Okay, so what happened after we got back from our cruise … well, we flew back on a Friday, which meant I had the weekend to rest. Saturday after Calie’s ballet class, we took the kids to “Kids Day in the Park.” The kids did crafts, carnival games, and bounce houses.

  

  

In the evening, Calie went to Cassie’s birthday party at Tricks … so much fun, especially the trampoline and swing! Happy 4th Birthday Cassie!

  

 

Sunday, after a short jog with Bev, I took the kids to the Sacramento Children’s museum. Since we’re members, we were able to get in an hour earlier than public hours, before it got too crowded. There was a new string exhibit, and the kids potted wild flowers. Back at home we planted the flowers, as well as 2 tomato plants, and some basil.

  

  

Taking advantage of jetlag, I took a few 5:45am yoga classes the following work week. I was hoping to make it a habit, but it was too much. I can’t get up to exercise at 5:15am, put in a full work day, play with kids and manage the household in the evening, and then log into work and catch up on housework after the kids are in bed. A more capable (or highly caffeinated) person maybe, but not me. At least not long term - I know my limits!

The following weekend, we drove to San Francisco to celebrate James’ Intel Achievement Award (IAA) with a 2-night stay at the Fairmont hotel. Friday night, there was a dessert reception. Since we didn’t have time for dinner, we made impromptu mini sandwiches from the cheese platter. Dessert was terrific … lots of bit sized treats from cupcakes to fruit tarts to cheese cake. There was also a made-to-order banana foster station. To entertain the kids, Kinect game stations were set up around the room.

  

Upon seeing James’ award, Zach asked,”How come Mommy didn’t one?” I’m glad he believes I am capable of getting one – and of course I’m going to try and prove it!

 

Saturday, we thought we would take a trolley to Pier 39. While waiting for the trolley, James calculated that it would cost us almost $50 for the trip. We had some concerns since Calie’s only 3 … but cheapness prevailed and we decided to walk it. It was actually a great decision because the weather was terrific and we got some exercise. We strolled around Pier 39, the kids rode on the carousel, we looked over the pier and saw Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz, and then had lunch at Boudin before heading to Ghirardelli Square for dessert. With our bellies full, the kids and I sang the whole way back as a distraction from the uphill climb – totally sweaty, but we made it! $48 saved…  ka-ching! While James watched the kids back at The Fairmont, I walked around San Francisco for 2 hours. I love walking around the city … I treated myself to a Lululemon jacket and leggings, and got a manicure. When I got back, it was time to get ready for the “Awards Ceremony.”

  

 

The IAA was very nice … it started with mingling, networking, and cocktails in a smaller room. We were one of the first arrivals. and it wasn’t very crowded at all. Suddenly James said,”Hey, look behind you.” I turned around and my face lit up as I saw a waiter walk by with a platter of hor d’oeuvres, in arm’s reach. Yes! My mouth was full when James corrected me with:”Um. I meant Paul.” Our CEO was standing right next to us.  I walked over to introduce myself as part of the Graphics Software team, and told him how great it was that babysitting was provided upstairs. I told him James also worked at Intel, and he replied with “Maybe you’ll win next time.”  After talking to a few other executives and IAA winners (including Melissa’s brother Greg), we were escorted to the main dining room.

 

For Paul’s keynote/welcome speech, he mentioned the babysitting upstairs with all the details I told him in our short conversation. I was pleased he remembered! James said,”Must be nice not being another guy in a dark suit.” But let’s face it, I’m also a better conversationalist. At the end of the speech, Paul revealed a pile of Ultrabooks behind the curtains – this year, all the winners would take home an Ultrabook. During dinner, we were entertained with professional Tango dancing and short, entertaining videos of the 20 winning accomplishments. After dinner, there was dancing (and drinks and desserts) back at the cocktail room, but babysitting was only open until 10pm, so we called it a night.

  

The next morning, we met up with my Aunt Helena, Cousin Ricky, my sisters and their significant others for dim sum at Koi Palace.

 

After brunch, we drove to my Grandparents’ grave site to pay our respects. My kids have never been to a cemetery before, so I was a bit concerned about how they would act, but they did fine. They kowtow’d with the rest of us. Calie found some Easter toys next to a headstone that I had to put back, and Zach was mostly interesting in doing the math to figure out how long people lived.

 

The drive home was uneventful, and we got home early enough to rest up for the work week ahead! Kicked it up a notch these past 2 weeks with either yoga or jogging or boxing 4-5x a week. Alas the scale is not budging, but at least I feel stronger and more toned. Sort of. Maybe. Thursday after work, we went to Zach’s school open house. Then on Friday, a Mother’s Day Tea in Calista’s class. Unfortunately I had a work meeting scheduled on top of the first half hour.

Me: “Calista, I have something to tell you. I am going to be late for your tea party because I have a meeting at work. Is that okay?”

Calie: “Oh Mommy! Don’t be sad. It’ll be okay, I promise. You have a job to do. Just don’t be all the way late” (ie miss the whole thing)

And that’s the exact quote. Sometimes it’s hard to believe she’s only 3. Anyway, fortunately I found out it was open house style, so parents will be coming in an out … and hence not a big deal to come in 30 minutes late.

  

 

(Note: We do not have a fish tank)

After the tea, it was cardio boxing with Melissa followed by dinner at Chicago Fire and dessert at Pinkberry with our families. Saturday was ballet for Calie, a morning jog and yoga for me with coworkers (plus a 2nd yoga class in the late afternoon with Calie). We also had Alex and Nicole over for a games playdate … we are now 0 for 3 in Pandemic. In the evening, James and I went to Chez Daniels for our date night – how wonderful to have such a romantic restaurant, with such good food, in our small town. We shared an escargot appetizer, James had beef tenderloin, and I had lamb. The price went up since our last visit, but it’s still a great deal – soup, salad, entree, and dessert for $30 Prix Fixe.

 

 

Tomorrow morning … I’m off on a girl’s getaway with my BFFs to celebrate Kathy’s 40th birthday! (Feeling like I’m living out of a suitcase lately, but NOT complaining!)

Mid/end of April, I received an extra week off work. Not willing to spend my days milling around town, I decided to take my parents on a cruise. My dad mentioned there were cruises leaving out of the Baltimore port, which would be extremely convenient for them since they live minutes away. With my friend Kathy’s help, I booked 2 rooms on Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas. Since James had to work and Zach had school, my travel companion and cabin mate was Calista. Our ports were Bermuda (2 days) and Boston, MA (1.5 days.) Without further ado, the highlights of our 8-day cruise:

Bermuda: I originally thought we were stopping in the Bahamas, which I’ve visited before. So I did no research. The weekend before my trip, my friend Kathy caught my mistake and informed me I was actually heading to Bermuda. WHAT?! Well, she was right, and I was unprepared in terms of what to do. My parents and I perused the excursions but none of them seemed interesting. We decided to explore the island ourselves, taking the famous pink buses. We docked in King’s Wharf and rode a ferry to the capital, Hamilton. Then it was off to St. George’s via the pink buses! On the way, we passed by some very expensive homes, including one that used a real cave as a swim up bar. There were numerous golf courses and tennis courts. We also stopped for a tour at Crystal Caves … which for $20/person was a bit overpriced (Luray Caverns in Maryland is much more impressive.)

