This picture, captured by another parent on Alaina's softball team sums up our weekend:
Today, Alaina turned 13. Now that means we have two teenagers in the house. I can't believe it!! When did I get so old!!
On Friday, 9 of her girlfriends came over to celebrate after school. We made a taco bar for dinner.
The hit of the party was Jason's traditional minute-to-win-it games. He came up with a few new ones this year including "cookie face"--can you get a cookie from your forehead to your mouth without touching it or dropping it?--a feat I neer knew was possible--and a few older tried and true ones. The girls seemed to really enjoy the games, and it was entertaining to watch.
Afterwards they had cupcakes, opened presents, and watched a movie. The fun was over a little after 9, which was perfect for mom and dad!
Sunday was Alaina's actual birthday. She had softball practice in the morning, so we brought cupckaes for the girls to enjoy after practice.
Jason's parents are in town, so we had them and my dad over for dinner. Alaina's dinner choice: salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, crescent rolls, and strawberry shortcake for dessert!
This year for her present, she got an ipad from mom and dad. She was not expecting this gift (though the old one is really old and partially broken)....so she was really excited.
Happy birthday to our teenager!
Well, we are finishing up our holiday break.....it wasnt the best break ever, but I guess it was memorable....
It started 2 Saturdays ago when we were supposed to head to the cabin, but there was no snow! So we decided to hang around town a bit. Coincidentally, Ethan woke up sick and feeling quite miserable on Saturday. So, we hung around until Tuesday, as a big storm was headed in on Wednesday. Overnight before we left, Jason developed cellulitis on his thumb and under his fingernail--he had hurt it when we cut down our Christmas tree a few weeks ago. So he started some antibiotics and hoped for improvement.
Before we left for Tahoe, we opened Christmas presents. Big gifts this year included a new softball bat for Alaina and downhill skis for Ethan. Jason also got me a very cool family calendar, called the Skylight, which will help me with my never-ending goal of family organization!
We made it to Tahoe before the storm, and my Dad and Marilynn joined. By mid-day on Christmas Eve, rain turned to snow, and finally it was a winter wonderland. All the rain was a problem though, and we had some issues with standing water near that house that required some trenching and digging to keep the water flowing.
We had a nice Chirstmas Eve dinner and opened presents with my Dad and Marilynn. Later that evening the power went out.
The next morning 1. we still had not power and 2. jason's thrumb was even more swollen and red. He decided he needeed to go to urgent care down in Truckee (our second Christmas visit to Truckee urgent care, see 2023 for when Alaina had strep throat!). Thank goodness for that place. Anyway, in Truckee, they lanced into his finger to help drain the infection, and started him on a new antibiotic. Around lunchtime, the power thankfully came back on. We enjoyed a delicious prime rib dinner, finished cleaning up, and boom, out went the power again.
Early morning on the 26th, the power fired back up, and I was able to bake some cinnamon rolls that had been sitting in the fridge awaiting a working oven! We got about 4 feet of snow in total, and spent some time digging out. My Dad and Marilynn headed home and we awaited the weather to clear up a bit and the ski resorts to open.
The next day the kids got some skiing in, but Ethan still was feeling under the weather, and the altitutde was not helping. I did a little cross country--the landscape was beautiful.
The following day was another ski day, but Ethan gave up after only one tough run and Alaina got cold quickly. On Monday, Jason's finger started swelling up again, and he reached out to a friend who is also a hand surgeon, who suggested that his fingernail needed to be removed. So, we decied to leave the cabin that night so Jason could have the procedure done on Tuesday morning back in SF. Jason and the kids enjoyed one good day of skiing while I packed up the cabin and we headed back late Monday night.
Tuesday morning, Jason's fingernail was removed as promised (gross), and we spent time organizing and cleaning the house.
For New Year's we went to a friend's house for dinner, and Ethan got a babysitting gig to make a little money.
Now, vacation is over, and quite honestly it did not feel like much of a vacation at all. Oh well.
