scout's on his way to middle school

May you have auspiciousness and causes of success
May you have the confidence to always do your best
May you take no effort in your being generous
Sharing what you can, nothing more nothing less
May you know the meaning of the word happiness
May you always lead from the beating in your chest
May you be treated like an esteemed guest
May you get to rest, may you catch your breath...
~ i want you to have it all, jason mraz

these are some of the lyrics to the song that is used in the
background to this video (below) celebrating scout's elementary years.
originally, he asked that i use the school's theme song by cat steven song
titled, if you want to sing out. it's a beautiful song with an important message,
one that students learn in kindergarten and it's sung multiple times at special
events throughout the year. it's more of a mellow song and it didn't quite go
with the images i had pulled together. scout watched and agreed.  i asked
him for suggestions and he immediately said, how about the new jason mraz song.
he's been listeing to jason his entire life. he hears me play and sing it often.
we watched the video together with the new song and agreed, it was perfect.

it took several weekends of an hour here and there to create, but the
memories that this video captures are priceless. this is what life is all
about - making memories with those you love. 

explorer elementary has given scout a wonderful second home the past
6 years, but he's ready for bigger challenges that middle school brings.
like the lyrics cry out, i want him to 'have it all.  i don't mean material things.
i want him to have the things that money can't buy - confidence, close friendships,
excitement for learning and life and rich experiences.  

newly eleven - scout benjamin gerber

we have a birthday boy in the house today! Scout is ELEVEN and my mama heart couldn’t be happier to celebrate our youngest. I can’t possibly list all the reasons why I love this kid, but I will list a few. scout loves life and this spills over to everything he does. he inspires me with his love for learning, how he relishes reading and being read aloud to, how he pushes himself academically and physically and how he shows kindness and compassion for people and animals. it was no surprise that our new fur baby, bonita, bonded best with Scoutie. last, he shows us all to how to love big, forgive, and that it’s ok to wear our hearts on our sleeve. Our family is thanking heaven for our sweet eleven year old and all that he is.

scout - in keeping with tradition, here are 11 things i want to remember about you at this age:

1. You have a heart of gold

you have a big heart that truly feels all the feelings. you've always felt things deeply which makes you more attuned to those around you. this benefits everyone who comes in contact with you because this generation more than ever, needs examples of people who aren't afraid to be 'seen'. boys often learn to hide their vulnerabilities so they aren't seen as being weak. my hope is you understand that showing vulnerability is a sign of strength. it's allowing yourself to be seen and heard and this is a beautiful thing. the best relationships in life consist of this so keep that big heart of yours scout. it's one of your best characteristics. 

2. You enjoy being a child

your brother can hardly wait to be an adult, but you enjoy every minute of childhood and almost mourn growing older. leading up to your birthday every year, you tell me how great it has been being the age you are. you tell me why it's been the best year of your life so far, and that you wish you didn't have to grow older. your words tug gently at my heartstrings because as a mother, it's bittersweet for me to watch you blow out more and more candles every year. i've loved EVERY age you've been and i love your age now, but as the years pass, i wish i could hit a pause button for both of us. unfortunately, that's not the way the world works, so remember, you will only be 11 once, so make this your best year yet!

3.  You might be the most ticklish kid alive

our family has been torturing you with tickling ever since you were a preschooler.  because you are so sensitive to it and have the best laugh when we tickle you, we can't help ourselves!  your entire 5th grade class knows how ticklish you are and they too have enjoyed hearing you laugh, scream and squeal during recess when they 'torture you with tickling'. you even told me you can tickle yourself.  is this even possible? 

4. You still relish reading and the written word

i read once that reading is the easiest way to open a child's world and scout, your world is wide and vast because of the all reading that you do. c and i are far from being perfect parents, but reading is one thing we are proud you boys both enjoy. we've encouraged it your entire lives and it's benefited you in a million different ways. sure your vocabulary and spelling are off the charts which has everything to do with your love of reading, but there are more subtle things too.  reading has given you the ability to discuss many different topics with a variety of people of all ages reading has helped you to focus which helps you in everything from school to playing sports. last, it's given us a way to deeply connect as son and mother because i too share your passion for books. i enjoy hearing about all the stories you read and discussing stories we read aloud together almost every night. we just finished reading wonderstruck by brian selzniak and were mesmerized by this slow unfolding drama of a book. a movie has also been made off it too. {of course the book is 10x better}. someday i'll dedicate to post to your favorite books.  perhaps one day when you become a father, you'll have a record of your all-time favorite books and can recommend to him or her. i know i know, that's like a million years off you'd say, but remember, parents view time very differently than children.