 

  

We finally reached St. Georges and walked around town … saw St Peter’s church (oldest Anglican church in the Western hemisphere) and King’s Square. Had I done my research, I would have also wanted to see the Unfinished Cathedral, but we didn’t know about it.  

  

 

The next day, we stayed in Hamilton and King’s Wharf, not wanting to stray too far from the ship the day of departure. We visited Bermuda Cathedral in Hamilton, walked down Front Street (famous for high end stores), and the Naval Dockyard (shopping, a small park, and a hidden cove!)

  

 

  

The below photo of my mom walking with Calista (holding an ice cream) brought back memories of living in England. Sophie was about the same age as Calista is now.

  

The cove was very empty, had shallow/calm waters, and so many shells - We wished we had more time to spend there!

 

  

Bermuda was the highlight of our trip – what a great island with friendly people. Very much unlike the Bahamas, where we were constantly being harassed to buy stuff, get our hair braided, or take tours in questionable looking vans.

Boston: Since we’ve all (minus Calie) been to Boston before, it didn’t make sense to take any tours. I lived there for 5 years after all. (Note: The T is now using electronic cards, they added a silver line, and rides are $2 … vs. 85 cents. Wow, I feel old!) We took the T from the ship dock to Kendall Square … walked through the Media Center and the Infinite Corridor.

   

(Warning! Trip down memory lane: I remember how tough it was going from a straight-A student in high school to a struggling B student at MIT – I didn’t know it at the time, but not being an A student was one of life’s best lessons. It taught me how to prioritize and focus on the big picture, not stress or over think details. I remember my friend Natalie and I boosting our own crushed egos by reminding each other what great attributes we had beyond the score on our exams. Dr. Natalie and I are both doing pretty well, if I do say so myself! )

 

  

Anyway, I digress. My parents, Calista, and I crossed Harvard Bridge for lunch (we were all craving Chinese food) on Beacon street.  After lunch, we got off at Downtown Crossing to check out deals but realized Filene’s Basement was closed. So we walked around Boston Commons instead before heading back to the ship.

At sea days: The weather was cool and windy, so we didn’t get to use the pool. Calista and I did sit in a hot tub once by ourselves though. I made it to the top of the rock wall on the top deck … quite nerving looking down into the ocean from the top! There was no line, and I was told that a few weeks ago, the line wrapped around the deck; there were 800+ kids on the ship because of spring break vs only 50 on our week. Nice! I also wanted to try the bungee jumping, but it was always closed when I checked due to strong winds.

 

  

Also at sea, we made jewelry sets … earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. They sold additional kits for $10, but we only made the complimentary ones. And of course, there was evening entertainment and a few deck parties. There was also a section of shops onboard with raffles – out of literally hundreds of people, Calie won 3 $10 items of her choice. She picked a red evening purse, a purple slap bracelet watch with rhinestones, and a tie for James.  Another indoor activity was perusing the walls of passenger photos and critiquing them. So judgmental! (And so fun … tee hee hee!) 

  

  

And no post of mine would be complete without food. There was nothing super impressive, but everything was very good. My favorite meal was the made-to-order salad lunch at My Fair Lady – I love a fresh, substantial (read: not healthy) salad!

 

  

(It seemed, every evening someone was celebrating a birthday or anniversary, so Calista asked if we could pretend it was her birthday. The waiters were happy to oblige, and it totally made her evening!)

 

Overall, a good trip. The ship was a bit older/dated and the weather was not ideal, but the staff was very friendly. And of course you can’t beat spending quality time with your family (parents), not doing housework, and sleeping in. After all, that’s what vacation is about!

  

Fun week with friends (mine and Zach’s)! My friend Sandy and her husband Neuzil hosted a Wine Tasting party Saturday night. There were many bottles of wine to try, and even more food … I counted 19 platters. She even put out a cheese plate with me in mind – it’s no secret amongst my friends that cheeses are a great weakness of mine.

  

Since Rachel’s birthday was earlier this month, we had to stick a candle on a cream puff and sing “Happy Birthday!” What a great party – so nice seeing all my friends. And Sandy can definately add “chef” to her resume – what an incredible spread, and everything looked as good as it tasted too!

 

Sunday, we hosted Zachary’s 8th birthday party at an indoor rock climbing place. We celebrated with Aunt Sophie, Uncle Eddie, and 7 of his best friends. If sweat and dirt indicates a good time, he had a blast!

 

(Part of me is impressed, but then again, I think … I have to haul up ~100 more lbs!)

 

He’s not a fan of cake, but LOVES cookies … so a cookie cake was perfect for him.

  

Since Sophie and Eddie visited, we played Stone Age after the kids went to bed. Two yoga classes, a ~3 mile run, massage, and working until 1am rounded out the weekend for me.

 

Monday evening, I went on a triple date with my previous manger and my admin. Love the work discount card - buy 1 get 1 free at Fats! Also added a picture of Zachary’s gingerbread man he decorated for his classroom. And course, Calie had to make one too … she cut out a photo of Zachary’s face to paste on the gingerbread man (is she mocking him?) Speaking of Calie … super Calie is back. A few months ago she retired her cape after a boy in class told her “girls can’t be super heroes.” Today, she put her cape (and sunglasses) on, marched into her classroom, and told him,”My mom said you’re wrong.”

  

Pura Vida! We are back from an 8 day vacation to Costa Rica! It was SO much fun, and I was impressed by how well the kids travelled. We went as a late celebration for James’ 40th birthday (in January) so we focused the activities on what we wanted to do rather than the kids. My sister Alice and her friend Kathryn joined us, which was great. They are super flexible travellers and really good at entertaining the kids. It was all of our first time visiting Central America.

Day 1: Travel day … a 3 leg flight, followed by 1 piece of lost luggage, and some trouble finding our transfer to the hotel. My cough attacks were pretty bad in San Jose due to the pollution. Vacation started off a little rough, but it was all uphill from there! We stayed at Trapp Family Country Inn in Alajuena, a few minutes from San Jose airport. Alice and Katheryn got there earlier and had time for a swim and dinner before we arrived. As we got there late, we pretty much went straight to bed. The next morning, we had a breakfast of traditional rice/beans/cilantro, fruit, scrambled eggs, and toast. The pineapple in Costa Rica is SO good! All the hotels we stayed at included breakfast, which was nice.

