Seriously Fun Trip

My parents' neighbors own a home in Truckee, CA (close to Lake Tahoe) and were gracious enough to invite us to use it over the Presidents' Day holiday weekend. Isabella quickly dubbed it the "snow house".
We arrived the day after a huge snow storm, which was awesome, because the roads were clear and we made it up the mountain without any major delays.
More time to enjoy the many feet of snow

and make snow cones by pouring blackberry soda over fresh snow.


Isabella's first shuttle bus ride. She's never even been on a bus. Napa doesn't really have an expansive bus system and it's nowhere close to where we live, so this was a big moment for her.
The shuttle bus ride was to the ski resort where Isabella tried a pair of skis for the first time.
Skis didn't last too long, she just wanted to play in the snow. I don't blame her. We picked a bad weekend to go and the crowds were terrible. Mark got his first ski lesson from my Dad, but sadly I have no photo documentation of it.
It was a pretty disappointing ski experience, only because it was so crowded, we couldn't do much, but the apres ski Chili dinner and Mississippi Mud cake dessert more than made up for it.
Would you like a little chili with that cheese?

Our days were lazy and lovely. Isabella read books. Mark played with with his new favorite toy: the 3-D farm puzzle.
Look at his attention to detail. You can take the man away from the farm but you can't take the farm away from the man. Something like that.
Goldilocks grew very sleepy and found several beds in the snow house where she could rest. The first was too high and her Mama was afraid she'd fall and bump her head. The second was at ground level and just right...
Icicle Popsicle

When we were little my mom used to make us "baby" snowmen whenever we went to the snow. I did not remember that until I saw her making one for Isabella. Here the baby snowman is defying gravity.
The snow house was a short walk from downtown Truckee.

Like a kid in a candy store...

I think this mini vacation may have been Isabella's dream trip because it involved trains,(both real and fake) snow, chocolate, and marshmallows.
Isabella at the coffee shop playing cards with Mark.
Crossing the (real) train tracks,
to go to the train museum where Thomas and his friends had been waiting for days for Isabella to play with them.
We found a great hill for sledding! The giggles of sheer joy were the best thing ever!
Even the grown ups couldn't contain their enthusiasm.
Mom doing her 45 degree angle stunt trick stop.


New Yorker Mark loves a good diner, and this was a GOOD diner.


After dinner at the diner, we headed back to the house for fortune cookies and hot apple cider, a traditional Chinese New Year custom. Isabella got a fortune that read "A dark haired woman will soon be giving you a gift." The next morning I was up early with Isabella getting her breakfast and I noticed her looking around. She asked, "Where's my present?" "What present?" I said. "My gift." (I didn't know what she was talking about-- I was just impressed that she knew that "gift" and "present" were synonyms). "What gift?" I asked again. "The present from the dark lady." (I told her the "dark-haired" lady was Nana and she would be getting a gift from her on her birthday--in April).
Last minute twirling to the Sound of Music soundtrack we found in the house, before we packed up and headed home. We had such a nice time!!

I heart February

...and all its pink and red smooshiness.

Highlight #1: Valentine treats for my Sunbeams (4 year olds-Sunday School) class.

Nothing better than anything made with marshmallows.
Highlight #2: Isabella and I took an overnight trip to Sacramento to visit The Stephens! This involved going out for burgers,
and a milkshake.
Bath time

Early morning trampolining. No shirt. No shoes. No problem. Static hair? A must.
We ventured out to Mather to see the Stephens' NEW house! It is lovely! Here the girls are trying out the plush new(ish) carpet, while watching Toy Story 3 on the newly moved TV, eating Cheerios in newly washed bowls.


Highlight #3: Scientopia. Of all the activities, you'll find Isabella here, at the train table, with Thomas and his friends, because she's obsessed.
Unless it involves sugar, then she'll take a break from the trains. Decorating a Valentine's Day cookie.
Highlight #4: Warm, sunny days. While the rest of the world seems to be buried in snow, we have had lots of sunny, warm weather, perfect for finger painting, or paint smearing, if you will.

