I can’t believe we officially have a teenager in the house! 13 years ago today, our lives changed for the better in so many ways, and it was all thanks to the arrival of Miss Ava Pellegrini. She is such a sweet kid with an outgoing personality, a huge heart, and a level of commitment that you don’t see in many people. While today is her actual birthday, we have been celebrating with her for the past few days. After all, you only become a teenager once.
We held Ava’s first surprise party on Friday night at a local roller skating rink. Several of her softball teammates and their families joined us and Ava had a blast. She had no idea it was coming and was so surprised when she walked in and saw everyone. The following day, one of her friends came over for a sleepover. Jessica dropped them off at the movie theater to see “Red One”, which was a big deal because she had never gone to a movie without an adult before. Yesterday was her softball team’s end-of-season party at a local bowling alley. We hung out with everyone for a couple of hours and had a nice time.
Last night we all watched Grandpa Rick and Debbie’s wedding ceremony on YouTube. We were sorry not to be able to attend it in person but were thankful to be able to watch it online. It looked like a nice event and we’re very happy for both of them.
Today started with Ava opening some presents before school. She wished she didn’t have to go to school on her birthday, but what she didn’t realize was that Jessica had been planning all along to take the day off and pull her out of school early for a special day. I thought about joining them but decided not to because I get a lot more one-on-one time with Ava than Jessica does, so I wanted them to have this memorable time together.
After pulling her out of school, they stopped home for a minute, and as luck would have it, the custom softball glove that we ordered for her a month ago arrived in the mail. The timing couldn’t have been better! She has always used my 40-year-old Little League glove for softball, which is very sweet, but it was time for her to get something bigger and better. The glove was initially designed by her when I showed her the website, but I think she forgot about it. It’s her color scheme with an Italian flag, and it even has her nickname “Lightweight” embroidered on it, which was given to her by her beloved hitting coach, Bill Madlock.
Tonight, we’re all going out with a family friend to see the new movie “Wicked”, then tomorrow Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad will be arriving from San Diego to spend Thanksgiving with us. I have a special meal planned for us on Wednesday night, then we’re all going to decorate the house and Christmas tree afterward. Thursday will be spent at Devin’s house, which is becoming a Thanksgiving tradition for us, and then on Monday, I’ll be starting my new job as a Senior Software Engineer with Old Republic Title! I’m so thankful to have the job search behind me and don’t have to wait until the new year to land something.
As is the case every year, we have so much to be thankful for. Everyone is happy, healthy, and living their best lives. My brief unemployment stint caused a little bump in the road, but we used that as a teachable moment for the kids. Overall, things couldn’t be better, and we’re all excited for the holiday season. Above all, I hope this was an excellent birthday for Ava and that she never forgets it. She brings more joy to everyone than she realizes and we’re so lucky to be able to call her our daughter.
Happy 13th birthday sweetheart. Here are some recent photos and videos celebrating Miss Ava.
Opening presents on the morning of her birthdayShe loves her new bag from Uncle Jim and Aunt BrendaShe loves all things “Demon Slayer”Ready for school
Here she is opening her new softball glove
Getting ready for her first softball game in the 14U age divisionAfter winning her first Defensive MVP awardAfter winning her first Offensive MVP awardShe won Offensive MVP for the championship games because she got on base during every at-bat
This was her first at-bat of the first championship game
An update on Ava’s 12th birthday, softball, and Thanksgiving 2023.
Today our sweet Miss Ava turns 12 years old! Rather than celebrate her birthday via a traditional party, we decided to switch things up this year by holding a variety of celebrations and events, starting with the SEMA Fest concert and car show at the beginning of the month. While SEMA, which is the largest trade show in the world, has been going on in Las Vegas for a long time, this was the first ever SEMA Fest. Some of our favorite bands were playing so we decided to take the whole family for an evening of cars, motorcycle jumps, BMX tricks, burnouts, and amazing live performances by bands like Walk The Moon, AJR, and Imagine Dragons. It was an unforgettable night and Ava kept saying it was way better than a birthday party anyway.
We also promised Ava that we would take her shopping for her birthday and her request was that we go to the mall on Black Friday, which was yesterday, so again all five of us went out together for a day of crowds and shopping. She got a really cool pair of Air Jordans and enjoyed the time bouncing around from store to store.
Today, which was her actual birthday, was spent at the softball field for an end-of-season tournament. A couple of weeks ago Ava’s team won the championship for the Fall season of the Henderson Girls Softball Association’s 12U division. Before the playoffs began, her team started off by winning their first nine games in a row, then finished with a record of 10-1-1. Our first playoff game was against the only team that had beaten us during the regular season and they jumped out to an early lead.