 

Day 2: To La Fortuna! After breakfast, we got into the Desafio (tour company I used to plan this trip) van and headed to La Fortuna, about a 3 hour trip through winding streets. (Note: If you are prone to motion sickness, you may want to take a Dramamine) Since the piece of lost luggage was my/Calie’s clothes … I borrowed from Alice, and Calie borrowed from Zachary. In terms of having to lose 1 out of 3 suitcases, we lost the right one. It would have been a much bigger issue if James or Zach’s luggage went missing. We stayed at Hotel Los Lagos, which was a great resort at the base of the Arenal volcano.

  

The Los Lagos resort had a butterfly farm, an enclosed area with turtles and a few crocodiles, a greenhouse with frogs, and an area where you could see leaf cutter ants at work (which sounds kind of boring but was actually the most fascinating.) Lizards were everywhere, but often camouflaged, and the kids had fun trying to spot them.

 

  

The resort also had multiple pools, 3 slides (recklessly fast = more fun), and a few hot springs which were heated by the volcano. I noticed that there were no signs/warnings about who could use the hot springs, and there was no one at the top of the water slide monitoring when the next person could go. You had to use common sense, rather than follow rules.

  

In the late afternoon, we went on a guided hike near the base of the volcano and got to experience walking through a rainforest. It was very green and lush, and we spotted a parrot eating guava on a tree. Since we didn’t have a car, we had dinner at the resort, which ran us around $15 per entree. Typical Costa Rican food isn’t my favorite … rice, beans, salad, fried plantains. Meh. And poor Alice, who can’t stand cilantro – it was in almost everything!

  

 

Day 3:Bright and early, after a hotel breakfast buffet at 6:30am, we took a van to the Arenal Hanging Bridges (Arenal Volcano National Park). We had a private guide take us on a 2 mile hike through the rainforest across hanging bridges. You definitely can’t be afraid of heights! We saw howler monkeys, spider monkeys (including a baby), lots of coatis, a pit viper, and a blue jean frog. After the hike, Desafio tour company laid out an impressive spread of drinks (water, juice, Imperial beer) and fruit (mango, pineapple, watermelon) for us.

 

  

 

Then we headed to Tabacon Hot Springs (day pass for $60pp), which was amazing. I was bracing for crowds, but with their sheer number of pools and waterfalls, it actually felt empty at times. Based on reviews I’ve read, we opted to skip their pricey buffet and eat at the pool bar. There were scattered tropical showers late afternoon, which made it very hard to leave the warm water. We spent ~6 hours at the resort!

 

  

 

Day 4: James, Alice, and Kathryn went canyoneering, where they rappelled down 4 tropical waterfalls and hiked to a canyon. It was one of the best adventures (according to them, as I was watching the kids back at the resort).

  

Back at the hotel, I took the kids to see the animals again and spent the day at the pools. Los Lagos also had some thermal pools – not as nice as Tabacon, but no complaints here! After lunch, James, Alice, and Kathryn joined us poolside.

 

  

In the evening, we took a hike up towards the volcano, where there was a small version of hanging bridges to a tree top platform. We hiked until it got dark and then ran back down the hill – it was actually kind of scary since it was so dark And sadly, I was OOS (out of shape) since my legs were sore afterwards.

  

 

Day 5: It was time to leave La Fortuna and head to Monteverde! It was James’ turn to take the kids … Alice, Kathryn, and I took a short boat ride across Lake Arenal for horseback riding. It all seemed very suspicious, as we had to get on a boat with some guy we didn’t know and didn’t have any tour company shirt on. And then we were delivered to another random guy who took us through some brush. I thought,”If we don’t see horses in 5 minutes, I’m going to run.” But we did.  

 

I was expecting a slow, single file horseback ride like the tours I’ve had in the States. Nope, these horses would break out in trots and try to lead the pack. Alice’s horse went off the trail a few times. We all seriously thought there was a chance of falling off, and were laughing like crazy when the horses started “stampeding”. So much fun! We took a break halfway through the ride at a farm for fresh pineapple. Pineapples in Costa Rica are the best I’ve ever tasted … so sweet and juicy. Yum!

  

After 3 hours of horseback riding (butt = ouch!), we met James and the kids in a van and were driven the rest of the way to Monteverde. Monteverde is a VERY small town. We stayed at the Rustic Lodge and walked into town … literally a 10 min walk on part sidewalk, part street, and dirt road …  for groceries and meals. The day we arrived, we ate at The Treehouse restaurant. The food was really good – highly recommend their salads, and James thought their chicken sandwich was pretty terrific too. Only complaint would be the excess of mayonnaise, which seems very popular in Costa Rica. The owner of Rustic Lodge (Jose) was super nice … he made fresh squeezed lemonade for us when we checked in. We spotted a sloth (!) right outside Alice and Kathryn’s room.

 

There were tables outside and in the common dining area, so we ended the day playing games.

  

Day 6: HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY ZACHARY! For his birthday, James, Alice, Kathryn, and Zach went zip lining. This was the highlight of Zachary’s trip. He’s not a very expressive kid, but James said he had a smile on his face the whole time … and was laughing during the Tarzan swing. As a parent, there’s not much more joy than seeing your child so happy. The zip line adventure was crowded, so it felt a bit impersonal, but it was still a neat experience. If you can do both, obviously do both … but in case you’re limited in time or money, Alice, Kathryn, and James all agreed canyoneering was more fun.

  

 

Back at the lodge, I took Calie into town (dodging stray dogs) for ice cream. We walked around and bought some snacks. After the rest of the group got back from zip lining, we headed to Morphos for an early dinner. Morphos was recommended by the receptionist at Rustic Lodge and also Frommer’s. While Kathryn thought her sea bass dish was one of the best entrees in Costa Rica, I was pretty disappointed in the salad and vegetables. I prefered The Treehouse. We were a bit rushed, as Kathryn and Alice scheduled massages back at the Lodge ($45/hr). After they left, James and I took the kids to Orchids coffee house for cookies, cake, 2 brownies, and coffee to celebrate Zachary’s birthday. On the way there, we saw a parade since it was Holy Week. We ended the day playing games in the common area, eating snacks, and sipping on mint tea and hot chocolate that Jose made for us – such hospitality!

  

 

Day 7:  Our last full day was our free day … so of course, we had to fill it with activities, right? I started the day off right with a 7am massage. We went on the El Trapiche Coffee Tour. It exceeded expectations, and I felt totally worth the $23pp. Transportation was provided, and was a very short ride from our lodge. We saw how coffee was planted and got to taste the raw beans from the plant (sweet). The guide was quite knowledgable and explained the different qualities of coffee beans. We then headed to see how machines peeled, sorted, and roasted the beans. For such simple, crude machines, they were surprisingly effective.

  

We also saw a sloth, and the kids rode in an ox cart! The tour also included a stop at a tilapia pond, and we saw banana, plantain, papaya, pineapple, arracache (root vegetable) and sugar cane plants. We tried pure sugar cane, and saw how the sugar water was extracted. There were also mimosa pudica (the “shy plant” that closes up when touched) along the side of the trail. On a previous hike, some older kids closed all the plants’ leaves and Calie didnt’ get a chance. As soon as Zach saw the same plant, he quickly said to the rest of us,”Don’t touch anymore”, yelled “Come here Calie, hurry!”, and ran to bring her to the plants. I don’t know why, but that was endearing to me.

