Nothing? Really?

Yesterday was busy. Tomorrow is busy. Then Thursday...it’s always busy. 

But today, Ellie has nothing on the calendar. She asked me to get her before 5, so I did and we came home and did work/homework. Then she practiced flute and piano. We didn’t have anywhere to rush to. Nothing is due tomorrow. 

It was peaceful. 

We made cornmeal muffins. Had dinner together (where we read magazines). She helped empty the dishwasher and clean the kitchen while we chatted. We hung out. 

Calm before the storm perhaps.

Perks of LA living

Ellie’s soccer teammate and friend’s mom is an ex stunt woman and a current American Ninja Warrior (she’s on the latest season coming up). Well she knows other ninjas and people associated with the TV show. 

Prior to having people run obstacles on TV, they need testers. Physically strong and competent (perhaps competitors themselves) to test the obstacles. They then tweak them and test again prior to filming. 

Through Ellie’s friends mom, Ellie got tapped to be a tester for new obstacles for the American Ninja Warrior kids show. This afternoon she tested several obstacles with other kids. She got to be in their development space, meet other ninja warriors, try actual obstacles...and see what it feels like to land on big mats. And she got to do it with her teammate. 

Annual portraits

Sneak peek

Food stuff

Over the weekend Calvin helped me make a olive sourdough...he chopped olives and measured out the flour and helped mix.

And Ellie, taking after her father for eating food with weird condiments, eats her French fries dipped in ranch dressing and ketchup!

Tree climbing

I got a family membership to the LA County Arboreteum as a holiday gift from work. On Sunday I headed there with the kids because I wanted to see all the flowers in bloom. 

The kids had other ideas. They just wanted to climb trees. They found this amazing cashew tree relative that had a beautiful canopy and was the ideal fort. And there was a path that was just welcoming you into the tree and to climb it. The kids spent a good 30 minutes climbing until I tried to pull them away. They probably could have spent an afternoon playing and climbing. I know I could have as a kid...

Dance class

Ellie’s school has a talent show for 4th and 5th graders. Try-outs are coming up. Ellie decided a long time ago she wanted to do a dance for the talent show and had been working hard practicing and choreographing it in her room. She asked for some help and so we have arranged for some private lessons with (a very pregnant) Ms Natalie on Sunday evenings. This past Sunday Calvin insisted on dancing as well. 

Tee-ball

Nick was in Dallas all weekend so it wa adjust me and the kids. Ellie has a soccer game in Chino Hills at the same time as Calvin’s tee-ball game. Fortunately, our soccer village was able to give Ellie a ride to the game and bring her home. 

With Nick traveling I had to fill in as asst coach. Coach Gabe (Cals coach) asked me to coach at first base and just get the kids to run through the base. After the game he told me that I did better than Nick as first base coach and actually got all the kids to run and run through the base. 

I also had a good vantage to take pictures of Calvin.