5.  You are a true soccer player
there's been lots of changes this past year for you. even after receiving the Most Valuable Player {MVP} award this past season playing for the Blast Soccer Club, you begged us to try out Albion, a higher ranked soccer club here in san diego. after lots and lots of discussion between your father and i, we decided to let you try out and you made it for the 2nd level {i'll come back and fill out the official name once i talk to you}. the season is still new, but so far so good.  you travelled to las vegas and took 2nd place in your division last weekend.  i may be slightly biased, but even if i just saw you playing on a soccer field, i think i would notice you scout. you don't score the most goals or have the fanciest footwork on the field {although your skills are pretty impressive}. i'd notice you because of your 'intensity'...the way you focus when you are on the field and how smart you play. your coaches tell us you have high 'soccer intelligence' which translates to you understand the game...you see the field and options for moving the ball down the field. i wish i could say i taught you some of this, but i take zero credit. soccer is something YOU own....it's not something your dad and i push at all. we simply support you. the love and the drive you have comes from within.  your dad and love watching you play and have actually learned more about the game than we ever would have if you hadn't joined our family.

6. you're a great friend

this summer, your bestie, spencer, returned to san diego from barcelona and you boys are as happy as clams! he is here with his family for 6 weeks and you two have picked up right where you left off.  i was curious to see if your friendship might fade a bit because of the time and distance between you, but this hasn't happened. you two stay in touch regularly using skype and google hangouts. you two are committed friends and the effort is made on both sides....the sign of true friendships.  the summer of 2018 promises to be one of your best ones yet. in just a week and a half, there has already been a few sleepovers, birthday celebrations {for both you and spencer}, soccer playing and soccer watching {world cup}, book exchanges and you've got a big surfing/camping trip to mexico planned with your dad and finn and spencer and his dad and brother.  i have no doubt you'll return home with lots of new books read, a sun-kissed body, a big smile on your face and stories that will last for years to come.  

7.  You are a burger boy

like most kids you enjoy pizza and for your recent birthday celebration, we bought boxes of pepperoni pizza to feed you and your buddies, BUT if you had a choice, you'd prefer a burger from in-n-out almost any day of the week. your order is always the same: a double double cheese with a chocolate shake. as you grow and eat more, i will often take you here on the days you have soccer practice. you practice from 6-7:30pm and are starving when you finish so we'll stop at in n out to fill your belly. it makes you happy and though burgers aren't the healthiest food, i justify the stop by telling myself the burgers are a little better than other fast food joints becuase the beef is never frozen. the burgers are cooked fresh upon order. you told me you might even work here as a teenager because you hear the pay is well over minimum wage AND you get a free meal every shift you work.  i might just start calling you 'burger boy'. 

8. Math is your favorite subject

some might thing english is your favorite subject because you are an avid reader, but math is your favorite subject. it comes pretty easy for you. it may not always be this way, but it has been since the beginning, so we supplement alot from home {you still do kahn academy every year}. you finished 6th grade halfway through your 5th grade year and spend the rest of the year 'reinforcing' what you learned. you've had amazing teachers throughout your elementary school years and they've done a great job challenging you. i'll be honest, i struggled a bit helping you with a recent word problem you presented to me.  your math is becoming more complicated and you are finding that your father is a stronger in this area than your mom.

9. You had your first puberty class

a few months ago, you brought home a permission slip that your father and i needed to sign to allow you to - attend a class on puberty.  i could only think 'wow - that came fast. we of course signed the permission slip and briefly told him what they would be discussing. he didn't seem interested or perhaps that was his way of saying i don't want to hear this from you, but he now knows what to expect when he starts puberty. if you had your way, you would stay a child forever. you actually said this. i believe childhood goes by too fast scout, and though it's tons of fun having babies that coo and smile at us and toddlers who think we are superheros, it's also a beautiful watching you grow and come into your own. puberty is probably 2 years away yet, but it's coming. i bought you deodorant since you are starting middle school this year. even if you don't need to use it, it's good to have it on hand. 

10. You love legos, battle bots, superhero/marvel movies and of course watching professional soccer matches 
you are a busy kid scout with full days. i don't worry about you sitting in front of a tv for days on end...unless it's the world cup. when you do get some down time, it means you are watching something that I typically have no interest in. living with 3 boys means it's rare that i watch tv because we only have one and it's usually tuned to something sports or science related. i retreat to the guest bedroom and watch something on my laptop from time to time. this is part of living in a BOY house. 