 

 

  

The kids got to make candy using the sugar cane water that was extracted. It was boiled until it was a tan color and mixed with your choice of coconut, chocolate, and/or peanuts. They also demo’d how brown sugar was made – it tasted like pumpkin pie! We ended the tour in a big clean kitchen with picnic tables. We enjoyed a cup of their coffee and lemonade sweetened with brown sugar, as well as a delicious minced arracache wrapped in fresh corn tortilla. The tour ran about 2 hours and was definitely both educational and fun.

 

For late lunch/dinner (we tend to eat 2 meals in Costa Rica since the breakfasts are so big), we had pizza, spaghetti, and fruit smoothies. It was quite a good meal, as I love super thin pizza … and the fruit smoothies were pure fruit with no sugar or juice, for under $2!

  

In the evening, we went on a night hike through Hidden Valley Trail. We followed a guide in the pitch black with flashlights. We did see a porcupine in a tree and a sloth, but otherwise it was just bugs. There were a few night hike companies, and I wonder if there would have been more to see if we went with a different tour. Oh well. At least we saw a tarantula up close! ~shudder!~

  

Day 8: Time to head home! What a long day. We got up late (8am is late for us now, as we were used to ~7am tour pick ups), and took a 3.5 hour van ride back to San Jose airport. And then it was 2 legs (including a stop at customs) back home. By the time we got home from the airport, it was close to 1am. And then? Rise and shine the next morning to run a department meeting …  followed by Happy Hour at Chicago Fire, and a grocery run. Next time, I’m going to take a day off from work to get the household in order (and sleep in) after vacation! I have no idea what I was thinking planning a department meeting the day after getting back – I even ran 20 minutes over because I was so delirious, I think I was talking in circles. That said, for as long as I am able, I plan to work hard and play hard. There are just so many places I want to go and things I want to do/accomplish.

And for the rest of March? A post that seems to focus on food and deals … more so than normal.

Zachary’s class went to a dance studio to watch his teacher perform – and take a mini lesson of their own! We also had a playdate at Bounce Palace with my friend Richele and her 3 kids. It was more crowded than it was when we went earlier this month, but still fun. Because they were late to open, they let families in for $5 total (instead of $8 per child). We had enough jump time anyway, so it worked well for us!

  

 

Zach went to Nolan’s birthday party, where they watched ‘The Lorax’ and had dinner at Chicago Fire, followed by a video games and sleeping in a tent. Happy 8th Birthday Nolan! While Zach was off at his party, Calista wanted to go to Kids Camp (it makes her feel like she’s going to a party too.) Luckily, it was free meal weekend and with a ‘free hour’ coupon, we dropped her off at “her party” for ~$3 while James and I enjoyed time to ourselves at Land Ocean. Love their pork chops. Well, I ordered the ahi salad, but one of the bonuses to marrying James is his inability to finish adult-sized entrees. We had beef wellington as our complimentary appetizers, which were also good but a little too rich. I am realizing this post makes me seem really, really cheap (and possibly also a glutton) … it’s not like I specifically seek out deals … they find me. I get sent promotional flyers and coupons all the time. I might as well use them! Anyway, I digress. We also celebrated Maya’s 2nd birthday at her home on St. Patrick’s day and played a game of “Guess that Song” that Dave put together for her (awww.) Happy 2nd Birthday Maya!

  

 

Lots of cookie making this month (at least 2 batches made … and I guess also eaten … oops)

  

Playdate with Alex and Nicole … always a fun time. The kids like many of the same games, and Sam makes the best warm spinach salad. The beef bourguignon was delicious too, although most of the kids would contend that statement … vehemently.

 

 

Some people from work got together for an evening at Tommy T’s comedy club (eh. Some funny parts, mostly just lewd.) And we also celebrated a teammate getting his U.S. citizenship – congratulations Yuriy! We had lunch at Santa Maria Grill … ’cause Americans love barbecues, right?

  

And I’ve been good to myself too … mani/pedi, brow threading, facial, massage, yoga with Kathy, and a double date with Marissa/Josh at Fats. All using coupons and promotional deals! (I’m re-reading this post for edits, and um … yep, I’m definately a cheap glutton …)

Unfortunately, the fun and games ended this week, with me catching one of the worst illnesses I’ve ever had. I don’t even remember anything hitting me so quickly. I felt a scratchy throat come on late in the afternoon and bam! 102 fever within hours that lasted 2 days. 2.5 work days missed (my back actually hurts from lying in bed for so long), and I’m still not 100%. Yet the parenting role doesn’t pause for illness … the Easter bunny still must come! Early, in fact. The last weekend in March, it was Easter egg hunt, ballet class, kids’ yoga, and a trip to the library before flying to Costa Rica for a week of vacation!

 

  

Mikunis to celebrate a work milestone … and tulips in our front yard. We gave our gardener a raise, and he surrpised us by planting flowers in our yard!

 

So what’s been up since our trip to Hawaii?

Playdate for Calie and Thrivik at Bounce Palace:

  

Dinner at Dana and Dave’s house, where we had buffalo chicken salad – a great recipe I think I’m going to copy. We have salad at home all the time, and I could easily pick up a few chicken strips in the cafeteria at work. Toss with hot sauce and voila! I love simple, yummy recipes – thanks Dana!

 

‘AfternoonTea’ themed birthday party for Nicole. The kids decorated frames with jewels, and had sandwiches, fruit, pesto pasta, and pink lemonade for lunch. For dessert, there was an assortment of sweets, including homemade mini cupcakes made to look like high heel shoes. How cute! Happy 5th Birthday Nicole!

  

 

A trip to play in the snow. We found a free sledding hill right off the highway, about 30 minutes from our home. We built a fort and snowman, had a snowball fight (I won), and sledded. The highlight was when Zachary and my sled went across a big puddle. It was one of those you-saw-it-coming-but-there’s-nothing-you-can-do-about-it-except-scream moments. It so sunny that by the time we left, the snow was slushy.

 

 

  

Dinner playdate with Alex and Nicole. I was on a cooking kick, inspired by the finale of Top Chef, and wanted to try a few new recipes. We had giant scallops in white wine sauce, baked cod, and butter lettuce with heirloom cherry tomatoes, red onions, and Pt. Reyes blue cheese. It was quite good, but I was bummed I didn’t get a good sear on my scallops. I think I should have waited for the butter to get hotter. Next time!

