Day 460

Lynn and Matt took to putting the courtyard back into shape after having cleared it out for various proms and parties. One of the current foster kids got to be the first on the slide (upper right in the first pic). The three littles all came home from summer school with interesting creations, from musical instruments to launchable spacecraft. Our backyard neighbors have started a big project on their back patio. It was a tennis lesson day for Lexi; that half-hour always goes fast. The big news of the day, however, was the other foster child had his fingers straightened out (or as best they can do for now). The poor kid now has two huge lower-arm casts for the next 6-8 weeks.

Day 459

Oddball pics today, mostly Facebook pop-ups. More Sound of Music rehearsals this evening, including costume parade. And fishing for some of the kids! Nana and Papa discovered that the Atmosphere Gastropub's pink peppercorn caesar salad with pork belly is pretty darn good.

Fina helps Nana clean her chalkboard (circa 2012)

Which one is Jamie (2018) and which one is in the movie?

Costumes are coming along...

Day 458

Church in the morning, but not "as usual." Tracy, Fina, and Lynn were only teachers for preschool, not running the whole Kids show. Strolled in around 9am, left shortly after the class was over. Wow. Then straight to the pool for lunch and swimming, except for AJ and Fina who did all-day rehearsals again with a stop at Carl's Jr on the way. And the foster kids have swimming permission now! Sorry, no pics today.

Day 457

Pretty big day as it turned out. Lexi spent much of it on puzzles. Nana and Papa decided to check out a nursery that was supporting the Flying Horse Foundation. It's called Mixed Greens Nursery. Pretty cool operation just on the other side of 83 from us. They specialize in arranging plugs into pots, growing them up, and then selling them as ready-to-go live flower art. We got three hanging and two set-on-the-ground arrangements. It was a bit of a challenge to get them all in the car. AJ and Fina had all-day Sound of Music rehearsals. In the evening, Nana and Papa went to the Boot Barn Hall for a Dueling Pianos show. Had a great time! It's been a while since they were where it's at! And AJ got a bit of a haircut for his Sound of Music headshot - he wasn't pleased.

Ours!

"Why not this one!?"

View from Mixed Greens Nursery's
very long driveway on the way out.

Matt cooked ribs for dinner.

Boot Barn Hall

Can't remember the last time we ordered two drinks
at a time. Happy Hour was running out!

Not so thrilled with his headshot haircut.
We'll re-take the photo...

Day 456

Finally, miniature golf! Adventure Mini Golf. Jonnie's been working on this for weeks, and today we did it. We also will be making an effort to keep track of what locations we go to and what courses we do at each location. There are so many we've lost track. At horses today we got to see some new baby critters for the weekend program: the two goats pictured below, a pair of sheep, and a pair of calves. Lexi is really getting into the puzzles Aunt Vickie supplied. And lastly, Fina and her cohorts spent quite a bit of the day at the house behaving like it's summer or something...

Note the train in the background!

Best day ever...

New baby goats at the Ranch

Budding puzzle expert.

Fina's cohorts

Day 455

Nana and Papa started the day with some French press on the deck. It was an attempt to extend that vacation feel, and it did work to some degree. Note the cool TimberCreek Church mugs. Fina got a new role for Sound of Music - dressmaker! You know, the kids' outfits made from curtains. She's doing a great job! Yesterday's fish catch was smoked then grilled - yummy. And Lexi's tennis lessons are quite entertaining. Nana and Papa headed for the Boot Barn Hall concert and happy hour, but happy hour was over by the time we got there, and the concert was outside and very sunny and windy, so we just enjoyed a lovely meal inside at Bourbon Brothers.

A new favorite toy in the house.

Smoking...

She hit it back!

Finished on the grill.

Day 454

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... Lynn and Jamie's adventures with Rob and Vickie came to a close early this morning when Vickie and Rob headed home to Kansas City - while Lynn was at the eye doctor and just after Jamie got back from taking the three littles to summer school. Looks like we're back at it! I don't think any of the photos here are actually from today. Rather, they are "catch up" pics from what's been happening here "at the ranch" while the old people were in New Mexico. The two teens got vaccinated! Matt took the kids on a very successful fishing trip to Palmer Lake. One of the foster twins got a haircut. We got new neighbors, like right next-door neighbors. The Reguscis spent most of the past weekend at the Gaylord as Sam had a lengthy layover at DIA returning to Fort Riley from California. Jon and Heather had their twins today, Zach and Zeke!

One knife option for Matt at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.
They were gone when we went back to get it.