Happy Birthday and the Thanksgiving Flu (week 466)

For Christopher's 6th Birthday this year, we all went to Legoland.  He chose to have a smaller birthday party this but do something big and crazy like a day in Carlsbad.  We had a great time with the Armstrongs and Hubers but both Dad and Mom left their wallets at home! We all survived and had a great time.  There are a lot of new activities at Legoland since the last time that wee went, including a bunch of new Star Wars exhibits.  Everyone fell asleep as soon as we got in the car for the long drive back.

Thanksgiving this year was one that defines family, and one that we will remember forever.  We shared everything this year, including the stomach flu virus that raged through the Long Beach public schools, our circle of friends, and now through communities in New York and San Luis Obispo. Uncle Mark, Aunt Lea and Nina were the first to join us a few days before the Thanksgiving Holiday.  They stayed a few days in San Diego, and then joined us in Long Beach for the holiday.  Thanksgiving Thursday was an amazing and beautiful day, but I spent the entire time sleeping in my parents room because I threw-up 16 times the night before.  It was actually mom who was the first patient to go down days earlier, but I touched off the Thanksgiving flu that would spread to Christopher, Dad, Uncle Mark, Aunt Lea and Grandma Paula in the next few days.On Friday morning, we all packed up and went our separate ways--the  Websters to New York and the Keislers north to SLO.  This year, all the grandparents houses were full, so we stayed at the Avila Bay Resort (grandpa's timeshare) and used that as our base of operations to see everyone.  Thankfully we did, because after visiting with baby Ari, Uncle Alex, Aunt Laura, Aunt Andrea, Cousin Sophie, Cousin Eli, and Uncle Josh, all day Saturday Chris started the next round of the flu.  Let's just say that Dad's truck doesn't smell new anymore, and I didn't get to go to any of the Cal Poly basketball or Arroyo Grande High School football games that I was promised.  Since Dad spent the next 36 hours sleeping, Grandpa John came down to Avila Bay to play golf, basketball and other games with me.In the end, it was a Thanksgiving to remember and the true meaning of family.