Celebrations

There have been a lot of celebrations in Valley Center these past three weeks.  Valley Center Western Days happen around here every year at the end of May.  It’s a weekend long event that includes among other things: a parade, several rodeos, a pancake breakfast and a carnival.  My boys were both in the parade this year. Jakey rode in the award winning Ridgeview Preschool float showcasing the story of the Valley Center bear.  Benjamin walked with the local Cub Scout troupe.  B walked the route like a politician waving to people and shaking hands. Jakey rode on a flatbed trailer wearing a bear costume.  He and the other preschoolers looked like a mound of field mice sipping Capri Sun.

Cub Scouts in the Parade

Ridgeview Preschool Award winning parade float

 At the beginning of June, capping off a school year of practice , Benjamin and the entire second grade bilingual program along with second graders form the guitar club put on an amazing show.  The Guitar Club covered my favorite song, California, the from a local Escondido group, Talk Like June, that I’m just learning about.  Have a listen.  They are great.

backstage at the Guitar Club show, Maxine Theater.

Jakey had his last day of preschool and I was sad.  Of course I’m proud of his accomplishment and how he is growing.  I’m still sad to see the moments that mark his childhood go by.  Jakey told me not to cry because I might start coughing and this might lead to a “cough barf”.  The boy knows this from experience.

Benjamin is in the bilingual ( Spanish/English) program and will be moving from the Primary school to the Elementary school.  He was very sad to leave his teacher Mrs. Cottrell.  Benjamin and Mrs. Cottrell had a great personality fit.  I’m always glad when someone loves my quirky and sometimes prickly B.

Jakey at graduation.

We ended the school year with a lovely picnic at the community park overlooking the newly mown hay fields.  My boys played like wild things.  We were there with several families and all the children ran and jumped and yelled.  The parents talked and laughed and occasionally yelled back at the kids.  It was a marked difference from last year and so nice to add some happy onto a day of endings and tears.

Don’t say I didn’t warn ya, bout California

where the skies are bright and blue.

Where we can ride the waves

but at the end of the day we can rodeo too.

California, Talk Like Jane