Happy New Year, all! We wrapped up the last days of 2022 with a couple field trips, some low key activities and a trip to Tahoe with our church. Good times!
The school year finished up strong with events for both Kai and Sora. I'm glad they like Noble and have made some good friends there. It's certainly not a fancy school but I hope that our kids find their place and enjoy the experience.
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Sora had a class potluck party.. thank goodness
the days of pandemic-no-sharing-touching are behind us |
Amy chaperoned Kai's class on their field trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was their big trip for the year (as Kai is no longer in PPP so doesn't get as many events) so I am glad he got to go as he had a mild illness a couple days before.
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| Kai really enjoyed touching the rays |
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| The Open Ocean tank is always amazing |
We had our neighborhood Xmas party with many of the other parents in our neighborhood. We had a white elephant gift exchange as well but for "no price", so basically, just looking around the house for things we weren't using and then wrapping it up. The items ranged from a used candle to a UV phone sanitizer to Japanese Pokemon cards. Lots of fun..
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| Kegan got a magnetic dart board! |
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| Kids got to play video games.. |
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| .. while adults talked and finished our advent leftovers |
We had dinner with Amy's parents, David and Sunny's family on Christmas Eve which was very nice. The kids went to sleep late (Sora has been having trouble falling asleep especially) and woke up to presents under the tree. We (and Santa) didn't go all out this year but between the white elephant, grandparents and friends, they still got plenty of loot.
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| Christmas morning (before I went off to work :p) |
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Lots of Pokemon cards (thanks largely
to our neighbor David!) |
That week, Amy also got in a hike up to Mission peak.
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Amazing that some people carry a tree up there
every year |
We and the Connicks also made Oreo cookie scenes (in lieu of gingerbread houses)!
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| Definitely tastier than gingerbread houses |
I had to work a lot while the kids were off school (sigh, the life of an ER doctor) in trade for getting the weekend off to go to on the snow trip but it was mostly ok. Amy did take the kids up to the Academy of Sciences with Dali and the Kongs.
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| Fun times with friends |
and we still made it to Christmas in the Park this year. The best part was when we saw the Toyon Elementary tree and then found Jad's decoration that he made right on it :)
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| Christmas in the Park at dusk |
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| Jad and the Toyon tree |
After a long week of work, we packed on Wednesday (last minute as usual) and set off on Thursday morning for Tahoe with the LSCC folks. We were lucky (blessed?) to have a good drive there with clear roads, even though it has been raining here all week. We got to play in the snow for a bit that evening but Friday was mostly raining so we huddled in doors. The kids ran around and also played a lot of video games. Saturday night, the dump started and we woke up to fresh snow on the ground so we went sledding that day with the church folks. In total there was about 20 inches of snow that day which was more than we've ever seen in one day. The power to the conference center went out twice and, for a bit, we wondered if we'd have heating for Saturday night but thankfully, it got resolved by nightfall. Sunday, things cleared up and, after digging our car out, we were able to drive home without much trouble, even the chains didn't cause much of issue this time. The only downside to the trip was that the Shaws got sick and couldn't make it so Evelyn and William couldn't come. A great trip otherwise!
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| A rainy-snowy drive to the mountains |
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I helped the kids build a snow fort but it
melted in the night |
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Kai was always with Niko or Brandon,
whether inside or outside |
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| Sora was always with Noe and Jad most of the time |
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There was a lot of video games this trip,
especially with all the indoor time |
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Kids ate on their own for much of the trip
though Jad still needed lots of encouragement |
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Jad made friends with a new kid, Lukas,
but still played with Jubilee and others |
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| Woke up to snowfall on Saturday morning |
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| Do you wanna build a snowman? |
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| Jad and Sora at the top of the sledding hill |
On Friday, the power went out for a couple hours and then again on Saturday for about 4 hours. We were pretty well prepared with food and, even if the heat had been off, probably would have been ok through the night. The kids had a blast running around in the dark and someone had brought some glow sticks so that was a lucky break. I had to make sure the little kids all were carrying glow sticks so the teens wouldn't crash into them in the dark.
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The camera exposure makes it seems bright
but it was actually pretty dark |
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Adults hunkered down in the main room with puzzles,
board games, food and drink :) |
Our car was totally buried in the snow! The other dads and I dug out all the cars in the lot (exhausting!) but it was a bonding experience. I sure don't miss living where it snows :p
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Lucky, Amy thought to put the
windshield wipers up before they froze |
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The car had a snow hat for much of
the uneventful drive home |
While we were gone, it rained a lot in San Jose as well and the normal trickle of Penetencia Creek became a roaring river. It stopped just short of overflowing the banks. Lots of rain is good for the drought, maybe just not all at once.. We still have another week of rain ahead though.
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| It almost came over the Noble Bridge |
Lastly, we found Sesame at home when we arrived. He came running when Sora called, probably hungry for his dinner. Today, Amy brought him to the vet and he got neutered and chipped. I guess he's officially our cat now.
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| Making himself at home |
Happy New Year, everyone! May 2023 be full of joy and blessing :)
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