 

Girls night out at Paul Martin’s American Bistro with Sandy, Dana, Rachel, Karen, and Kathy. “Awesome” company.  I highly recommend the $30 prix fixe meal with either the braised short ribs or hanger steak. My salad was just okay – the shrimp was over cooked and for $17, I expected more. After dinner, the other gals went Glow Bowling, but I headed home because I wanted to get up for an early morning run the next day. I’ve been really good this month with exercising at least 3x a week … a mix of jogging 3-4 miles, yoga, and cardio boxing. Alas, I am still at the high range of my healthy weight (pushing 140lbs) … I know the key is fewer calories, but I love food too much. *Sigh!*

 

We still have dance every Saturday for Calista – and sometimes we treat ourselves to Jamba Juice afterwards with friends Hayden and Hannah:

   

And we also have Zach’s basketball practice and games. This past weekend marked the last game though – we had our end-of-season party at Round Table:

 

  

Playdate with Alex and Nicole. James made bacon ranch chicken burgers and garicky roasted broccoli for lunch. Afterwards we played a fun new game ‘Pandemic’, where we work together (unlike many games), to find cures and wipe out disease. We totally lost. It was so fun though, and Zach’s already asking when we can play again! (Me too!) Sam and I took the kids to catch a matinee showing of The Lorax afterwards.

 

In the evening, we supported “Gathering of the Gators”, a PTA fundraiser for Zach’s school. There was music, a magician (the same guy from Jack’s 4th birthday party!), balloon twisters, and a photo booth. We had a spaghetti buffet, and people could bid for parking spaces and lunch with their teachers. It was okay. There’s definitely a group of moms that are super involved in the classrooms, so I’m a bit of an outsider … yet I feel no incentive to make new friends.

 

And this week? Team building – designing catapults with a limited bag of supplies. The goal was to hit targets and the winning team got Jamba Juice giftcards.  Creative teambuilders are the best!

  

In terms of milestones, we’ve basically lost all the endearing mispronounced words from Calie. No more “yay-gurt” or “Blue-blarries” or “heli-doctors.” She’s definitely the talker in the family, often opening up conversations by asking what I did at work. Speaking of which … one day I picked her up early and she told me.”Why are you picking me up so early? You need to work harder.” The next day, just coincidentally (I’m not going to admit to taking her advice), I was later picking her up and was reprimanded with,”Why did you pick me up so late? You need to work faster.” And funny part is that when she says this, she’s rolling her arms as if I’m pedaling in a factory at work. (What does she think I do all day?!) Other interesting responses:

Anyone: How old are you?

Calista: I’m 3. But I’m size 4.

Anyone: You are so cute/beautiful

Calista: And I also know everything

Kind of interesting seeing how confident she is. I wonder at what age she’ll start hiding her age and size. If ever. And I wonder how her self-esteem might change as she gets older. I know for me, I go through stages where I lack confidence in specific skills .. but in general, I know I pretty much rock. Maybe she’s me. Maybe when she’s 37-years-old, she’ll still be confident in herself. And you know what? I’d be pretty happy with that.  

As for Zach, he’s competing in his school for a spot in the Math Bowl again. And James received the Intel Achievement Award, which means a banquet at the Fairmont in SF in a few months. I’ve already purchased a new dress for $9.98 at Wisebuys.

Ending with random pictures of kids playing througout the last few weeks:

 

 

Zach got all of President’s week off, so we took our first family vacation of 2012… and really, the first big one since our Disney cruise to Alaska 8 months ago.

No diaper bag and no stroller! Kids are pulling their own carry-ons. A few more years and we’ll lose the carseats too. For someone who loves travelling as much as I do, this is a big deal.  And before I forget – a huge thanks to my friend Kathy, who set up this vacation for us. Best travel agent ever!

Day 1 (Sunday): Travel to Oahu … stayed at Turtle Bay and got upgraded to a corner ocean view suite! Dinner that night at Ola’s over looking the ocean. I need to watch ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ again, just so I can recall the set. It was filmed at Turtle Bay, with a few scenes shot at Ola.

  

 

Turtle Bay is definitely more of a couples resort, although they did have a pool with slide. They also had fresh pineapple juice in the lobby, which was a nice touch. For the price ($300/2 nights on a holiday weekend), I was impressed.

  

  

Day 2 (Monday): Spent the day at Kualoa Ranch. We got there pretty early and there were a few moments of light tropical rain … which meant rainbows!

  

I did a 2 hour horseback ride in the valley, while James took the kids on the Ancient Fish Pond and Garden tour.  My tour guide showed us numerous movie and TV sites … there was even a filming in progress. I was mostly interested in Lost since James and I watched the whole series a few years ago. The Godzilla footprints were pretty neat – they used to be much deeper but had to be filled since cows kept falling in. We also passed some WWII bunkers.

 

 

 

Then after an uneventful cafeteria style lunch at the ranch, James went on a 2-hour ATV ride to approximately the same movie sites. I took the kids on a horse ride (Calie did NOT like it … she loves ponies but the big horses scared her.) I also took the kids on a Jungle Jeep tour, where we got a bird’s eye view of Chinaman’s hat and the ancient fishing pond.

 

  

 

 

That night, we had dinner at Kahuku Grill, famous for their coconut macadamia nut shrimp … and also stopped at the Kahuku Superette for some poke and a banana donut. Yummy! We swam in the ocean and played in the sand in the evening, but quickly ran back to our hotel suite when it started pouring!

  

 

Day 3 (Tuesday): After sleeping in, we drove to Ko O’lina. Having read the Aulani Disney resort restaurant reviews on Yelp (mediocre food at a very high price), we opted to try the new shopping complex across the street. Ko O’lina Hawaiian Bar-B-Que. Their highly rated Mochiko chicken was a bit too fried/greasy for James’ taste, but I liked it. My short ribs were also tasty, and the kids enjoyed their French toast. Definitely not for the health conscious though!

The Aulani looks exactly like it does in the advertisements. We checked in, and took a look at the “Daily ‘IWA” which is best described as a schedule that you’d receive on a cruise ship. The events are color coded by family, kids, and youth (teens).

 

  

We thought the Menehune Trail scavenger hunt (using a small tablet) would be a fun family activity and help familiarize ourselves with the resort layout - but with the glare from the sun, wind, and hula lesson nearby, it was an exercise in patience. I’d advise doing the trails in the evening after dinner. Since some of the experiences use lighting, it’s more impressive in the dark anyway.

  

It was a bit windy, but we went back to our room and got into swimsuits for the tube slides and lazy river. There was a body tube slide (pitch black inside!) and another one where you could use a single or double inner tube. The lazy river went through the volcano, complete with ‘fire’, steam, stalactites, and waterfalls. Very well done, as one would expect from Disney. Fortunately the water was warm, as were the 2 pools and 2 hot tubs (one of which was an infinity pool.) Zach and I did play tag through the water play structure though, which had cold(er) water! We couldn’t visit the Aulani and NOT do it, right? None of the pools were deep or appropriate for lap swimming, so the resort was definitely catered to kids (if the Disney theme didn’t tip you off). I noticed one of the pools was completely shaded by trees, which was a nice option for those wanting to limit their sun exposure.

