Meanwhile...

...Keller with the Boy Scouts conquered the UCSB Ropes Course. Dude, it looks like so much fun. I am left wondering if my friends would participate in something like this.

Keller was the first volunteer of the day at this obstacle and he made it look easy. So easy that everyone assumed it would be a cinch to complete. Nope, turns out that we just have a monkey boy who doesn't mind instability and heights. 

The Dude was in his element. 

Thinking Day - Girl Scouts

Thinking Day is my favorite Girl Scout event of the year and I volunteered to be the organizer for our portion of the event. Each troop is responsible for researching and presenting a country from around the world. This year our troop studied Madagascar! 

Our troop had to wear replicas of native dress, design an informational board, create a GS Swap to share with other attendees, supply either a craft or activity, AND serve food from Madagascar. Our swap were lemur eyes (which of course I forgot to photograph), we taught girls how to play mancala, and we served banana bread and burnt rice tea. The burnt rice tea is authentic, the banana bread was more of an approximation. ;)

A talented mom in our group was the creativity behind the girls' costumes and did an incredible job. 

Every Girl Scout event ends with the friendship circle. 

B's Baby Shower

A shower for my friend B, to celebrate the upcoming birth of her baby girl. There were four of us planning the shower, but I fully admit that I contributed the dessert table. The amazing decorations and food are credited to the other amazing planners. See the napkins, they carried out the nautical theme with a cute life saver tied to them. 

Guess how long it took Pearl to figure out that candy was tied to the napkins?

The Dude got a haircut. 

My dessert table...not only was I in charge of just desserts...I bought most of them. 

 
The cute mom-to-be and a photo bomber.

I don't know what is in the glass, but I think she likes it! 

New Chair

Friends came for breakfast and they brought Pearl a new chair, never mind that they might need it to take their little boy home.

Nicest Co-Worker in the World

J's co-worker invited us to visit and ride their horses. Not only that, Vera has already been invited another time since this visit. They are giving her lessons in how to take care of horses, training, and opportunities to ride.  It is a pretty sweet deal. 

Pear was digging the country lifestyle, riding on fences is super fun.

The horses are gorgeous. 

Keller got into the act. 

Pearl had to have a photo. 

Gus was tickled pink that he got to get up on the horse.

Valentine's Cards

The kids Valentine's were very appropriate this year.  Vera made bookmarks for her class! She embroidered 5 of them before realizing that it was going to be a lot of work and we were making them the night before they were due to be in class. ;)

  

For Keller, we went with a bouncy ball theme. He meticulously picked out what color ball would go to each student. 

Swinging