I usually write my birthday posts on the exact day, but this week was packed, and I couldn’t get to it in time. Still, I wouldn’t miss the chance to write about Ava’s fourteenth birthday, even if I’m a few days late. It turned out to be a special day for all of us. Grandma and Grandpa Martin had arrived from Colorado on Sunday, so they were here to celebrate, too. Ava had school on her birthday, but it was the last day of the week, which meant no early bedtime. She said she had a great day and got plenty of birthday wishes from friends, but the real fun started once school was out.
This feels like the year Ava truly discovered fashion. She was never much into clothes or outfits before, but now she’s all about putting together the perfect “fit.” For her birthday, all she wanted was to go shopping, so our first stop Tuesday evening was the Premium Outlet mall near downtown Las Vegas. We ended up in the Dr. Martens store, where she tried on different shoes and boots. She said she wanted a classic pair, so I found the style everyone used to wear in Seattle back in the 90s. She loved them, found her size, and hasn’t stopped wearing them since. She’s had knockoff Docs before, but never the real thing, until now.
Ava also wanted to stop in the Levi’s store since she’s into those classic styles. It felt like we were there forever, but she finally settled on a shirt and two pairs of jeans. Elise found a pair of ripped jeans at another store, and earlier in the fall, I had given Ava a very nice new softball bat as an early birthday gift, so between that, the clothes, and the boots, those were her main presents from Mom and me. She also got some nice drawing supplies from Uncle Jim and Aunt Brenda, a generous amount of cash from all her grandparents, and a thoughtful box of gifts in the mail from our friends, the Palmers.
After shopping, we were all ready for dinner, and Ava requested sushi. I knew exactly where to go: Taru Sushi in Chinatown. We’d been there once before as a family, and it’s also where my buddies from Tennessee and I always end up when they visit Vegas. Dinner was fantastic, as always. We started with appetizers—salt and pepper squid, spicy tuna salad, and crispy Brussels sprouts—then the sushi rolls started arriving. The presentation there is incredible, and we must have ordered about six rolls. The Chu Taru, Sunset, and Over the Rainbow were my personal favorites, though everything was excellent. The kids kept thanking me for taking them somewhere special, but it was entirely my pleasure. We stayed for more than two hours, eating slowly and talking, which is exactly how Jessica and I like to dine. It was a wonderful birthday dinner, topped off with dessert and singing.
In addition to all the birthday fun, it’s been a busy week for us. I took the week off work (my first time off since joining HealthEdge in June) and spent Monday volunteering in Jessica’s classroom. I had a blast working with the kids, and several of them took a real liking to me. One even kept giving me hugs throughout the day. It was great seeing Jessica in her element, running the classroom so naturally. She’s so good at what she does, and I loved getting to experience it firsthand. Since it was the start of Thanksgiving week, we put on a Thanksgiving lunch for all the kids. Amy and Tom came to help serve, and there was plenty of food to go around. Our family brought a big batch of fried chicken, but there were also tacos, mashed potatoes, fruit and veggie trays, and several pies. Enzo joined us, too, and everyone had a great time.
On Wednesday morning, I picked up Kristy, Tito, and Madi from the airport. They were tired from the early flight, but everyone settled right in for a relaxing day at home. With ten people staying in the house, it somehow never felt crowded. I spent a good part of the day making roasted garlic mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, while everyone else hung out and caught up. The weather was perfect, so most of the afternoon was spent outside in the backyard enjoying the sun. My Mom stopped by with a pan of stuffing and some birthday gifts for Ava, then later, Tito came out to play catch with the kids and me. That evening, we all wound down with a couple of holiday movies.
Thanksgiving was a big day for us and turned out to be the largest gathering we’ve ever hosted at our house. Along with the ten people already staying with us, another ten came over for dinner. My mom stopped by for a while before we ate, and we were joined by Devin, Tiko and Tina with their two daughters, my friend Tony and his son Luca, and Tony’s parents. It was a full house, but somehow it never felt crowded. Tom was a huge help with serving dinner, and Jessica had plenty of support from her mom and Kristy in setting the tables and getting everything organized. Dinner was excellent (I think it might have been the best turkey I’ve ever made), and everyone seemed genuinely happy. Tiko brought four or five pies for dessert, so after dinner we gathered in the living room to watch football and sample them all. It was the perfect holiday and has Jessica and me already thinking about hosting more gatherings like this in the future.
Friday gave most of us a chance to get out of the house, although I stayed home to help Tom with a computer project. Amy and Jessica went Black Friday shopping at the mall, while Kristy, Tito, and Madi headed out for brunch. That evening, Kristy, Tito, and Madi went to see Mat Franco’s magic show at the LINQ, while the rest of us grabbed pizza and played a few rounds of Yahtzee at home. Today, everyone heads back, and honestly, the week has flown by. Amy and Tom left early for their long drive back to Colorado, and I’ll be taking Kristy and her family to the airport this afternoon. It’s been exactly the kind of week I was hoping for, and I’m so grateful for the time we’ve had together with family and friends.
Looking ahead, Elise and Ava are both preparing for their winter music performances at school. Ava recently switched from trumpet to baritone, and Elise has been practicing nonstop for her role as first chair violin in the school’s intermediate orchestra. Her dedication always impresses me, especially with how much she’s improved in just over a year. Lately, we’ve been practicing scales together (her on the violin, me on the guitar), and it’s been a lot of fun. Enzo is excited for another two-week track and field camp in December, and this time, Ava will be joining him. Then, in January, Enzo starts flag football. We’re staying home for Christmas this year, but we’ll all have the last two weeks of the year off together, and I’m really looking forward to it.
That’s about all for now. I’m so glad Ava had such a wonderful fourteenth birthday, and I’m especially grateful for all the time we spent this week with family and friends. It’s been a week we won’t forget, and I truly appreciate everyone who helped make it so special. Happy holidays!