    

 

 

There was also Disney’s private beach … lots of soft sand and clear, calm waters. Characters were everywhere, showing up not only during designated times for photo ops, but also joining in some of the scheduled activities. The lines were short too – usually 1 person ahead of us, at most 4.

 

There was a “Rainbow Reef”, where for a fee, you could snorkel with fish. Our kids preferred to just watch the fish from the glass window though.

 

Despite all this, Zach complained it was boring and he wanted to play video games on the iPad. The whining plus the frustrating Menehune experience, sent me over the edge and I made an executive decision that we needed to drop the kids off at Aunty’s Beach House for dinner. Auntie’s Beach house has dress up, art/crafts, books, games, computers (for video games), a movie room, and an outdoor area with 3 play structures. There were also tables resembling large tablets where 2-4 kids could play games against each other. Occasionally, there would be group activities like hula lessons. And for $8.55, you could buy dinner for your kids (target customer must have been 2 year olds, as the main dish was a cup of mac and cheese with peas … Zach was starving after dinner and wolfed down 3 cereal bars in the room!)

  

James and I dropped off the kids and headed to Spice House for Thai food. Google Maps is not very accurate in Ko O’lina, and it took us awhile to find the place. The restaurant was small and run down looking, but the food was great. One of the best Tom Yum soups I’ve had, and also a very flavorful tilapia for only $12.99. They didn’t have beer on hand, and suggested that James walk across the parking lot to the 7-11. After 3 hours (some of it driving around lost), we went back to the resort, more relaxed and ready to take on our ungrateful children. We ended the day with stories by the Mo ‘Olelo fire pit. Both kids snuggled up with a parent, and Zachary singing along to ‘Pearly Shells.’ We love our kids, but sometimes you just need a break to reset.

 

Day 4 (Wednesday): I made 7:30am reservations for Aunty’s breakfast celebration at Makahiki, which is a character breakfast. Goofy, Mickey, and Minnie all made appearances. I love that the resort caters to an Asian palette (likely due to the many Japanese visitors). I’m usually not a fan of breakfast foods, but they won me over with dim sum, a smoked salmon spread, grilled fish, and a really good poached egg with wasabi hollandaise sauce on a poi muffin. Of course, we all had Mickey waffles – just like the ones on Disney cruises! At about the time we got seated, there were activities for the kids, where they paraded with shakers and coconut shells and fish puppets. Since we just sat down to eat, we didn’t participate. As the activities were on the half hour, I would recommend making reservation on the hour. That way, you could eat first and then fully engage in the activities. Zachary did good naturedly walk around with a shaker (he wolfed down 3 waffles faster than the rest of us – possibly traumatized by the single cup of food the evening prior), but you could tell the target audience was 2-5 year olds. I did appreciate that Zach was playing along.

  

After breakfast, we watched the first of the twice daily fish feeding at Rainbow Reef. We also checked out the sting ray pool (interactive experience available for ~$50 on select days.)

 

  

Then it was off to the beach for a few hours. Wow. What a nice private beach. Second, in my experience, only to the beaches of the French Polynesian. I’ll let the photos do the talking:

 

  

At 1pm, I made manicure appointments for Calista and myself at the Lanewai Spa. At first Calista protested (wanted to stay with James) but once she got there, he had fun picking out purple nail polish and sparkles. I’m not sure I would do it again. I think I wanted it for the mother/daughter experience, but Calista is a bit young … and I didn’t like that they didn’t offer the safer, non-toxic nail polishes. Also, with all our activities, our manicures were thrashed before we even got back to the mainland. AND we missed a character Shake-a-Shaka pool party … we walked by it, but didnt have time to don on swimsuits to join the fun competitions. After our spa experience, we joined the rest of the family for a poolside lunch at ‘Off the Hook’. My Kahlua pork sandwich with kim chee was pretty terrific.

 

In the late afternoon, we headed to the Pau Hana room to make a craft. Apparently, there is a different craft for every day of the week – that day, we decorated fish hook necklaces. Then we took the kids to an “Aloha Fun with Disney Friends” event, where they learned surf moves, and played surf board versions of musical chairs and ‘Simon Says’. As they were playing, Chip and Dale joined the fun – a nice surprise! After the games, we stopped for shaved ice. Not the fine Hawaiian shaved ice, but the mainland state fair kind with lots of artificial colors. We did get island-ish (artificial I’m sure) flavors though, like lychee and li-huing mui.

   

  

For dinner, we walked across the street to the Only Tacos. The wait was so long that they gave us a 10% discount (we would have preferred faster service) … the food was mediocre, but inexpensive. The kids were exhausted after a long day in the sun and fell asleep as soon as we got back to our room.

Day 5 (Thursday): Best day yet – and of course, our last day. We kicked off the day with Junior Aloha at 8am in the morning at Aunty’s beach house. The kids did stretches and dancing with Minnie. Again, target audience was Calie’s age (2-5 yrs), but Zach participated to keep Calista company. Then it was back at the beach, where Zach and I swam around the cove to the rocks (and I got cut by coral) while James and Calista played in the sand.

 

 

I later buried Zach deep in the sand with his legs elevated to render them useless. Calista at first tried to help him, but gave up quickly and decided it would be the perfect time to repay him for “messing” with her by dumping sand on his head. And after being reprimended, just left him to fend for himself.

  

After we had enough beach, we headed across the resort for lunch at Island Marketplace (same chain as the ABC stores.) I had to have a Spam Musubi and some Ahi poke. After lunch, we shared an ice cream sundae (vanilla and macadamia coconut), which meant we ate at every. single. restaurant. at the new shopping complex. There were numerous open spaces for lease, and I’m sure in the future there will be more options. Since it’s easily walking distance from the Aulani, they are pretty much guaranteed business. I’m sure the lease is expensive though.

  

After our walk back, we headed to the pools – apparently, we don’t have any issues with swimming right after eating. The kids had a fun time splashing around, and it was nice that so much of the pool was shallow. After not swimming all winter, Calista decided she doesn’t like to put her head underwater again. Fortunately, Zach is still swimming, gliding underwater, and diving. Otherwise, a whole year of semi-private lessons would be wasted.

    

 

 

In the evening, we finished the first Menehune Trail scavenger hunt. Very well done with lots of creative secrets to find – my only suggestion would be to have an option to increase the volume. With the wind, piped Hawaiian music, splashing, and resort guests talking, it could be hard to hear the device.

The highlight of the Aulani events was the Starlit Hui, a very family friendly show. The whole event runs 1.5 hours but half of it, the kids were doing crafts and learning the hula. The show was just the right length, with a break, where kids could come up and hula near the stage and join the music with coconut shells. It was very much like a short musical, with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop. The show ended with all the characters getting up on stage. It then became a party, with more current music (ok, the electric slide is not “current” per se, but it’s not generations old) with everyone up and dancing alongside Disney friends.

