New Trimester -AND- Storm cancels swim meet

I drove Andrew and Eric to school early this morning after we bought bananas for the pre-meet, carb-loading breakfast. He called soon after to say tonight's meet is canceled: Forest Grove doesn't have school today because of the storm.

The new trimester starts today! Mali gets to start Art, and Andrew is done with Chemistry and Japanese for awhile. Yesterday they were out of school to give the teachers a chance to pull the trimester grades together. (Oregon is a teacher-friendly state, for the most part.)

Andrew complained about yesterday's day off not being a day off. He woke up after 11:00 and the next thing he knew we were in the car to meet Susy for allergy shots and lunch. We went for shots at noon since Andrew had swimming practice later in the afternoon (coaches don't get days off.) It took Andrew and I a long time to get to the hospital for the shots. Here's why. I exited the highway there, after driving through the edge of the massive puddle in the photo, which was still a couple of feet deep. if I'd seen the photo I would have known to just re-enter the highway, but instead we took a long detour. Getting home wasn't much better because we got stuck behind a fire truck removing a fallen tree from Greenway Ave. I dropped Andrew off at Rian's and they got to hang out a very short time before I picked them and Maddie up for swim practice. Afterwards Andrew had time for a shower and then was off to the boy's swim team party, where they watched 300 and ate pizza.

Mali was at Zoë's all morning making a gingerbread house out of graham crackers and anything else they could find. She says it came out really nice, and wants to save it until after Christmas. She had lunch there and then came home to change and go ice-skating with Rachel. She loves ice-skating, and must be getting better - she was happy she only fell twice.

Andrew got home from the party in time for us to watch Veronica Mars. I limited us to one episode so the kids could get to bed before 10:00. Andrew was very unhappy about that, but was in bed asleep before I was done saying goodnight to Mali.

Xtreme Victory, Stumptown Comic Fest

Mali's team won 5-0 in Milwaukee Saturday. Afterwards we went to the Stumptown Comics Fest where I got to meet some of my favorite comic artists: Phil Foglio of Girl Genius, Aaron Diaz of Dresden Codak, and Carol Lay of Way Lay.
We only stayed an hour so we could get Mali home to go Maddie B's birthday sleepover. Andrew didn't come with us as he was off to Maddie Q's birthday bowling party.
I hobbled around like an old man. I hurt my back somehow - probably gardening - and I haven't been able to straighten up (or stand up, roll over, or much of anything else.)

Here's a photo of Mali being brilliant at her game:

Salmon at Alana's

Andrew was out and about with Maddie and Austin yesterday afternoon and evening. The rest of us went to Alana's for dinner with all the usual suspects. She cooked a salmon and ravioli, Rocio brought a spinach salad, Nancy brought a Capri salad, and we brought a cherry pie from Costco. Also some wine.
After work, Mali and I went with Alana to Costco and bought a ton of food. We hadn't been in a long time.
Today Mali has her first soccer game - 2:30. Right now, Mali is laying on the floor in my office, and Moose is playing with the doorstop.

Culture Fair

Andrew's culture fair project was on display last night along with all the other 8th grader's. There was lots of food - so much that we didn't go out for dinner afterwards as we had planned. Mali and Andrew filled up on Maddie's pot stickers. I sampled all kinds of stuff: Scottish Tablet, a very nice goat's cheese and olive tapenade, and a variety of other ethnic foods.
Andrew's project was on Rutherford B. Hayes, his presidency, and his location in Andrew's (Susy's) family tree.
We met Maddie's parents, her mom (Sharon) is from the Chicago area, and her father is Chinese and plans to help Maddie and Andrew in their Chinese class next year. We also saw a huge number of kids we knew - many we hadn't seen in apparently a very long time, as they have really changed.

Dinner at Gustav's

We finally went to Gustav's last night, with Paul&Family who just returned from a long weekend of skiing. Alana joined us too, along with Doug and Erin and Gabrielle. Andrew went to dinner at Maddie's instead - for an Asian beef fondue-type meal - much more his style, and without the horde of girls.

All Moose, all the time

Moose LOVES Mali. He will get up from a nap to follow her around. He wants her near him ALWAYS. He tolerates the rest of us just fine.
Last night Susy and I headed out to the local Embassy Suites for the Intel Winter Luau.
The desserts tasted like tar, but Susy won an iPod Shuffle, so we were happy.
Follow the picture below to more of Moose and Mali, and one of Maddie, Andrew's newest friend.

Moose, Day 1

Moose is in da hoouuuse! He had a little anxiety last night, looking for his brothers and his momma, but he's doing fine now. It helps he's had overwhelming attention from Mali, and they are both very taken with each other. Andrew had Maddie over so he didn't spend as much time getting to know him.

Long Weekend

Last night we all went to Paul&Nancy's to put a collar on Moose so someone else doesn't accidentally take him home. We are taking delivery on Wednesday.
Other news:
Saturday, Mali and I picked out a new bicycle for her - an early 11th birthday present. She's been riding her old one a lot, but it is ridiculously too small. We were spurred to shop by Andrew's excursion to Pizzicato with some 8th grade friends. Mali didn't understand why she couldn't tag along with him.
Movies: Mali, Andrew, and I went to see Bridge to Tarabithia Saturday. A very good movie, but nothing at all like I thought it would be. I thought it was some crazy fantasy movie, but it was waayyy too reality-based for my taste. I certainly wasn't comfortable with the 3rd act tragedy. Andrew had read the book, and hinted at it to Mali, so they weren't hit in the head with a sledgehammer like I was.
Yesterday I dropped Mali and Lilly off to see Norbit, and Andrew and I met Susy (she had to work) for lunch at GoGo's Mongolian Grill. Andrew spent the rest of the day over at Maddie's house.

Puppy!

I returned from Washington after a rain-and-traffic-filled 5-hour drive. I got to meet Andrew's friend Mattie (Maddie?), who was still there visiting after an invitation to dinner. We drove her home (just down the hill) and continued over to Paul&Nancy's to see our new puppy.
It is official, we have selected Moose. He will move in with us probably next weekend. Here's a cell photo of him giving Andrew a sniff.