Kokochi

The Dad Life

Yay to Daddys everywhere!

via YouTube

Tesla's Daddy rocks, and so does mine. My dad and mom just arrived in town from Tokyo!

Sleepover

Tesla is at her very first sleepover! Granted it's at the Regenbogens right where she is used to sleeping since a newborn, but this time, for the first time, we aren't bringing her home at night. So tomorrow morning she'll wake up there. T was invited along with Fia's school friends, meaning T is part of an older girl group. Hope it all went well.

When we dropped her off, the girls were all decked out in princess stuff - a trend we just can't avoid no matter how we try. T loves her pink princess dress...

Since we have until tomorrow morning, we hoped for a special hot date night, but unfortunately Dav is sick in bed : (

Why Never to ask Favors from Designers

Missing cat poster

From TheNextWeb

Tesla's 4th Birthday

Tesla is 4 years old!

She had a list of celebrations for her birthday beginning with a special lunch/cake celebration at her preschool. Her teacher made her the most awesome hat complete with tinker bell and lots of detailed decorations. Every month, the school does a combined special lunch for the birthday kids, and because Tesla started in September, she had to wait all year long to have her turn. She was SO proud.

Here she is sharing with Sean.

In honor of T's day, we donated a book to the school. T got to sign it : )

Then for her own party, we rented space at TwinSpace in the Mission where T has been for some dance classes (more like free form fun). It was perfect. Lots of space to run around, a sofa area for parents to hang, feet painting, dance, and of course, cupcakes and gifts.

T was beaming when we all sang happy birthday to her. She really got that it was her day : )

I like to think T had the time of her life. Thank you to TwinSpace, and all who came to make it special!

4th & Bryant water line break

A bit of excitement this morning as I walked to the office. Very quickly the streets got flooded so everyone had to wade through to cross streets. 

Camp Tipsy

This year's Camp Tipsy was the best - best location, best lake conditions, best groups of people, best crazy boats or more like floating pieces of whatever.

 

In the past, Dav and I went on our own, but this year, a group of friends came so we got to share the fun. Plus Tesla had 4 playmates so it was perfect. There were always a few parents in the water watching over the kids so overall, everyone could relax.

 
 

Dav and I were very proud of Tesla as she took to the water so fearlessly (after a timid first hour), and swam (kicked with her life jacket and noodle) way far out, once with me to meet Daddy on a boat, and later with Daddy to an island across the lake. I was quite surprised at how far she went.

Every night Chicken John took out the large bar boat at sunset. Years past we couldn't join because we had Tesla. Since the "Sunset Cruise" can go for hours unpredictably, it wasn't practical for us. But this year, one night the boys, er, men went out. Next night, us gals hopped on the bar boat and had a wonderful time. Chicken puttered the bar boat out to a quiet area where we saw the sunset, then a spectacular moon rise. Oh, and the bar pulled a hot tub that we got to sit in - heated by a wood burning stove. For real!

 
 

All through the long weekend, as we floated leisurely on the lake, had quality friend time, were entertained by the wacky floats people came up with, and enjoyed the beautiful outdoors, I kept saying, "this is just perfect."

I love that Camp Tipsy is kid-friendly, and that really everyone is friendly and respectful. More pics here.

Visit from Finland

My brother and family, currently living in Finland for Ian's work, came to visit. The kids got to attend the last week of the school they used to attend in Alameda, and Tyler got to participate in graduation with his friends. I totally understand how important it is for the kids to get to reconnect with their friends. Helsinki has been a bit hard on them.

I was so happy to get a whole evening with them. Good to hang out, and I just love to bits that Tesla knows her cousins...and she also knows her cousins from Dav's side. I grew up with only 2 cousins from my mom's side so I very much appreciate the big family Tesla is a part of.

 

Ian bought an iPad while here. And combined with Dav's, the kids used a copy/repeat fun application to get the iPads copying each other.  Techie kids.

 

catch up - Strawberry

Summer is busy! Started with our annual Strawberry Festival when we dusted off the RV, and will continue on until Burning Man. In between is my brother & fam visiting, Rachel & fam visiting, then my parents visiting...Camp Tipsy, Tesla's birthday, seeing 2 high school friends, and numerous other get-togethers. This week, every single night I have something either to do or to go to.

All to say, finally, here are some Strawberry pics. When we showed up, it was snowing! But by the end, Tesla was splashing in the lake, as was every other kid too. Although she complained that she didn't have her own friends there (hanging with us adults won't cut it anymore), overall we all had fun. It's just so beautiful at Camp Mather that being there is happiness.

We bought Tesla a small wooden airplane that she loved...

...but it was rather flimsy and it unfortunately broke quickly. Here is the Strawberry  flickr set. 

Off to Camp Tipsy

Offline til Sunday. Shall be fun as finally a bunch of our friends and a gaggle of kids are joining. Tesla is so excited for more RV time!

Chocolate ice cream!!!!

I used to be pretty strict about sweets with Ms. T, but as she gets older, I enjoy giving her treats. On a hot sunny day, Gran Marie and I offered to go to an ice cream store, and Tesla practically peed in her pants. So eager she was.

She got chocolate ice cream with "rainbow colors."

Her current version of a smile is a bit deceiving, but believe me, this is one happy girl here.

 

Eating is serious business.

 

On a hot day, it really was serious business for mama. I had to lick the sides, and get water and napkins to keep the flow of melting ice cream under control.

   

Bliss.