Happy 33 to Me!

Oh Happy Day! Adele came to visit for a couple days between her trip to Taiwan and her trip to Utah! This amazing niece of mine brings fun and happiness wherever she goes (don't let Jade's focused face distract you, she really is having fun!). 

She read stories to Jade while Larry was in class--this one was a library book about Claire the glass-wing butterfly.  I can't help but remember that we named Jade Claire very first after she was born... and then Leanora, and then Jade... random bit of Koberstein family trivia there... anyway, back to Adele...

 Dawna and Adele still share a very special bond as sister-cousins who lived together for two years. Nothing is too embarrassing for them to try together--for example, Adele is trying to get her humming to register on the ukulele tuner clipped to her nose... no luck. So...

 ... Dawna has to try it. Also no luck... but lots of giggles..

The last day Adele was with us, she and Dawna took on the very grown-up job of babysitting all of their younger siblings (7 in all) while all of us parents went out to dinner and then to an escape room in Santa Clara! We were gone about five hours and they had all the kids fed, read, and put to bed when we all got home. 

I called this my "birthday party" even though it wasn't really planned as such, and came a week early. But really, a good steak dinner, an escape room, and lots of friends is the best fun any 33-year old girl can ask for! I had the good company of Becca and Isaac Snow, Angela and Andrew Ringlein, Emily and Jake Biesinger, and Paul and Becca and Aaron and Emily Severson for our attempt to escape detention. 

It was a pretty good escape room. The progression was very dependent on interactions from the staff (who were all very nice, but not excellent actors), which is a different style than the others I've done.  I think I prefer the stand-alone type where there are mechanisms that are more independent of interaction or interference by escape room staff... 

We finished the scenario in 64 minutes! Not quite fast enough to make the wall of honor, but still a good time... especially when I discovered the cool reflecting ceiling picture I could take! (Sorry Becca Snow! You were on the bar...)

Well, friends, thanks for coming to my party! I'm ready to turn 33 next week!

Birthday Boy!

Happy birthday to my dearest Jonathan! Many happy returns of the day! We enjoyed many good wishes from family and friends via text, phone calls, Instagram, and even snail mail (my mom always gets it to arrive right on time! I don't know how she does it!).

But we did have one unhappy return of the day after all the rain over the past two weeks...  

I guess our fence just couldn't take it anymore... yay for being homeowners and the surprise projects that responsibility sends your way...

Anyway... back to the fun of Jon's birthday...

We had a most delightful supper with Paul, Becca, and their kids on Sunday afternoon.  I fried up some Opal Eye that Jon caught on our dive trip last October; we baked some butternut squash from Norm Prince's garden; and Becca brought some fresh sour dough bread from her own starter! We felt all rustic having hunted and gathered most of our meal!

Still, we couldn't resist raising our glasses of store-bought sparkling cider in celebration of this strapping young man! Jon, you've been by my side for more than half my lifetime. I can't even begin to express the depth of my love and appreciation for all you've given me, all you've taught me, and all we've experienced together. Your energy and enthusiasm for life is a blessing to everyone who has the pleasure of knowing you!

Last but not least... Jade helped end the day on an adorable and relaxing note... her renditions of the "Squids will be Squids" tales.

Happy Birthday!

X-Mas PJ Extravaganza

It's 2015... and that means a new Star Wars movie!

It's Christmas Eve... and that means new pajamas!

Put them together and you get...

Adele, Dawna, and Hannah in Pink  Rey and BB-8 jammies.

Zoey, Xochitl, and Jade sporting gray and white Rey and X-wings

The whole crew! Aaron and Em, Heather and Rob, Paul and Becca, and Jon and Deeb kids... and what's that? Nana and Papa magically found Star Wars PJs mixed in with their grandkids! Everyone looks great!

PS: Jon and I also got matching R2-D2 jammies. And yea, we did wear them to the movie! 

eCard

This is an eCard to say Thank You to Paul and Becca for being excellent Tucson hosts. If any of you thought Arizona was just dry boring desert, think again after watching the following footage from our trip:

Thank You Paul and Becca for a great start to our Thanksgiving week!

There is One Arizona!

Thanksgiving week was spent in beautiful, warm Arizona! We went to Paulecca's early in the week and then joined up with the Blacks for Thanksgiving festivities! Enjoyable memories included, but were not limited to:

 Nature walk and learning about interesting cacti :) This is our K Cactus!

 Hanging out with cousins, giggling while laying on tummies...

 Desert museum! There were so many great animals and things to see! We got to explore climbing caves...

 ...and try on monstrous BAT EARS! I wish she would listen this well all the time :)

 Meeting our new nephew, Conrad! Such a cutie chunk :)

 Feeding the ostriches at the Cogburn ranch! Lots of fun animals were there...deer, donkeys, goats, prairie dogs, and...

 ...Lorakeets!  Larry LOVED the lorakeets!  They perched all over us and enjoyed lapping nectar out of the little bowls!  Dawna had birds perched all over her head and arms; Xochitl giggled like crazy!

 Thanksgiving Day Turkey trot! Jon, Lynn,and Weston beat the turkey! Jon and I were matchey Neon runners with Xero shoes!! Poor Jon forgot his trail glove shoes :( But he made it with only a few blisters :)

 Hiking the wind caves the day after Thanksgiving. It was a great hike! Way better than black Friday shopping!

 Uncle Mike and Larry changed the oil together and got to see car on the life and everything!

 Seeing the Mesa temple lights and nativity display! It was amazingly crowded, but also amazingly beautiful around the temple grounds!

 Little Jade meeting new family! Gwen, Mike, Kim, and Tommy...

Also, Dan and Karla! They drove over from Ramona to celebrate with us!
Jade did really well on the drive, and thankfully she ate some solids so we didn't have to stop very often... although upon return, Jade is now very wary of getting in the carseat...

So, that's a quick snapshot of our Arizona trip!!!

Dawna Tunnel

Paul is a very agile uncle...

Naturally, the time BEFORE I taped it, Paul and Dawna performed this stunt flawlessly... no falling at all... but I still thought this was pretty impressive.

Dawna and Lawrence loved being with all their cousins in Oregon. We loved the big Severson Family reunion at Arrah Wannah. Here's a couple of my favorite snapshots:

Lawrence and Amanda... just too cute for words:



Danielle, Dawna, and Lawrence hiking and witnessing the beauty of Oregon outdoors:



All of us missed Daddy/Jon very much, but were excited to come home and see how well our garden was doing! We've harvested even more zucchini and tomatoes since...