Summer Approaches, and... Hail!

This is how close Summer is... Today marked the end of the last full week of the 2017-2018 school year here in the Springs. It was threatening thunder and lightning, so the kids knew Papa was coming to get them. What no one knew was that right at pickup up time, the lightning alarms would be going off, kids had to picked up at their classroom doors. It was pretty exciting for a routine operation. We (Papa, Fina, Matteo, and AJ) all got in the car AOK and decided to do one last after-school frozen yogurt store trip. While we were enjoying our treats at the store, we began to hear heavier and heavier pitter patter on the roof. Then one of the kids said, "hear those tings in there - hail?" By the time we looked around the wall to the outside, it was hailing full force. Pretty heavily for about 20-30 minutes, with hail sizes approaching two inches I'd say. By the time the car got home, there were several inches of hail collected under the windshield wipers. Hail sliding off the roof of the car in big white chunks was fun at every turn. A few minutes later, we met the twins at their bus stop with a pickup vehicle (very rare, their bus stop is at the end of our driveway), but by then things had calmed down considerably.

AJ's an Author

AJ's an author - of a real book! This 2nd grade project started back in January when AJ interviewed Papa who was to be the subject of the book. Today was the big reveal day when the kids showed the book to their subject person and talked about how it was done. Quite a process, getting the info, planning each page of the book, executing each page (writing or illustrating), etc. BTW, the printing company that did this for the school provides order forms should you wish to order more copies. Who wants one?!

Courtyard Improvements

A dream realized. Kinda. Papa's always wanted to live in a castle, or at least have a room or two feel castle-like. And with a couple improvements to the courtyard, it just may have happened. Whadayathink - castle feel?

Kiwi Crates

AJ spent a fair amount of time today working on his new Kiwi Crate. This one was an anatomy science and art project. He stitched and stuffed the plush organs, and placed stickers to make an arm "x-ray" on glow-in-the-dark paper (big hit). Matteo's been doing KiwiCo's Tinker Crates for a couple years now and loves those, too. They get pretty excited when these crates arrive. It's a monthly subscription thing (about $20/month, or less if you buy ahead). They have six or so age-appropriate project series in the 0-16+ range. Very STEAMy (science, technology, engineering, art, and math). No affiliation, just a happy customer. Then we were off to the new ice cream store we can walk to...

Birthday Cake and a Concert

We had Matt's birthday cake this evening; not just any cake, Lava Cake. Then we headed downtown to Fina's voice recital. The birthday celebration continues tomorrow with Tracy taking Matt to see The Who's Tommy while Nana and Papa party with the grands.

The celebration started a couple days earlier.
Nana could not wait to give him this card...

"YOUNG FOREVER"

She sang "Alone in the Universe" from Seussical.

Sarah Groh Correa (R) and Amalia Dobbins (L), teachers

Newest Thespian

Matteo joined the thespian ranks (now six of our eleven dwellers) at the Compound tonight with the opening of Gone with the Breeze, a production by the DCC Elementary School. And they did a great job! This show also marked the first time the whole fam damily attended a show (though some left at intermission, it was just a bit too late at night for the littles). Matteo's been added to the Theatrics page.

Like a zombie...

Matteo gave one of his flowers to his director.

PBJRR 7.5" Donated to Bitter Creek Western

The last remaining track and right-of-way of the PB&J Railroad was pulled up today and donated to our good friends at the Bitter Creek Western Railroad (BCWRR). The 7.5″ Nipomo branch of the PB&J was the only 7.5″ gauge track on the system. Everything else was G scale and has been abandoned as well. Only mementos lay around these days, and a ton of photos. Very fond memories. We’ve already begun our enjoyment of various railroading opportunities throughout Colorado (you can follow along here and/or at To Shiny Rails). Here's the old PB&J 7.5" website.

Two switches are already being installed at BCWRR.