  

Day 6 (Friday): Time to go home. We had our last breakfast out on our lanai, and then headed to the pools. It was still pretty early, so lines for the water slides were very short. Since our flight wasn’t until 2:40pm, we stayed until 10 minutes prior to check out. It was pretty smooth sailing, getting to the airport, returning the rental car, grabbing lunch at the airport, and flying home. Travelling just gets easier and easier as the kids get older. Aside from our frustrations mid-vacation with Zach’s whining for video games, it went very well.

  

And there we have it. Two nights in North Shore and 3 nights at Disney’s new Aulani resort. If cost were no issue, for families with small children, I’d recommend staying at the Aulani for a week and do a few activities each day, with the majority of the time spent at the pool and beach. If we had a few more days, I would have:

• Bought a $45 day pass to the Laniwai Spa
• Snorkeled Rainbow Reef ($20) … it would also have to be warmer as there was a sign stating the water was cold!
• Had the kids participate in making a volcano and space goo at Auntie’s Beach House (we skipped those, as we did similar projects on a Disney Cruise)
• Completed all 4 outdoor and 1 indoor Menehune trails
• Tried SUP (stand up paddling) on the cove for $30/hr
• Participated in family movie night under the stars
• Taken a shuttle to Ala Moana shopping center (or maybe not)

For the cost/value conscious, I would say that you could fit all the good free activities in 2 nights – but you’d have to do some planning. Get there are early as possible in the day and leave as late as possible (check in is at 3pm and check-out is 11am, but they will hold your bags for you all day) to essentially get 3 days out of a 2 night stay. And make sure the Starlit Hui is scheduled on one of the nights – we stayed Tuesday through Friday, and the show was only on Thursday. This may change, so you’d want to call the hotel to check. If the Character breakfast is a big deal, that’s only select days as well (in our case Wednesday and Friday)… but at ~$100 for a family of 4, it’s not exactly cost conscious.

And just to be clear, Turtle Bay was pretty great too. Let’s just say that when the kids are out of the house (*sniff!*), there is no way in heck I would stay at a Disney resort. For couples and families with older kids … Oahu’s North Shore rocks. If I had more time there, I’d take surfing lessons!

I continue to take cardio boxing with my friends Melissa and Bev. It was a good exercise weekend, as I also ran ~3.5 miles Saturday morning with a group of coworkers. My goal is to exercise 3x a week, but I’m happy with twice. The kids also continue basketball (Zach made a basket today!) and dance (we signed Calie up for a recital.)

 

Can you tell I lopped off 7″ of hair? Trying to wean myself off the ponytail, I asked my hair stylist to cut it “just short enough that I can’t put it up.”

In terms of special events, last weekend, we had 2 Valentine parties. On Saturday, we had Melissa, Bev, and Sara’s families over for a barbecue where the kids signed cards for their classmates amd decorated special cards for their teachers. Now that Zach is in public school, he has *32* cards to sign – compared to 18 last year!

 

On Sunday, Calie had a bunch of her classmates over for lunch. The kids created Valentine’s monsters using stickers and also decorated Mardi Gras masks using plastic jewels. They had a fun time, and it was great meeting all the parents – we usually just rush by each other during drop off and pick up. Calista got her first flower from a boy, her friend Thrivik – she was over the moon!

  

 

The weather was terrific, so after lunch (pasta spread), the kids played outside. A few of Calie’s classmates had siblings Zach’s age (including Justin from his basketball team) so Zach had fun too.

 

Later that same day, we celebrated Thrivik’s birthday at a local bounce house place. Happy 4th Birthday Thrivik!

 

Last week was pretty crazy at work. Four full days of meetings … going over reviews, plan of record, and a 2 day leadership summit. Day 1 of the summit ended with an open bar and dinner buffet with multiple stations. SO much food. Prime rib, roasted duck, tapas, seafood ceviche, Indian food, and a dessert spread with petit fours and a chocolate fountain. (It wasn’t all about food, but that’s the part that’s not confidential! ) The event ran into the night with casino games and raffles,but I didnt win anything. After the 2nd day of the summit, my manager took us out for wine tasting followed by dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. Calie got sent home earlier that day with a mild fever so James and I had to rearranage meetings on Friday. Ack! (Calie was totally fine but the rule at daycare is that she needs to stay home for 24 hours.) Anyway, the full day of meetings felt very busy but also very inspiring – I networked with some really impressive people, and I’m pretty excited about taking some of the learnings/ideas and sharing them with my own staff.

   

“Sick” Calie at home doing art … the gorgeous orchids Thrivik’s parents brought us … and a card Calie made for her friend Nicole (a picture of Nicole thinking about eating 5 eggs so that she can get a cookie.)

Yesterday/Friday night was girl’s night out, celebrating friendship with Kathy, Sandy, Melissa, Karen, and Rachel! We tried a new restaurant called Ambience – excellent food and presentation. I highly recommend their 7 course tasting menu. My favorite was the filet tartare with raw quail egg … and I loved the citrus enfused caviar. And I normally don’t drink, but after a long work week and a sick kid, I definately deserved a glass of sparkling wine. Cheers to good friends!

 

  

Also this weekend … Zachary’s went to a birthday party at Sky High. Happy 8th Birthday Christian! (Wow,Zach is turning 8 soon. Time is flying by … we must slow it down with a vacation… )

End of January, we registered Zachary for after school extracurricular activities. He picked Accelerated Reader and Spelling club, and had no interest in the Art class. Parents started waiting in line for the art class an hour before registration, and they were full within minutes. I guess that’s one benefit of having a kid with “different interests.” For James’ 40^th birthday, we went to Chez Daniels, a local French restaurant. Best French onion soup I’ve ever had. It was a leisurely meal – took over 2 hours – and the portions were smaller,  but definitely good quality and delicious. I highly recommend them for dates … but not big group or family dinners. In fact, I think I annoyed the patrons sitting next to us when I took a flash photo.

 

 

 

Saturday, after my normal routine of jogging, Calista’s ballet class, and Zach’s basketball class, we went to Sam and Melissa’s house for dinner. We enjoyed pork smothered with chimichurri sauce and a really great spinach salad with sautéed onions and mushrooms. 

 

 

 

We played Kinect Dance Central, and got to see the all medals Melissa won at her ballroom dance competition. Congratulations to Melissa and Sandy on all your wins! What a great example of how dedication and persistence pays off.

