Day 89

Big day; lots of fun anyway. And it snowed this morning! First thing, though, Vickie and Rob had to go report that their car's license plate was lost or stolen. This was first noticed when they arrived yesterday. Then on to more important stuff like Nespresso coffee and making cheesecake. AJ worked his recently arrived Mel Chemistry kit. More puzzle action (Vickie brought a couple fresh ones for us). And plasticware glasses production. Matt did grilled chicken legs for dinner. The day finished off with producing a dance video. No movie.

Vickie wanted to see how our cheesecakes were made.
And AJ wanted to help. They were great!

Today's science kit was about light and photo processing.

Grilled chicken legs.

Fina got into making plasticware glasses.

And modeling her plasticware glasses.

Then she led a dance video production event.

Day 88

Day 88 on the 8th. Siscos arrived from Kansas City at precisely their ETA that held all day, 6:40pm. Nice job. Earlier... The gang had a very hardy cereal breakfast. Pool time was 9am to noon; and the Grill was back open for the first time. Jonny had a morning video meeting with his next year 3rd grade teacher, a reading lesson. Fina continued on her art project. Papa took the four boys to Game Stop. My, was there much deliberation. And it was very quiet in the house the rest of the day as they jumped into the new games. They had earned some money earlier from doing chores which they pooled to get the good stuff. Dinner prep included some grocery shopping, Matt prepping and cooking the pork tenderloin, rice pilaf, Jamie's ceasar dressing on romaine with Matt's homemade croutons, and a wine selection. Tonight's movie for the Fosters was Change in the Air. Oh, and Matt created a new drink, a Caribbean Island (a la Long Island): vodka, gin, coconut rum, triple sec, and a lime wedge on ice. Mmmmmm.

Enjoying the evening on the upper deck. The patio was way too windy.

Key to the Kingdom from Game Stop

We're easily entertained these days.

Siscos were driving up at precisely their ETA which held all day.

Pear Valley's 2014 Inspiration

Day 87

Our intrepid delivery people set out right after church to deliver the Kids Buckets. They were at it until after dinner time. Another windy day, but plenty nice to go to the pool. Our time was 5-8pm so we (the non-delivery people) had dinner there. Fina began work yesterday on an art project made from an old pallet. Tonight's movies: Friends with Kids, and Inception.

No border.

Online TimberCreek Church

The Summer Sleigh is loaded. See video (Facebook).

Fina's art project.

Day 86

It was to be delivery day for the TimberCreek Kids buckets, but alas, the weather did not cooperate. Rain and such high winds that it blew a glass fire shield off the fire pit, shattering two pieces of it. The whole weather system earned the title of Derecho. Hopefully tomorrow will work for deliveries. Matt made breakfast burritos for the whole gang, much to AJ's delight. Jamie did his online gathering for the SLO Railroad Museum, called Parlor Car Chats, on the rail route from Paso Robles to San Luis Obispo. "Linner" was from Vaqueros which Matt reports seems to be doing well, and are partly open now. We had an online game night with the California Fosters (Trevor's birthday!) and the KC, St, Louis, and Chicago Siscos. Codename is a great online game. Just One is pretty fun, too. Tonight's movies: The Ultimate Gift, and The Imposter.

First slide for the Rail Route Guide Paso to SLO Parlor Car Chat.

First time in the high chair, helping Dad cook.

Ready to go...

Done!

Codename. Great online word game.

Day 85

Couldn't get in at the pool today, but the kids managed to keep themselves occupied all day, mostly screen time I imagine. That's good, because Tracy and crew made their final push today to complete the TimberCreek buckets production for delivery tomorrow (just before the first Sunday of June). Jamie got a Google Maps Timeline by email today (don't remember getting these before). Guess it comes when you turn on Locations on your Android device. Actually, it was very interesting. It showed a map of where all I'd been in May, including Manhattan, Kansas (Day 80) and places we stopped along the highway for potty and snacks. Showed mileage and driving time (1,021 miles, 25 hours). Included pictures of major places we stopped (see below). It says since I've turned it on I've been to 5 countries, 155 cities, 1,176 places, and traveled 4,877 miles (20% of the way around the world, it told me). Wow! That must include last Fall's Mediterranean trip. Tonight's movie: Inside Man.

The prototype.

AJ's School in the Woods carpool had a little "closure party" today.

Today's snack tray.

Google Maps Timeline report.

Day 84

The place was a bee hive of activity prepping the July Kids packets for TimberCreek Church. Most everyone got in on the action. Fina whipped up a great cajun shrimp pasta dish for dinner. The 1-Acts judges from First Company met tonight (online) with the scoring in hand. And Jamie got most of his final instructions for video-ing his part in Voices Beyond the Veil (see the Theatrics page).

Fina's Cajun Shrimp Pasta.

Even Lexi got in on it.

The handles were a bit too long.