She's very excited about going to Truckee on Sunday. Tonight after doing the "commercial" filming with the boys, I noticed another Katrina-note taped to the mantle.
(On the hearth are Gabriel's cereal-box report (orange), and his Big Bunny first-place trophy, that he used as a prop in the commercial.)
Katrina's note:
bring those* Ditty
* SNOW!
* yourself
* your brain
* snowstuff
clothes
* your backpack
Katrina
Yes, let's make sure not to forget anything!
2/15/12
The part he really wanted to do was to film a commercial for his new cereal. He wrote a short script and has two simple scenes for his commercial, which stars himself with Julian as supporting actor. I acted as cameraman and assistant director.
Tonight we filmed the second scene in the commercial, in which Gabriel comes home after winning a race because he'd eaten his oats. This is a dress rehearsal.
This was so much fun that Gabriel couldn't remember that tonight was a school night!
Now for the editing phase!
2/15/2012
So I printed out some Valentine's for Katrina to do, and even capitulated on getting some small candy to tape to each Valentine. But she had no interest in doing it, and even wrote me a letter telling me she'd thrown them all away. O.K., GOT the point.
Then, the day before Valentine's Day, I noticed that she'd done one of her own at CDC, to a classmate.
And, because of the "Valentine's for everyone" rule, I had to tell her she couldn't give it to her friend. Kinda twisted!
2/14/2012
Katrina came home today with a poster template for her "All About Me" week. Each kid in the class does this, one kid per week, sort of like "Star of the Week" in the older grades.
This is the sort of project I dread, something that absolutely requires parent participation to walk them through it, pick and print pictures, battle them each step of the way to identify their favorites, and worse, get then to draw their favorite something. This turns into a multi-day and sometimes multi-week battle.
But Katrina was excited about her poster tempate, and set right to work on it the moment she got home. Next thing I knew, with absolutely NO discussion or intervention from me, it was DONE! Like, before dinner in one night?!
I think the expectation is that we'd print photos in the boxes, but she took it upon herself to draw and color her own. I can't believe it!! She finished a major project for a kindergartener in less time than it takes her brothers to grump their way through a single days' language assignment.
I am 5 years old -- My favorite color is hot pinkMy favorite animal is horse -- My favorite food is ice cream
This is what I look like.
My family (I like the headless faceless adults, a la Charlie Brown)
Beach is my favorite place
When I grow up, I want to be police (take that, princesses!)
My favorite thing to do is swimming (not skiing?!
If I had one wish, I would wish for: horse (uh-oh, cringes my pocketbook)
Katrina did ask for help once, by asking me how old she'd be on Monday. But other than that, she was completely focused and plowed right through it, interrupting herself only to screech at one brother or another to leave her alone. She was outraged that her creation had no place in the dinner-area and that we insisted it stay safely away from food in the homework room.
But this is a great problem to have!
2/13/2012
Somehow I accidentally got involved on some high-profile projects at work, and when they hit, they hit fast. It's been a real challenge -- not so much technically, but rather struggling with how to handle myself with real customers, both on the phone and in person. I'm keenly aware that the livelihood of the salesperson I'm backing up depends a lot on how I conduct myself. My main strength, which is intense technical discussion, can be a liability -- not all customers want to be bludgeoned by the icky ins-and-outs. I'm getting coaching, but there's no doubt this isn't natural to me.
And there are tricky discussions, such as if I'm working with one vendor to spec something out, and that vendor asks if we're looking at other vendors (Cisco, anyone?). My way is to blurt out the truth -- I need to learn how to, and more importantly when to, delicately sidestep the question.
I've never felt like such a geek in my life -- something I aspired to and would normally be proud of, but now I'm not so sure! Everyone seems to love my research and write-ups though. I'm much better behind the scenes, safely hidden away in a closet.
I'm finally walking without a cane! I tried exercising this morning for the first time, with mixed results. I can feel real pain in my lower back now, and worse, the foot-buzzing is back. This hasn't happened for a while, but it's happening now: when I sit for too long, my feet buzz and get irritated and eventually fall asleep. It's really uncomfortable.
