Day 276

Huge breakfast burrito meal first thing in the morning. A special Beanie Baby package arrived for Nana and Papa from Megan and Jamey. And Nana got all the Christmas cards prepped. There was just enough snow overnight for the kids to pile some up for a small sledding hill. The big event for the day was an evening trip to Forest Bend Farm. We had a great time there despite the 10-degree weather. Hayride, hot chocolate, s'mores, cookie decorating, zip line, pet the goats, popcorn, etc. And mistletoe! Quite a few pictures below... Tonight's movies: Ava (another bad-@ss woman) and The Holiday Calendar (it has Christmas magic!).

Poofie and Tinsel

Matteo making sand tarts.

Torah time!

Forest Bend Farm

Day 275

Jamie's play, It's a Wonderful Life: the Live Radio Play, filmed today - it's in the can. "Airs" starting December 17th, tickets here. We got a box from Megan and Jamey today - what a hit. Beanie babies and all kinds of fun stuff. Everyone got a huge kick out of it. And everyone gravitated to just the right beanie baby; a little miraculous. Check out the Santa decorating our little Christmas tree. Plays Christmas music, too, and the arrangements are really quite good. The best thing today... The kids got to meet Santa today and we got a first-time-in-a-while photo of all the kids together.

Box from Megan and Jamey - quite the hit!

One of AJ's favorite games, Wingspan!

Look who's decorating our little tree!

Day 274

Last day of e-learning for the week! The foster twins headed out to another foster care situation. We wish them so much good fortune! Final dress tonight for It's a Wonderful Life (more). Jamie had to create a new little make-up kit as his "Sound of Music Box" is locked in at First Company from the March shutdown, right after the second performance of God's Favorite.

That cigar reamer is the bomb!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Matteo's commercial art project - a cereal box design.

Day 273

E-Learning Day number.... Oh, who knows. More of it. We finished up delivering all the TimberCreek Church Kids Christmas bags. Another rehearsal for Jamie tonight. Filming is Saturday and that's it. Get tickets to watch it online here.

Matt is sending back rave reviews of the Beaver Creek Lodge
and its Alpine+Antlers restaurant.

Dinner time after a long day of remote learning is
Lunchables and shirts optional. It's a win! We are all
in the same room still smiling and laughing.
(Also let’s not forget 2 are missing from the photo,
the high schooler and army boy)

Day 272

Hump day. And a birthday! And lots of e-learning continues. At least we hope they're learning something. Just saw news that some area school districts were considering the continuation of e-learning into January. The lack of wisdom and courage in our leaders is astonishing. Nana and Papa had a great "outdoor" lunch at P.F. Chang's in a tent they put up in the parking lot. Toasty warm. Loved the Korean Bulgogi Lettuce Wrap. Matt's out at Beaver Creek Lodge for a book-finishing retreat; says it's an amazing place. Lynn and Jamie are planning a stay out there next week...

View at Matteo's school-van stop at 7:15am.

Santa's workshop

P.F. Chang's

On the parking lot.

Two "smoked" drinks at P.F. Chang's.

Happy Birthday! from P.F. Chang's, card and all.

And from a real store.

AJ made the top for Jonny.
Still needs the stick trimmed.

Tada! Fina's handiwork, a pillow case.

Matteo and Papa were in line 50 minutes. Not bad.

AJ made cherry dump cake.

Nana made beef stroganoff from scratch.

Day 271

E-learning continues. Tonight's movie was Alien Xmas; don't bother. Puzzle work has been very limited since the foster twins arrived and e-learning began.

AJ's helping Jonny with a school project. Making tops.