The Holsten Family: July 2014

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Summer Milestone

Look who's riding without training wheels?!

We discovered that the school playground is a great place to cruise around.

Matthew kept busy playing in the dirt.

BFF planned a lovely 25 year Elementary school reunion. We met at Brooke's HOA clubhouse in El Dorado Hills which has 3 gorgeous pools and hot tub. Only 6 of us came (2 of whom were technically in 7th grade when we were in 8th, but we let them stay) but it was sooooo fun to reconnect.

Kristina Stovall all grown up. This shot should be part of some food magazine.

Leo V (have Brooke explain her various nicknames for her family members.)

Next generation BFF's

Otter Pop tongues

Kristina and Heather, the two 7th grade party crashers. The '89 yearbook, however, revealed that we had a 7/8 grade split class, (which we didn't remember) and they were both in it. So they're legit.

Brooke, Katie, Julianne. We all started together in Kindergarten and graduated HS together.

And here we are together (with Chris Foster) in the middle. I think my favorite thing was talking about all of our teachers and their influence on us both good and bad. How Mr. Yo made us work and Mr. Harley didn't . How Mr. Magill sparked a love of literature, but didn't think Chris (who is vision impaired) should have been at our school. That motivated Chris to work even harder to show that he was completely capable-and, in the end, he won over Mr. Magill. How Mrs. King read to us and passed on her love of Science and how Mrs. Finell's breath always smelled like cigarettes. And of course, our 5th grade class trip to Mendocino. Our tents leaked from the rain and we had to be moved to a hotel.

We all agreed on how much we loved Penryn School--what a great place it was to be a kid and how grateful we are to have been part of that place at that time. I think we hope for that same kind of experience for our kids.

Naked Trampoling

Sure to be the next Olympic sport.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Mother-Daughter Craft Time

We found a template on Pinterest for a Pixie Hollow tree. Isabella reallllllly wanted to make it. So Mom and I traced and cut and glued. Isabella watched Frozen.

She did pitch in and paint the glitter glue/pixie dust on the tree. Perfect for her mouse family.

Close up

I locked our car key in the trunk 5 minutes before we were ready to leave my parents' house. For our hour-long drive home. A tow truck came and the guy used a fancy coat hanger to open the door. That was nice, but the release button for the trunk is in the trunk. I had to drive my parents' car back to Napa and return the following day with the spare key.

About a week or so earlier, I dropped my camera. Our beautiful, gifted camera. It hit the porch in just the right spot and the lens broke into 3 pieces.

These two stories are unrelated, other than they prove that I'm a klutz.

It was cheaper to buy a new camera lens than to send it out for repair. The new lens is sooooo nice and I can zoom in more and take close up pictures of drool.

and these beautiful blues,

And get the full scope of Nana-built couch forts.

Wordsmith

Dinky Dinky Donkey
Grandpa had a Donkey
Grandpa died.
Donkey cried.
Dinky Dinky Donkey

Isabella's version of a nursery rhyme that she really liked.

The other day I made some maple butter to go along with some bread. And this is what she had to say about it:

Maplebutter, maplebutter
This is the word I love to utter.

Pretty good for a kid who didn't utter a word until she was 2.

I Mustache You to Remove Those Glasses at Once...

Matthew has to get glasses. Matthew does not like anything on his head or face. The nurse said to play with pretend glasses to show him there is nothing to fear.

These were the only ones I could find.

Isabella and I tried to show him how much fun they were to wear during dinner.

Matthew immediately put up his hand and signed, "All done".