Today Katrina came down from her room showing off her new TinkerToy contraption: "Look Mom, I made a cane!" Uggh! I hate that my children will remember this awful weakness of mine.
And Ski Week is coming up!! I am SUCH an idiot, and I was SO upset on Friday: I finally called Sugarbowl to make ski school reservations, thinking it wouldn't be a problem with two weeks' lead time. Nope! Full!!! Waiting list!! I couldn't believe it -- I've been planning on going to Sugarbowl and taking kids to ski school there for months, and I waited WAY too long to make the reservations that our whole trip hinged around. ARGH!
Partly, I putzed because I wasn't sure if or when Laura and Ryan could join us, but they told me in plenty of time (that they couldn't make it, sniff), and I still didn't make the reservation. I'm so focused at work it's really hard to take that 15 minutes out to make the call.
But....joy! I got a call today from Sugarbowl's Mountain Learning Center: they managed to fit us in!! The timing isn't perfect; it's spread across 4 days instead of 3, but still, whew. As I told my ski friend, "dumbasses can't be choosers." Now I CAN'T WAIT, despite the challenging logistics of not having everyone in ski school together. Looks like Gabriel and I will be skiing a lot together (yay).
But my back had better cooperate....limp limp.
2/11/12
Katrina didn't take this affront so lightly, and spent the better part of the afternoon at the CDC writing me a letter:
Dear Mom, I don't like cream | cheese and normal | yellow cheese Please, please start Wowbutter again, don't end Wowbutter again. Love, Katrinawith lots of surrounding blah blah blah blah blahs....
OK, so, tomorrow I guess it's "Wowbutter" (a soy substitute) for lunch!!
2/9/2012
This "annular tear" episode in my back is tricky -- I can actually stand up better than I usually can the first day, but there's a lot more pain than usual. Physical therapy usually makes me sore at first, but this time was much worse, it was really hard to walk to the car after treatment. But then, after lying down for a while, I can almost walk around "normally," though when I catch a glimpse of myself, I'm utterly pathetic.
As has happened before, it's interesting that of all the kids, Gabriel seems the most concerned. I have to wonder again if he's truly concerned about me, or if it's the very understandable kid-thing of not wanting to see your mother in a weak state. I remember when my mother had pneumonia when we were kids, and thinking she might have to go to the hospital -- it was terrifying. You'd think of all my kids, Gabriel would be the most blase, but it's quite opposite. I make light of it for his sake, but in truth I'm very frustrated that I'm so prone to being disabled in an instant.
Tomorrow: doctor, more rest, more ice, more drugs (prednisone advanced the healing fast last time), though I'll attempt to go into work in the morning. As much as I'm enjoying the Military channel, I'm getting tired of all this lying around!
2/6/2012
Just as we were about to do cupcakes, I was sitting at the table with Betsy and remarked to her that I felt something in my lower back, on the right side where the injury happens -- but it wasn't so bad because usually when my back snaps, it's instant and that hadn't happened. I shouldn't have said anything, because a few minutes later, lightning struck -- that's really what it felt like. A complete seize-up, and boom, it's cane city again.
Fortunately Betsy was there to help, she called Dave right away, and was able to help serve cupcakes, gather kids, and carry stuff to the car (thanks Betsy!!). Dave arrived with Katrina, and drove Gabriel and his new BFF, Raschelle, to her house to continue the playdate, while I drove Julian home. I took a hot bath, whatever drugs I could conjure up from last time, and spent the rest of the day in bed, with a break to have some dinner and hobble around to make kids' lunchs. Dave did the rest.
This stinks! What is wrong that my back has to do this?! This episode is among the most painful I've had, and by far the most shocking moment when it actually seized. And then, after zooming around this place perfectly healthy, and doing a lot of jumping myself, I had to hold someone's hand for help and then use a cane. How pathetic and embarrassing is that! This episode is up there with the really bad ones.
