Holidays Ho

On November 7th I heard my first holiday song. It was far too soon. We had just removed the last vestige of Halloween from the house, and hadn't yet ordered a turkey for Thanksgiving. "Last Christmas" was the last thing I wanted to have playing in my head.

Flash forward three weeks and with waning leftovers, it is time to ramp up the Yuletide spirit. In our household we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas. To ensure a level playing field between the holidays I introduced my boys to Hanukkah stockings. Yes, Hanukkah Harry comes to our house eight nights in a row and brings stocking stuffers.

As much as I loved stockings when I was a kid. The present opening process could get quite tedious on Christmas day ... so there are huge benefits to extending the gift getting for eight to nine days (this year Hanukkah begins on the 21st so it overlaps with Christmas). 

Santa then comes on Christmas Eve with the big presents. I usually try to keep it to only a few, but really special toys that the boys really want. This year Caleb is getting the Lego Black Pearl, and Xander is getting a magic set.

Keeping with my mom's tradition, I started Holiday shopping in August. Living in the Internet age makes it super easy. I kept wish lists for the boys on Amazon.com. Over the last three months I added items and deleted items until I had the perfect concoction of holiday delight. For example, I can go overboard a bit with Legos with my five year old Lego-maniac. I don't want either of us to suffer from Lego fatigue (especially since I'm the one who has to assemble the masterpieces). So I was able to keep the total this year to four (two for Caleb and two for Xander).

Amazon.com notified us when the items went on sale and by doing this we saved some money. We also are part of Amazon Prime so we don't pay shipping and as always there is no sales tax.  I also got all my shopping done before Black Friday and didn't have to set foot in a store.

Yesterday we rolled out the holly, and decorated the house (everything but the Xmas tree, poinsettias and wreath). Living things we tend to put off until the middle of December to ensure that they make it to January 1st.

As soccer ends this coming weekend, we'll be able to refocus on fun Holiday excursions, like the festival of lights at Vasona Park, ice skating in downtown San Jose and the model trains at California Railroad Museum.

I'm finally in the Holiday spirit ... although I still am not ready to hear "Last Christmas."

Rise of the Soccer Mom: The Agony and Ecstasy of Under Six Soccer

This Sunday afternoon we trudged through mud and rain to the final day of our soccer tournament. My boys were cold and wet and cranky. We were heading into battle for what could have been the final game of the season. It was the second day of the soccer tournament. The winner of our game would go to the finals.

When did I become a soccer mom?

I think it was when our under six year old (U6) team, the Pumas, started winning. We ended the season with 7 wins, 3 losses and 0 ties and qualified for the top tournament division with six other teams. The first two losses early in the season, I barely noticed. And then we had a heart breaking loss in the second half to the Super Soccers, and suddenly everything changed. I really cared, and I wanted our team to win!

To put under age six sports in context, T-Ball games always end with the same score, 27 to 27. Every player gets a chance to bat three times and run the bases. Everybody wins. It isn't until kids are entering second grade when there are winners and losers. In U6 soccer there are winners and losers, but every team makes the tournament in carefully calculated divisions with similar teams -- so every team gets an opportunity to win first or second. And every kid gets a trophy.

In U6 soccer most games look like a scrum, all the kids run in a group to the ball. As the season progresses the teams start to play positions (so you have four forwards, a goalie and two defensemen). At the beginning of the season, in August, my expectations were low. I just wanted the boys to experience playing on a team and have fun.

This was Xander's (6) second year of soccer. Due to some minor gross motor skills issues, he doesn't run very well. So we asked the league if they would make a special accommodation and let him play U6, even though he missed the cut-off by a month. I was worried about putting him on a team with seven and eight year olds -- especially if the team was competitive. I also logistically wanted my boys on the same team. The league made the exception.

Caleb (5) on the other hand is super athletic, and has been begging to play soccer since last year's season. Jonathan volunteered to be an assistant coach, and our neighbor is our U6 head coach. It was all coming together.

The first few weeks were rocky. Xander had "changed his mind" and he did not want to play soccer anymore. I felt like a terrible parent forcing my non-athletic child to play a sport that he had no aptitude for and clearly hated. He was acting out on the field and with the other kids, it was a nightmare. However, I stayed strong and stuck with my guns. I was raised to value hard work and commitment. Once you say yes to something you always follow through even if it is difficult or not fun. I not only wanted Xander to finish the 10 week regular season, but with a great "do your best" attitude. Quitting for me is a big deal, not trying is a bigger deal. Three months later and we don't have to reinforce attitude with Xander, his soccer skills have improved and he actually enjoys playing. But ask him, and he will not be playing soccer next year. And that is fine.

Now it is tournament time.  Our team has really come together. The kids at different skill levels genuinely like each other. The fact that we are finishing the season in the top group is proof positive that team work wins games, and our kids have learned team work.

