Nana and Grandpa came to visit us for a week at the beginning of February. We had lots of fun with them. The kids all played a couple of their favorite songs on piano or violin and gave a concert to an attentive audience. We played lots of games and included the grandparents in our daily activities for a few days, and then we all headed up to Bear Valley for some fun in the snow. We rented snowmobiles and brought sleds and shovels. All the kids learned how to drive the snowmobiles and thought that was awesome. Probably the most fun, though, was tying the tube to the back of the snowmobile and getting pulled around that way. The kids were innovative; while one rode the tube, the other two would sit on disk sleds and hang on as well, allowing all three of them to ride together. There was lots of laughter.
The days up there are long and lazy, with so much less pressure from our daily responsibilities. It's a great way to spend time as a family. It makes us dream of owning a cabin we can head up to more often.
We had one more day with my parents when we got back to Livermore. It was sunny and warm, a perfect day to drive to the top of the hill and hike into Del Valle, scoping out the best spots to have our family pictures taken by Katie George later in the month. The green hills always make me happy.
And Nana helped Jack make macarons. That boy is always up for adventures in the kitchen.
I suggested the kids make their own valentines this year. Hazel went above and beyond, drawing these fabulous labels on Ghirradelli chocolates.
Jack was not interested in being creative and commissioned Hazel to write his message, which he photocopied.
Gemma came up with a darling concept and colored each one, which she passed out with a marshmallow.
We lucked out with a surprise visit from the Turri family one Sunday afternoon. The kids gelled like they had seen each other yesterday, jumping right back into familiar fun. It was satisfying and left us with a reminder of the huge hole in our lives we have because they're no longer down the street.
My ankle is healing fairly well, so I've been trying to get 10,000 steps a day again. Katie helped me out by going walking with me one gorgeous morning.
Jack's next food box came in the mail. He was disappointed that it was highlighting New York City instead of Morocco, but it did give us a delicious fruity tiramisu recipe to try. The other two dishes were less popular; one was fish, so it was almost guaranteed to flop in our house. He is anxiously checking the mail for the next box, hopeful that it will be more exciting.
Hazel continues to be ridiculously responsible, studying for math tests before school and generally staying super on top of all her activities and assignments.
February means the start of spring here in California. We have had some gorgeous warm days and blossoms are blooming on plenty of trees. I have been grateful my ankle is healing so that I can be out walking and enjoying the lovely spring days.
The elementary school had a "dress like your hero" day. Gemma wanted to be Jack, so they coordinated their outfits - green shirts and pants with stripes on the sides. I love that she picked her brother to emulate.
Our friend Juno is raising rabbits. We went over to see the babies while they were still tiny. They were so cute and soft! The one I picked out stayed still in my arms for a good half hour while I rubbed its neck.
Spontaneously, the kids talked Todd and me into taking them to Denica's for breakfast on a Saturday morning. We almost never go out for breakfast. I'm really not sure why Todd agreed so readily to their suggestion, rather than offering to make biscuits or waffles like an ordinary Saturday. It was fun. Denica's has fruit infused water and complimentary chips and salsa, so it feels like a celebration no matter what we're eating.
After breakfast, we headed over to Keri Dockter's house to help her family load a moving truck and wash walls. They were getting ready to move to Logan, Utah. We have lost a lot of good families from our ward in the last few years.
That evening we had our family pictures taken at Del Valle. The hills are still green and the trees had little baby leaves on them - it was a lovely window of time to capture. Gemma was a grump so I'm not sure we caught any authentic shots of her impish smile, though. Fingers crossed. We sure tried!
February 22nd was a Tuesday, and the date was 2-22-22, so everyone was calling it a super "two's-day." It was a memorable day for us! It rained and hailed in the valley, and snowed on the hills. And ... Todd and I bought a convertible!
It's definitely a want and not a need - but we didn't go into debt for it and it's something we've been dreaming of for years. I've been drooling at convertibles since I was a kid. If we're going to be present in our California lives instead of always dreaming of the greener grass elsewhere, what better way to live in the moment than to drive a convertible? We've had it a week and I've already put 300 miles on it, taking long drives through the hills and running all my errands in Sasha.
The last Saturday of the month, Todd took Hazel and Jack skiing at Bear Valley for their first time. They had a blast and all want to go again soon. Gemma and I stayed home and made a list of all the things Gemma wanted to do. I taught her how to make cookies. We took a drive to Brentwood to smell almond blossoms - in Sasha. She rollerbladed, I read "James and the Giant Peach" to her, we ordered pizza and watched "Tangled." It was a fun day!
We ended the month with a special devotional from President Nelson to all the members of the Church living in California. We were encouraged to stay faithful and to trust that even though we have so many members moving out of state, we are in a position of influence because an extraordinary number of people from all over the world pass through California for a time - for varied economic or educational reasons - and then spread out everywhere else. We can have a big impact through our service, love, and examples here.