Well, on the bright side, at least I was done jumping and I'd had a great time with the kids, playing games and having them show me what they can do. And I got in a nice run Saturday morning, noticing that there was not a peep from my ankles. My back has been well-behaved for a while, but I think the seat-drop things I was doing with Julian's friend Jake were too much.
Tomorrow I'll be trying to get an appointment with my back doctor, and with physical therapists, the usual. I just don't want anyone to tell me I can't do stuff like that, it's just too fun and I have to figure out how to do a back flip first.
And the tired boys afterward was definitely worth it!
2/5/2012
That doesn't mean I don't expect good work from them. Gabriel's teacher agreed to Gabriel doing an extra report on the WWII B-24 Liberator bombers, and presenting it to his class -- a project I made up so that he doesn't think riding on one of these historic planes is just a joy ride. So I'm not completely lame.
And, thanks to Gabriel's 4th grade teacher, I kind of can be lame. The kids get to do some pretty fun projects, and without us!! The "Cereal Box Project" is always popular, and would make the anti-worksheet granola crowd happy too :)
Gabriel's teacher explains in a newsletter:
We also recently introduced a big book report project, the Cereal Box book report. Students are to design a cereal box based on a book they read as well as make a commercial in class to sell their cereal. This project has many steps, but we will be working on it in class a lot so as to make it as independent of a project as possible. The cereal box book report is always a favorite project for students and teachers alike!
Phooey to school, my head is still in Bear Valley!
1/31/2012
p.s. I finally finished and ordered my calendar -- should be arriving in your mailboxes soon!
I did a short year-by-year Facebook album too:
Gabriel growing up, year by year
1/30/2002
But first, let me say -- grab your earplugs -- that we had **SOO**MUCH**FUN***!!. Logistics were manageable, location stunningly beautiful, people very nice, no major disasters. The mountain is still snow-challenged, but had more than enough for us. I loved Bear Valley.
We left on Saturday at 11:30am, since our lodge check-in time wasn't until 4pm. Going for Saturday night instead of Friday night was a traffic gamble: we know traffic is horrible leaving on Friday nights, but returning Sunday nights is more variable, and we weren't returning from Tahoe. This paid off perfectly -- we had no traffic in either direction, and the ski place was far less crowded on Sunday also.
Lunch was in Murphy's, a historic tourist town I've been to many many times, at a restaurant with a hillbilly theme and what appeared to be a genuine prison transport carriage.
The restaurant was decorated with all sorts of "hillbilly" cliches and amusing signs (Hillbillies Signs).
After lunch, into the mountains. When we got to about 5000 feet, there it was -- snow! We stopped at a vista point close to Bear Valley Village (where our lodge was, about 3 miles from the ski resort) to gawk at the gorgeous view, and play a little. So so pretty, and the kids were thrilled to be in snow again.
Naturally the boys wasted no time throwing snow at each other.
Katrina was nonstop delighted by just being in it, and constantly sing-songed "Snow! Snow! Snow! Snow!" She'd worn her snow boots all day for just this moment. (In fact I forgot to bring regular shoes for her).
I admired the views -- all ones I've seen before, but they look different every time and I never tired of them. In my motorcycling days, I'd never see it like this. Not because of snow on the road directly, but because this highway closes and you can't cross the Sierras on Hwy 4 until about June (and there's still plenty of snow on the side of the road then).
For once, cooperation!
We arrived at the lodge and settled in, and I was relieved to see there were plenty of places for the kids to play outside. The lodge was rustic and relaxed, and had a large cathedral-like central area for people to gather and relax -- and for the scores of ski-racer kids to zoom around playing hide-and-seek.
Meantime, my kids found a snowhill and played on it until the dark forced them inside.
Dinner was pizza on the beds in the hotel room watching a movie. I really liked not having to sit in another restaurant, and we just hung out and watched Forrest Gump.
Mad scramble in the morning to get to ski school in time! But this wasn't bad, we have a system now, the lodge served breakfast downstairs (very convenient) and Bear Valley ski school starts late (9:45). The only wrinkle was Katrina suddenly crying out in pain and saying that she was going to throw up -- and usually when she says that, she follows up -- but it passed, thank goodness.
