Great Friday

We got together with Patrice, Tommy and Charlie after school on Friday, picking up lunch and taking it to Placerita Nature Center. The kids had a great time; we only wish we'd had more time before we had to get the big girls from school. Here, they're looking at tadpoles and tiny fish in the butterfly pond.

Violet's school hosted the annual family dance Friday night, and Vi was happy to be asked to volunteer for part of the evening, as an honorary member of student council.

She came very close to getting on the council during the class elections, and has been asked to help out at events that council members help with. She's been participating in meetings, too, and helped with Valentine Grams last week, when one of her class's representative was out sick.

Cora also helped out, with some of her junior high friends, so that they can get volunteer hours they need for membership in the National Junior Honor Society.

Cora was also to hang out with her friend Charlie at the dance.

The dance was Marvel-themed, so we had plenty of things to wear.

Violet was excited about one of the raffle prizes - a camping-themed set in a cooler. She had us buy tickets and put them all in for that prize...

...and she won!

Good stuff! Besides the small cooler, it had items for S'mores, themed cloth napkins, skewers, an insulated, lidded mug, a themed blanket, four head lamps, and some things you throw on a fire to make it colorful.

By that alone, it was a great night!

New Lunchtime Fun

Our school has a new exciting program for the kids, sponsored by the Foundation that I serve as treasurer. We're calling it Cardboard Playground, and it's a chance for kids to play like kids - with creativity and imagination, without extra adult direction.

A company brought out large cardboard boxes and fabric bolts, strong tape and plastic cutting tools and screws/screwdrivers.

Violet had fun, with Victoria here, but who are those kids skulking in the box behind them? (Char and a fourth-grade boy.)

The fun will take place every other Thursday at lunch time, and I plan to help out whenever possible. Now that Violet is older, my volunteering has become limited to class parties and special events, so I'm glad to have a reason to see her at school.

Long Weekend Fun

 We journeyed to ancient Egypt on Saturday, via the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. An exhibit featuring artifacts found from a city lost long ago to the Mediterranean Sea, where the Nile empties into it, is in town, and we have a resident lover of all things ancient Egypt.

Amazing finds, brought up from under water over the past 25 years. Cora was excited to hear one of the archaeologists, via video, state that there is enough under the silt to keep their teams busy for hundreds of years!

The food was good and the view was outstanding. The company, pretty amazing! This was another afternoon where the girls got along really well. They still have their bad moments, but it seems like lately we're having more good moments, too, mixed in.

 

 Stace was explaining cool aerospace things about the stealthy Nighthawk on display.

Stace really enjoyed his walk through Air Force One.

We then went on to Camarillo, to Rob and Michelle's house. Brooke has a new pet, a lionhead rabbit named Leo. He was so soft, cuddly and friendly!

We brought berries, and Michelle got the girls set up with covering them in chocolate. Yum!

Meticulous Violet took her work seriously.

 Cora wanted to see Rob's tools, and he was happy to show us his van. He always keeps us laughing!

On Sunday, Violet had a pretty amazing day - Liana came over to play after church, and she then went to her friend Victoria's house to spend the night - her first time sleeping over there! Their family grilled, and even did S'mores. 

After dropping her off, Stace and I stopped for a drink at Brewery Draconum in Newhall.

While there, our friends Dinorah and Claudio came in, on their own date night! So we caught up over drinks. The joys of having big kids old enough to leave at home!

On Tuesday morning, my Mom and I went to Magic Mountain for a couple of hours, so I could ride the new West Coast Racers. It's a great ride!

I then picked up Violet from Victoria's house, and later Cora's friend Anna came over for some playtime on the hill. Another great day off school! Thanks, Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Washington, for being so awesome that we take your birthdays off school to celebrate.

Week in Review

 Violet is starting work on her big California state project, and she chose to do the mountain lion, or cougar, which live throughout the state.

She saw Sebby lying near her and the book, and thought that we had to get a photo, because of the strong resemblance.