11. You are a boy who has a dog...finally!

for the last 3-4 years, you've mentioned wanting a dog. after spending two weeks with grandma's dog maggie in florida, you were hooked. you didn't ask for one every day, you simply mentioned it a few times a year....when we would see a friendly or cute dog or visit friends with dogs. because your father and i were both working out of the house, neither of us felt it was right to leave a dog at home alone all day. our hope was that down the road, our circumstances might be different and there might be an opportunity to be dog owners. then there was. your dad took a job that has allowed him to work from home all-day full time if he wants and usually he does. we finally had an opportunity without feeling like bad pet owners.  

there were a few conditions before we added a furry family member to our group: the first being that we would not get a puppy as they require more work than a older dog. we weren't ready for chewing, house-training, etc. we simply don't have the time or the energy. second, christopher and i didn't want a dog that would shed. we clean enough at home and cleaning more was not something we wanted to be doing. the third request from ALL you boys is that we RESCUE a dog...not buy one.  this too was reasonable, as there are so many dogs {and cats} that need homes. we aren't so particular that we have to have a specific breed. the healthiest dogs are often the mutts and we were ok with this.

so a few weekends ago, you and i drove to our local petco store scout. every other weekend, there is some rescue agency parked in front of the store hoping to find good homes for their animals. i immediately saw a mid-sized black poodle that might have been a good fit, but someone was already filling out paperwork to adopt her. as i scanned the fenced in play yard looking at all the dogs...and there were lots, you discovered a small salt and pepper schnauzer in the corner shaking. she was very cute with a black face and a white moustache and white eyebrows.  the volunteer picked her up and put her in your arms. she was such a timid and a bit scruffy, but she was gentle and you fell in love scout. you literally didn't put her down for 45 minutes. when i asked if you wanted to hold another dog, you said "no. this is the dog i want mom. she needs a good home".  she wasn't exactly what i was envisioning, but you had made up your mind. i took a photo of you and bonita and sent to christopher letting him know we found our newest family member. to be sure our family and home was the right fit for her long-term, we did the 'foster to adopt' program. we are now on the 4th week and it's official - bonita is ours and we are hers. she has been such a beautiful addition to our home. her tail is no longer between her legs - it's wagging and she seems very happy with us. she especially loves sleeping in your bed scout. you have wanted a dog before you turned 11, and you discovered that sometimes birthday dreams do come true. 

happy birthday sweet scout about! there isn't a day that goes by that i'm not grateful to be your mom.

Your stats at 11 years old:

you are 54" tall and weigh 68 lbs. 

you wear a size 8 in jeans and a size 10 shirt. 

your shoe size: 3.5 and sometimes 4 shoe

a note from Finn's 8th grade teacher

before i put the hard copy of this in the keepsake bin i created for finn,
i scanned and wanted to share here as well. a personal note was given to
each student from their main teacher's and this is te note finn received.
as christopher and i read it and smiled. this is one of the benefits the
boys get by attending high tech high. their school only allows 120 students
per grade and these students are known on a very personal level by their teachers.

my favorite fourteen year old

somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known.
~ carl sagan

So many incredible things are yet to be known, but one thing is known - 14 years ago, one INCREDIBLE thing happened, and that was the birth of you, Finn Oliver Gerber! That little bald baby boy, now you, has brought so much love, joy and life to our family. 

This year has been full of change, discovery and growth. Your dad and me watch in awe as you grow and sometimes with tears as we realize how little time we have left with you before you head out into the world. I try not to think about it too much, but the years go by way too fast. Continuing my tradition, here are 14 things that I want to remember about you at this very time in your life: 

1.  You have grown A LOT this past year.  

I am literally looking into your eyes when we stand face to face.  You are just a 2" shorter than me and we have the same size feet! We still have the surfboard grow chart hanging on your wall that we've had since you were a year old to track you and your brother’s height and when your father marked your height, we saw that you have grown almost 5” – CRAZY!! You are very happy about this as you tell us you are the smallest kid in your grade, and have been for the last 2 years.  I shared that your Uncle Todd was very small until age 15/16. You will grow too Finn. You won’t be tall, but you won’t be 5’ forever either.  i promise.