I was delighted how easy it was to find and park at Bear Valley. It's ONE building. (Cripes, nothing like Heavenly with 9 entrances.) And oh, how very very pretty was everything around us.
Getting everyone's rentals and equipment on and bathroom done before lessons is never fun, but I was quite happy to say goodbye to the kids for their lessons -- and mine!
Julian and Katrina had all-day lessons; Gabriel and I each had half-day lessons. I'd meet up with him for lunch, then we'd ski together in the afternoon. This is SO fun, I love spending this time with him! And he seems to greatly value it too.
Katrina, it turns out, once again didn't get off the "magic carpet." I hate that! It didn't really bother her, but she did say, "Mommy, I never got to go on the chair lift!" Her instructor said she can turn and stop and is definitely ready for the next level. Unfortunately, when you're 5, odds are you'll be a class with 4- and 5-year-olds who aren't ready for the lift, so you don't go either. This is exactly what sends us back to Sugarbowl. Getting Katrina skiing on her own will really change the way we do things, and at her age and level, a full-day ski school should make a huge difference -- and at $125 a pop, it better!
Still, I was impressed that Bear Valley does try to keep kids grouped by ability, and I understand that some mismatching is inevitable, especially at the younger ages. They did a great job with the boys -- and me. In fact, Gabriel and I each got a private lesson because no one else of our ability and age showed up for a lesson. That was great!. Gabriel's teacher said with sincerity what a joy he was to teach, really focused, really listened to her, very brave -- he made a lot of improvements during their lesson.
My teacher said much the same things about me, ironically. I wanted to learn 360s, and managed a few very ugly ones, and then tried again in the other direction unsuccessfully until it was time to go back up a lift. He commented, "Well, that tells me something about your tenacity." I don't know about that, but I do notice instructors are cautious with middle-aged women. I'm always up to try something new or hard with an instructor -- what better time to learn? (Later when I'm staring down a sheer-faced precipice and wondering if anyone knows what my favorite flower is for the funeral, I question that bravado -- or is it, braggado!) (For the record, lilacs.)
I learned about "hop" turns on this roughed-up hill ("Tiggers").
During my lesson, we came across Julian's lesson once, and he seemed like he was having a great time, if still his slightly tentative self.
My last run, my instructor took me down a short black-diamond that is intimidatingly steep to skiiers at my level....er, me. Not being able to actually see the slope you'll be skiing on until you're committed to it is a little frightening.
But it was time to pick up Gabriel, and after talking to his teacher, she was confident he could do that run. She was really impressed with his focus and his bravery, and they did a lot of work on technique. He really listened to her and worked hard, and she said sincerely that teaching kids like him really makes this job worthwhile. And she's no college student looking for cheap lift tickets; she'd been teaching there for 25 years.
Nice open lunchroom, and I like the view of the whole "bowl" from the (one) lodge.
After lunch, I took Gabriel to the same great run I'd done just before picking him up ("National"). I love the view from the lifts.
Then we figured out how to get to "National" -- but the ~2 hours since I'd done it had completely changed the complexion of the snow. Now, instead of the soft, forgiving, red-carpet treatment I'd gotten, it was crunchy, crusty, curmudgeonly and unforgiving. I'm certain it was also about 20 degrees steeper now -- honest!
Right away, Gabriel thought it was too hard for him, but we were already committed. He actually didn't act scared, he just said he couldn't do it. Now I had doubts that I could too -- and now I had Gabriel to worry about. He went down soft on purpose to keep from getting out of control.
But I remembered what my instructor had showed me about side-slipping first, and I showed Gabriel that. And that worked -- he made it down by side-slipping down and across, then lying on his back and flipping his skies to the other direction and going across to the other side.
It was slow going, but steady progress and I never felt we were in any real danger.
We spent the rest of the afternoon on moderate blues, and had a great time with that. I just loved the views, it seemed like every run was on a ridge and you could see far into valleys in every direction.
