Oregon State! Fight! Fight! Fight!

Finn reacts to the Oregon State Women's Basketball team advancing to the Final Four:

Dramarama

Caden has been taking a drama class after school on Fridays, and this past Friday was this session's performance. The kids design, write, and perform a play in 10 weeks. This play pitted spies against thieves trying to steal a magical statue. Caden was the lead spy, seen here expressing his frustration at the fact that the statue isn't where it's supposed to be and blaming the thieves.

I want a treat!

This morning, we headed over to Balboa Island for brunch and browsing.

When we went into the candy shop, Finn was overwhelmed...

To build a fire

Caden and his Webelos den met yesterday to learn some survival skills. They constructed a shelter using wood, rope, and a tarp. This required cutting supports using a pocket saw and learning to lash them together to build a structure. They also practiced building a fire using an emergency fire starter.

Nana and Boopa are visiting right now. Boopa will fly with Dada to New Zealand this evening for a research trip, and Nana will stay here to help corral the boys. We've had fun going to the farmers' market (including the train), hiking along the Newport Back Bay, and checking out the touch tanks at the Back Bay Science Center. Boopa brought a special book for the boys. It's called The Funny Thing, was his favorite book when he was a boy, and has recently been re-printed in a new edition after being out of print for many years. Of course, Boopa can read it better than anyone, complete with funny faces and funny voices. 

Desert description

This came home in Caden's folder from school this week:

The sun burned as snakes slithered around. The cacti were the only green around. The mesas rose above everything. The birds didn't sing and the dry desert seemed to destroy my mind. Roadrunners ran trying to find a place to sleep. All sound was gone and I felt an eerie sensation someone or something was watching me.