Double Digits

It’s the big 1-0 for Jaclyn today! So happy we got to celebrate with her.

We started out with lunch at Cheesecake Factory and her absolute favorite food - even better than chicken nuggets!! - Miso Salmon.

Our plan was to go to 🎯 and let her pick out her own gifts, which she was excited about. But Build A Bear Workshop was just around the corner from Cheesecake… 

and they had her favorite Pokemon, Sylveon… 

I thought Jac was too old for Build A Bear but obviously I was very, very wrong. (Prices have gone waaaaay up since the last time we were there. Worth it for happy Jackie, but wow.)

Chocolate cake, laser-printed axolotls (she still loves them), Battleship and a walk to the corner store with Pop* rounded out the day. Happy 10, Jaclyn!

* a daily event so they can both get a snack (and bring me one)…

Look Who’s 9!

We celebrated Jac’s birthday yesterday.. and the day before*… and today… and maybe again tomorrow. 

Who says birthdays have to be just one day a year??

Jac and I made a from-scratch chocolate cake on Thursday (so delicious) and decorated it with fresh strawberries at her request. 

It wasn’t especially pretty (I’m not a good ‘icer’) but it was deeeeeeeelicious. 

This year, Pop set up the back yard with a smaller pool and filled it with floaties, balls and water guns for Jac’s party.

Neither Jac nor Donovan are big water fans (they don’t like to get their faces wet) but both loved this shallow little wading pool. 

So much (crowded) fun!

As part of her birthday celebration, we measured Jac’s height - 50” - and weight - 55 pounds. She’ll always be my “Tiny Girl” but she’s not so tiny any more. (Donovan is 2 years younger but almost the same in both height and weight.)

* Thursday’s trampoline park adventures

photos by Leo.

Such sweaty fun!

Early Birthday

As an early birthday present, Mary and I took a Christmas wreath class at Deeply Rooted, a newish local plant (and more!) store in town.

Mine started out as a hot mess - so many options! too many pretty things! - but I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out. 

Love that they had lots of thistle (channeling my inner Tanya) 

and wish I could have incorporated one of the bright red pomegranates, but they were so heavy I didn’t think it would stay attached. 

Today was the last of the shop’s 5 scheduled wreath classes, although they have a few corporate party/classes coming up. 

Hope they come up with more workshop ideas - I’d sign up in a heartbeat!

Happy 8!

Happy birthday to Jaclyn, who turned 8 today. Whoo!

We started celebrating yesterday. 

First was art camp with Donovan, making sea scenes in clay. 

 

Check out their pelicans! It’s incredible what they make in class. 

Next up was Jac and Leo’s first trip to Dave & Buster’s 

(Donovan has been several times with his dad). 

The games were a big hit, 

especially the duck claw machine*, 

Happy teens - Leo and friend

and the food was *much* better than Chuck E Cheese. 

Happy Jac - the big girls agreed to play Hungry Hippo with her!

Jac thought it was too noisy, 

and the machines were aimed at slightly older kids/teens,

so we may go back to the mouse house next time. 

Today was CAKE and Legos. Jac got to pick the cake herself from the local grocery store. Anyone surprised she chose the most chocolatey thing she could find?? I offered to make it, but she decided my decorating skills were not up to her standards. 😂

 

Donovan finished his Lego project and offered to build Jac’s new Minecraft Fox House. Offer accepted! 

Recycling lidded Aurefil thread holders for Lego sorting & storage. My idea is genius!

Donovan says, “I am the Lego Master” and he’s right - he can build a 200 piece kit in under an hour. And he’s only 6!

* Jac won the first duck and talked Donovan into giving the claw a go. D wanted a gold sparkly duck… but after 3 or 4 tries, ended up with a red one. ☹️  Jac says hold my beer, er “Let me try!” and in one drop snags the golden sparkles for Donovan. Such happiness! We have enough on the prepaid card for D to have one…more…try… and he immediately drops and grabs the blue sparkly duck he was aiming for! Amazing!! It was all they talked about the rest of the afternoon. 😂😂

Ocean Air

 We’re spending the weekend in Cambria

in a room overlooking the ocean. 

This is the same place we stayed back in September 

but the balcony rooms are bigger, with jacuzzi tub, shower, 

fireplace

and gorgeous sunset views. 

Rain is predicted for Sunday but I’m hoping it will hold off until we’re on the road home, heading south ahead of the storm. Also hoping we can see some of the Hearst Castle zebras before we leave, since we haven't spotted them the last couple of trips. ~crosses fingers~

Birthday Roundup, With Bonus Fabric

 The teenager is officially 17!

We celebrated with a family breakfast,

Leia amusing herself 

presents, 

and cakes! 

Multiple flavors were needed since the birthday person wanted red velvet and everyone else said ”ewwwwwww.” 😂

We also … got Leia’s ears re-pierced. (This was attempt #4 - the first 3 times, when she was under 6-ish, we discovered she’s allergic to nickel, silver and gold when she got an infection from each. Fun times. This time we went with medical-grade stainless steel. So far so good…)

from Stitches Quilt Shop, Johnstown CO

shopped for fabric … I have a plan for that blue … 

Rachel’s haul included mushrooms and super cute snails. 

The weather forecast now predicts 6-10” of snow starting Thursday afternoon into Friday morning. Sure hope Friday’s noon-ish flight can get off the ground!

 Wednesday Sunset