 Violet and Cora both came home Wednesday from GATE Musical rehearsal, because Violet will be in it for the first time, and Cora will be the "older kid" helper. I think it's helping them bond! They've been singing the songs together already, and Cora was happy to have Violet join her in her room while Vi did her homework. (Cora usually wants peace and alone time in her bedroom sanctuary.)

 Violet's class had a Valentine's Day party on Thursday, because the schools were out Friday and Monday for President's Day. Here, she's passing out valentines she made.

 They were origami dogs! So cute!

 It was a simple party - the kids did their valentines, decorated cupcakes and did a simple activity while watching the Peanuts Valentine's Day special.

Cora was curious and a little nervous if she would get a Valentine's Gram at school - there are a few boys who seem like they like her, though she isn't interested in any particular boy at the moment. She didn't, though.

 On Friday, with no school, the girls had dentist appointments, and then we went to the Iron Horse Trail area where Stace and I had taken Violet a few weeks ago. 

Cora enjoyed being out in nature, as she usually does. We then stopped for boba smoothies for lunch. It was a nice day off! Later, Cora's friend Anna came over to hang out. It's fabulous that she has these new girlfriends in her life.

Teenaged Birthday!

 And, it's official.

Starbucks official.

She's a teenager!

Cora's birthday was Sunday, and after a fun morning with her girlfriends who spent the night, she had a chilled out day. Her day did include a trip out to get her free birthday frappuccino, where she wore her lovely birthday gift from Nan and Pop around her neck.

The necklace is a star, because Cora is definitely our star! Smart, creative, strong and loyal, a girl who can be trusted to make good choices. It's exciting to watch her on this next journey through the teenaged years.

 In the evening, Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Mel and Ellie came over for dinner. Cora requested an English meal, so Stace made toad in the hole. We all gave Cora a toast, and Grandpa had some coming-of-age words of wisdom.

 Stace and Violet made a lovely Victoria sponge, and Cora enjoyed some carrot cake from Stone Fire.

Here's one of our gifts to Cora - a Guardians of the Galaxy mini-backpack. Perfect for Disney days, and as a purse, when she doesn't feel like carrying one.

Cora's 13th Birthday Party!

Cora has turned 13!

We celebrated with her girlfriends Saturday afternoon, with an Escape Room, and then a SLEEPOVER birthday party!

The girls didn't escape, but they had fun. I was able to watch through a monitor, and it was great to see them working together.

We returned to our house for dinner; Stace picked up Cora's favorites from Stone Fire. He also was busy making sausage rolls and cheese and onion rolls for the girls.

Cora then opened her gifts, which was fun, of course. She received a lot of candy! 

Her three most-artistic friends collaborated, and all drew their version of Shadow, the character Cora created in the book she's writing. They are talented girls. 

We then sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed brownies and ice cream, before Stace and Violet went over to Rigo's house. Violet had a sleepover with Liana, so our little house could better accommodate seven junior highers overnight.

The girls played Jackbox games together - this is a set of quizzes and assorted games that you play using a phone or other device, and a television. It's a lot of fun, and Cora has done this at several friends' houses over the past couple of years.

Then they got into jammies and did some drawing and opened Cora's little gifts to them... before getting a second wind and running around the house in the dark playing some sort of noisy hide and seek game.

I told the girls that I didn't mind as long as I couldn't hear them after midnight... and I didn't. Cora said some of them were up until 3, but it was quiet, so we were all good.

Stace was amazing and made pancakes and eggs in the morning. This is a great group of young ladies and I'm really glad Cora has found them!

Back to Placerita

I picked up Violet, Victoria and Melanie from school Friday and took them to Violet's favorite place.

They all enjoyed Placerita Nature Center, and reminisced about their second-grade field trip.

I brought a pizza and we had the most gorgeous lunch spot.

Water fountain shenanigans!

Violet then went with Vic to another friend's house for a birthday party, and I got Cora from school and we got her brows done.

Cora is still loving writing... Seb wanted to see what was attracting so much of her attention. He does make it hard to type, though.