2.  You eat like a truck driver.

What I mean by this is you eat A LOT these days and you eat fast. I finally understand that reference “my kid is eating me out of house and home”. Our grocery bill is bigger and my trips to the grocery store are more frequent.  We try to eat dinner as a family every chance we get and if you have your way, you’ll clear your plate in 5 minutes and be gone. I remind you to ‘taste your food’ and to enjoy meal time. It’s one of the few times the whole family is together during the day, so please sit with us longer Finn. We absolutely love your company. 

One of my favorite things about this stage of your life is that you eat just about anything now which makes meal time so much more exciting. I can experiment with recipes and you will eat them {even if they aren't great}. You are also up for eating an any restaurant and trying new foods which makes life so much more enjoyable...especially because San Diego has so many restaurants to chose. Our neighborhood alone has probably over 2 dozen. Given a choice between any type of food, you still prefer sushi, but you also love Italian, Chinese and Mexican. 

3.  The ocean is one of your happy places.

You gladly get up at the crack of dawn every Sunday morning to surf with your middle school surf team.  You set out your wetsuit, surfboard, wax, towel and snacks the night before so you can just jump in the car with your dad and head to the beach. On occasion, I tag along and watch you for a bit, say hi to the kids and their parents, and then I go for a run. It's a true surfer who can get up at the crack of dawn and paddle out into the pacific ocean in the winter months.

You don’t care about competing in surf contests, and you don’t go to socialize like a few of the kids on the team. You go because you love the ocean – its beauty, its power, the workout, and the dopamine that is released when you ride a wave. It just feels good!  I’m guessing you enjoy the trip to Taco Surf with dad after every surf practice. It’s a ritual for you two.

 4.  You’ve discovered Carl Sagan. 

One of your 8^th grade projects this year was titled ‘Monumental Figures’. Students were asked to select a person from the United States who doesn’t currently have a monument created for them, and explain why they were deserving of one.  You chose Carl Sagan, a name I recognized from my childhood. He was the host of the original Cosmos TV series, which is now hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. You loved this project Finn, and spent hours researching him. When you presented your project to us, and all the 8^th grade parents, your enthusiasm and your research on him spilled over to me. Over the next few weeks, I pulled up a few of the original Cosmos shows and Sagan interviews on youtube and watched because of  you. He is a fasinating man. You continue to learn about Sagan and his theories. You are currently reading his booked titled, A Pale Blue Dot that Grandma Gerber (GG) sent you for Christmas. You told me you are “taking your time with it” because it’s full of so much information. Oh Finn, your dad and I never tire of watching you get excited about something.

5. You have no interest in social media, but you do enjoy video games

Moms of daughters often have struggles around social media, but this is one area parents of boys typically don’t struggle.  There are exceptions to the rule of course, but we don’t anticipate you opening a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat account anytime soon Finn. For now you prefer to text and Skype with your friends.

Like most boys your age, you enjoy gaming and want to play longer than we prefer you to play. You have designated ‘educational’ and ‘recreational’ computer time and you’d love more recreational time.  You tell us we are stricter than most of your friend’s parents, but in the same breath, you have said it’s a good thing. Oh Finn, we are doing our best. We have rules because we care and want you to use time wisely. We don’t mind you playing videos games, we just want you to have balance – face to face time with friends and lots of outdoor play. Since we don’t have any gaming consoles or portable gaming devices, this has helped tremendously. when you play games, they on your computer desktop and it's easy for us to monitor and less tempting for you.. Kerbal Space Program (KSP) is still your favorite game, with Portal 2 as the runner up.  

6.  You are a fan of Stranger Things

The day came your dad and I FINALLY let you watch this series.  Your friends started watching last year, but your dad and I thought it was a bit dark. Childhood is such a short window. We wanted to extend yours a bit longer.  It’s tricky being a parent….some decisiuons we make seem instinctual and we just know and feel good about, and other things we aren’t sure at all about. It's a learning process and a constant reassessing. You never pushed us or got upset when we told you that you would have to wait to see it. That's not your style. You simply said “let me know when that time comes”.    

When you turned 14, it seemed the right time. You just finished Season One and you thoroughly enjoyed it. The boys in the show are your age and there’s just enough sci-fi and creepiness to excite you. About halfway through the season, you said “I know why you and dad like this show so much mom, it’s totally your generation”.  Yes Finn Oliver, it is.  It’s like travelling back in time for us parents who were kids/teenagers in the 80s – the music, the clothes, the walkie talkies, and even the banana seat bikes.  When you commented that is would have been cool to grow up in the 80s because life was simpler, I smiled and told you it was a great time to be a kid. Now you know why your dad and I ask you and Scout to leave your phones and go play outside {unsupervised}. We want you to experience some of the freedom and the kind of playing that we had as kids.

