December 20-29, 2008
Boulder, Colorado
Very Cold until the last 2 days where it was a comfortable 40F but Sunny and Bright everyday!
I spent Christmas 2008 with my sister and her family in Boulder. It has been two years since they moved to Boulder from Pacific Palisades and the second time they hosted me for Christmas. However, this year, I was the only Auntie joining them for Christmas so I was able to spend a lot of time with my beloved nephews! Despite catching a cold as it was bitterly cold in Boulder for most of my stay, this Christmas holiday with my nephews was full of special memories
Jackson and Billy
The highlights of course centered around Jackson and Billy. I was amazed to see how tall Billy has become. He is now over 6ft tall and is only 13! Jackson too grew and graduated from collecting Kaiju’s to WWE action figures. I believe he is the biggest 8-year-old WWE fan in Boulder.
Jackson, Kim and Bill picked me up at Boulder airport. Since I was finally able to use one of my 50 or so complimentary upgrades from American, I was first off the plane and therefore was at the baggage claim area when Jackson saw me. He ran to me and gave a huge hug and immediately started educating me on his favorite wrestlers from WWE. He even had a WWE T-shirt on which he is allowed only to wear on weekends given his school has strict regulations on what they can wear.
After collecting my luggage in which Jackson got a bit concerned because my suitcase was not big (which he thought meant not a lot of presents packed!) we headed off to Boulder. Our first stop was Red Robin as Jackson wanted me to try their excellent hamburgers. (We decided as Tokyo has the best international cuisine in the world, my family will take me to places specializing in home style American cooking). I had their special burger which was delicious and shared an order of American size onion rings. The rest of the day was spent at their house where I got a demonstration of the WWE playstation game and waited for Billy to come back from his sleepover.
Onion Rings at Red Robin
I was shocked how big he got when he arrived home! He’s a teenager with a very manly voice but still as sweet and caring as he was as a young boy. I noticed a gadget hanging from the mudroom windowsill and Billy demonstrated how he practices chin ups, military presses and pull-ups! He’s a star basketball player and loves basketball more than football now!
Billy playing Basketball
I was also very happy to hear that Jackson wanted to sleep with me! He too is growing up so quickly that I savor these opportunities. He even took me to his school where he we had to feed the chickens which was one of his holiday duties for school.
Jackson taking care of the School's Chickens
As far as food was concerned, in addition to Red Robin, the kids took me to their favorite Burrito place where I had a delicious tex/mex burrito that you can’t get in Japan, the infamous Brewery for Mac and Chicken and an American size Italian sub at their favorite Sandwich place. We didn’t have time to go their favorite hot dog place so we had Hebrew National hot dogs for dinner one nite. We did try a new restaurant that none of them have been too and it was called Sherpa that is a Nepalese restaurant. As I had such fond memories of Bhutan and wanted the kids to try momos, that was the last restaurant we went too which had a wonderful ambiance and it was a great price/performer. Jackson and Billy not only loved the momos but are now a big fan of Naan!
Fried Momos at Sherpas
Christmas Party and Making New Friends
Kim and Bill invited me to join them in attending a Christmas party hosted by their friends Marty and Bronwyn. Their house was gorgeous and serene. It was a great party where I made new friends and met potential travel buddies including a partner for my yet to be planned climb to Kilimanjaro for my 50th birthday! And Jackson surprised all of us by asking if he could have a sleepover. Both Kim and Bill were a bit nervous as Jackson has not had a successful sleepover. I’m happy to report, he had his first successful one and had a lot of fun. I was also able to hang out with Billy and have a good conversation with him and his friends.
The adults were in the kitchen, the older kids in the living room and
Jackson and his buddy hung out in the tent in the freezing cold!
Me with Jackson and Billy at the party.
Janet, Billy and Jackson’s Nite Alone Together
Kim and Bill wanted to celebrate their wedding anniversary by spending a night at the Ritz Carlton in Denver so I gladly volunteered to look after the kids for 2 days and a nite. We had such a blast! Billy had a birthday party to go to so Jackson and I hung out in the afternoon and took walks where he introduced me to his neighbors Jack and Virginia who have 3 cute dogs! He also gave me a private cello concert. I was very impressed with his performance. For dinner we made Chicken Rice Spanish style together. It turned out to be delicious! We tried multiple times to make doughnuts but for some reason, I could not get the dough to rise correctly. I had heard that baking at an altitude is a challenge and I found out first hand! So we made instant pudding instead for dessert and decided to make Boston Cream Pie the next day for our Christmas dessert.
Jackson playing with his scooter I gave him about 4 years ago!
My private cello recital
After a breakfast of eggs and a whole packet of bacon (Billy has a healthy appetite) we were in a quandary of what to do until Kim and Bill come back. Since I forgot my driver’s license, we were stuck in the house. We decided to take action shots of their signature jumps on the couch. It gave me a chance to practice the shots with my camera. We had a lot of fun doing it and celebrated by eating the pudding Jackson made the nite before!
One of Jackson's signature moves
This jump was so huge I thought Billy was going to break the couch!
Eating the pudding to celebrate good jumps!
The kids loved to play outside even in the bitter cold!
Christmas!
