I'm Still Here

Travel always throws me off my routine. Always.

I had a work trip this week - 3 days in LA to attend a conference.  I left early Tuesday, got back Thursday night and now it's Sunday. Since I left, I haven't blogged once and my (limited) exercise routine is out the window. I'm hopeful I can find a routine again quickly.

Plenty has happened since my last post. I can't cover it all, so will hit the highlights and throw in a few pictures where I have them...

Karri's mom, Donna (affectionately known as Mimi), offered to come up and help Karri while I was out of town. Since I work from home, I do much of the shuttling of kids to/from school and activities. Karri's work schedule is somewhat flexible and we have friends we can count on to help, but its always a nice treat for the kids to have Mimi come up and stay.  I think Mimi enjoys it too.

Thomas' basketball team has had 4 games - 2 of which I missed while in LA.  They won 3, including a fun one over Kennedy High, where several of his grade school classmates attend, including 2 who are on the freshman team. Karri tells me there was a large contingent of Thomas' grade school friends in attendance for the game. I'm sure Thomas ate up every minute of it. He's been seeing more playing time - even started the last few games. The team is starting to come together and the games are fun to watch. It's the first time Mimi has seen a game - sounds like she loved it.

Matthew turns 13 tomorrow. For his party, he asked if he could have 5 friends sleep over this weekend. Yikes. The party was Saturday night. We took them to play laser tag - which was a big hit with the kids - then home for pizza, presents, cake, some time on the trampoline, a movie, lots of general teenage boy silliness and, eventually, bedtime. I think it was a hit, as all the boys seemed to have fun and we are hearing reports of same from their parents.

Matthew and his buddies (and Victoria) - in a rare moment of sitting still

 

All the kids had basketball games this weekend. On Saturday, Victoria's team won their first game and Thomas' team lost a tough one by 1. Matthew's team got another win - a close game against a very good team - on Sunday.

Sunday afternoon, we went to get our Christmas tree. Thomas had been invited to go snowboarding up at Snoqualmie Pass with some buddies, so he missed out on this annual tradition. We picked out a beautiful 8' noble fir.

Matthew and Victoria - ready to decorate

 After dinner we got the lights on and then let the kids place a couple ornaments.

Victoria's favorite angel ornament

We'll finish decorating this week. We are all exhausted from a busy weekend. And we've got a busy week ahead with Matthew's birthday, more basketball, my birthday, the Christmas show at Matthew & Victoria's school, and more. Time for bed.