Music to My Ears

Even as a little boy, J had a knack for music. I remember one time while at a friends house, he sat on their piano and started playing with the keys. He looked like a pro. This was back before the days of iPhones, so I wasn't able to take a picture, but I did think to myself that I wish I had a camera to one day, when he was a famous concert pianist, show him his very first time "playing."

Over the years we've discussed piano lessons. He was really excited at a younger age, and then when he was old enough to take them, the interest waned. 

M has a little Fisher Price piano that plays music by itself if prompted. One day last summer, I heard the familiar sound of one of the lullabies. And then I heard another. D came in and said, "How sad is it that he's playing the plastic piano? We gotta get that kid some lessons." My response: "I thought it was the piano playing itself." He sounded that good. I'm well aware that doesn't make him a music prodigy, but it really was flawless.

Needless to say, in August the horse trailer pulled up with a special delivery.

This time I did have a camera, and, yes, as I took this picture I said, "One day, when he's a famous concert pianist, we can show the world the picture of when he got his first piano." (And somewhere, the poor guy that delivers these things for a living, rolls his eyes as he hears another starry-eyed mother brag about what the future holds for her genius kid.)

The lessons started on his first day of school back in September. His teacher is very impressed by his hard work and, as I suspected, his musical talent :). And while I won't make too much out of it, the S word has been thrown around. One day, many years from now, we'll see how that actually pans out. 

Yesterday was his first recital...he woke up not feeling too well, but when the time came, he brought it:

He's come a long way in four months.

Those first couple of days I was sure we made a mistake. Our home sounded like a haunted house.

No more. That right there was music to my ears.

The 31 Days of Christmas

Forget twelve. At our house we up that number by 150% (and a smidgen).

This year we went up the road to the Noble Fir farm where you walk around, pick a tree, and they cut it for you. Sometimes we go to the parking lot of Grocery Outlet to get it. And that's just as well.

By the first weekend in December, it was decorated and lit.

But the holidays don't officially start until the eve of December 6th. That's when the kids stuff their Christmas lists into their stockings and await the arrival of St. Nick.

And guess who was back for an encore?

Euseb!

He's so darn cute!

And he kept the fun going...sometimes he'd forget to move and end up in the same place the next morning, but he delivered....ornaments, socks, goodies for hot chocolate.

We scored and got to see a dress-rehearsal viewing of the Nutcracker. It was amazing as usual.

Santa came by on the fire truck,

And M didn't run away crying.

She saved that for the infamous photo session and dragged J along with her.

Because it wouldn't be the holidays without tears for the camera.

Winter came a few days early ~ the day before Winter break was to begin.

OSD called a two-hour late start for one

And no school for another.

We had an at-home-day the next with another round of snow play, hot chocolate, games, and what may very well be their last bath together.

(In case anyone is wondering, they both have bathing suits on :)

A trip to Jumping Jacks a few days later followed by dinner at J's best friend's house rounded out the week.

By Monday night, this is what the wind had blown in!

"Twas the night before Christmas

And a White Christmas morning.

The next four days were filled with games,

music,

adventures,

new places,

  and gross places.

There were smiles

and silliness 

and plenty of family time

And as soon as the good-byes were bid, another set of cousins stepped in to fill the void

                             

The slumber party was at their house, but not before playing the wii-U, Legos, and M getting her toenails painted.

As if that wasn't exciting enough, this is where we headed next

This was M's Christmas gift from us, but there was a little something for everyone in this here store: Excitement (M), amazement (me), disgust (daddy), boredom (J).

It came down to Josefina and Ivy Ling (because those were the only two choices I gave her), but in the end, the earrings AND long hair won out,

and Josefina is M's new best friend.

The next day was NYE. We headed to some friends' to celebrate what was supposed to be NYC new years; instead, we ended up staying until a little before midnight thinking we'd be home to ring in 2013, but Daddy was hungry, so

♫ we stopped at Taco Bell for some Mexican eats ♪

And just like that, J had stayed up to see the new year roll in and had late-night grubs for the first time ever! Awesome.