Ava came to bat in the bottom half of the final inning with the bases loaded and no outs, down by three runs. The count was 2-0 when she drilled one up the middle, just slightly off towards the third base side. The pitcher appeared to make an impressive diving catch, but as she landed on the ground she dropped the ball. Ava got down to first base quickly, but each of her teammates stayed on their base because they all thought the pitcher caught the ball. There was mass confusion but ultimately they were able to throw the ball to each base and finished the game with a triple play.
It was a tough way to lose and Ava felt like it was her fault, but I explained to her that she did her job by getting a hit when it mattered the most. The game can be cruel at times but she had nothing to hang her head about. After that game, however, her team went on a tear by winning five games in a row to take home the championship! The final three games were on the same day, so it was a long one, but luckily Grandma and Grandpa Rudd were out visiting from Iowa that weekend so they got to see it in person.
I was so happy for the entire team and obviously very proud of Ava. The progress she made during this Fall season was incredible and she deserves a lot of credit. Most of these girls have been playing together for the past five or six years and Ava only had minimal experience with softball before this season. It was intimidating for her at first, but I love the fact that she never missed a practice, never missed a batting cage session, never missed a game, and never turned down an opportunity to practice with me at the park. She truly loves the game and has committed to working hard this winter in preparation for the next season, which begins in the Spring.
Our tournament today didn’t go like the regular season went for us, but we couldn’t have expected it to. We were facing all-star teams who had traveled from Hawaii and California to play in this tournament. Our team is not a travel team and we were the only local team even participating in the tournament. Our girls were a bit intimidated by these out-of-towners and had a hard time getting into their groove, but it was still fun. Nana came out and watched her play, plus we made treats for the whole team. Every time Ava came up to bat her teammates sang “Happy Birthday” to her, which was really sweet.
They played three games today, plus we’ll have at least two more games tomorrow, so it’s a long weekend of softball, but that’s it for the season. We already have plans to work regularly with some of Ava’s teammates during the offseason, and I’m personally going to do my best to train her for the upcoming season. It will be good for me as well because I need to get ready for my own baseball season, which begins in March.
I actually got a chance to get out and play in a baseball game last Sunday, which was really fun. I’m joining the Nevada Adult Baseball Association, which has teams in an upper level and a lower level. The guy who runs the team in the upper level is starting a new team in the lower level, but he asked me if I was available to fill in last weekend for the upper-level team because so many people were out of town for Thanksgiving. I said I’d be happy to play and ended up having a blast.
I was a bit intimidated at first because I have never faced pitching this fast before, so it took some time to get the hang of it. Guys are throwing in the 80’s so I struck out on three pitches for both of my first two at-bats. I got a nice base hit in my third plate appearance though, which felt amazing. More importantly, the guys on the team were so friendly and welcoming. Due to all the time I spend at home, I’ve been wanting to get involved in team sports again, and I feel lucky to have found such a great group to join.
One of the players on the team is a professional coach and we connected right away. Tuesday will be my first private lesson with him and I’m excited to transfer everything I learn onto Ava. I have a feeling we’re both going to come into the Spring season prepared and better than ever.
When I was a little boy baseball was by far my favorite sport, so getting back around the game over the past few months has been awesome. I’m so glad Ava is into it because we’re spending a lot of time together again, just like we used to during the hockey days.
A Lot To Be Thankful For
This was our third Thanksgiving in Nevada, but for the first time since moving here, we didn’t host it at our house. We spent the early afternoon at Nana’s place, then went over to my buddy Devin’s house for about 6 hours of food, games, and football. There was so much food I couldn’t believe it. Even though there were 15 people there, we could have easily all sat down for a second Thanksgiving dinner and still had plenty of leftovers to take home.
The weather was nice so the kids spent a lot of time playing outside. Meanwhile, Jessica and I had a great time catching up with friends. By request, I made roasted garlic mashed potatoes and stuffing, while Jessica baked three different kinds of bread and cookies! Devin had two different types of turkey, ham, and our favorite mushroom steaks for those of us non-meat eaters. He also ordered the famous coconut cake that Tom Cruise sends to everyone in Hollywood each holiday season. It came from Los Angeles packed in dry ice the day before Thanksgiving, and while I personally despise dried coconut, I’ll have to admit that the cake itself was lovely.
Before the adults made a dinner toast, I went over to the kids’ table and made sure they knew that every adult in that house was extremely thankful for each of them. We have such a great group of friends and getting to spend that day with all of them was unforgettable.
Holiday Mode
Everyone was exhausted yesterday after our Black Friday shopping mall experience, but later that evening we busted out the Christmas tree and all of our indoor decorations. The house feels very festive now, although we haven’t yet taken on any of the outdoor decorations. I’m sure those will be done soon though. The kids always love hanging their favorite ornaments on the tree and Jessica and I always look forward to the pageantry of the whole thing.