Highlight #4: A baby shower at our house for my friend Leslie. I was so engrossed with the lovely food, and the (non-edible) diaper cake, that I forgot to take pictures of the actual people.
In all my years I have never seen something as baby-shower magnificent as the Diaper Cake. 96 diapers fashioned into a three layer cake, complete with ribbon "frosting", and onesie embellishments. Karly Michie will now take your orders.
Highlight #5: Tumbling class with Allie and Chiarra.
Don't be fooled by appearances. This kid is having the time of her life. A move that would make even Curious George proud (and I'm pretty sure that's who she was trying to be).

Rescue Me (From my mother)

A forgotten post...

In early November our car broke down. The dealership rented us a Kia Sedona minivan overnight while our car was being repaired. Mark and I were in seventh heaven. Seriously. Over a minivan, you may ask? Yes. Seventh. Heaven.

First off, it smelled nice. It also allowed us to sit high off the ground, which is a luxury for two people who only ever drive around in a 1999 Ford Taurus. All the doors opened. There were multiple options for seating arrangements. We could change Isabella's diaper in the actual body of the car as opposed to the trunk. The windows were tinted and opened all the way down. And it was equipped with satellite radio. We referred to it as "our" minivan so much that Isabella believed it was really ours.

For a day and a half, we drove that minivan around town as much as we could : to the voting polls, the playground, the grocery store, to a play date... When we weren't driving it, we were talking about it. When we weren't talking about it, we were daydreaming about owning one. Maybe on some subconscious level I hoped that if we embraced the vehicle, welcoming it fully into our lives, it might love us back and want to be ours.

Anyhoo, upon arriving home from said play date, I parked the car in our driveway, accidentally locked the doors, then stepped out of the car to get Isabella out from the back seat. Yes, I did just that. I'd locked the keys, my cell phone, and my child strapped in her car seat in the car. It was a very warm day. Our landlord was not home. I ran frantically up the driveway to our neighbor's house and mercifully she was there with her son, Teddy. Not knowing how to unlock a locked door of a rental car (the "spare" key was fused onto the key chain with the primary one), holding a toddler captive, we were eventually told to call 9-1-1.

Within a half an hour of my locking Isabella in our awesome rented minivan, Cal Fire showed up, in all their glory, to rescue Isabella from the car (and from me). Cute Teddy kept Isabella entertained by playing peek-a-boo with her through the window.
As it turned out 2 of the 3 firefighters who had showed up were the ones who had come to our aid when Isabella had her seizure last year. They remembered her. I loved them all the more for that. They also didn't make me feel dumb for locking my child in the car. One even admitted to me that he done it to his two children--and had to call the fire department to get them out. I think at that point I'd fallen in love with them--all of them-- for who they are and what they do.

Isabella, of course, had fallen in love with the fire engine. She was more interested in the humongous tires than taking a picture with her rescuers--one day she'll change her tune. We thanked them later with a big plate of Chocolate Mint Brownies. Isabella has now had more personal visits from fire engines (3) than she has years of her life (2) and I think she thinks she pretty special because of it.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2010 was one of my favorites. My parents and my brother Dave and his girlfriend Janett came to our house for dinner. The weather was perfect and the feast was sooooo good. My brother took all of these pictures (minus this first one)and I think they are lovely. This first picture is of Isabella eating her breakfast on Thanksgiving Day whilst standing atop the turkey, brining in the cooler.

I neglected to change Isabella out of her pj's until some time after her nap and way after company arrived. Love that sleepy face and moppy hair!

Mom and Isabella (dressed).

Before dinner and the sunset, we took a walk on the property. It was cold and crisp and the light was beautiful.

Then we came in from the cold and ate. And ate. And ate. And ate some more.

Still eating...

Oops- a couple more of the farm... Tilly the calf.

Isabella deems Thanksgiving a success.

*Day after Thanksgiving photo bonus. Every time we go to my parents house now, Isabella reminds us that we need to wear our Cal shirts. I haven't told her yet that football season is over.