Pentatonix at the Amphitheater

Wow! We knew the Pentatonix would be fantastic! How do they do that?! We were also pleasantly surprised about just how nice the amphitheater is on the inside (a view you just can't get doing a drive-by). Very nice. And if you're lucky enough to do the "Suites" with fireplaces, it's about the most luxurious way to do a concert (that we've ever done, anyway). Papa remembers arguing with people (way back when) that they couldn't possibly be making all those sounds by themselves. Oh yes they are! If you're not familiar with this amazing a cappella quintet, check out one of the songs they're known for doing: Hallelujah (it's like the "Fight Song" is for the Piano Guys).

Lots of singing along...

From candles to lighters to cell phone lights. And swaying!

Josh & John's Ice Cream!

She has a metal knee.
Oh, and a cell phone in her pocket!

 

Willy Wonka is in the Books

As always, it was something of a family affair. Antonio played Augustus Gloop and Matteo was on the set crew and lighting crew. Tracy, Nana, Fina, and occasional others set up the concession stand, supported tech week dinners, created Wonka Bars that were sold as a fundraiser ahead of time, some of which included a Golden Ticket here and there, and, of course, threw a very Wonka cast party. Tomorrow everyone rests.

Wonka Bar production facility

Haley's Mom, Lynette, made these Wonka specials!
Haley played Charlie.

The Wonka Concession Stand

All Wonka cast parties have a chocolate fountain.

We retired the banner by moving it over to the cast party.

Cotton Candy

If only Wonka made breakfast cereals...

One of Jonnie's friends played Mike Teevee.

49th!

Nana and Papa celebrated their 49th Anniversary this weekend with a viewing of the new Betelgeuse movie and the discovery of a restaurant - Carlos Bistro. Where's this place been all our life?! The menu doesn't quit, it all looks great, and what we did have was superb! Just go to their website and check out the menu! Carlos himself greeted us in the parking lot! And it went uphill from there...

Best seat in the house.

Space Foundation's Discovery Center

Jamie recently started volunteering as a docent at the Space Foundation's Discovery Center...

Science on a Sphere.

Mars Rover exhibit. You drive!

MMA = More Miscellaneous Activities

Tracy, Nana, and Matteo get busy packaging Wonka Bars, complete with a golden ticket here and there. David gets going on a new construction project. Lexi's Barbie dolls are active. And all the Littles take Nana and Papa to IHOP.

College Classes Begin Today for Two

College classes begin today for two of our flock. Fina starts her sophomore year at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) and Brahm begins his freshman year at Western Colorado University (WCU). And Papa found a way to make it part of his most recently blossoming hobby: Flags of/in the USA.

I Pledge Allegiance...

Our Family Dinner topic for tonight was two USA flags. One was the Trumbull Flag which Papa flew today, and the other was the Fort McHenry Flag, the "spangled" flag that flew over Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote the words of our national anthem. The $2 bill that each kid gets at Family Dinners happens to have a John Trumbull painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on its reverse. And for the teaching moment of the dinner, Papa simply played Mike Rowe's video interview of a ranger at Fort McHenry: Bringing the Anthem to Life. At the end, Papa made a big deal out of learning the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. When Jonny decided to give the Pledge a try, he got himself up and stood facing the flag with his hand over his heart. So proud. And he came very close to a perfect recitation.

The Trumbull Flag. (The 15-star
Fort McHenry Flag was on the other side.)

Wicked!

These two got to see Wicked tonight up in Denver. Can you tell they had a great time, meeting some of the actors and everything! Tracy got off to a rough start as the van did not fit in any easy parking buildings (good to remember...).