So that's what snow looks like...

On May 2nd of last year, it snowed in Kansas.  Mister Man was already living in California and was happily bragging about the weather.  I haven't seen snow since last May and I haven't missed it.  At all.


Not even a little.



And if I ever do miss snow, I can just do what we did today and drive to Tahoe.


Other than driving through Tahoe the day we arrived from Kansas, this was our first day trip there.  It felt like a completely different world, like we were on vacation.  California does that to us though.  This amazing thing happens.  We somehow magically take vacations in a day.  I hope this magic never wears off.  It's my favorite part about now living here.


I wish I could share processed photos of our day, but my new Photoshop has been cranky.  Which annoys me to no end since I bought it to replace my old Photoshop which was also cranky and stopped working.  Unfortunately, you will just have to take these photos for what they are: far too many from the camera with no editing.  But it will at least give you an idea of the beauty the Eldorado National Forest and South Lake Tahoe has to offer.

It'd be even prettier without all of the litter.

He (or she) was eyeing our food.

We don't know why, but The Redhead was obsessed with tossing pine cones into the lake.

The pine cones were great until she realized they were cutting her hands.

Like....Totally

Throughout the school year, we've had spirit days. In the past, we were used to a spirit week or two.  Here, they are randomly throughout the school year, keeping us on our toes.  Once, there was one we didn't even know about.  I'm a thorough planner, so you can only imagine how I felt about that.  A staff member said to me, "yeah, it was sort of a last minute thing."


We've known about today's for a while now.  Decades Day.  You could pick a decade.  Honestly, The Redhead had in mind medieval times or the 50s.  But I didn't have much on hand for either, because well, what we did have, I purged last year, because honestly, does anyone need that stuff?  Or I haven't been alive long enough to own it.  Personally, I would have liked to have gone 20s, but you take what you can get.  And I could easily make this work just rummaging through her own belongings.




You shouldn't have to guess the decade.  And if it wasn't 90 degrees out, we would have totally worn leggings underneath.

Testing

The Redhead finished her state assessments yesterday.  We won't know her scores until next school year, unfortunately.  This is their first year doing the test, so it's like they're testing the test.  It was certainly different from Kansas.  But The Redhead was most excited about the written portion of the test.  She got to write a story about ants, apparently.  At least that's what she told me.

 Testing wore the pets out.  Or maybe it was just the dirty towels and sheets that enticed them to nap.  I almost hated interrupting them.

 Almost.

It sounded like the testing treats went okay.  I also sent cookies and napkins for afterwards for the class being "smart cookies."  I think I would do this again in the future if allowed.  I know the students are glad for the tests to be over.  I'm sure the teachers are too.  It's a testing time for everyone.