Special Outtings

When I was a kid my dad started taking his kids out individually for quality time. One on one.  You could call it a "daddy daughter date when it was my turn or one of my sisters. But what was it called when it was father and son time? Maybe just that?

Well, I felt my kids could benefit from some one on one time. So I took Luke out. I didn't want to call it a "date" and make him uncomfortable. haha

So I called it a "special outting."

Then I kept calling it that as I took turns with the kids.

Luke was the first. All the middle schoolers were given a free scoop of ice cream from Baskin Robins. I took Luke to the craft shop with me and told him I would buy him craft supplies if he wanted. He loves crafts but he didn't find anything he wanted. When it comes to shopping he has always been super picky. He chooses nothing usually. I was surprised this time though. Free craft supplies and he chooses nothing. 

Then we played arcade games at the YCC. There was a Meta Knight hat he was trying to win. 900yen later and we gave up. I wasn't willing to spend more than $10 on it. 

Then we ate the ice cream on the roof.

Athena's outting came second. I was doing one a week.

Athena got something she had been asking for for months...photos in the photo booth at the stores on base.

And we got Baskin Robins ice cream.

For Tiberias I had a trickier time planning. I knew what he would like most is rollerblading with me. Luke's blades are my size so that was totally possible. But, the skate park is shut down. They've torn it to pieces...the equipment I mean. I don't know what the governments plan is for it.

Ty is afraid of getting hit by a car so skating in the street even on a quiet street wasn't a good idea. And the sidewalks are bumpy and terrible here. I kept praying God would guide me to a good location for this activity! And He did. 

A park we'd been to once before came to mind and I thought maybe I remembered there being a path that winds all around the outside of the playground. So, I hoped it would turn out to be a smooth and large path for us. 

I took Ty out at lunch time and he chose a place to eat. BK. So, we went through the drive through and took our food to the park that had previously come to mind. We ate lunch on a bench then put on our rollerblades. This park is the best place to rollerblade on this base!

Not only does it have a smooth path around the park it has an additional path that leads to a ramp! A ramp that goes up, on a bridge and down on another part of base. There is a street off base that runs under this bridge! 

We didn't skate all the way up and over. We just used the lower part of the ramp to skate fast down. It was a lot of fun!

Then we got Baskin Robins and ate it on the roof of the YCC where I took all my kids to eat their ice cream. Because...it has a nice view...

 Sterling made ribs recently and we all enjoyed it. The kids and Ster looved it. But he hadn't made enough for all to feel truly satisfied. So then he made them again. This time he doubled the amount of meat he made. haha
It was delicious!
Sterling likes to improve in his recipes. He wants them to taste twice as good every time he makes something.

 The Kartchner's youngest three spent a school day with us. The Kartchner's household goods were being packed up and taken away in preparation for their upcoming move to America. They are moving to Orem UT!
Anyway, I was teacher to all of these kids for one day...

 They picked up lunches from the elementary school and brought them home to eat.

 I have been painting a lot of rocks lately. Some for hiding for the rock hunting that goes on and some for selling. The most popular rock styles...

The Mendel panda mascot in front of Mt Fuji and with giant cherry blossoms.

Some I painted to give as gifts to the Parks family who are self isolating:

I painted rocks as a gift for Brandon and Lumen and their family. 

brandon and Lumen pretend to be these anime characters called Deku and Todoroki. I painted them on their rocks.

The kids then placed them on the front porch of the family as a surprise.

 

Memorial weekend rocks:
 

I had a unicorn cake ordered recently. I accidentally put the eyes on wrong at first. I did this...

 But then I took another look at the photo given me by the customer and saw they wanted the eyes like this...

 Luckily it turned out to be an easy fix.

Turning 35!

 Tiberias created a new club of friends last week. He is happiest when he is part of a club and I don't recall him ever being in a club that he wasn't the creator of.
This time it's a rollerblading club. It includes himself, Escher and Aurora Cothran and their neighbor Everley. They meet on the Cothran's street and hangout and rollerblade.

Monday, Memorial day, I took most of the rollerblading club to the park that turned out to be so great for rollerblading. I made all of my kids go too. They had a great time: