Last Day of School Bliss

9am - Birthday cupcakes.
(Got to squeeze in one last birthday celebration before the school year's over.)

10:30am - Room Parents' treat for the teachers: Jumbo Jamba Juice
11:00 am - I made the kids a Thunder Cake, as in Patrica Pollaco's Thunder cake. They were grossed out that the recipe called for 1/3 cup of pureed tomatoes. I had a few takers.

11:45am - Dismissal. They surprised me with a book of letters they'd written to me. I surprised them by telling them that 'Accampo' was not my real last name. It's always fun to mess with 2nd graders.

Employment update: Despite my pink slip earlier this year, I was recently rehired by the district. Same school, same grade, same teaching partner for next year.

I am grateful.

Aunt Christa and Cousin Jack Visit Napa!

My sis-in-law Christa and nephew Jack came up from LA to visit!
We ate, took a walk, explored the property and visited The Oxbow Market.
Nana and her grandkiddies.
The Kortz's treehouse and zip line-swing. Jack was brave enough to try it out!
Isabella was brave enough to try dirt.

Cousins

Did someone say ice cream?
(Tastes better than dirt.)
Jack was fantastic with Isabella. They got along swimmingly well and are ready to star in their own sitcom.
Isabella plays with Daddy at the Oxbow.
Parting group shot.
I guess I was taking a nap.

A Swim Party with the Whittens

What to do with a Butterfly pool and a hot Saturday afternoon in Napa? Swim Party!! Emily, Matt and Naomi Whitten joined us for lunch. The girls swam (well, splashed).

Naomi and Isabella.

The Dads showering their daughters with water. (Sorry I didn't get you in the shot, Matt!)

Emily and Matt brought strawberries and cream for dessert. YUM!
Playtime!
We are so glad to have gotten to know the Whittens this year! Sadly (for us) they are moving to Portland in the next few weeks. We can't wait to visit them in their new home!

Mother's Day Weekend

Slowly but surely I am catching up with my posts!

Mother's Day weekend started on Friday evening with my school's carnival. I was pretty much flabbergasted when I arrived on the campus to see it totally transformed into an actual carnival--complete with a climbing wall, train rides, big blow up things to jump on, a Ben and Jerry's ice cream cart...(I am definitely not in the South Bronx anymore).
There wasn't much Isabella could do, so I thought for sure she'd love the train ride. Not so. She hated it. She clung to me and cried the whole time. I attempted to jump off at one point, but the train people were serious about safety. Isabella had to endure two loops around the carnival while inhaling stinky gas fumes. She'll probably never board another train again. I tried to make it up to her by sharing a slice of pizza and a bottle of water afterwards.

On Saturday morning, we woke up early and headed to Golden Gate Park in San Fran. for another 5K run with the Girls on the Run organization. It was a gorgeous day and a great run!


Mom, Dad, Mark and Isabella came to cheer me on.
The adulation after finishing a race can only last for so long...baby needs to eat.
So I gave Isabella her bottle and pretty much crashed.
and posed for family pics.

After the race we headed back to Mill Valley for a big breakfast at the Dipsea Cafe.
Finally the attention was back on Isabella where she knew it belonged the whole time.
I told Mark if he wanted to get me a Mother's Day present, perhaps a new, breathable racing cap would be lovely so I could finally retire my faded, gross Red Sox cap. It sure is lovely.
On Saturday night we went out on a date. Mark and I saw the new Star Trek movie and ate at P.F. Chang's. I was so excited to be out on the town with Mark I planned to take pictures of everything. I forgot. I remembered I had the camera right after we finished dessert. Soooo good!
Sunday, Mother's Day. Isabella came in with Mark to wake me up and handed me a blue box with this note: (see below).

Translation: Mama, since I can't talk yet, I have to write you this. Dada is helping me.
Happy Mama's Day. Love, Bisa Ella.
Inside the box was a beautiful shirt from one of my favorite stores, Title Nine.

After church we went back to my parents' for a lovely Sunday mom's day brunch. Eggs, bacon, and homemade cinnamon rolls.

The Party

I am not a party planner. Quite frankly, they scare me. But it was Isabella's first, and I didn't want to leave her with a bad impression. It actually all came together very nicely. I had to make NYC's Magnolia Bakery cupcakes. We had chicken salad and potato bread for lunch. Mom brought a green salad and Mark (the hero) went out and got all the party decorations and a present.
Mom, Dad, our good Napa friend Suzanne, Brooke, Aaron and their kids Daisha and Keontay came to our home for the impromptu party.



Magnolia cupcake with pink frosting.
She didn't like it.
Nana and the birthday girl.
This was the first time my Dad had seen Isabella in a dress. Lots and lots of pink for her first birthday.