Girls with Power Tools

For the first time, our school's girl scout troops get to do their own pinewood derby. Look it up. It's cool.  Because (a) girls are good at design (b) girls are good at using tools and (c) girls are good at applying physics concepts. 

Erin learned how to use a sawzall:

Chiseling: 

Belt sanding (not shown) and other cool stuff. 

Robin was content to color her block rather than shape:

And then gave us all a riveting rendition of the "Roses are Red" poem, beat-poet style. 

I love Girl Scouts!

Drive-ins

We went to the drive in movies tonight.  Woot! There are not too many drive-ins left, yet we have on practically in our back yard.  On top of that, it was customer/family appreciation night.  Free entry, rockabilly band, $1 nachos, and a huge inflatable slide.  There also were hot dogs, popcorn, slushies, and a small playground.




We had tons of fun playing as the sun went down.  The plan was to leave once it got to dusk, but the kids were so excited we tried to stay for the movie.  Yeah.  That lasted about 15 minutes, then came the frantic, panic screaming when the onslaught of intense, negative, and stressful scenes began.  Really, these are kids movies?  We high-tailed it out of there and listened to peaceful quiet jazz all the way home.

All in all a good night.

Snuggly Reading Time

The rules: children must be in bed, in PJ's.  Milk must be consumed in sippy cups.  2 books: the first one together, the second one with each girl tucked in.

Yes, the girls like to wear matching PJ's.  Here, they are actually wearing night gowns, the first they've owned so far.

Thank you, Freecycle!

What? You've never heard of Freecycle?

This week I gave away an exersaucer for which we no longer had need. And I received a water table, which I was ready to buy. Two more large, plastic-y kid toys kept out of the waste stream.

That being said, the water table was emptied and left outside to enjoy the rains we've been having. It's about half full. We're pretty soggy here right now. *

Other than swapping cool kid toys, we've also received a microwave, crib mattresses, and have given away twin mattresses, beds, cat food, towels, soap, and lots more stuff I can't remember now.

*Revised post:  I wrote this on Wed. night.  By Thursday afternoon, the water table had filled to the top and has been overflowing.  We've received more than 10" of rain this last week.

Just a bit more on San Diego Thanksgiving

The turkey was amazing, all the sides were wonderful.  Uncle Matt and Aunt Sharon, with a 2 month old Megan, were very brave and generous to host so many people in their lovely house.  But two more things I have to share about San Diego and why it's such an awesome place:

1. The beach. Even though a cold spell had temperatures at an unseasonable low of mid-60's, it was perfect beach weather.

2. Mexican food.  Delicious, nontraditional Mexican food.

Here's a Hero

Today, the girls and I met up with a friend .  She's in the area because her husband is donating bone marrow.  He's doing the donation as I write this.  It's not every day that you meet someone doing something so heroic for a stranger.

I'm on the bone marrow registry, Erin donated her cord blood to the bank.  Robin would have too, if her arrival hadn't happened so quickly. Dear readers, I encourage you to check it out.  If you're not on the registry, think about joining.  Most people don't get matched, but the more people in the registry, the more others have a chance at a cure for what ails them.  If you're pregnant, consider donating your baby's cord blood.  It's free to do, and if your baby ever needs bone marrow/stem cells, you'll likely be getting it from the bank anyway.  Come on, people.  When was the last time you saved a life?

"Happy Days"

Last week Dr. A and I went to Cal Shakes to see a play that was too smart for us: Happy Days by Samuel Beckett. Acting, direction, environment were excellent. Play itself, not so good. The theater is outdoors, and we picnicked there beforehand.

The play is essentially a well-delivered 90-minute monologue given by a woman buried up to her waist (and then her neck) in a 20-foot high pile of dirt.

I guess I'm just not smart enough, Beckett -- is that what you want me to say!? Stupid Nobel laureates. Phttffffttt!!!