7. Your current favorite movie is Dunkirk.
I took you to see Dunkirk one weekend - it was just the two of us. You were mesmerized by this powerful film, which felt more like an art film to me than a traditional action/war film. The dialogue was sparse, and there was no over the top gore which was refreshing. On our drive home, you talked about how you liked that the Director focused on three different groups of people over three different time frames, the Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots, the crew of a small civilian yacht and a group of young British soldiers trapped on the beach, and how they line up to make a really great climax at the end. As you shared your thoughtful critique, I smiled inside and thought “this is one of the joys of having a teenager”.  They have more experience and now can share great perspective. The conversation we had Finn added so much more to my experience of the film. Thank you for this. 

8. You continue to be an avid reader.  

Non-fiction and science fiction are still your favorite genres. You typically have two books going on at the same time – one at home and one that goes with you to school and in the car. Tonight, when I came into your room to kiss you goodnight, you were engrossed in your new book, A Pale BlueDot, and you have Artemis, the newest book by Andy Weir, the author of The Martian, on  your bookshelf to read next.   

Last month, you finished reading All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr.  I don’t recommend many books to you Finn, but I recommended this Pulitzer Prize winner that I read years ago. I was just waiting for you to be old enough to read it and your got there. You remind me so much of the German boy, Werner, in the story. He too loved engineering. We talked about the book over sushi last month, and it was one of our best dinners together. At the end of the night, I asked if you had a book to recommend to me, and you suggested Red Rising by Pierce Brown. I started it last week. It’s a dystopian sci-fi novel that reminds me a little bit of Hunger Games. I’m just a few chapters in, but I’m enjoying it. 

9.   You are ready for high school 

Your mother may not be ready for you to be in high school, but you certainly are. You are ready for greater independence that comes with it, more advanced and in-depth classes, a wider variety of students and abilities, and after-school clubs for things you are passionate about.  You have been dreaming of joining the robotics team for years and your time is almost here. You’ve been watching high school robotics teams compete since you were a Kindergartener, and soon you will be ON one of robotics team. You better believe your family will be there to cheer you on, and maybe even embarrass you a little bit. {you know your dad}

10. Girls 

The opposite sex is not a distraction in your life at this point and for this we are so grateful. Your dad and I aren’t encouraging it as there is plenty of time for that down the road.  Middle and high school are about learning who you are, preparing for higher education/your career, and making lifetime friends. Those typically are friends of the same sex, and this is how it should be. A few of your friends have ‘crushes’, but I think texting each other is the extent of middle school relationships. I realize this will change for a lot of kids in high school, but your dad and I don’t think this will be where you put your time. You’ve got your sights on more important things right now – joining the high school robotics team and then college. You are one determined and focused kid Finn, and this will serve you well. When the time does come for you to date, the girl who does get your focus will be very lucky.

11. You are a huge help around the house. 

Your dad and I appreciate it so much. Over the last two years, and more so this year, you have stepped up in a big way with everything - from cleaning the pool cover, taking groceries from the car and putting them away, unloading the dishwasher, vacuuming, dusting, a little cooking, and even packing your lunch {ok this one I asked you to}, but you are learning to recognize what needs to be done around the house and pitching in. Thank you for this!

12. Your passion is contagious

Listening to you speak about something you are passionate about fascinates me often more than the subject you are speaking of.  I don’t have the passion or the attention span to study the mysteries of space or to understand the engineering of SpaceX’s Falcon rocket.  You however, do Finn. From your early years, how things work and the world and it's mysteries are things that have interested you and excited you. People are drawn to passion, and for parents, there’s little more exciting than seeing your child passionate about learning and discovering. Your passion encourages the rest of us to keep pushing for things that move us.

Last week at your Student Led Conference (SLC), you presented your work to your dad and me and as you spoke, you looked directly into our eyes, exuding total confidence. You owned your SLC Finn - sharing what you have learned in your math and science class, sharing your neatly organized work and discussing your goals for the remaining school year. I sat listening to you and thought WOW – you couldn't have been more prepared and you make public speaking look so easy. You received perfect scores in all your classes – straight 100s, and had a few scores over 100 because you did extra credit. School comes easy for you Finn, and because of this, our biggest fear when it comes to your education, is that you will lose interest.  We want you to stay excited about learning and work with your teachers to help make this happen. Remember, you too play a role.