Pretty soon there will be school holiday events to attend, including Ava’s first-ever school band concert. We’ve decided to stay home for Christmas this year, but Grandma and Grandpa Martin will be coming out for a visit during the week between Christmas and New Year.
The kids are very much enjoying this little Thanksgiving break from school, but I think they’re even more looking forward to the upcoming break as we get closer to Christmas. This morning Elise and Enzo finished another session of boxing, which was very exciting for them. Although Jessica and I have encouraged them to try out some team sports, they’re simply not interested, but they enjoy going to their boxing class so we’re cool with that. School has been going well for them and before you know it, Elise will be graduating from elementary school, just like Ava did last year.
Speaking of school, Jessica’s Willy Wonka costume was epic for Halloween this year. Unfortunately, she did not repeat as the winner of the school’s costume contest, but I blame the kids since they’re the ones who did the voting. It’s been a very busy Fall season for us, filled with lots of good times and new friends via Ava’s softball team. Now that the season is over, things are going to slow down a bit, but it’s perfect timing because we’re excited to enjoy the holiday season. The kids haven’t been able to spend much time with Nana lately due to everyone’s busy schedule, but we’re going to make up for that starting now.
I think that’s about it for now. I just wanted to give a quick update, and most importantly, celebrate Ava on her special day. We’re very proud of her and it’s been exciting seeing her getting back into something she loves. To all of our family and friends who read this, we send our love and wish you a happy holiday season! Here are some recent family photos.
Elise’s 5th Grade photoEnzo’s 3rd Grade photoI love how Jessica gets a school photo each year as well. Halloween 2023SEMA Fest 2023Waiting for our favorite bands to take the stageJessica and I never intend to dress alike, but it frequently turns out that way.Thanksgiving morning, 2023Ava opening her birthday giftsAva loves anime and is obsessed with the character Nezuko from a show called Demon Slayer. Big thanks to our friends the Palmer’s for their thoughtful gifts.After her games today, we took Ava to Plant Powered for a vegan burger. The candle was a nice touch by Mom.
An update on Ava’s 11th birthday, Thanksgiving, and our upcoming holiday plans.
Today the amazingly awesome Miss Ava turns 11 years old! It’s hard to believe we’ve been parents for 11 years, but watching Ava and her siblings grow up has already been an unbelievable ride. While today is Ava’s actual birthday, we decided to hold her birthday party last weekend because we figured everyone would be busy during Thanksgiving weekend.
The party was held at our home on Saturday afternoon. 17 of Ava’s friends, plus another eight adults, were all over for about three hours. Ava is a big fan of the Dog Man book series, so we used that as her party’s theme. The party included a Dog Man trivia game, a version of “Pin the tail on the donkey” called “Pin the badge on Dog Man,” sandwiches from Subway (Ava’s favorite), and a chocolate-caramel ice cream cake, per Ava’s request. She called it one of the best days of her life, which was great to hear, but no one deserves more credit for this than Jessica. The amount of work she puts into the kids’ birthday parties is always unbelievable, and this one was no exception.
Here’s the video I made from Ava’s birthday partyAva taking her turn at Pin the badge on Dog Man
Today Nana stopped by the house to wish Ava a happy birthday and visit a bit. Her birthday is exactly one month before Christmas, so it always signals the start of the holiday season. Speaking of holidays, yesterday was Thanksgiving, which we held for the second consecutive year in our new home. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make plans with family for Thanksgiving this year, mainly because Jessica and I have been so busy lately that we forgot to set everything up. Luckily, our friends Tiko, Tina and their daughters Helen and Bea were able to come over and spend the day with us.
I made roasted garlic mashed potatoes, sourdough stuffing, vegetable gravy, sauteed green beans, and a vegan turkey loaf filled with cranberry stuffing. My buddy Tiko really wanted to make mac ‘n cheese because he hasn’t had dairy in forever, along with a cherry pie. He made the most massive pot of mac ‘n cheese, along with the biggest cherry pie I’ve ever seen in my life. It was all pretty over the top but also hilarious and memorable.
Next up will be a visit from Amy, Tom, Joel, and Melanie for Amy’s birthday in early December. They’re all coming to Vegas for a little weekend getaway, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone. The kids were pretty little the last time they saw Joel and Melanie, so they’re looking forward to meeting them again. We’re all going to The Neon Museum, which Jessica has been wanting to see for 15 years. I don’t know why we couldn’t make it happen before this, but we’re very much looking forward to it.
A couple of weeks after that, we will be driving up to Colorado for Christmas at Amy and Tom’s house. We’re looking forward to sledding, driving snowmobiles, ice skating, and building snowmen. It’s been a while since we’ve been in the snow, so that should be fun and memorable. That’s pretty much it for now; everyone is doing great, and time continues to fly, as usual. We wish all of our family and friends a happy holiday season and look forward to seeing some of you soon.
