Golden Feather

My eyes were watery when I read the email. 

It’s not the straight A’s, not an acceptance letter to some special program, not a trophy but a note such as this touches us and gives us pride and gratification of being a parent, knowing that we have raised a decent and kind kid. 

when life gives you lemons...

I remember that day, Friday the 13th, exact a year ago, the day that the kids stopped going to school in person. 

Glad that we are gradually coming out of the woods. To some extent, the experience has been a blessing in disguise, it has brought us closer as family. We've done so much and gone through so much together. And I couldn't be prouder of the two munchkins - being able to hang in there and go through the "crisis schooling" and then "distance learning” like a champ. Not only have they survived but thrived. (Pardon me for borrowing your line, Meghan, please don’t sue me 🤣). 

I wouldn't call it a "happy anniversary" but it is certainly a milestone. 

Type A vs. Type B

After Ninja’s math assessment...

Ninja: I really hope that I pass so I can be with smart kids and be smarter.

A: Why do you want to be smarter? You are already smart. 

They are really at the opposite ends of the spectrum.🤣🤣🤣

Rubik's Cube

Ninja has been tinkering that Rubik's Cube for a week now, including going online to google the best "algorithm" to solve the scenarios. He's always have the cube on his hand whenever I walk into his room, even when he's eating. He's finally got it nailed down today with a record of 2'05". Not too shabby. Well, pretty much what happens when you run out of things to do during the pandemic! 

J'tia

J'tia - it has become our go-to phrase/name when referring to a whiny, uncooperative, self-proclaimed professional yet destructive individual within a team who is not able to work under pressure. (We simply watched too much Survivor.) 

A has the tendency to throw the J'tia-tantrum from time to time when she gets frustrated and is under stress. And she did today, on the hill - literally crying her lung out saying that she didn't want to ski anymore, in the middle of Broadway. 

I used the magic word "J" and asked her to calm down with deep breath (I wasn't sure if it would work and it had crossed my mind that the worst case scenario that we might need to ask the paramedic to get her down). Then we told her that when the slope was steeper she would have to take her time to zigzag down instead of dashing down because she simply couldn't stop with that speed. After having her butt on the slope for a while contemplating with that typical expressionless face, she put it into action. For the rest of the day (and the rest of the trip), she was just cruising, enjoying the ride and loving it. 

I could not be prouder. I didn't even know that it was possible - seeing her turning the situation around and being in control of her emotion and making the experience fun! No J'tia no more. 

Powder!

It has been snowing non-stop since we got here in Mammoth. Don’t think that we have ever seen Mammoth with so much snow ever since we first came here in 2015. Don’t blame it on Mammoth, I would say it is more because we come here usually earlier in the season and spend Thanksgiving right after the first snowfall and the “snow dump” doesn’t usually happen until later in the season. 

I have been extremely stoked and it is just so exciting to actually go tubing, (disc) sledding, snowball fighting and skiing/snowboarding with kids on powdery snow. I wanted to show them what the “real” snow is like, not the man-made, artificial groomed, icy runs they have played with and skied on over the years (except for Valle Nevado in Chile but they probably have no recollection of it at all since they were too little). 

“Mom, can I go with you tomorrow morning? Can you wake me up at 7am?” Ninja asked me last night. “Of course!” I was ecstatic. Finally I get a ski/snowboard buddy. I know that Papi wouldn’t want to wake up that early to catch the first lift up to the mountain for the fresh powder and I didn't even bother to ask.  

“I don’t want to go in the morning and I just want to sleep in.” A said. Not surprise as she totally takes after her dad in this aspect – sun and beach are more of her things. 

So we (Ninja and I) did. All ready by 8:15am and walked up to the lift by 8:30am. 

After the first run down the mountain, Ninja exclaimed, “Wow, Mom, this is so powdery and amazing. So silent and quiet!” I was rejoiced when he discovered the difference. So nice that I was able to show him what I had experienced growing up and how I love about being in the cold, crispy, fresh, powdery snow. 

Perhaps this is what being parents is about - passing down what we have known, experienced to our kids through stories, anecdotes, and things we do together, and these are the moments and memories they will remember us by when we are gone. 

Alexi Ana

A had to make a "Culture Doll" for school. I figured that it's about time for her to learn about all the cultures that she represents - from panama hat to maple leaf to flamenco dancer to bubble tea to Miss Universe. So instead of making a culture doll, we made a multicultural doll together, measuring A's exact size, her avatar.

"This is my multicultural doll, Alexi Ana. What's yours?