I didn’t get to a blog last week. I was close, but it didn’t happen, so this is a double-up catch-up.

We’re getting ready for Hanukkah here. The house is decorated and we have supplies to send Hanukkah treats for the kids in SSA’s classes. Steven was counting dreidels to see how many more we need.

Amaya is writing a story about Hanukkah and is adamant we use the C in front – which is as valid as just an H but she’s been told otherwise and is making a point.

When the US had World Cup day game, Thornton Creek celebrated so the kids made signs of support that they taped to their body.

We had parent teacher conferences on 11/28 and the teachers made it optional for kids to attend, too, which Steven and Amaya did. Amaya and Jason did a little basketball skills work while we waited for Amaya’s conference.

Conference coincide with the school book fair and all three Cline kids used some of their money on posters: baby animals, star wars and minecraft.

Because of conferences, there were half days on Thursday and Friday. On Friday afternoon, Sophia took Steven, Sammy and Amaya go glow-in-the-dark mini golf, to the TC playground and out for dinner at Applebee’s.

Last week, Steven missed three days of school – Wed, Thurs, and Fri – due to a cold and fever. It sounds like illness is rampant at Thornton Creek (and most schools) this year. It was so bad at TC last week that one kindergarten class only had give kids in attendance on Friday. Fortunately, no one else caught it.

Steven felt poorly enough on Wednesday and Thursday that he didn’t watch any TV. He tried to read a little but mostly sat on the couch in the quiet. By Friday he was feeling much better.

Nico is a classmate who lives on our block and the boys are starting to play with him after years of not really being friends.

Sick Bobes. 🙁

Amaya got new cozy PJs and a new winter hat. She’s holding her favorite stuffy – Izzy – which she got with Jason at the mall when we were in NY for the funeral/shiva in August.

Amaya, looking through her Disney photo album. She still sends videos and texts to Nana on messenger kids.

Friday night Sleep with Parent Night started for Sammy and Jason with a game of chess.

We had a wonderful Saturday visit with Grandma Sunshine and Aunt Annette to celebrate Hanukkah together. Lots of gifts and games and love.

Amaya worked very hard on special gifts for Aunt Annette and Grandma – homemade crafts and a book with poems about each of them.

Aunt Annette and Sammy working on his crystal growing kit.

Grandma Sunshine and Steven setting up his underwater volcano.

It was a lazy Sunday. Hebrew school in the morning and then Jason took Amaya and Steven to get frames because Uncle Dave printed a photo for Amaya and she needed a nice frame for it. The picture in the frame feels like yesterday. It was early August 2021 – Jason was away at the national ball card collector’s show and Nana was visiting us in Michigan for the first time since covid.

That’s it for us! Have a good week.