Memorial Day Weekend Fun

Our Friday afternoons together are dwindling, as Violet will have full school days on Fridays in junior high. 

This weekend, it was cool enough to think of a walk, and we ended up going to the Harry Carey Ranch at Tesoro Adobe county park. Violet is checking out some aging equipment in front of the old barn.
 

On Sunday afternoon, I took Liana and Violet to the mall to get Liana some new earrings for her birthday. She got her ears pierced recently, when she turned 12. 

Of course, a fun trip to the mall with a friend requires treats like froyo or boba!

We also celebrated Rigo's birthday over the long weekend - Happy 50th, friend!

Final Shows

Cora had her final Show Choir shows this weekend, with the Spring Concert event. The show featured all the choirs' competition sets, plus some "thowback" numbers from comp sets from years past, plus student-initiated numbers, PLUS a tribute to the graduating seniors. 

Here's Cora with her friend Eric, after the show when he was wearing his cap and gown as a graduating senior honoree.

This is Cora's choir doing its throwback number, the Imagine Dragons song "I'm on Top of the World." Cora is the one on one knee in this photo, and, later, she was one member of a trio with a featured singing part of the song.

Here are the rest of the photos from the parent who is a professional and blesses us with her talents!

Tidbits

Well, we did it. The Pooh Bear chair is no more. Our HOA gets a huge dumpster bin each spring, which is really handy for those larger items. So, bye bye, chair. Thank you for your faithful service.

Stace is famous! He made it into the Signal! Ha! See my little blue arrow pointing to him? He and some coworkers like taking part in the annual Bike To Work Week, especially on the big day when the city offers free food, drinks and swag at City Hall. Here, he's riding with other Woodward people.

Liana came over to hang out over the weekend, and the girls made mochi, and even got it to cover ice cream for a frozen treat.
 

Love these two!

Show Choir Banquet

Cora had an interesting experience in Show Choir this year. She loved the performing, but there were other aspects she didn't love, and she decided to not continue with it for next year. But, she DID decide to attend the annual year-end banquet. Many families go as well, so I accompanied her. Might be our only high school banquet...

It was fun to have a reason to get dressed up and go to The Odyssey banquet restaurant in Granada Hills. 

Here's Cora with Abby, her choir "big sibling," who happened to be star in many of the top choir's productions. 

These are the Show Choir Theater kids! They're in different choirs, but all were in Gatsby and R&G this year. I was grateful one of Cora's friends shared the photo.
 

Cora will miss Eric next year! He starred in Gatsby, stole scenes in R&G, and was an amazing performer in the Sound Vibes and Unleashed choirs.

After the dinner came awards time, and Cora won one of the awards! She was honored as Hart 'N Soul's Most Improved Singer, as voted on by her peers. Considering she'd had no formal singing training prior to this year, it was sweet to know her fellow singers recognized her improvement.

You can just barely see Cora rushing off the stage after getting her award. She doesn't like this kind of attention!

All in all, it was a lovely evening.

Final Pioneer Club!

Another younger kid thing comes to an end for our family...

Violet had her final Pioneer Clubs/KidZone awards ceremony, and, as a sixth grader, she's now completed her time in the program.

Here, she's coming up the church stage to accept her certificate from her teachers.

All the Trailblazers this year... This has been a great program, combining faith and fun for the children. It also made a nice way for Violet and Liana to see each other each week.

Violet was featured as one of the graduates who has been in the program since she was in the youngest age group, Skippers. Look at her in her adorable red t-shirt! 

Miss Kim, Liana, Miss Colleen, Violet, Coach Greg and Ryan in front.
 

The church has just redone their playground from the ground up, and it was reopened for the children to play on. Even Cora, who we forced to attend, had fun playing on the new equipment.

Thank you, VUMC, for 12 years of fun for our girls!

A Pleasure At the Ren Faire

For a few months, with the girls interested in things set in times gone by, they've asked about any Renaissance Fairs in our area, where they could dress up. Well, our big SoCal Renaissaince Pleasure Faire returned this year, and we were so excited to go! 

We made it our Mother's Day activity, because that ended up being the best day for us to make it happen.

The girls planned their costumes for a few days, and I managed to scrape together an outfit, too.

There was lots to eat, purchase, and watch, with entertainment everywhere, along with living history displays and interactive exhibits. 

While we were watching some of the entertainment, Stace snuck off, saying he needed the restroom. He came back dressed as a medieval merchant! Because, yes, you could rent any of a variety of costumes for the day. 

Doesn't he look dapper, with our pirate progeny?

Cora had so much fun. She's holding a gold coin from her R&G production.

What a motley crew! Ha! We had a blast. Lucky for us, we had a weird cold day, so no fears of overheating while being outside all day.

We enjoyed the jousting competition!

The riders displayed such skill.

I adore this photo of Violet.

At a Shakespeare reading, Vi got chosen from the audience to participate.

Last photos before Stace returned his costume! 
 

We arrived before the gates opened, and there was entertainment out front, too. Cora's always a good sport.

School Stuff

Cora went straight from Rosencrantz craziness to taking an Advanced Placement test in Environmental Science. If she passes the test, she can receive college credit for a science class. It was obviously an intense class, and an intense test. We celebrated Tuesday with a sushi lunch once she'd finished it.

On Friday, Violet had her "Greek Day" at school, where the students take on a famous ancient Greek persona and pretend to be them. While other classes had each student wear a toga, or more traditional ancient Greek attire, Mrs. Fusner allowed her students to be creative. 

Violet had fun putting together her outfit to present Artemis, the goddess of the moon and the hunt. Hence, her bow and her silvery blue accessories and makeup. 
 

And, Aunt Patty had to return to Washington, but Uncle Bill stayed another week! He was able to attend Violet's Open House, and see Cora in a Show Choir competition that, luckily for us, was held at Hart High. Cora ran over to get a photo in her costume after her choir's set was over.

Another parent posted these fabulous photos from the competition. Cora's group won first place for their division!

Open House

Another fabulous pre-pandemic normalcy brought back this spring: Open House at school! We went to Cora's in March, but haven't been to an Open House at Violet's school since third grade!
 

Violet has enjoyed her teacher this year, Mrs. Fusner! We appreciate her emphasis on arts.

She's pointing to the artwork she painted on Valentine's Day, when I was blessed to be able to volunteer in class.

More Vi projects...

Showing us the projects she's worked on...

Our last Open House! How can it be??

We made a tour of the school, going through the girls' old classrooms to say farewell. First stop, Mrs. Hawthorne, who taught both girls in kindergarten and Violet in first grade, as well.

For a trip down memory lane, here's our first Open House, when Cora was preparing to enter kindergarten and we went with Genia and John and their family.

Next, Dr. Porter, who also taught both girls. I'll miss seeing these ladies occasionally when I'm on campus!

Then, third grade, Mrs. Breneman - she, Mrs. Hawthorne AND Dr. Porter are all retiring at the end of the year! Plus, three more teachers are retiring. Next year will be very different at our beloved school.

Violet's fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Zamperin, my fellow Dodger lover.

And the lovely Ms. Dallaire, who Violet truly loved last year in fifth grade. Such a sweet, encouraging woman.

We have been deeply blessed to be at this school!