13.  You have enormous amounts of patience.  

Having a teenager is still pretty new for our family. We are all trying to figure out how things are supposed to work. While you are changing and trying to figure out this teenage thing, remember that we are too. I sometimes forget your age, and talk to you like you are a little kid. I know this is frustrating and that you prefer to be treated like an adult.  Since you aren't one quite yet, I’m trying to find that middle place - allowing you greater freedom, but still guiding you along too. More than anything, I want you to feel respected and loved and to know that we trust you.  Until you break is, we will you give you the benefit of the doubt. Be patient with me if I remind you to grab your permission slip, to do your homework, or practice piano.  I think giving ‘reminders’ is in a mom’s DNA.  Also, thank you for your continued patience with Scout. He loves and looks up to you SO much, so be gracious with him Finn. Always remember how important it is to have a sibling. They know you better than anyone, have your best interest in mind, support your dreams, and they make great travel companions. {just think how boring it would be without him along on our family vacations}. *wink*

14.  You are kind
You greet your mama at the door every night when I come home from work and you give me a hug and kiss. You do this more for me I'm sure than for you, and I am grateful for it. Though you don't feel like your mom's little boy, my arms still want to pick you up. Actually, I try sometimes, and you just laugh because I don't have enough leverage anymore. You are too tall {and I'm too short}. You show kindess to your father when you help him with projects that you really aren't interested in, but you know he is excited about. You are kind to our sweet elderly next door neighbors who wants to chat with you from time to time because...even when I'm sure you would rather be doing something else. Last, I see your kindness when you help Scout put broken Lego sets back together or when he gets stuck on complicated math problems. These are things you do regularly Finn, and it warms my heart because acts of kindness are never wasted.    

Happy 14^th Birthday Finn! You shine bright and are loved more than ALL the stars in the galaxy! 

Always and Forever.

Mom

You are 5’-1’ and weigh 86 lbs. You are a size 12 in shirts and jeans and you wear a size 6 shoe.

holidays with the utah gerbers

i've neglected this blog for so long and i really really want to get back at it

because it is one thing i enjoy and find true value in.  time is just harder to come
by these days, especially with the recent changes in my life and with a tween and a teen.
things were much slower when the boys were younger, but that is as it should be.
those early years are the foundation years...when our kiddos need us the most, when we
create tight bond and yes, when we take family naps. oh how i miss those family naps.

i have a mental list of some milestones and special events i need to capture on this blog,

but it will take time. since i just pulled some photos together of my niece maya and her
friend during their visit over new years weekend, this was a good place to start. 

the cali gerbers hadn't seen the utah gerbers for a while, so we were delighted to they
were able to come down for new years. we had a full house with maya's friend in tow
which made it all the more fun. isaac slept in finn and scout's room, we set up an air
mattress in the library for the girls, and shannon and trevor stayed in the guest room.
we were cozy, but it worked well. over the years, we've hosted and vacationed with
lots of family and friends and when we are with the utah gerbers, it's effortless.

during their visit, lots of activities were squeeze in - tennis, bike rides and a walk along the
bay, a beach day, a hike at torrey pines, a new years eve party and a photo shoot! the boys
and i had been under the weather just before christmas and we were finally feeling well and
welcomed all this play time. we alla needed it! 

one of the highlights for me was watching two very determined teenage girls brave southern
california's surf. the ocean temperatures here might reach 72 during the summer, but in the winter,
water temps are usually in the 50s. this didn't deter the girls - they really wanted to surf.
one suited up in an old wetsuit of c's, and one wore a wetsuit that belonged to my sister, jen
when she lived here. it sure comes in handy when we have female guests. uncle c worked with
the girls on land before he took them out and the girls stayed with it. after a good hour or so, they were able to stand up.

watching them brought back memories of my learning to surf. i was tenacious in my 20s,
that's what my friend marty called me because i'd stay out in the water...even though my hands
were blue and my toes were numb. the sun would already be down, but i wanted to catch one last
wave before heading home. maya and olivia were ljust ike this - there were Determined
and they were Fierce! the adults, other than brave Mr. G, the rest of the adults
stayed on dry land and  enjoyed the sunshine. {uncle t even even got in a little cat nap}. 

a few photos from our weekend together:

happy new year