Trip to McArthur and Burney

Google put together this little slideshow of our trip to McArthur to visit Terry and Carolyn Lease.

It was  Huong's second time in the snow. We had a white Thanksgiving. There were supposed to be more people but because of the weather, the Lease's relatives could not make it. So it was just Holden, Huong, Terry, Carolyn and me. The Leases also have two yellow labs.

On the way up to McArthur we stayed in Redding and visited the Mt Shasta Caverns. On the way back from McArthur we stayed in old Sacramento.

When we got back from our trip, I took the boys shooting in Lytle Creek and Riley had an audition for Honor Band. That's what you see in the slide show above.

Riley's Homecoming

This was cool. Riley's friend Kevin invited her to Brea's Homecoming in a cool and unexpected way. He had Riley's bff Tessa hide in the bushes after Riley and Kevin went to movie. Tessa had flowers and this large card ready for Kevin to ask Riley to Homecoming. Really cute.

Everyone knows Riley is focused on school and her trombone (also named Kevin, hmmm) to the point of sometimes sacrificing her social life. I'm glad to see she is not missing out on teenage things like Homecoming dances. She somehow is able to maintain good friendships while she is on this crazy, intense schedule at Orange County School of the Arts.

DJ Turns 18

 

DJ turned 18 on October 16, 2015. This was a very significant milestone as it probably is for everyone. However, for DJ I had been thinking about how things should change now that he is 18. He already has a job and is going to college. He has a car and takes responsibility for himself most of the time. I had planned the day of his birthday well in advance so that we could both celebrate his new adulthood and take care of some tasks on day one.

 

I had DJ take the day off from work so that we could go to the bank, register to vote, register for selective service, get his own credit card, etc. DJ wasn't interested in buying lottery tickets (DJ knows basic math) but he did want to take some handguns to the local shooting range and shoot by himself for the first time ever.  

 

We tried to register to vote online but being his first time, the government needs to mail him something to start a paper process. After that we went to the bank. We met the branch manager at the bank and closed the joint account I had with DJ and opened a new one with only his name on it. I was surprised to learn that DJ had saved most of what he had earned at his job in that joint account. We also ordered a credit card with a low limit so he can start building a credit file. Most importantly, he has a relationship with a banker now so that he can get some advice on financial matters when necessary.

 

Later that night we had an expensive steak dinner at the Dal Rae in Pico Rivera on our way to the Met, a small theater that was playing the Green Day musical. We had front row VIP seats that I had bought months earlier. The pictures are from that show.

 

 

 

I got to spend the day and night with DJ on his 18th birthday. I am so proud of him and the man he is becoming.

Riley 14th

Holden's Head Shots

I took Holden for some head shots just to see how it goes. I think he's going to be a performer in some way but we will see.

If you want to see the headshots, follow this link.

Riley Earns Straight As; Gets $150

I am so proud of Riley for getting all A grades in the 8th grade at BJ High School. That's a tough age and grade to focus on school not to mention the extra energy and time she puts into the trombone. I pay $25 per A (nothing for less) so she gets $150!

Riley Says Farewell to Her Band Friends

Riley said goodbye to her Brea Junior High School band friends at an award banquet last week. She is the only one from her class who will be attending the Orange County School of the Arts in the Fall.

She was first chair Trombone in BJH Concert Band and we just found out she made second chair in the symphonic band at OCSA.

Her teacher, Mrs.Bartell, is really amazing. She seemed to turn a dying music program into three award winning junor high bands in just a few short years. It's almost a shame Riley can't stay in Brea because her teacher's husband, Mr. Bartell, is the music teacher a Brea-Olinda. His jazz band (Riley is not into jazz) has great chops.

More in her Instagram account here.