So very much has happened since our last post! First and foremost, our new puppy is here! Welcome to Chaos! Spirit was horrified and terrified for the first three days at the little runt...but now they are best buddies and can't stop wrestling each other. Chaos is a sweet little boy, with an extra spunky attitude - and quickly had us all wrapped around his cute little paws.
Chaos being non-chaotic
Picking up Chaos from the breeder
Declan & BFF Haines - sleepover with Chaos
He weighed one Declan & 1/2 Keevah the day he came home
Even Gee loves Chaos
Watching a movie with Chaos in his crate
After 3 days of being scared and horrified, Spirit made nice with his new brother
Our summer has been so much different than what we had originally planned...thanks to the evil virus. We were supposed to go to Hawaii and have all sorts of summer camps...but most everything was cancelled. So, we improvised...and Dada hosted Camp Montecito Science Camp at our home for Declan, me, and two friends - Haines & Lucius. Each day had a theme: biology, gravity, chemistry/explosions, and electricity/magnetism. My favorite was the film canister rockets, and Declan loved the magnet experiments. In the afternoon, we got to swim at our neighbors house, and one day we even went boating and swimming in the lake at Lucius' grandma's house nearby!
Lucius, Haines, Declan & Keevah at Science camp
The future scientist
Explosions! Film canister rockets...
Magnetism day
Showing what we learned
Gravity day!
Inertia is real...
Smurf hands
Afternoon swim session
At the lake at Lucius' grandma's house; just right down the street
Mama & Miss Nicole with keevah & Lucius
Mama launching Lucius, Keevah, Declan & Haines
Keevah's creative marble track!
Connolly Ranch actually did have camp this summer. We were kept in really small groups for the whole 3 week camp. It was my first year being old enough to go! I LOVED it...and got more dirty than I've ever been in my whole life. My favorite was the bunny rabbits, but I loved all the animals; and I also loved the sprinkler parties! Declan loved "free-cess" the most, digging for obsidian, and exploring "duck island".
Sorry, no pictures from Connolly Ranch because parents weren't allowed!
Declan also got to go to Art Camp - I can't go until next year. Theme was the 1960's - so he was a very colorful hippie!
Peace!
Somewhere in June, we celebrated Father's Day with Gee & Grandpa - making our famous sunshine cake for Grandpa...and a keto lemon pound cake for Dada.
There may never be a normal picture again...
Happy Father's Day!
The chickens continue to grow and they were finally old enough to move out of the garage into their permanent coop. Of course, this meant that we needed to actually BUILD a coop! Poor Grandpa spent so much time making everything perfect, but at the end of the day, our 13 ladies absolutely love their new chicken palace! Moving day was pretty fun! They are still free-loaders, but hopefully will start producing eggs within 4 weeks.
Spirit and "Black Bear" supervising construction of the coop
Grandpa & Keevah & the finished coop
Chickens moving in!
We still have 13 chickens! And they got to move to their big girl chicken palace 2 weeks ago! This is a movie of "moving day"
And then it was July 4th! Napa cancelled all the city fireworks displays, and home fireworks weren't allowed. Since they are allowed in Elk Grove, we took the trip there to celebrate with Gee & Grandpa. They surprised us with a MASSIVE box of fireworks! Declan loved lighting them, and then I swooped in with the tongs to put the used fireworks into a bucket of water. It was so much fun!!! We also spent most of the afternoon in the pool that Grandpa heated up for us! I'm turning into a real fish - swimming without floaties now, and jumping off their big rock!
Happy 4th of July! Posing cause Mama made me!
Direct quote: "Where's the boys? I wanna show them whose in charge!"
Swim time at Gee & Grandpa's is always our favorite thing!
We had so much fun jumping in together!
Being silly with Mama
The whole family - it happens rarely!
Launching sissy
The pencil dive launch
Gee & Grandpa never bought Mama this many fireworks when she was little!
Explosions are awesome!
Finally taking a backseat for a moment to enjoy the show with Gee
And then Declan turned NINE! I loved celebrating his birthday with him, and sang him happy birthday daily for 2 weeks. He got his first computer as his big gift; and he also got new dueling light sabers since he finished his Third grade workbook before he even started third grade! We celebrated with two families who are in our "quaranteam" circle.
Me, Haines, Natalie, Corinne, Mr. Stephen & Keevah - enjoying white chocolate cannolis!
My new coin book and special Indian Head coin from Grandpa
My new light sabers for finishing my Math book.
Dual with Sissy
Sissy has her Days of the Week song down perfectly right?
After Declan's birthday, we finally got to go to Tahoe for the first time in 4 months - the longest we've ever gone without visiting our home up there! This was Chaos' first time coming with us, and the doggies had the best time ever! We went to Kiva beach one day, and loved splashing around, digging holes, making sand castles, and watching the dogs go nuts!
Dogs on a log
I love climbing trees!
The mountain man
At Kiva Beach with Mt. Tallac in background
Chaos BEFORE the sand & water attacked him
Spirit decided to take himself for a swim
Loving the lagoon
Digging holes to the other side of the Earth with Grandpa
Keevah with Gee & Grandpa at the Cabin
Me & Grandpa
And then the very next weekend, after 4 months of staying home EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND (which we never do), we went camping. Actual camping! With tents and cooking only over a fire! We went with Haines' family to Anderson Valley - and had a whole private vineyard with access to the Navarro river! One day, we went to Navarro Beach at the Ocean...and had a blast running around, digging holes, and watching Spirit run tons of doggie circles all over. We made smores every night, and roasted hotdogs on sticks! I loved catching frogs and lizards...and Dada taught me how to shoot a Red Rider BB gun! We rode around the vineyards in ATVs - driven by Haines & Declan! I've never heard Mama scream so much in her life - I think she thought Declan was going to crash us multiple times. Spirit had a blast running in front of the ATV. We picked TONS of blackberries to make pies, and also spent a whole morning walking through a redwood forest. The last night, we ALL slept under the stars...even Spirit, who slept on the bed with me & Mama. We looked at all the shooting stars, the constellation Hercules (which was right above our heads)...and listened to Coyotes who came right near our beds (and Spirit slept through it all)!
Social distancing!
Keevah & Mama slept in the tent the first two nights -and Mama brought her whole comforter from home!
The last night, we ALL slept under the stars
Keevah & Haines collecting kindling for the fire
Haines & I - early morning
Hendy Woods State park - some AMAZING redwoods
Back at camp, along the Navarro River - a bit low this time of year!
Spirit at camp with the river and Wildflowers
Navarro State Beach
Haines & I chased waves for hours!
Keevah & Spirit on a walk
Spirit is the happiest beast alive - doggie circles!
Second morning at camp called for bloody marys!
Dada & Miss Tiffany at the campsite
Off on an ATV adventure!
Haines, Keevah & Declan driving thru the vineyards
Keevah & an exhausted Spirit
Rare family photo
Me & Keevah in the vineyard
3 little monkeys, sitting in a tree
Keevah practicing bb gun target shooting with a Red Ryder gun
Dada & a happy camper
The Barber & House families at camp
Lazy evening by the fire
Immediately after getting home: shower, a bite to eat, and asleep before food is eaten.
We were so sedentary for the past few months, but we have another trip starting in 3 days. We are heading to the Oregon Coast with friends, and staying right on the beach for a week. Can't wait to update you then!