For today, however, it’s still all about Ava. Thank you for being such a wonderful daughter and sister. You are more loved than you even know, and we’re all so proud of you! Happy 11th birthday, sweetheart.
Opening gifts from her good friend Miles, who lives in WashingtonAva loves her new bedspread from Nana
Celebrating Ava’s 10th birthday, Thanksgiving, and a visit from family.
On Thursday the awesome Miss Ava turned 10 years old! This was the first time in her lifetime that her birthday fell on Thanksgiving day, and considering that it was also our first Thanksgiving in our new house, plus the fact that we had family visiting us, made everything really special and memorable. Normally I would write a birthday post about the kids on their actual birthday, but I elected to wait until the end of the weekend this year because Kristy, Tito, and Madi were out visiting us for the past several days and we’ve been keeping busy each day with fun activities. As I write this on Sunday afternoon we’re all basically crashed out after going pretty much non stop for the entire holiday weekend.
Before I get into the details on Ava’s birthday I’ll just mention that Halloween turned out awesome. We had my Mom, Terry, and Bob over to hang out during the day, then that evening the trick or treating in our neighborhood was amazing. I’ve never seen a neighborhood quite like it. Our friends Tiko, Tina, Helen, and Beatrice came over to join us as we bounced around from house to house.
There was one neighbor who built their own haunted house and allowed groups of 3 at a time to go through. Elise didn’t want to go so I took Ava and Enzo through it. They had never done anything like this before so they were pretty freaked out. Then there was another house who not only had a light show synchronized to music, but they were out there in their driveway making cotton candy to order for each kid that came up. It was unbelievable.
Earlier that week Jessica and I were able to hang out with our new neighbors quite a bit. It really was that week where everything changed for us in the neighborhood because before then we basically didn’t know anyone, and after that we started making a bunch of friends. Since then there’s been a couple families who we’ve become closer with, and the kids are making so many friends. We really got lucky with this neighborhood.
As far as this week goes, on Wednesday morning my Mom came to the house and we all went to the Henderson Parks and Rec center to participate in their Charlie Brown Escape Room. It was a racket ball court that they converted into an escape room; you have to use the clues they give you to solve problems until eventually you solve the whole thing. It was a good time for all and we’re already planning on returning for their Polar Express themed escape room in December.
Later that afternoon I headed to the airport to pick up Kristy, Tito and Madi. I knew Madi was excited to check out some vegan restaurants so after coming to the house to drop off bags and do a quick tour, we headed down to the Arts district in downtown Las Vegas and had dinner at Tacotarian, which is our favorite plant-based Mexican restaurant. This was the first time for all 3 of them eating at a Vegan restaurant so it was great to see them really enjoying everything.
Thursday was Ava’s birthday and we were all up early. She did presents that morning, talked to a few people on the phone, then we hung out and watched the Thanksgiving Day parade on TV while food was being prepared. I made guacamole, fruit salad, and vegan crab cakes to snack on throughout the day, plus we ended up getting a real turkey and a plant-based turkey in order to keep everyone happy. There were lots of other snacks available all day as well, plus my Mom made stuffing, Bob made creamed peas, and I made roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Dessert was a big hit as well because we got this huge cinnamon roll covered in icing and fresh fruit from a place called Cinnaholic. We’d had it once before and everyone loved it, plus it’s all vegan, so everyone was able to enjoy.
I kept waiting for some Thanksgiving catastrophe to take place, which is entirely based on the various issues we’ve had in years past, but it never ended up happening. Nothing was forgotten, no delivery was missed, and the turkey looked beautiful. I guess the joke was on me with that part because I was up early to make sure it was in the oven before 8:00am and it looked like the best turkey I’ve ever made, but I wouldn’t know because I didn’t eat any of it. Oh well, everyone else said it was good.
On Friday we pretended to be tourists and spent the day checking out various attractions on the strip. We started off at Bellagio, where we enjoyed seeing their new holiday decorations. They always do an amazing job decorating at Bellagio so we figured everyone would enjoy checking it out. Later after lunch we made our way down to M&M World where everyone had fun shopping. Enzo is so into rainbow tie dye these days that he ended up getting a hat and a backpack in those colors. Combine that with the tie dye pants and hoodie he was already wearing, and what you end up with is something resembling rainbow vomit.
Since Hershey’s Chocolate World was right across the street we decided to check that out as well. All I can say is I’ve never seen so much chocolate in one room in my life. They sell these 3 pound chocolate bars where you can customize the wrapper. They had the famous green tea Kit Kat bars (which I first saw a couple years ago in Japan), plus so many other treats. By the time we got home that day everyone was exhausted but Kristy and Tito had tickets to see O that evening at Bellagio, so after a short rest they were back out on the town. Meanwhile Jessica and I were happy to stay home with Madi and the kids for movies and snacks.