 

 

Sunday, after yoga with a coworker, we hosted an all-day playdate with Alex, Nicole, and Alisha. We started with brunch: tatortot casserole with extra bacon, chocolate chip pancakes, and fresh berries. The kids played well and midafternoon, we took a ~ 4 mile walk to Pinkberry for frozen yogurt. By the time the playdate ended, it was close to dinner time. A gorgeous day for hanging out with friends. One of those ‘life is good’ moments. J

 

  

 

 

Midweek, James and I went on a double date to Bistro 33 with Josh and Marissa. All 4 of our kids stayed at my place, and we hired our operation manager’s daughter Stephanie to babysit. My kids see babysitters as such a treat – I wonder if that means we are boring parents! Friday, I tried Prime Time boxing with Bev and Melissa. Usually, drop-in kick boxing classes are $25 (for 45 minutes) but we purchased a Groupon … 10 classes for $45! Now, I did have to buy gloves, wrist wraps, and a decent jump rope from Amazon … which set me back $35 … and then an additional $17 when they didn’t come in before the first class (I could borrow the other equipment, but had to buy my own wrist wraps.) So um. If anyone is in the market for new wrist wraps, let me know. I have 2 sets.  Right after our intro class, I went to Karen’s for a girl’s night in.  

 

We picked up dinner to-go at Selland’s, which just opened that week. My Ahi tuna salad was very fresh and flavorful … inline with what I expected from a Selland restaurant. We sang lots of karaoke. I was the worst by far, but I needed the practice since there might be a public (gasp!) karaoke opportunity in the future. For dessert, Karen bought a cheesecake to celebrate Dana’s birthday – HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANA!

 

 

Saturday, after a jog with Sam, and Calista’s ballet class, we had Jake and Tanner over for a short lunch playdate. I took out my 3 crock pot buffet again, and served angel hair with San Marzano tomato sauce, mini pasta with homemade pesto and goat cheese, and a simple salad. Kids played ball outside (which reminds me … need to retrieve a soccer ball from our neighbor’s yard) and made plasticky crafts using fuse beads.

 

Then the whole family went to Zach’s basketball game, where Calie preferred playing with Lucas over watching the game. At the end she asked Zach “How was soccer?” Clearly not paying attention!

 

  

 

That night was James’ 40^th birthday celebration with JP, Ed, Lori, and Sam. They started the night at Pyramid Ale for dinner and then hit 3 bars. Back at home, the kids and I set up a tent and slept out in the family room while watching Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh and the first part of Willy Wonka. 

 

 

The following morning was another gorgeous day … too bad James had a miserable hangover. Refusing to let his poor decisions ruin my day, I took both kids to a new (to us) park with a basketball court, where we ran around, had a snack, and then headed to Eco Station. We got a personal tour to meet lizards, snakes, frogs, turtles, fish, and birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was Super Bowl party time! Lots of appetizers, savory crock pot barbecue chicken, tiramisu and a chocolate cinnamon bread made by Alex. Bad day to have skipped my morning workout! The ladies spent the whole time chatting, but at least we know who won (Giants, right?) Thanks to Sam and Melissa for hosting – the huge TV makes a big difference!

 

 

And I sign off with Calie’s 3-years-old school photos:

 

So what’s been up since my parents left? Zachary has started basketball practice/games. I continue to jog and take yoga sporadically – not enough to lose weight or gain much muscle tone, but I probably won’t atrophy either.

 

Quite of a bit of our family time includes reading, playing in the backyard when the weather is terrific, and doing puzzles and playing board games when it’s not. We also go out to eat as a family as a treat on the weekends. This month, we used our gift cards at Red Robin, and tried Faith’s Crepes through a Groupon deal.

  

 

Early January, I had a great time playing Kinect Dance Central with Melissa, Sandy, and Sam. There were clearly two camps … dancers and non dancers. Thanks Sam for keeping me company!

 

We celebrated Dylan’s 7th birthday – Zach went to see the movie Tin Tin, and we all met up for cake at Nugget Market afterwards. Happy Birthday Dylan! Also this month, I signed Calista up for ballet with her friends Hannah and Hayden (twins.)

 

Calie went on her first ever playdate without parents – my friend Marissa picked her up from school after nap. Calista had such a great time with Aubrey and Courtney (twins) that the next day she was disappointed when I showed up for her at the end of the school day.

Friday Girl’s Night Out are the best, as they seem to extend the weekend. Melissa, Sandy, Kathy, Rachel, Karen, and I took advantage of the $30 Dine Downtown deal at Spataro.

Great company, but I wasn’t impressed with the menu switcharoo. The online menu clearly said sea bass, but was changed to cod when we got there … and they ran out of 2 of 3 desserts. Oh well, at least the company was awesome and the price was right! One morning after ballet, we went out for Jamba Juice (great deal with $1 12oz yogurt smoothies) followed by ice skating.

The weather was awesome – almost too hot actually! I also took Calista to a nearby park to meet up with her friend Cassie. I’m finally putting in some effort to meet more people with kids Calista’s age – it makes it easier that she’s pretty social (more likely she’s normal, but just compared to the rest of the family.)

While on our playdate, James took Zach on a hike near the lake with JP, Sam, Alex, and Nicole.

 

One evening, I took Calista to a South Indian celebration, where we enjoyed live dancing, singing, and skits, followed by a vegetarian buffet. I saw quite a few of my coworkers there, and Meenakshi and Anitha performed on stage. Happy Sankranthi!

Midweek, with Melissa in Boise for work, I had Sam and their kids over for a hot pot trial. I purchased a hotpot over the weekend and needed to make sure I knew how to operate it before hosting a weekend Chinese New Year dinner. It worked! And um … I ran out of food. I had to offset with 5 cheese sandwiches. Oops.

Last Friday was the Intel Winter Ball, dubbed the “Intel Prom.” I loved my dress, which my sister Sophie found at Saks marked down from $328 to $35 … and combined with nude shoes I borrowed from Alice and a body wrap the day before at Marissa’s house … I cleaned up pretty well … for my age and weight that is!

 

Despite the rain storm, traffic, and the crowd (3000 people!), I had a blast. It was great to see Sara/Joe and Lori/Ed again – we’ve been missing each other at our annual Halloween/Christmas parties so it was a treat to catch up with them. And of course, I always have a great time in the company of my girls, Melissa, Sandy, Kathy,and Karen! The dinner was quite good (especially for a mass produced meal) and I really enjoyed the music. They played my request “Baby Got Back” so of course I had to dance. At the end, Melissa, Sara, and I even got up on stage. Had it not been for Sara’s cueing, I probably would have fallen off during the line dance - Good times!

 

This weekend we celebrated Chinese New Year with Kathy, Marissa, Melissa, and their families. We had hot pot – which required some coordination with kids – but we had enough food and no one got burned, so it was a win. And since James’ birthday was coming up, we celebrated with Coldstone devil’s food ice cream cake covered in chocolate ganache.

I bought some Dragon crafts for the kids, but they had so much fun on their own that it would have been a shame to stop their activities and sit them down. The kids running around reminded me a lot of my childhood and going to my parents’ friend’s house for dinner in Champaign-Urbana … I’m thinking CNY makes me a bit nostalgic.  

Sunday was super lazy. It was rainy, and James had to log into work. So we did Dollar Store puzzles, and I took Calista to the Sacramento Children’s Museum for art. Handpainting and glittering is always best done outside my home.

 

  

‘Till next time, Happy Chinese New Year!