First day of school

We made it! And man it feels good to be back. 

Tuesday night GISSV hosted their back to school night where we got to “meet” the teachers, see the classrooms and visit with the other parents and kids. It felt like a mini reunion catching up with all of the families who we hadn’t seen all summer and sharing notes with the ones we had recently seen. The kids were ecstatic to see their friends and it felt familiar and comfortable. It is crazy to think that just 2 years ago I was so overwhelmed and worried I wouldn’t find my people amongst the formal German school system. 

Here are the kids on their first official day: both in need of haircuts and baths, both of which we failed to do before the first day. It was so bad I ended up putting dry shampoo in Alva’s hair! 

And here the kids are in the shirts I purposely bought for their first day of school photo op… taken 2 weeks after school started.

Alva's First Girls Weekend

Even a new job couldn’t stop me from spending time planning our girls' weekend in San Francisco. Oskar got his weekend at Nascar. Alva got the ultimate city staycation with a few new friends before a few of them started Kindergarten

The pictures say more than I can: 

A fancy dinner, including a limo to get us there

Checking out the cable cars with Kelsey, Lilah, and Samantha

Doing the touristy thing at Pier 39 

A later than normal lunch called for drinks... including in the bathroom with the kids

Slumber Party!

Class of 2036! 

Summer 2023

I am not going to sugar coat this one. This summer was brutal. Full stop. It was a logistical nightmare and both Martin and I agreed: never again will we repeat the summer of 2023. 

To really capture the failure of the year, let’s do a quick recap of last summer. I took 6 weeks off. We had a full week at the lake, a week in Dunsmuir, three weeks in Europe. Yes. I appreciate last summer was a unicorn. But I didn’t think this year would turn into such a shit show. 

And yet here we were. Summer 2023. New job which meant rebuilding my work reputation, new expectations about coming into the office, and a new busy season. But we maintained similar plans as last year, including summer camps all over the city and state, a week at the Lake, a three week visit from the in-laws and a week at Dunsmuir.  It has been a challenge to say the least. And yes, while I have had a tinge of jealousy at all of the time Martin has gotten with the kids, Martin has had a tinge of resentment for me not being there for our planned trips. It really was a lose-lose situation. 

School is back in soon and I am ready for my three week vacation to Europe.

Summer started off great with a week at Pillbury... Cody and Brenda were even able to join!

Oskar living his best life at the Lake

One week at Timber Cove without me

Oma and Opa came to SF the day before we got home from the Lake and left the day before we headed up to Tahoe

One night in Homewood with some friends

Alva's Birthday at Soda Springs (complete with Dino Tacos)

Woodwards Camp for the week 

Camping at Lake Siskiyou (while I worked in SF) 

Finally back together again at Castle Lake