Nov 25,
And the rest of Bella's birthday went like this...
We didn't buy another birthday cake, because we felt like we had eaten so much cake already, but Bella wanted for us to sing Happy Birthday at the end of the day, before we went to bed. So we made her a "cake" with leftover dessert, brought out the birthday candle again, and sang for her.
Nov 25,
Today our Bella turns 9! We are starting the day on a relaxing note, but can't wait to celebrate with the family later today.
Nov 24,
This year I decided to host some of our good friends for dinner, those who don't have other family in town or I knew wouldn't have plans the day after Thanksgiving. It was a potluck dinner. We made the turkey and some sides, and the rest of them brought other sides and dessert. With all the work and kids activities we rarely get a chance to get together, so it was nice to catch up and have some adult time while the kids ran around in the basement.
Nov 24,
This morning the girls and I went to see Wonder. Sofia and I had read the book before, which is always nice to do before watching the movie. And we recommend them both.
Nov 23,
Today we celebrated Thanksgiving with the family, and were especially thankful to be all together. It was a beautiful sunny day, not to cold, and it was also a relaxing afternoon and evening just enjoying each other's company.
Nov 22,
Today was a day off ... kind of. The girl's schools were closed, so I worked from home and only until 1 pm. After that we went out for lunch, stopped by the bookstore, and went to meet my friend Leah's baby. It was nice to be out and about during the day, and take it easy for a change.
Nov 21,
For his birthday Raj decided he wanted to go to Sotto, so we did. As usual we didn't know what to expect with the kids, but they actually did Ok. With the craziness of the week we neglected to get him a cake, but at least he got some good old tiramisu for dessert.
Nov 19,
Isabel is in town for Thanksgiving, so she asked if she could take the girls out for lunch or dinner over the weekend. I had plans to go see a movie with work friends on Sunday night, so that worked out. Cesca came too, and the girls were excited to be together again. They went to Deweys for dinner, and apparently sweet talked Isabel into getting them ice cream as well.
Nov 19,
Tonight I went to see "Lady Bird" with some friends, and the thought that mostly stayed in my mind as the movie ended was "Yep. I can relate". Not her strange antics, bad grades, and somewhat poor decision making, but rather her deep desire to leave her home town and experience something else ... coupled with her definite need for financial aid. I had a good childhood, good friends, and my home town was a safe and comfortable place. But I wanted something else. And just like her, staying at the local University was pretty much my worst nightmare. The thing is ... appreciating where you came from doesn't have to prevent you from taking risks, outgrowing it, and enjoying something else. It is scary, and not everything is smooth sailing along the way, but if you want it so badly nothing else will do. You simply have to go get it. Just like Lady Bird, my parents sacrificed a lot to ensure I had better opportunities than they did. So I worked hard, as hard as I could, to ensure that no matter what I kept moving forward. And although I have come a long way, I am certainly not done yet.
Nov 18,
Bella's birthday falls around Thanksgiving, so we always have her party the week before - otherwise her friends wouldn't be able to attend. This year she decided she wanted to go back to Recreations Outlet, where we had several of her parties when she was little. She had forgotten about it, but it showed up front and center when she took it upon herself to grab my phone and google "good places for a 9 year old to have a birthday party". It is a little out of the way for those who don't leave on our side of town, but not too bad. And it is a great place for kids to run around. So back there we went. Bella was really excited about it since the day before, and definitely had lots of fun. She also got to see her friend Cecilia, who switched schools this year to be closer to home. They have been friends since they were in preschool, so I was happy a well that she could make it.
