Slappy Has Computer Lab

Jess remembers her first computer class.  She was in 7th grade, and her Dad taught the class on computers whose monitors had green writing and a cursor that was a rectangular, blinking, green block.  Output was printed on a dot-matrix.

Madd Max Bikes To Dinner

Which was a mix of both bucolic and miserable (miserable until Sam lowered Max's training wheels and he stopped falling over every 1/2 block).

Please note, Maddie has decided she is going to put on a "not-another-picture" face as she sees fit.  She thinks it's hilarious.

Madd Max Celebrates Kears

In round 2 of 40th celebrations.

A dinner out with the ladies in San Rafael, immediately following a spa day and drinks.

Slappy Is In A Parade

The Burbank parade.  She's on that Girl Scout float somewhere.

Some of her loyal fans, who ended up sitting on the wrong side of the street and were not able to see her.  Fear not, Taisie ran after the float until she was able to get Maddie's attention.

The Scrapper Has A Field Trip

 On the bus to Stough Canyon.

 With best buddy, Phoenix.  They held hands for awhile up the mountain.

Jess' crew of 5 - Luke, Stella, Max, Maya and Chloe.

Slappy Values Intelligence

Here Maddie describes a project where the kids write something they like about another classmate.  She got her school BFF.

The Scrapper Kicks Butt

Max has been in a chess class.  Today, he played Jess for the first time.  It began with some big brown eyes and a sad, "Oh no, you can totally take my pawn," which resulted in his taking of her queen.  And then her rook.  And then he won.  Twice.

The Scrapper Does His Homework

Under the table.  Of course.

Madd Max Enjoy The Company

Some lunch at the Edison carnival.

How you know your school is in La-La.  At the car show, the DeLorean from Back to the Future is just one of the cars exhibited.

Gaming at dinner time.

And for bed - a carefully laid out sleepover by Maddie.

Madd Max Get The North Down In SoCal

A visit from Kears, Todd, Maya and Dexter!

Slappy Has A Field Trip

Which Jess got to chaperone.  Pix taken on the school bus, where they now have seat belts.

Jess' group of 3 excited girls before they head off into the LA Zoo.

The Scrapper Has A Homework Story

His task - to write a story about a bunny.

What he gave Jess - "Once upon a time the End."

He could not stop cracking up.

His end result once he sat down to write.

"I brought a home a bunny.  I fed her carrots and she pooped on the floor.  Her name was Bella."

This is based on a real life experience from pre-school.  It clearly made an impression.

Slappy Makes Her First Diorama

She got to pick her animal, a dolphin, seen here in it's "natural" habitat of the ocean, with a bunch of humans watching from an observation platform.  She used Hawaii as her inspiration.

Slappy Heads North

And got to enjoy a real orange soda, which ranks high on the worth it scale.

Madd Max Birthday Ice Skates

For Lilly's 9th birthday. 

Hard core ice bumper cars.

 Enjoyed by all.

 Max's favorite part - spinning in a circle over and over and over.

 Maddie started by wanting no part of the walkers, but quickly realized ice skating is a lot different than roller skating.

 Max practiced his fast skating along with raising up one leg.

 About a half hour in, Maddie was done with the walker - unstable but happy.  Max skated up to offer assistance and Jess' heart got all squishy.

 Lilly joined in as well.

Izzy hit a point where she could skate by herself with a walker and absolutely, positively did NOT want Dad's help.

 Custom good witch/bad witch cupcakes by Marissa.

 Happy Birthday!

And the end result of eating an entire bad witch black fondant hat in one go.

Slappy Gets A Library Card

The first card she's ever put in her wallet.

Slappy Does The Powder Puff Derby

Last year, Maddie participated in the Powder Puff Derby.  

She did about 80 percent of the work on her car.  Sam said it was like going to a gun fight with a knife.

This year Maddie came up with the concept - a rainbow.

Maddie and her Daisies.

Audrey's car - which Jess loved particularly because of the underside.

Paws!

Some of the competition - Jess also likes the LEGO car.

The pink cheetah is Mackenzie's - note the whiskers.

All the competition.

And the venue.

Maddie's car won her first heat, and came in second on the second.

She did however, win Best Original Car Design, pleasing both her and her dad.

Madd Max Have A Massive Egg Hunt

 But first some refined lunching.

Before the masses poured out to collect the over 200 eggs Aarin had prepared.

Soccer and celebration post hunt.

Madd Max Have A Home Egg Hunt

And breakfast with Brian and Alison who are visiting from up north.

Finding backyard eggs.

Easter mouth.

Going thru every egg to see what's inside.