Foothill High School Water Polo

Water Polo.  

Jake LOVES, LIVES and BREATHES it.  

And He is so fun to watch.  

I dropped Luke and Mack off at home after our long day in Berkeley and then ran off to see if I could catch Jake's game.  Thankfully, I made it just in time.  

I can tell he loves it, because we witness these big smiles (as well as powerhouse aggression) all of the time.  I'd be struggling for my life to just stay above water with all of that leg wrestling that goes on under the surface, but he just keeps smiling... and blocking shots.... and making shots...

 

 The FHS JV team.

The best part about tonight's game was what took place afterward when we took this picture.  The kid next to Jake isn't on his team.  He was the opponent.  When we walked into the pool area that night, we ran into our dear friends from our MBA days at Duke-- Mike and Carrie Thompson.  The boys that hadn't joined our families yet in North Carolina, were now in the water playing each other!  Even taking each other down!  The Thompsons sat next to us the whole game as we cheered on our boys and watched them tackle one another without any idea who the other was.  

At the end of the game we introduced the boys to each other and Nick turned to Jake with a big smile on his face and said, "Dude, you were the one who got me kicked out of the game!"  All smiles and new friends made.  I really do love this sport.  

Luke and Mack's Fall Break

 Luke and Mack have the week off.  Fall Break.  We are used to having a fall break.  Back in our International American School days in Chile and Switzerland, we used to get 2 weeks off for Fall Break, and we LOVED IT.  I was ecstatic that Sunol actually took a week!  The trouble is, Jake and Kate don't have the week off.  So, we decided we'd plan some fun stuff at home.  It ended up working out perfectly, because with all of the germs flying around this house, we needed a few down days just to take it easy.  Today we had so much unexpected fun at the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley.  I wasn't quite sure what we were in for.  Would it hold the attention of an almost 12 year old as well as a 6 year old?!!!  In fact, I told the boys that we'd check it out and then the real treat would be to try the Crepevine Restaurant just under 2 miles from the museum when we were finished.  The boys were definitely more excited about the crepes than the museum. ( I mean, Mack talks nonstop about returning to Paris for the crepes.  He has NO CLUE how good he had it growing up only a 3 hour train ride to Paris. ) 

Until we got there...

The views of the Bay alone were worth the drive (for me).  

It was a GORGEOUS day and so that certainly helped!

From the moment we walked in, there were fun things to catch the boys attention.  Making airplanes and using the contraption to set them flying, hopefully through a few hoops!

Making all sorts of rockets and creations and experimenting with wind and speed and power....

One of the boys favorite things was learning how to make their own movies! 

 They could have spent hours doing that alone!

What I thought would be about an hour or so adventure, ended up keeping us till almost closing time.  We had such a fun day!  Full of hands on activities and fascinating experiments-- the boys had no clue that math and science could be this thrilling!  I was just ecstatic that no one ever even thought to ask for any type of screen.  They were playing NONSTOP.  When it was time to leave, they made sure I wouldn't forget that we still needed crepes!  Me??? Forget crepes?  I don't think that's possible.  

I think today was definitely a winner.  I'm sure I'll get a request for a do-over sometime soon❤️

My Favorite Birthday Gift!

     Today's my birthday.  I'm 44 years old.  Not sure how that happened, but here we are.  Kate is a senior, Jake is a freshman, Luke is in 6th grade and Mack is in 1st.  We are in the THICK of life.  I feel like I live hour by hour as we try to coordinate schedules and activities and who will be here and when we need to leave to go there.... it's busy.  I run into friends who live minutes from me at the grocery store or at church and think, "Gosh, when was the last time I got to sit and catch up with you?!"  But they seem to be in the THICK of it too and just nod their heads knowingly.  They get it.  We'll catch up when we catch up, and when that day comes, it'll be grand.  Until then, we juggle.  

    Last week Joe left for his first work trip since the COVID pandemic.  It's been almost 3 years since he has travelled for work.  I've gotten really used to him working most days from home!! And have even come to rely on him as a part time taxi driver.  Well, he left for the week to Ireland.  Oh, how I WISH I could have just hopped on the plane with him to go back to that breathtaking country!  But I stayed home to man the troops.  I caught some bug.  I was exhausted.  And things were nonstop.  I spent a few days just trying to finish my CE units for my Dental Hygiene license that needed to be renewed by today.  I hadn't done any of the classes in the last two years and suddenly I needed 25 hours done in a matter of days. (Nice).  Add to that the volunteering at school (I was feeling better by then), running kids every which way, feeding us all, and maybe throwing some loads of laundry in the wash, and I could barely contain myself with the idea that Joe would be home soon so I could sleep a little.  I was ready for a little break.  

