What I did on summer break

Valerie & Madelyn are apprentice CIT's at Camp Chi Da Ca. They sing songs, play games and get splashed by 4 to 7 year olds in the creek.



Amira signed up for an art camp (and a pottery camp and an activities & field trip camp). I was stunned at how quiet & intense the art camp was. Amira is in the back by the window. Sketching, scratching, painting, negative space, right brain drawing, etc.


Ah, orthodontist camp! Well, camping out in the waiting room. Thrilling!


Bambi & Forbes have been at sheep camp getting ready for fairs. Valerie's 4-H teacher sent us a photo of Forbes driving the rest of the sheep back from the fields.


Now they are back home & getting ready for county fair.





Rex has been making creme brûlée.








We got a new batch of chicks. The kids have been working on hypnotizing them.








Amira got a haircut & some new glasses.




Monday school starts for Rex & Amira. Valerie takes the sheep to another fair.

Reunion of friends

Last year we descended upon San Clemente to visit the Bogusiewicz family for Independence Day (and to escape the heat of Chico). This year they made the trek up the hot, hot valley in August to visit us. Always hospitable, our home chef, Rex, whipped up some doughnuts from scratch. Mmmmm .... Donuts!















After a couple days rambling around our place (sorry, too much fun to photograph) we headed down to Santa Cruz with the Bogusiewicz's. But since we were in Santa Cruz we had to drop in on Uncle Dave. He invited us into his bachelor pad where he had converted the guest room into a home theater. It was mighty impressive! Reclining theater seats, cup holders, surround sound, non-sticky floors ... It was luxury!







We followed the home theater event with a traditional sushi binge and some good laughs.







The following morning we hooked up with the Bogusiewicz's again at the Boardwalk and anticipated the arrival of another of their UC Santa Cruz alumni, Dave Lewak (and family).






Rex & Amira had to go on the Wipeout. For the uninitiated it's the spinning cars on top of a spinning disc that spins around a dark room with strobe lights. Why, yes, I believe the term vomit comet may apply here. But these two are tough.














Bumper cars! A game all the families can play!













Let's top off those rolling and spinning rides with some sugary treats. Remember, you don't want to hurl on an empty stomach.













Rex took me on the carousel. It's the one spinning ride I can handle. This was followed by a dinosaur shooting spree in the arcade. Quality mother-son time!







We followed up all that Boardwalk excitement with some beach action. There were dolphins frolicking off the shore that provided plenty of entertainment. No Sharknados were spotted. Good thing as we had left the chainsaw at home.







One did, however, need to be concerned with sand sharks. None were found but that didn't stop Valerie from digging the world's deepest hole.












Eek! A sand shark! Oh, wait, that's Amira.







We capped off the day with dinner for 12 in downtown.












Ah, the kids table ...










Uncle Dave made a special guest appearance and hobnobbed with the younger crowd. That guy can work a room.










And, finally, a picture of the three Amigos reuniting in their college town. Go Banana Slugs!