Welcome to the family Beans!

Now that we are done with the craziness (see the next post), we have welcomed a new member!  Welcome Beans who is Olivier's dwarf hamster!  Fun times ahead!  

Curious cats!

The cats were curious one evening and I was able to get a photo of them all checking out something happening in the back yard.  

This week the boys wrapped up their summer program.  The brought home a lot of cool ceramic projects and have both said they would like to do it again if it is offered.  

Otherwise, it has been a fairly quiet week.  Busy with some stuff around the house but all is good!
 

Quiet week

This week has been another quiet week and thankfully COVID has now left the house again.  Let's hope it stays gone for even longer this time!  

The boys have started new classes during their summer program with culinary, art, drones, and ceramics.  They were hesitant with these classes but they really enjoy the classes.  There have been a lot of food projects that have come home which have been extra tasty!  And there are promises of lots of ceramic projects coming home at the end of next week.  

Hoping for another quiet week!  

COVID hits again

Well this week COVID hit our house again.  Thankfully it is again only one of us and everyone else seems to be fine.  It has given us the excuse to a bit more lazy and enjoy the hammock in the backyard that overlooks the stormwater runoff that runs behind the house.  It makes for a very peaceful view!

Not much else to report!  
 

Visit with family!

On Wednesday Olivier brought home a dinosaur for Matt that he cut out and colored in the industrial arts class they are taking.  He had some red marker on his hand and I asked him what it was from since it wasn't from the dinosaur and it wasn't from Mason's long board that he was helping color.  He then told me it was from what he was making for me.  I wasn't sure what he was making and Thursday he came home and gave me what he made for me and I am thrilled!  And impressed with the skills they have learned!  

On Friday Anna and I headed south with my parents to visit with family in town from the East Coast.  We had some time in the afternoon so she enjoyed the pool for a bit.  

Grandpa checked out the temperature in the hot tub!

And on Saturday we visited with family!  Abbie, Rhys and Anna played Sorry with my cousin.

My mom with three of her sibilitngs!

After dinner Anna and Abbie got to go out in the golf cart and take it for a drive!  Fun for the two girls to do!  This is me and Anna with my uncle Marc, aunt Teri, and my cousin's oldest Abbie.  

It was nice to see as many people as we did and one of my cousin's wanted to celebrate in a special way, they welcomed their baby daughter Lauren on Friday!  And now it is nice to be back home!  

July!

We are still struggling to wrap our heads around last week's court ruling, but we continue to live by this motto.  

This week Anna started volunteering at the library, or at least got trained and will start helping out next week with her friend.  I don't think either one is super excited with the work they will be doing but getting them out of the house and thankfully spending time together will make it more enjoyable!

Last night we went to our usual spot to watch the fireworks after the baseball game.  We were joined by friends and it was a nice evening!  And no bug bites!  

And today I went for a morning hike with a dear friend that was more needed than I realized!  The weather was really nice but unexpectedly clear and warm.  Such a beautiful view!

They also had two swings, one facing the ocean.

And once facing inland and the valley.  Both were stunning.  And I was equally clumsy on them!  

Settling into summer!

This week the boys started the free summer program with the school district.  They have three classes a day, starting with coding, then industrial arts, and ending the day with guitar.  In coding they are learning about setting up different games and how to apply different rules to the game.  In industrial arts they decorated and put together a skateboard, and they finished them up at the end of the week and brought them home.  And in guitar they are learning some songs they haven't done before.  They have these classes for three weeks and then will have another set of classes for three weeks.  And they are riding the bus and getting used to what will happen next school year.  

Anna has been waiting for her summer plans to sort out and it looks like starting next week she will be volunteering at the local library with her friend.  Good to get out of the house and help serve the community while spending time with a friend!  

The weather has been warm but thankfully we are getting a couple hot days followed by some cooler days which makes the hot days a little more tolerable.  

And in political news, the Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe vs. Wade which removed the federal protection to have access to an abortion in all fifty states.  It is upsetting and a reminder on how important it is to vote, especially in the election this November.