    He ended up coming home healthy and getting sick the very next day after being with Jake at his all day Water Polo tournament in Napa.  With Covid.  Are you kidding me?!!!  This was not ok.  I didn't want to continue single parenting.  But so it was.  Well, like I said, my birthday is today.  I was a little grumpy about the fact that he was quarantined to our guest room so the rest of us wouldn't get sick.  How would he be able to plan all of my birthday fun?!! Heehee.  He knows how much a love a good birthday celebration.

    Luke and Mack are at Sunol Glen this year (I hung up my teacher's hat and am no longer homeschooling the boys) and they are on fall break this week.  So, since we couldn't go anywhere (Kate and Jake are not on fall break, which is lame,) I decided I needed to take the boys to go do some fun day things.  

    I was feeling a little sorry for myself, because I figured Joe hadn't had any time to help the kids come up with any ideas for my birthday.  (I was partly wrong-- he had been able to execute some plans with Jake, but not the others). So yesterday, after a sweat-filled, dodgeball, flipping, and jumping session at Rock n Jump,  I suddenly got an idea.  I asked the boys if they would like to go shopping for me.  I told them I would give them $20 and we could head into Bed Bath & Beyond (it was right across the street from our lunch spot).  I'd hide out in the front of the store, and they could have full reign of the store to find something they thought I might like for my birthday.  I told them they'd have to be sly about it, because I was not allowed to see what they picked out.  Their faces lit up with excitement as I handed them the bill and set them free.  

    I alerted the cashier so she wouldn't think there was any funny business going on, and I sat in the front of the store and waited.  A few times the boys heads popped out and when they saw me, they laughed and ran the other way.  When items were purchased and bagged, we arrived home and they excitedly wrapped their gifts for me and put them in a prominent spot for the big day.  

    Which was today.  They couldn't contain their excitement.  I'd also like to point out that I awoke (I let everyone know I would be sleeping in on my birthday, so breakfast and lunches were up to them) to the lovely sound of 2 of my older children yelling at each other.  "Hurry up!!!! We are late!!!! I'm leaving with or without you!!!!!"  Slamming of doors, elephant stomping... and such... with a few Happy birthdays thrown in between it all.  You get the picture.  Anyway, back to the excitement.  

    I came downstairs and Mack and Luke handed me their gifts and handmade cards.  I opened Mack's first.  He had picked out some Oil of Olay body wash.  Coconut scent.  He thought I'd like to smell like the beach when I'm in the shower.  Because I take a lot of showers.  I have no doubt there was some encouragement from his older brother on that one.  Then I opened Luke's.  Head and Shoulders Dandruff Shampoo.  I almost laughed out loud, thinking he was being funny.  I gave him a big hug and thanked him, maybe laughed a teeny, tiny laugh.  More like a giggle.  And my sweet Luke looked at me and said, "Mom, I know you love lotions and stuff.  I don't know brands very well,  is this a good brand?  Did I pick a good one?"

    Well, I have to say, Luke, you picked out one that will forever make this heart of mine swell every time I see it on the shelf, and maybe even tear up a little.  That honest and pure question, so wanting to make sure that he picked out something nice for me.  Hands down, this goes in the books as one of my favorite gifts ever.  

    Even though Joe stayed away from me, he still managed to make me a delicious breakfast and decorate the house.  I had visitors and messages and phone calls and flowers and little things left on my doorstep all day long that made me feel SO VERY LOVED.  I got a walk in, and a foot massage and lunch and even a mani/pedi with the best sister ever.  And then when everyone came home from their busy days, Joe had arranged for our family to go to Urban Plates for dinner (without him) so I could still celebrate.  And even though it was almost 8pm on a school night, they all came for a late dinner, to celebrate me, and have some of Kate's amazing cake that she made.  How I love this family of mine!  They are the best, and I cherish every single one of them.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.