Saturday was probably my favorite day of their visit. We spent the day shopping at vintage clothing and antique stores in the Arts district downtown. I think everyone in our group got at least one thing while out shopping that day. We stumbled upon a nice pizzeria that offered vegan pizzas, then took everyone out for ice cream. On the way home we stopped by the Pinball Hall of Fame and played games for about an hour.
After going home to rest for a bit we headed back out and ended up having dinner at Chef Kenny’s Vegan Dim Sum, which is easily our favorite Asian restaurant in Las Vegas. This was actually the second consecutive Saturday that Enzo, Jessica, and I had dinner there, and it was the consensus best meal of the visit. We ordered more food than ever yet practically nothing went to waste. The various sushi rolls, rainbow shrimp, walnut shrimp, orange chicken, spicy crispy beef, pot stickers, pork buns, and more, were all a hit. No one can believe it’s all plant-based and I love seeing people’s reactions when trying this stuff for the first time.
Since it was Saturday night and it was their final night in town, we felt like we had to hit up the strip one more time. With the windows down and the moon roof open, we tested out the van’s sound system at levels previously thought unattainable. We were all dancing in our seats, singing along (or in some cases screaming) to the music – it was like our own little minivan party bus. Of all the new memories made during the week, this one will definitely stand out.
This morning we went back out to see the 7 Magic Mountains art installation one more time before it’s removed next month. After that we had one more vegan meal in store: sandwiches from No Butcher. We ended up going to a park and having a picnic lunch, then letting the kids play for a bit before heading to the airport. It feels a little weird being able to do that sort of thing at the end of November, but it’s sunny and 70 degrees, so why not?
Overall it was a great week, a great visit, and several great meals. We really appreciate Kristy, Tito, and Madi coming down here to spend time with us and look forward to doing it again. We’re also planning on heading up to Seattle for a visit this Summer so at the latest we will see them again then.
Before wrapping it up I just want to focus on Ava a bit. It’s hard to believe she’s 10 now, and I can’t believe how much she’s growing up. She’s so much more mature now, and I’ve been impressed with how busy she’s been keeping herself. It used to be just school and hockey, but now she’s involved in multiple school activities as well; she recently finished up robotics club, and she’s now doing Wednesday morning flag football before school.
One of Ava’s greatest qualities is how considerate she is of her siblings. Whenever she’s about to get something special her first thought is how she can share it with Elise and Enzo. They may fight about the silliest little things, but they’re always thinking about each other and as the oldest sibling, Ava is very protective of them.
I remember thinking to myself when Ava was born “I wonder what our lives will be like when she’s 10…”. I never could have predicted all the adventures that would ensue but it’s been quite a ride already and we couldn’t be more proud or in love with the young lady she’s become. Ava is a really unique kid, and I mean that as a compliment. She knows who she is and she loves her family deeply. She gave us the gift of becoming parents and I’ve always said the successes we’ve experienced over the past decade never would have happened if it weren’t for her and her siblings. There simply wouldn’t have been as much motivation if it weren’t for them.
I know we flipped their world upside down this year but I’m so impressed with how each of them has adapted. The new lives we’ve built for ourselves this year have been overwhelming at times, but I feel like Ava is growing and thriving more than ever. I hope it was a special birthday for her and that she always looks back fondly on turning 10.
Elise checking out the 7 Magic MountainsElise helped us solving clues in the Charlie Brown escape roomEnzo ran into a wall at school and got 3 stitches in his face. It’s healing well and he’s fine. He’s a tough little dude. Enzo really loves Vegas. Here he is posing with Liberace’s Rolls Royce.And finally here he is living his brightest / best life at M&M WorldOur first visit to 7 Magic Mountains with NanaHalloween 2021 was unforgettableHappy Birthday sweet Ava, we love you SO MUCH!
Well, we’ve pretty much made it. The most unforgettable year of our lives is now coming to a close. While many people will look back at this year with distaste, and for good reason, I’m planning it to remember as the year I spent almost entirely at home with my family. Gone were the days of hectic schedules and fighting traffic, replaced with a lot more quality time, home cooked meals, and some much needed simplicity. Certainly I could find things to complain about if I wanted to, but I don’t really see the point. My Mom always used to tell me as a kid, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, and this year, more so than any other, was my chance to utilize that philosophy.