After picking up the other two and returning the rental gear and all that, we drove straight from the resort to Angel's Camp for dinner, then straight home. That would have gone better except the boys were being so annoying and rambunctious in the car -- throwing things, shoving each other, screeching, knocking into Katrina -- and no end of warnings would calm them. I asked them again and again to settle down, told myself I didn't really need to listen to the radio, warned them very seriously that the only way out of this was with them crying, and that would make all of us unhappy -- couldn't we fast-forward past the unhappy part and just get to the calm part? I gave them my iPhone to send texts, and that only made Katrina unhappy, so I had to give her a turn and then they were right back at it. I even uncapped a bottle of water and dumped some behind me onto Julian, and that only sent them into peals of laughter: "YOU MISSED!"
Finally after 115 miles and about 2 hours of nonstop chaos, and the 10th time my seat got shoved forward, I made good on my threat. I pulled off the highway, got out of the car, and vigorously smacked both of them. And whaddya know. Peace. I'm sure I'm supposed to regret my violence, but my only regret was that I hadn't done it a lot sooner.
Other than that typical behavioral blemish, it was such a delightful, if short trip. I was so happy the kids got to play in the snow when we arrived Saturday afternoon, then our cozy indulgent dinner-and-a-movie. It's time that brings us all together and makes me feel so close, like this is what it's all about. Having my children around me, facing the challenges of travelling together, seeing them delight in the simple pleasures in one of my favorite places in the world...these are the highlights of my life!
And the Highway 4/Murphys/Bear Valley area is filled with so much to do -- I got some great ideas for summer camping, and other recreation like ziplining. We were regulars to that area for many years with our annual trip to Sheepranch, and I think we will be again. I don't even think I'll miss Lake Tahoe that much...?!
1/29/2012
Tonight at HP Pavilion (formerly known as San Jose Arena, where the Sharks play), we saw the Men's Short Program. (I didn't choose, because I got the tickets free through work.) Katrina was so-so on it, but Julian was all over it! And of course my friend's little girls.
We all delighted in seeing Jeremy Abbott sail to a clear win -- even though the 4th-place competitor's father was sitting right next to us as we chatted a lot -- and look forward to the long program! (Which hopefully isn't this weekend, because The Plan is to drive to Bear Valley tomorrow.)
1/27/2012
These life's errands just pile up, don't they...!
1/26/2012
(Ummm, a friend might recognize all these clothes as hand-me-downs from her!)
Curse this time zone difference -- by the time there was any chance of assembling everyone to make a call to the East Coast, it was too late. Happy !!TENTH!! Birthday to my beloved nephew Aidan!! I can't believe you've been in our lives a whole glorious decade!
1/25/2012
But Katrina's X-ray showed something unusual: probably no wisdom teeth buds. It's not definitive at her age, but it looks like she just won't ever have any wisdom teeth.
Ever heard of that? Dave hadn't, and didn't believe me when I told him that I too never had 3 out of 4 wisdom teeth. 3 out of 4 just didn't exist -- like Katrina, no buds. (The 4th was horribly impacted and removed in a gruesome smash-em-bash'em-break'em surgery when I was 23.)
I already had odd tooth development as a child with them being so late and all (last baby tooth lost at age 17), but come to think of it, while I know it happens, I've never rapped with anyone else who just never had wisdom teeth (well, most of them in my case).
And now I know someone else with this trait. Of all things for my dear daughter to inherit, this is a good one!
1/23/2012
This means that each boy invites 4 friends max, which actually works pretty well. That makes it more of a birthday playdate than a "party," and they actually interact with their friends more.
Both boys had an easy time naming party playmates, though Julian easily has a much longer list. Gabriel was decisive, and included a kid named David who was in his 2nd-grade class as well as his 4th-grade class. I didn't think he and David were great friends, though I recall now that Gabriel got in trouble at the end of 2nd grade for fighting -- and his explanation was that David was in a fight and he just jumped in to help defend him, without having any idea what the fight was about. I remember that Gabriel made no excuses and didn't complain about getting into trouble for this, though he'd been to the principal's office so many times, we were still annoyed. David is a nice kid, and your classic bully-target: small and wears glasses.
