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12/13/2001 10:30:00 PM
Boulder Creek, CA
In the Santa Cruz mountains and the redwood forrest

Pre-Christmas Report - November/Dez 2001

Only the Thanksgiving weekend was different but also quiet. Our friends Maura and Bob invited us for the feast, her sister and husband from New Mexico

Hallo it's us again,

We will probably have a lot to tell about Christmas and New Year so therefore  I thought it would be good to send off a report before with all the things that happened the last weeks. There is really not much to say about November (except that it rained A LOT!), I haven't even gotten anything written down in my calendar. Only the Thanksgiving weekend was different but also quiet. Our friends Maura and Bob invited us for the feast, her sister and husband from New Mexico were there, her daughter Melissa, her friends Ron and his son Alex and Manuel (our Mexican friend who has helped us so much over the summer with the pond and garden) - we were a pretty relaxed and jolly crowd. The food was fabulous - a traditional turkey with everything around it, no need to explain in my English report.... On Saturday we went to see our Australian friends Cathrine and Paul and they surprised us with a pork knuckle even with a crust, the first one we had here in the US! Apparently it is a Christmas tradition in Australia and Paul has found ONE grocery store that sells it, "these Americans" would cut off the led on top but what a waste that would be! So we ate a lot that weekend and relaxed at home the rest of the time, since it was just pouring straight through for 4 days. We had 2 big storms in a row and one of our trees in front of the kitchen window got knocked over, at least the other direction! It really started early this year and I hope that we will have some more pleasant weather around Christmas.

The only other thing in November that is worth telling is that Sebastian started to play Ice hockey. At the moment it is more to learn how to run and skate around but they are fully dressed in a hockey outfit - too cute! We took him out to skate a couple of times before and he really had a good time and picked up fast. So it did not take long and since Robert had taken him on some Sharks games last year and in October, he has been asking when he could play hockey like dad. Robert started to play active again last year and both boys are just totally into it, playing with their sticks and pucks outside in the driveway - it must be in the genes...! Benjamin also has to put on his Ice hockey shoes (the first ones Sebastian got at his baptism - size 8!) and runs (literally) around outside on the rubber carpet, it won't take long then he will skate on the real ice too!

The first weekend of December we watched Christoph and Hemmas kids (Lucas 5 and Mia 1,5), Hemma and I had discussed a while back that it would be a great idea to take each others children for a weekend so that we can get a getaway weekend - our grandparents substitute. It went really well, the kids behaved and we had no major fights and tantrums. Besides picking up constantly on toys around the house it wasn't even much more work. Well the weekend after would have been our turn, with Roberts company X-mas party on Saturday,  but then we got a call from his family on Wednesday that his grandma had a stroke. We were totally shocked and put all plans on hold. She had a heart attack a couple of month back, recovering from it very quickly but the last few weeks she wasn't feeling too well. Since Robert had collected some miles due to his flying this year he decided that he wanted to be with his family and see her. The good news is that she recovered remarkably well and it turned out very positive, but more about that a bit further down in my report.

We really were looking forward to our 3 days away and Sebastian had been waiting to have a sleepover at Lucas's, so Robert came up with a great idea. The first available flight out wasn't before Saturday, so on Thursday we dropped off the boys at Hemma's and drove to Kirkwood - a very nice ski resort close to South Lake Tahoe (3,5 hours drive). Because of the two big storms we had they got a lot of snow (8ft.!) and we had planned to maybe go skiing with the kids the week after, but instead we went alone. On Friday we spent a good 5 hours on the slopes with lots of sunshine and hardly any people, what more can you ask for! We had a great time talking away (uninterrupted) during the drive and enjoyed every minute of our short getaway, it was very much need and a good alternative for our weekend in San Francisco. The kids did well and we decided to do this exchange more often.

Well and on Saturday at 4.30am Robert and Sebastian took off. We both felt it would be good for him to go along, not only would Robert have some time with himself but he could also cheer everybody up back home with his careless happiness. Sebastian already got his birthday present for the flight: A Game boy, so he was busy. When he was three his friend Christopher, then 7, had just gotten one and Sebastian constantly asked me for one. So without thinking much I said he had to be 5 to get one (it seemed soooo far away at that time...!), I never thought he would remember this two years later! So when we talked about what he wanted from Santa and then for his birthday shortly after he said:" Mommy I will be 5 then and I get a Game boy!" OOPS! I have to keep my promises and so he got it for the flight, that way Robert had enough time to explain and practice with him (and probably play some too).

They arrived safely on Sunday and went straight to the hospital where his grandmother totally surprised him. She can already talk and walk, does cross word puzzles (to keep the brain fit as she says) and is in great shape. The first two days after her stroke she was paralyzed (as apparently with every stroke) could hardly talk and not walk at all, nobody knew how she would progress. It is a wonderful and great Christmas present and miracle for us, and nice that Robert and Sebastian can enjoy they stay.  She will be released from the hospital this Saturday and live with her daughter until she can move into her little apartment at a retirement home early January.

It had been snowing in Austria today and Sebastian built his first snowman, had a snowball fight with "uncle" (he hates it) Werner, Grossmutti and Papa. My mom took him to the Christkindlmarket one afternoon and Opa and Katharina are their "hotel" for the week. They had a great time with everybody and I hope for all of you who are in Vienna, that you'll understand that there was not much time left for any other visits this time.

Benjamin and I also had a good week and I tried to get as much done (Christmas cookies, presents, this report,...) before they come back. It is quite amazing how much one can accomplish with only one child for a few days. Benjamin was quite upset in the beginning and missed them both, specially when he is tired. He had to sleep in Sebastian' s bed, sit in his chair and car seat... I guess that says it all. I couldn't say that it bothered me that they were gone, but also are looking forward when they will be back tomorrow. I am definitely in a Christmas spirit and mood and are looking forward to the holidays. I hope to tell you more about it in January.

We wish all of you a peaceful and relaxing pre-Christmas time, lots of fun getting presents, rapping them and giving them away, enjoy the  parties and specially the Christmas Days. We always look forward to hearing your stories and send you a lot of snow kisses

Yours The  4 Schmids  and Zoo

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