Before we started our Christmas festivities, Jackson told me the story of Hanukkah and said that we needed to light candles to celebrate Hanukkah. He is taking Hebrew lessons so is learning and appreciating the Jewish culture. He took out his Menorah that he made in pottery class, said a prayer in Hebrew and lit the candles. We were then ready to start our Christmas festivities.
Jackson lighting the Menorah
It started on Christmas Eve where we made 2 different types of pasta sauces for dinner – a pink (vodka) sauce and a rappini and garlic sauce. We then went to the Unity Church, which is an open-minded Christian/Buddhist church that Kim and Bill like for the Christmas Eve service. The service was beautiful where they re-enacted the Nativity story. Billy was a bit shy in joining in the singing but I heard Jackson sing at the top of his lungs! It was a very touching ceremony and I was very moved that they had a memorial dedicated to the nephew of old friends of mind who passed away this past summer in a tragic accident.
After church, we went back home and had our pasta dinner and went to sleep early to get ready for Christmas! Jackson slept with me again and was full of excitement. He tried so hard not to sleep and kept on looking outside the window waiting for Santa Claus in his sleigh to arrive but eventually fell into a deep sleep.
Although I woke up around 6am, I stayed in bed and read so that Jackson would not get up. The sun began to rise and I heard him stir, he turned to me and looked and me and I said Merry X’mas! His eyes suddenly perked and he jumped out of bed without saying anything and ran downstairs. It was finally Christmas morning!
Christmas morning in Boulder
Once Billy got up it was time to open presents. I got a wonderful CD from Billy – a compilation of songs he put together and from Jackson – 2 beautiful dog bowls that he made in pottery class. Jackson made one for Yuki-chan and another for Skipper! I’m so looking forward to listening to Billy’s music and see the dogs eat their first meal from Jackson’s bowl. I got Jackson WWE action figures and a “steel cage” and Billy an iTouch. I faked both of them out! Jackson was shocked to see the steel cage and the action figures I got him ( I ordered them in the US via the Internet and had them shipped, thus the light suitcases!) and Billy thought for sure he was getting a tiny trampoline from me. I’ve never seen Billy so shocked that he turned red when he saw what I got him!
Jackson opening his stocking
Santa had a sense of humor this year!
The beautiful dog bowl Jackson made for me
Billy with his very cool Bob Marley Tshirt
Jackson ecstatic over a toy Santa gave him
Billy in shock over the iTouch I gave him
Jackson with the WWE steel cage ring I gave him
Wrestling books from Uncle Jeffrey
Billy modelling his very cool Northface fleece and a new ski hat!
Jackson very happy to find out I got him a WWE action figure
Jackson loving the popcorn popper Billy got him
After a couple of hours of opening presents (Jackson loved Billy’s present which was a popcorn popper) it was time to start cooking! Billy helped me with the braised short ribs, mashed potatoes and green beans. It was then time for the Boston Cream Pie.
Boston Cream Pie is basically sponge cake with a custard filling and chocolate icing. We tried making the sponge cake that I have made 100s of times and this time failed! Again the cake did not rise correctly. I’ll have to do research of high altitude baking for the next trip!
While Billy and I were busy cooking, Jackson was busy with the computer
Christmas dinner
Boston Cream Pie: It tasted good but the sponge cake had a texture of a chewy cookie!
We all turned in early and decided to stay home instead of skiing on the day after Christmas as I caught a pretty bad cold. Jackson was ecstatic as he is not a big fan of skiing but I felt bad for Billy as he is an avid skier and was looking forward to it.
Zuma – a new member of the Hussey Family
So instead of skiing, we went to REI where I picked up a pair of walking shoes and nothing else as I was disappointed in the “after Xmas sale”.
We then decided to go to the Humane Society of Boulder, which has a 100% adoption policy. My sister’s family has been trying for a very long time to adopt a dog. Fortunately, since it was the day after Christmas, they got a new “shipment” of dogs from all over the country for adoption and the kids saw a 3month old border collie mix temporarily named Wreath. Jackson and Billy took an immediate liking for him where after playing with him for about 10 minutes, Jackson begged Kim and Bill to adopt him. So they put a hold on him for 24 hours and ended up adopting the little puppy that they temporarily named him Zuma (after Zuma beach in Malibu!). It’s a very special moment to see kids with their first puppy. Jackson became very protective of him and promised Zuma to be a good and very nice big brother to him! All of a sudden, the family dynamics of the Hussey household changed where their lives are now centered around the new puppy in the family!
Zuma waiting to be rescued!
Jackson and Billy taking Zuma home from the Humane Society
Zuma and Jackson have become inseparable
Zuma's first long walk with his new family
There were no dogs in the small dog run so Zuma was able to have his first run through the dog park!
The Hussey family with their new addition - Zuma!
And just like that, my Christmas holidays were over and I was sad to leave but looking forward to having a belated Christmas celebration with my two dogs – Skipper and Yuki. All holidays spent with family are special but this holiday was extra special as nothing is more touching and special as seeing the joy in Jackson and Billy’s face when they got their first dog!
Christmas lights in Boulder
Sunset from the backyard of my sister's house in Boulder
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