But my burgeoning soccer mom is a bit annoyed that the U6 tournament field is significantly smaller, and our kids have to adjust to the downsized local -- lot's of balls out of bounds. Due to this we tied our first game against the Hurricanes, a team we had beaten a few weeks earlier. On the bright side they had tied their first game against the Super Soccers -- that very team that transformed me into a rabid soccer mom.

When we took the field against the Super Soccers, I was very anxious. The Super Soccers scored the first goal, and my heart dropped. But then we scored two more goals and time ran out. We were victorious!

However, the rainy weather on Sunday postponed the finals until December 3rd. So I will not hang up my soccer mom sneakers for a few weeks. Meanwhile this Thanksgiving we won't be watching football, we'll be watching futball! And I think the boys could do with a bit more practice ... Just kidding.

As much fun as it is to be a soccer mom, we won't be buying a mini-van anytime soon. My little Caleb won't be playing soccer next year. Soccer is his third favorite sport, behind hockey and baseball. Next year he'll be playing mini-mites hockey... and the hockey mom will rise!

Monterey on Veteran's Day

The drive from San Jose to Monterey is about an hour and twenty minutes. Given that, it is a convenient and fun destination for the boys. On a hot August day we'll head to Dennis the Menace Park to escape the heat. On a rainy school Holiday, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a fabulous destination.

I can't believe we haven't been back to the Aquarium since we purchased a membership in April. Memberships are only good values if you use them. So today with the boys off school for Veteran's Day and membership cards in hand we headed to Monterey.

We had great karma and a wonderful day. First we found street parking with a four hour meter that took credit cards a block from the aquarium. Our parking for the day was $6 versus a $15 lot.

The aquarium was packed, but the boys know it well, and we were able to explore everything without being inconvenienced too much by the throngs of people.

The boys favorite exhibit is still the Mission to the Deep control room. They can sit at chairs in front of monitors while a video plays on a large screen.  They also liked the Deep Sea (which is a giant tank) with sardines swimming below and tuna, dolphin fish, sunfish, a sea turtle and a hammerhead shark swimming at eye-level.

They also liked petting the cownose ray, watching the otters and the penguins, and of course seeing the giant octopus.

After three fun filled hours at the aquarium we headed up the hill to Lighthouse Avenue to eat at Gianni's Pizza (seriously one of our favorite pizza places in Northern California). The boys loved it, eating more than both Jonathan and me -- a taste for what it will be like when they are teenagers.

We had a wonderful Friday in Monterey, that put us in the right frame of mind to tackle our overly busy weekend.

Oakland Zoo - Who Knew?

I think I had visited the Oakland Zoo once, when I was a teenager. I'm not sure, it didn't really make an impression on me. I remember the bus ride -- it was a school field trip -- but not much else. If I would have remembered my first visit, I would have hardly recognized it today, because of the multiphase renovation projects underway since 1985.

So, when my friend Sandy held her son's third birthday bash there, I was curious, but I didn't have high expectations.

The Oakland Zoo, who knew? It is as much fun and in some ways better than the San Francisco Zoo.  From the gondola ride that gives you a birds-eye view of the giraffes, tigers, lions and bison, to the elephants, the Oakland Zoo has a lot to offer.

When you arrive at the zoo, to the right is a playground with a picnic area and toddler-friendly rides. This is where the birthday party was. Admission to this area of the zoo is free. The rides are geared toward preschoolers, although there is a small roller coaster for the early elementary school set, and a wonderfully long train ride through the zoo. Overall this area is a bit confusing to navigate, and is understaffed. Most of the rides appear closed, but if you ask one of the employees they may just open it for you. There is also very little signage to tell you how many tickets are required for the rides. So, even if you manage to get the attention of an employee, you still might need to run and buy more tickets. This happened to a couple seated in front of us for the train ride. That said, if you have a two, three or four year old, this is great place to spend a few hours.

After the party we headed to the zoo. The first thing we did upon arrival was to ride the gondola (a ski lift like ride). This was a highlight of our visit, and the boys loved it. Of course, I should put out a safety warning. This is a ride where your feet  dangle.  I definitely wouldn't want to be on this with flip flops or with a wiggly preschooler.  The view is spectacular (this is how I got that up close shot of the lion), we will definitely ride it on our next visit.

One thing I miss with modern zoos is the disappearing population of elephants. I understand why,  many of the small, concrete landscapes of the 60s and 70s are detrimental to the health of elephants. The San Francisco Zoo closed down its exhibit in 2005, and it is unlikely to reopen it. On the other hand, the Oakland Zoo had a wonderful elephant exhibit. The boys loved seeing those amazing animals.

So, how did we manage to live in the Bay Area without knowing that the Oakland Zoo is pretty cool? I'm not sure. From San Jose it is a short 45 minute ride, closer than the San Francisco Zoo.  We will definitely be back!