Love Modesto

Three of us went to Love Modesto where Joy, Bryce, and Griffin visited with and engaged with refugees.  Brett was working and Garrett had a ballgame.

Griffin, Joy, Bryce Tish, Gabe, Lucas, and Liam.

Joy and Tish.

Lucas and Griffin enjoy ice cream?

 

Spring Piano Recital.

Back in the habit of the in person piano recitals, Brett got the boys there on time after Garrett had to leave baseball practice early.  Joy made it home from work early enough to come with the whole crew.  We arrived to a loud fire alarm which was turned off shortly after we arrived and we closed the place down staying to talk and take pictures.

Bryce and Griffin with Teacher Lori.

 

Bryce plays "Jericho."

Griffin performed "Ecossaise."

Garrett concluded the night with Selections from Infinite Saga (Marvel series themes).

Garrett with his instructor, Sandra Austin.

Trio of boys.

Grammy and Poppy came for the recital.

ICC Celebration for Chapter Affirm

Chapter Affirm celebrated the end of the semester with a celebration featuring a number of the best performances by the individual students as well as a few that needed another venue to qualify for completing those speeches to move on in the YSG (Young Speakers Guild) track.

Garrett and Bryce were MCs for the event.

 

Griffin and Jake performed the Cultural Storytelling, which is quite moving about one refugee's efforts to reunite his family.

Garrett gave a presentation about his time at Prep.

Jake and Griffin did a spoof on how not to invite someone to a venue.

Mr. Eliason talks about the YSG students who qualified for the international competition coming up next month:  Garrett (off camera), Bryce, Danika, Mr. E, Isabella, Sasha, Griffin, Jake, and Hannah (not pictured).

Garrett along with Sasha and Madeline did a spoof on pace of speaking.

Griffin introduced the next speaker.

Bryce talked about putting together an ORAD.

Bryce, Garrett, and Hannah talk about the YSG1 students.

Chapter Affirm!

Gus Wright Memorial Service

Not sure that he would be able to make it, Brett was given the green light when Griffin's team won the morning game of the midseason tournament and would have a second game in the late afternoon.  So Brett got in the car and drove to Castro Valley where he enjoyed seeing his parents, Eric, and Gusto, as well as Gusto's family and a few other friends from long ago.  The sad part was that this reunion was on the event of Gusto's father, Gus dying a month before.  Gusto did an excellent job telling great stories and memories honoring his father.  After the service was over, Gusto opened up the bell tower, so that we could ring the bell a number of times.  We might have tried to get it to 80 in honor of Gusto's dad.

The lawyer, pastor, and doctor--what a great trio.

Gusto giving his well thought out eulogy of his father.

 

Griffin's Birthday

Griffin's birthday was going to be a busy day for sure.  He had an early baseball game for which we brought donuts.  His team won and so they were destined to play later that evening.  In the meantime, Joy had a birthday party to go to for work and she ended up being key to the successful presentation planned at the party as she provided the projector when the one they had wasn't working.  Brett went to the memorial service in the Bay Area.  The boys would play games most of the afternoon, then it was back to Griffin's late afternoon/early evening game, which was followed by us getting a Cold Stone cake for celebration to wrap up the day.

Mega Box from Brawl Stars made by Bryce as a gift for Griffin out of Perler beads; he is getting really good at 3-D designs now.

Griffin and his cake.

Leia and Q'ira stare down each other from their perches.

Dunkin' donuts just came to town and we got breakfast and some donuts for his team.

 

Easter Sunday

Having missed our celebration of Jan-Feb birthdays for the family, we threw Jan-Apr together as one big celebration on Easter.  Joy made a sheep cake for the occasion.  Grammy and Poppy hosted and the cousins even got an Easter Egg hunt in.  With fewer eggs, they are a little harder to find, because the hiders know they can make things more challenging.  It was great to tell and hear stories, like Rachel getting ready to take her driver's test and Haley accepting Point Loma as her college next year.

Brett, Griffin, Joy, Haley, Wendy, and Rachel--happy birthday!

Joy's deliciously artistic sheep cake.

Grammy and Poppy with their five grandkids.

Bryce searches in the smallest places to discover his eggs.

Not too old for an Easter egg hunt.

Poppy tries to remember where some of the unfound eggs might be hiding...

Griffin tells Lightning McQueen to "Ka-chow, find some eggs!"

Silly family.

 

Picture at church.

After fasting on Good Friday until after service, we were ready to eat at 8:30pm!

Foot Golf

Originally being informed of the sport through a colleague, Brett found a spot even closer to home and so for part of Griffin's birthday celebration, why not combine soccer with golf for a family adventure.  We played 18 holes which ran parallel or across the back nine of an 18-hole golf course in Ceres.  We brought our own soccer balls and had a competitive event with Griffin bringing home the crown with the lowest overall score.

Griffin lifts the flag as Brett's ball lands in the hole.

All boy kickoff!

Joy joins the kickoff!

Figuring out whose ball is furthest to see who takes the next shot.

Kickoff from the first tee--Griffin.

 

Bowling Outing

Having canceled the usual Thursday classes for Easter week, Joy and Melanie got the families together to go bowling and grab some ice cream.

Ice cream treat anyone?

 

The boy picture:  Griffin, Bryce, Garrett, Jude, and Jake. 

The girl picture:  Joy, Melanie, Joy.