Tonight Gabriel was writing out his party invitations, and he told me casually, "David told me he never gets invited to birthday parties -- so I thought I'd invite him to mine."
Oh. My. Goodness. This is my son who's qualified for extra "services" because of his weak social pragmatics and not being empathetic? I just about burst into tears. How utterly, totally, sweet. There's such good in him -- it just comes out in a different way than we're all used to.
I took a few photos of Katrina and her beloved "Ditty" today, to print to put in a craft-project frame for her.
Of course she insisted on wearing her "snow hat," which has never been worn in snow. We have a one-night trip to Bear Valley scheduled next week, and it has finally been snowing a little around Lake Tahoe, so maybe this is a good omen!
1/22/2012
But what a fantastic price I pay -- I'm tired, dragging, clock-watching and miserable all day long. And ironically, so fried that my famous 2nd wind kicks in around 9pm and can't be shut off. I've said it 1000 times and I'll say it again: some people are just not meant to be morning people.
The earlier schedule is good though: I really liked being home when Gabriel got home. But I really didn't like the isolation of the past 2 days (an online instructor-led training class). I need a reason to get outdoors, even -- especially -- on a rainy day. (Finally, some rain here!)
I'm a big believer in crazy fantasies, because having them is the only way they -- or some genesis of them -- will happen. Could I ever work part-time and be home when kids got home? Not unless I identify that as a goal and make it happen.
But for now, full-full-time is plenty. I have SO much to learn, I'm SO green, that I'm in no position to be proposing alternative work schedules or policies. And for all I know, when it is possible, maybe I won't want that anymore. But crazy-fantasy goals can't happen at all if you don't want them.
1/20/2012
I was the only student out of 5 in the Pacific time zone -- I was really surprised to hear that one is in the Atlantic timezone. That's four hours ahead! (I think he was in New Brunswick, Canada.)
It's also amusing that whenever any of the other participants spoke, the teacher would have to ask, "Who is this?" -- except me. It took me all day to notice that, but duh, as is almost always the case, I'm the only one with a feminine(ish) voice.
One nice thing being home all day with this intense class was looking forward to Gabriel getting home from school, which he did around 4pm. And I got to greet him with freshly-baked chocolate-chip cookies -- every kid's dream of coming home after school!
It's hard to ignore the increasing pangs of wanting to be there when they (for now, just he, but someday, they) get home. Right now, driving for pickups and then walking in the door with them is the worst part of my day, but beinbg home already when the kids got home on their own -- preferably with fresh-baked cookies -- could be the best part of my day.
1/19/2012
I've been doing a long training class at work, which I really like, but it sure drags the day out. I'm ready for a good crisis!!
Katrina was patient tonight before her bath, while I was downstairs wrapping up a quick email message and she was ready for her "jets" bath (a treat: I let her take a bath in my usually-kid-free bath with jets). She reminded me a few times, calling from the top of the steps, "Come ON Mom!" After 4 or 5 times of this, she'd had enough and called down, "Mom, get your butt UP HERE!!!"
For non-Facebook readers, I also had an awful episode in which a bad taste in my mouth caused me to seek out our small sample bottles of kid-anti-cavity-mouthwash. It's bubble-gum flavored after all, and that was better than what I had. The bottle was almost empty, so I downed its contents -- then realized, this is not mouthwash, it's liquid SOAP!!! GAHHHHH!!!! Julian must have tried to refill the bottle.
But as gross as it was, I made the most of it -- what story could make little boys laugh harder?? I told it again and again, with animation and gestures and faces and grasping my throat with my hands as it to choke from the foul taste. They ate it up, they thought it was HILARIOUS. Gabriel as new respect for his little brother now.
But she was very sweet at dinner: "Mom, you're the best mom ever!!" Though her sentiment can change rapidly, I accepted the moment.
1/17/2012
1/15/2012