Before I get into our Christmas activities, I feel like I need to pick up where I left off in last month’s post, which was written the day before Thanksgiving, on Ava’s 9th birthday. My Mom was visiting us for both occasions and we had ordered Purple Carrot’s Vegan Thanksgiving meal so that we wouldn’t have to worry about dealing with grocery stores or figuring out what to make for our first Vegan Thanksgiving. The menu looked great and we were excited about it.
Normally our weekly meals were always delivered on Wednesday night and we had never had a problem before this. For this particular week, not only were we receiving our Thanksgiving meal, but we also had our normal week’s worth of food, which was 3 entrees (each for two people), so we’re talking about a lot of food heading our way.
Right around the time that our food should be arriving, Jessica receives an email from the shipping company saying our shipment was delayed and that we would be receiving it by the end of day Thursday. I assume they didn’t know that our Thanksgiving meal was part of this shipment, but from our perspective this wasn’t going to work. We tried contacting them, as well as Purple Carrot, immediately but had no luck because everyone was already gone for the long holiday weekend.
This meant Jessica and I had to do the thing we didn’t want to do, which was go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving, and we were now doing it the night before Thanksgiving. I had already been planning on making Vegan Eggplant Parmesan that weekend for my Mom and was going to need a grocery run anyway, so I decided to get everything that night and have that dish ready to make on Thanksgiving day if necessary. At this point I was still holding out hope that our food would come early enough on Thanksgiving day that our original meal plans would stay intact. So Jessica and I made a big grocery run that night, preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.
Thanksgiving Day comes around the following day and we were just hanging around the house all day, snacking, playing games, watching football, etc. About every hour we would check the front porch, as well as Jessica’s email, hoping for either our food delivery to be there, or for some update from the shipping company. I held out on cooking as long as possible, but finally around 3:00pm I could tell everyone was getting hungry for a real meal so I gave in and started preparing the eggplant dish that I had been planning for later on that weekend. I kept thinking that our food would arrive while I was in the middle of cooking but it never came to be. The eggplant dish ended up being our Thanksgiving dinner this year, and in some ways felt very indicative of the year in which we ate it. The food itself was great, just not what we had in mind.
Sometime after dinner Jessica received a new email from the shipping company saying our delivery was now going to be another 24 hours late, and that we would be receiving it by end of day Saturday. Now we’re really angry because there’s so much food in that delivery and I was expecting to be able to make our Thanksgiving meal on Black Friday. I sent Purple Carrot an angry message on Twitter and Jessica did the same on Facebook, but again, no one is around to receive our messages due to the holiday. Turns out we weren’t the only ones experiencing this very unfortunate shipping delay, and they were getting blasted from quite a few customers.
The next day we both got responses, and of course they were mortified to hear about what had happened. Obviously we were refunded for our purchase, and they offered us quite a bit of extra meals to try and win us back over, but we ended up canceling our membership. Although the food was always great, this was too big of a mistake for us to accept. We entrusted our family Thanksgiving with them, and regardless of whose fault it was, we were too disappointed to carry on as customers.
In the end we never did receive our food. According to the shipping company it had been delivered to us on Saturday, but that was not the case. We hope some family who could have really used it got the surprise of a lifetime with all this food magically appearing at their doorstep, but who knows? The thought of all that food going to waste is such a shame so hopefully it’s not the case. Either way it carried on our recent tradition of memorable bad luck on Thanksgiving. We had Turkey-gate and Stuffing-gate in back-to-back years not so long ago. I guess we can call this one Vegan-gate.
With Thanksgiving behind us, we transitioned straight into Christmas mode, and although we wouldn’t be able to do all the usual things like family gatherings and Snowflake Lane, we were still excited for the holiday season. I worked the week after Thanksgiving, then (like last year) began a three week vacation which actually ends today. I would have rather started and ended it a week later, but I’m on call for my team starting tomorrow so that’s just the way it goes. It should be a really quiet week as most of Microsoft takes the week between Christmas and New Year off, so hopefully it will be an easy way of transitioning back, plus we have Friday off because it’s New Year’s Day.
As expected, my time off this month has flown by, but it’s been great. I was able to help out with the kids’ homeschooling, I designed a new logo for our Jiu-Jitsu school, rebuilt our family recipes website, and nearly finished recording a new instrumental song. I like staying busy during my free time, and consequently each day flew by quicker than the one before. Hopefully this is just a sneak preview of what retirement will be like someday, but I’m sure I’ll be keeping just as busy then as I am now.
Last week the holiday spirit kicked up a notch for our family as Grandma and Grandpa Martin came out to visit, and although our options for activities are limited this year, we’ve still been having a nice time just relaxing and hanging out. There’s been plenty of Christmas movies, baking, games, and naps. We even got about 3” of snow the night they arrived, so that was timely and fun. They have a couple more days with us, then head home on Tuesday afternoon.
