Hot Chocolate Race

While I was living my best life flying in a tiny airplane flying from one side of the state to the other, Jason took Michael, Ben, and Isaac to Seattle so that Michael and Ben could run another 10k. 

The weather cooperated beautifully and refrained from raining until they had finished. They picked me up at the airport on the way home.

WLA 2024: Spokane

The Washington Library Association conference reached its most eastern location this year which meant that the attendees all congregated in Spokane for a few days of information fun. In a lovely, late turn of events, my LTI Lab pal Rosine was able to come and we ended up on the same flight from Seattle to Spokane.

The SJSU LTI Lab hosted a booth at the conference which we used to help people try out the MetaQuest 3 and Vision Pro. The Vision Pro was released in February and I was so hoping the iSchool would get theirs in time to bring it to WLA...and they did! I got some quality time with Apple's latest spatial computing system (their words - not mine).

The Vision Pro did not disappoint. And neither did Spokane with a beautiful three inches of snow on Friday morning.

 The conference included at 7am meet up for the WLA Divisions.  Only three of us and the WLA president showed up for Special Libraries. I am guessing the early hour made it a difficult sell.

The Alki Journal Editorial Team also got an award, so I was able to eat lunch with some folks I have only ever met on Zoom.

On the last evening, we had an SJSU dinner at a restaurant. I convinced the LTI Lab folks that we should walk over and we were rewarded with the opportunity to take some selfies with the massive Radio Flyer we passed on our way there.

I enjoy the WLA conference and am looking forward to it being closer next year.

February on FB

Congrats to Michael and his ensemble (Terry's Tots)!! First place for solo AND ensemble and he's going to State! Damn this kid is impressive!

Isaac living his best life

Awoken at 5:30am by two texts from the school district to tell me our high school kids have Schrödinger's bus: they may or may not have a bus after school 🤦‍♀️

While watching Super Bowl commercials on YouTube I found it ironic that I had to watch commercials to watch commercials.

 

Just some light reading in my sister's bathroom 😆😆

What better way to say "I love you but keep your germs to yourself" this flu season than with YOURS and MINE tissue boxes?

Trying to spell words in English can be a tricky business 😆

Mini Moves

It was a a few days with mixed feelings. Rachel moved to VA and a few days later Josh began migrating his stuff over as part of his move into her house. Believe it or not, he actually was able to vacate this premises. It took a couple of days and then it was time for more changes.

Ben was thrilled to be the only person who didn't move rooms and he got to stay in his purple room alone.

Isaac moved over to the "kermit" green room with the crazy lights. He's a bit of a hoarder so he has already accumulated more stuff to put everywhere. 

And Michael moved downstairs into the room formerly known as Josh's room. 

Now everyone is settling in and we getting used to only having three boys in the house. We miss Josh, but it is easier with everyone getting their own room.

Troll Hunting: Jakob Two Trees

What better way to send Rachel off back east than with some troll hunting? Her U-Haul box is packed and locked, ready to be picked up for the long trip. With all of that stress behind her, Isaac and I took her on an adventure where we met Jakob. He is a Thomas Dambo project constructed out of recycled materials. There are 6 of them in the Pacific Northwest so 1 down, 5 to go.

He is not a small troll and the details are super fun with a birdhouse necklace and arms grabbing the trees.

A close up pic of my troll hunting buddies.

And along the drive up we had to make a short stop for pictures at the Poo Poo Point Trailhead because...poopoo.

V-Day

How to celebrate the day of love? That is the question. Well, throwing things seems like a good idea. Oh, and a little competition. A bean bag toss that got a little heated.

I would post the final scores here but they were, um, hotly contested by a certain over-tired child who remembers everything.

This was followed by a less intense couple of rounds of Pictionary.

Followed by more throwing. I may have misjudged what it feels like to have someone throw Starbursts at your face. Ha!

Luckily no one was permanently harmed by flying sugar so we could finish the evening by consuming sugar. 

Solo and Ensemble, Choir Edition

The second round of Solo and Ensemble involved us driving back and forth from the high school to see the boys perform their pieces. Michael spent the entire day at the school volunteering and supporting his friends at their performances. Also, he was there for the big reveal at the end of the day of who won and would be heading to State.  

Michael sang in the morning accompanied by his tutor who we now call "Dan the Man" because so many of his students go to State. 

Ben performed in a quartet minus one kid who forgot what time it was at. They sang an old sea shanty and earned themselves a 2 (excellent) and the choir teacher is excited to see what these kids can do in the coming years.

Piece: Leave Her Johnny by Emily Crocker

Michael was a last minute addition to a quartet. He sang bass and his girlfriend (Angela) sang soprano - and they rocked it! 

Michael came in first for his solo AND his ensemble. So it's off to Ellensburg!