the middle in black, Violet in goggles. 

Summer Fun

So, we're in a new world of summer life, with two girls who would be happy to be home all day, playing video games, or watching things. They're not anxious to see friends, and they resist leaving the house. It's weird because I value our time together and would like to DO more fun things while they're off school, but they don't have a lot of interest.

Anyway, on one late summer day, I "dragged" them to the ice rink, where we had a fun hour-plus, getting exercise and enjoying the cold air.

We then went to the mall, where I'd recently spotted a kiosk selling genuine Dole Whip frozen dessert. Since it's now been well over two years since I've had one at Disneyland, I was anxious to treat the girls to a big one for us to all share.

Over the weekend, we donated a lot of old quilts to a high school fundraiser, where they were getting paid by the pound of cloth. I finally decided to donate the adorable Classic Pooh Bear curtains a friend made us for baby Cora's bedroom. They'd been up high in the closet, forgotten, but obviously it's past time for them to move on. I got very sad though, looking at them for the last time. 

Melanie and Ellie came over and Ellie was very gentle with Barley! 

Stace took a day off during the girls' last week off school, when he woke up not feeling well. Later, we all went out to lunch, since I had a coupon for Buy One, Get One rice bowls.

Then, we all went to play in the pool, even Violet, who has decided she doesn't love playing in the pool. 

Look at these lovely synchronized swimmers!

...Oh. 

Violet had a horrible night of sleep shortly before school restarted, and said she was up basically all night. This was how I found her at 8:30 a.m.; she napped for about two hours.

Fun fact: these couches in the game room belonged to my grandparents, who had them custom made because of their height.

Back Home - Week In Review

We got home and took a couple of days to get settled in, and on Sunday, Stace and I went to visit Colleen and Rigo at their Ventura beachfront campsite. 

What a view!

This week, it was just Cora and me at home, while Stace worked, because Violet was at summer camp with Lucas and Liana. 

While we were in England, our HOA put in this gazebo at the pool area - we are impressed!

On Friday evening. I got a call from Stace asking me to pick him up at the Home Depot, where he'd pushed his MG after it had broken down. After 10 years, this was the first time he needed a tow! 

That morning, Stace had driven it to work for the monthly Woodward cars 'n coffee morning. 

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.
 

Swimming and Skating

JT brought up Callie and Jonah for the afternoon Wednesday, and it was a hot day. Perfect for pool fun!

From the heat to the ice...

Our ice rink reopened! So exciting. The Ice Station closed last March during quarantine - and closed for good. 

The community rallied, and the city bought the rink and refurbished it over the past few months. It reopened in April, and on Friday, we went with friends to check it out.