Christmas morning was obviously fun and exciting, as it should be with three young kids in the house. There were tons of presents under the tree and I think everyone got what they wanted. Some of the stand out presents this year included Kindle Fire tablets for each of the kids, a Nintendo Switch from Grandma and Grandpa Rudd, the SuperDeker Advanced Hockey Training System (something I’m enjoying as well), fitness tracker watches and dolls from Nana, and a ‘Glamper’ camper for their dolls from Grandma and Grandpa Martin. My Mom got Jessica a really cool table to do jigsaw puzzles on, plus Jessica got all kinds of workout clothing and cat paraphernalia, and I got some great music and Jiu-Jitsu books, plus a countertop herb garden allowing me to grow my own parsley, basil, etc. Even the kitties got presents – a cat house that looks like a stack of Christmas presents and a little indoor grass growing kit with a special kind of grass that they can eat. Hopefully now they’ll leave the rest of our plants alone!
There was a lot more than what I just listed, but those are the highlights. Overall everything was great, and I even heard the kids saying amongst each other yesterday afternoon that this was their best Christmas yet. I don’t know how non-biased they can be when compared with previous ones, but it was still nice to hear.
With Christmas now complete, I think we’re all excited to see what 2021 brings. Certainly the kids will continue homeschooling for the remainder of this school year, but we’ll have to see what comes after that. Although I’m generally not one for New Year’s resolutions, as I always prefer taking a ‘do it now’ approach over waiting for a day on the calendar to arrive, I was speaking with my Aunt Norma (who is 94 and sharp as a tack) on the phone the other day and I told her in Italian “Voglio ti vedere a presto”, which means “I want to see you soon”, and we made a promise to start doing regular phone calls in Italian starting in January. Neither of us has anyone to speak with, and although I’m not yet conversational, I think I can hang in there and look forward to learning from her. I recently reached 950 consecutive days doing Italian lessons on DuoLingo, leaving me in the top 2% of all users worldwide. Keeping that part of our heritage alive would mean a lot to both of us, and I know Dad and Gigi would be proud.
I suppose that’s about it for now. While we don’t send out annual holiday / new year cards, I like to think the monthly updates on this website make up for that. The kids are aware of all these blog posts and look forward to reading them someday, which is all the fuel I need to keep writing them. To all of our family and friends, we love you and wish you a very happy new year. For those of us that haven’t been able to get together recently, hopefully that will all change sometime soon. Here are some recent photos from our holiday season.
Today Ava is officially halfway to becoming an adult. That’s a bit hard to believe, but as all parents know, time flies when watching your kids grow. Birthdays are so exciting when you’re a kid and she has been looking forward to this for quite a while. Unfortunately due to the new Covid lockdown we’re unable to have a traditional birthday party for her, but she got a very special present in the form of a visit from her Nana.
Last night I picked up my Mom at Paine Field, brought her home, and she proceeded to spend the next few hours showing the kids all the things she brought them. They were ecstatic to be getting all kinds of trinkets from Nana, but most of all just to be spending time with her. She will be with us until Sunday, and although we can’t go many places, we have plenty of fun crafty projects to do at home. While I’m always thankful for a visit from family, I’m even more thankful than usual to my Mom for making this trip, mostly because it means so much to Ava for her birthday. There’s been plenty of letdowns for the kids this year, so a visit like this from their Nana means so much to all of us.
The kids spent the night in Nana’s room last night, and they were up late, so we let everyone sleep in, then came downstairs to a table full of presents for Ava to open. Before I go further I just want to say thank you to all of our family and friends who remembered Ava’s birthday and sent a gift. It meant a lot to her and we appreciate it so much!
After opening presents Ava got to do something she’s been wanting to do for a while, which is smash a pie in Mom and Dad’s faces. We let Elise film it and put it up on the Pellegrini Kids YouTube channel (be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already). Since we’re so limited on things we can do this year, Jessica and I were trying to think of funny memorable things and smashing a pie in our faces was at the top of Ava’s list. I’m sure none of us will forget it.