School started the next day and things got back to a somewhat-normal status around here, but the Kings never fail to stop by in the wee hours of January 6th.

They must have followed the smell the the star cookies we made,

And dropped of a little something in return.

And so a month after it all started, this is what I got:

What remains of the Christmas tree is on the floor along with massive amounts of lights and a random ornament here and there.  Hopefully by tomorrow any evidence of the holidays will be stored up high.

I look forward to what the next 334 days have in store for us; that's when we'll be pulling all this stuff down and starting all over again.

Finally

Every year I ask. Every year for the last nine, it hasn't happened.

On the tenth, it did!

My mom, Ruben, and kids came to our house for Christmas!

The last time we were all together was five years ago and M wasn't even born.

It was so nice to spend quality time with all of my favorite people.

I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity.

It was a  MERRY CHRISTMAS  indeed

EGGcelent

This has been the scene at Northwest Asthma and Allergy for the last four years.

Every Fall we drive up north to have poor little M poked and prodded only to determine that, Yes, she is still allergic to eggs.

Last week was especially annoying. The office moved to a new location even more north, and it was raining especially hard. I thought we left with enough time, but it turns out that even Seattlites can't handle more than a constant drizzle. About 30 minutes before our scheduled appointment, when I saw the sign reading that Seattle was still 40 minutes away, I decided to give them a call. The receptionist was quick to want to reschedule my appointment because she didn't think I'd make it there even with the 15 minute grace period they allow. I told her that if I didn't make it, there would be no need for me to reschedule because I wouldn't be coming back, but that until then, I'd be hauling ass up I-5.

We made it with one minute to spare. The usual routine followed except that this time around there was no visible sign of allergy! It made the weaving in and out of traffic worth it.

I can't say that her allergy has been a big burden on us. She could eat baked egg and more recently Caesar dressing and mayonnaise, and if anybody tries to feed her "just and egg" she'll tell them where they can shove it. So, see, all our bases are pretty much covered, but it is nice to have that whole ordeal be a thing of the past.

Not that she'll be indulging in omelets anytime soon. She told me that she won't try an egg until she's 8. I have other plans. The doctor wants us to do a taste test and I'm willing to be she won't refuse French toast!

Spring Forward; Fall Back

Each spring and fall, when it's time to change the clocks, I always think of my Nino (my godfather). He is the one that taught me the saying that is my title: Spring Forward; Fall Back.

I don't remember when it was, though I was probably in my teens, but I do remember thinking it was genius. I may have even thought that he made it up, because if anybody could have made it up, it was him. He was genius. He was an amazing, though somewhat odd, man.

I can go on and on about him. But not today. One day I will be ready. Today it just hurts too much. I guess one could say that I think about him frequently. It's usually just a fleeting thought as I go about my day. Today there's been reminders of him all day long. We have a lot of clocks. On my way home from running errands; however, it dawned on my that the anniversary of his death was coming up. NO, was my next thought, it had already come and gone. In October!

How could the day have passed me by without so much as a thought of him? This is a man who was such a big part of my childhood and my life in general. This is a man who up until the end held onto mine and my brother's pictures in spite of the fact that he hadn't seen us in at least sixteen years. This is a man who still had some of my Barbies and maybe even a few of my brother's Matchbox cars; things that we left behind at the house in LA but that he couldn't bear do the same with when he packed up and moved to Mexico because they were the only tangible memories of the son and daughter he never had.  

I idolized this man, I loved and respected him. As with most relationships, it wasn't perfect. In my early-20's he let me down, and I'm pretty sure I returned the favor twofold. But I never stopped loving him. I used to think that one day I'd meet up with him in Mexico and tag along on one of his adventures. Unfortunately that day never came. Time passed us by. And then one day the phone call came. 

Juan Edmundo Tobias

My Nino.

I miss you. I love you. I'm sorry.