'HOMECOMING' Week

'Homecoming' is a very big event in the calendar of High School in America, and this week it's happening at Columbine.  It celebrates the beginning of the new year by welcoming back students with events and themes happening every day of the week, culminating in the central event which is the Varsity Football game and ending with the Homecoming Dance on Saturday night. The school halls are decorated as well as the gym.  One of the activities was 'business day', where the kids dressed up professionally.  Sarah went looking like a Personal Assistant or Business Manager, jacket, straight skirt and heels!! She came home with shoes in hand though!!  A bit of fun!

Sarah also had practices in the mornings and had a game to attend every night of the week that her team was cheering at, either soccer, vollyball or football.  The main event, the Varsity Football game was at Jeffco Stadium on Thursday night.  Now this is just what you might see on TV or the movies.  School rivalry, the cheerleaders and the brass band with students and families filling the stands!!  Tom & Sarah loved it!  The JV Cheer team got to cheer in the third quarter!  whoo hoo!!

I think though, the highlight of the week must have to be the Homecoming Dance on Saturday night.  This meant finding another dress to wear, make-up and photos..  Tom managed to get himself 'invited' and both looking very fine, went off to dinners in separate parties and then to the dance. (Sarah took a camera, hence, more pics!)  They both said it was a really good night!  Another tick off the American Experience must-have list!

Tom on his way out to the Homecoming dinner - looking very sharp!

Ellen, Lizzie, Sarah and Kelsie

Sarah and her 'party'..

.. and around the 'fire pit'..

...and dinner before the dance. 
Here they are toasting their friend Brad, who is no longer with them..

It's nice to watch the kids have these very American experiences.  They are indeed very fortunate to be doing so.  For me however, the highlight of this week was going to Watercolour classes with Chuck at Ken Caryl Ranch House.  Classes actually started up again last week, but we were in Utah, and I have to say, I was really excited!  You know, that real sense of anticipation and excitement?  Crazy I know, but I love these classes.  I was able to show Chuck some of my work since last April and he was very pleased.  He was also able to critique some of them which was really great.!  I was showing him after class had finished and a few others gathered around (there are at least 10 new faces!), and one lady said, "If you can paint, why are you coming to class?" (which I thought was a bit rude), but I replied"'I am still nowhere near as good as Chuck!" and Chuck said "that's the thing with Watercolours, you never stop learning!"  Thank you Chuck, I just want to keep on learning until I am confident in my own ability with the many many different techniques.  Sometimes, when I do something really pleasing, I think, ok - can I do that again?  Watching Chuck demonstrate, I know I still have a lot to learn, but one day I would like to be as good as he is..

Last Saturday was also our granddaughter Chloe's birthday.  We made sure we posted a present to her in good time, and loved Karlie's email telling us all about how they found it on the front step and Chloe's great excitement!  We sent her a dress-up gown from the new Repunzel Disney movie 'Tangled'.  We rang her for her birthday and she said "Gramma, I'm FOUR now!"  We love her excitement!  When we asked her about her present she said "I just love it!!" (And we love you Cloe!) She is so grown up now!  This week she had her very first day at Pre-entry Kindy.  A big step!  In October, she will be going to kindy full time.  A new phase in life for Karlie and Nathan.  It's just three months now until we see them all again, and I am so looking forward to that!!

These are our girls, Chloe and Zayla.  This photo was taken as I was leaving Adelaide in February to return to Denver now 7 months ago.  They have grown alot since then.  I can't wait to see them again!!  Happy Birthday Chloe, big four year-old!