Obviously a shower was in order after that, then my Mom and I took Ava to the sporting goods store so she could pick out a Pro Scooter. I did the same thing with Elise on her birthday, except she got a longboard. Ava already has a longboard from her 8th birthday, so this time she really wanted a Pro Scooter like some other kids in the neighborhood. I like having this tradition of taking the kids out shopping for something special on their birthday, and having my Mom with us made it even more memorable.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing at home and letting the kids play with all the new toys. It’s going to be a quiet week at home, but we’re used to that these days and having Nana here to hang out with us is a nice treat, especially considering we haven’t seen her in over a year.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and it will be the first one in my life where I don’t eat any turkey. I’m fine with that, as the turkey has never been my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner anyway. I’m more of a stuffing guy and we’ll be having that. Jessica and I ordered the Thanksgiving box from Purple Carrot, which will feature the following:
Hasselback butternut squash with cider glaze and a rosemary pistachio dukkah (“An entree so good that no one will miss the turkey”)
Rustic ciabatta stuffing with root vegetables and herb “sausage”
Roasted brussels sprouts with oyster mushrooms and garlic kimchi butter
Cranberry sauce
Traditional vegetable gravy
Pear cranberry crisp with walnut crumble
I think it sounds really good, and we’ve never been disappointed with the food we’ve gotten from Purple Carrot, so no concerns at all. Here’s Purple Carrot’s photo of the meal:
Before all the cooking gets started Jessica will be going to her workout class and I’ll be going to an open mat at my Jiu Jitsu school. Technically exercise activities like this aren’t supposed to be going on right now due to the lockdown, but in both of our cases the groups are so small that we’re just flying under the radar. We both realize there is some risk anytime you leave the house these days, but we’re always with the same small groups of people, exercise is proven to strengthen your immune system, and a little bit of exposure to other people is good for building antibodies. That’s how I’m justifying it anyway.
I forgot to mention this in my post last month but Jessica has really found her thing with this exercise group she’s been going to. It’s run by a friend of hers that she used to work with and it’s pretty intense. In all the years Jessica and I have been together I’ve never seen her so committed to a physical activity like this. She does 3-4 classes a week, including at least one early morning class each week, and has gotten into great shape. In both of our cases we really thrive on the activity and always feel great at the end. I’m just glad that with all the limitations in our world right now we have something to get out and do. The same goes for the kids too, as hockey has been suspended for at least a month, but we still have Jiu Jitsu and they love it.
As I mentioned last month, we had really hit our stride with homeschooling, and that continues to be the case. Certainly there are times that can be difficult for everyone, but overall it’s going so well. Jessica does a great job teaching, and we have been fortunate enough to receive regular weekly lessons from Auntie Dana and Uncle Brad. They have taken such an active role in teaching the kids everything from human anatomy and physiology, geography, or anything else the kids request. We really appreciate all the help they have provided and the kids love seeing them.
This past weekend Enzo lost his first tooth, which was the last of the firsts in terms of losing teeth in our family. He was such a champ about it too – he never got freaked out at all, making it the easiest tooth I’ve pulled yet. That night the tooth fairy delivered him a $5 bill and a red guitar pick. He told me the next morning that the money was cool, but that the guitar pick was more special, then he said “Maybe you should have the guitar pick Dad”. It was super cute and thoughtful of him. I told him to keep it as inspiration to start playing when he’s older.
Since school photos weren’t a thing this year, we ended up taking things into our own hands by hiring a photographer to do our own. We recently got them back, which you can see below.
Overall I’m very proud of how well the kids have adapted to our new circumstances this year. It’s hard to believe 2020 is nearly complete, and although it’s been a tough year for a lot of people, I continue to feel like our family has very little to complain about. The most notable thing for us is that Jessica no longer has a job to go to, but she’s busier than ever as the kids school teacher. Life has slowed down a lot, but we’re still able to do things we love, and we get so much more time together as a family. The cats have been an awesome addition to our household, and switching up the way we eat has opened up a whole new world of food to us, which has definitely added an element of excitement.
I know a lot of people will look back negatively on this year, but I refuse to do so. The holiday season is now upon us, and I’m just around the corner from a 3 week staycation to finish off the year. I did the same thing last year and felt like it would be a nice tradition to keep. You can only carry over 120 hours of vacation into a new calendar year and I have well over 200, so it was a no-brainer. I’ve never been very good at using my time off (it’s been 2 years since I’ve taken a sick day), but this year especially I haven’t felt like I’ve needed it. Not commuting to and from the office every day definitely reduces stress for me, and allows me to sleep a bit later, so I haven’t felt like I’ve needed it. That said, 3 weeks at home with my family, cats, and guitars will be very nice!
Before wrapping it up I just want to again wish Ava a very happy 9th birthday. Mom and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She’s such a loving and caring kid with a very bright future. I just wish she would slow down with all this growing. I can’t believe how tall she is now, and how mature she is becoming. Halfway to adulthood is crazy, but I expect the second half to go even faster. We love you Ava!
Presents and doughnuts on her birthday morningBreaking in her new pro scooterI love how Ava wears #13 in hockey because she’s the first of threeElise wearing her new shirt from this morningAnd Enzo got a Super Mario onesieA memorable morning for sureEnzo and Mom looking for WaldoGetting our pumpkin carving on for HalloweenEnzo’s first tooth pulling experience was a successAva’s 3rd grade photoElise “The Tooth” Pellegrini’s 2nd grade photoEnzo’s Kindergarten photo
