Jean Chalupsky
11211 Windbrook Way San Diego California 92131
4 January 2016
Dearest Students,
Happy New Year to you all! I hope your Winter vacation was great. I cannot believe it is 2016 and we are only six months away from summer!
On Friday December18th, I was working in the library all day with the other 8th grade English teachers. After school, I went home and got ready for the Marshall Middle School Holiday Party. Britta came along with my very sweet step-mom (the other Mrs. Chalupsky) and acted as our chauffeur. What should have been a 20 minute drive was actually over an hour long. Apparently, everyone was going somewhere at the exact same time. Luckily, Mr. Braun's house is amazingly beautiful, comfortable, and festive so we were immediately cheery upon arrival! Britta had a great time seeing all of her former middle school teachers and meeting some of the new Marshall Mustangs. After the party, we came home, put on pajamas, and watched old episodes of "Bewitched" in front of the toasty fireplace.
On Saturday, I went to see my trainer friend who does neuro-muscular release. It was stinking painful to have him dig into my shoulders and neck, but it helped release the bound-up muscles so I could have better posture and neck movement. He is the guy who taught me the importance of Tummy Time! He also showed me how to do another type of neck and back Tummy Time so we can all undo the damage our computer/phone/desk work has created. Please remind me to show you the next time we have Tummy Time Reading in class!
I decided that I better buy a present or two if I wanted to remain a member of my family. Britta and I went to UTC to shop and see the crazy crowds. We had so much fun picking out presents together and being out in the lovely weather. My older daughter, Marlie, and her boyfriend, Max, would be arriving late that night from the Bay Area. We needed to pick up presents and food, in addition to getting bedrooms ready with clean sheets! However, Britta and I treated ourselves to dinner at an Italian restaurant in 4S Ranch before braving the crowds at Target. We made it home just in time to unpack our purchases, make the beds, put on a fire, and casually drape ourselves on the couch before they arrived. I am pretty sure they did not know that we were frantically doing all of the things I should have been doing earlier in the month!
On Sunday, we all went to visit our friends who have recently moved from our street to a new home seven miles away. For the last twelve years, our families have come and gone from each other's homes as if we belonged in both places. The girls would visit for breakfast by walking down the street in pajamas and slippers. The adults would borrow coffee, sugar, pasta, eggs, or other supplies by entering with the key and leaving a note on the counter. It has been a transition since they moved into their new home in October (after living in our home for August and September)!
Since they have a gigantic kitchen, we decided to have a cookie and candy making evening followed by dinner and puzzles and singing along to weird Holiday songs. Marlie and Max came from San Francisco, Lydia from Cornell University, Britta from Texas Christian University, and Maddie from Syracuse University. We trashed the kitchen with dough and sugar while learning about how everyone spent the 2015 fall semester. It was a magical night!
On Monday, I had to take the 11 year old kitty to the vet, shop for food, get the oil changed in two cars, and plan for the rest of the week. In addition, we discovered that Max had never seen "Elf" (what????) so we made him watch the movie while we pointed out our favorite parts. After dark, we bundled up and went to Christmas Card Lane in Rancho Penasquitos where we sat by the bonfire with Ms. Watkins, Mr. Hodapp, and the other residents of that magical neighborhood before wandering the streets to see all of the amazing decorations.
Tuesday brought a trip to Barrio Star for tacos, a visit to Balboa Park for the Dr. Seuss exhibit, and exploration of the Hotel Del Coronado lights, restaurant, and beach. Wednesday was a fun-filled morning of birthday breakfast with Marlie's best friend since Jerabek and Marshall, acupuncture, shopping for food at Mona Lisa in Little Italy, and last minute shopping in Fashion Valley. Mona Lisa was so crowded with fellow Italians that it took me over forty-five minutes to get the sausage, pepperoni, salami, tomatoes, olives, cheese, and bread needed for Christmas dinner! Although smashed into the small shop with people jostling for position at the counter, the atmosphere was jovial and intriguing as we each questioned one and others purchases with, "Are you making lasagna or manicotti with that sausage and ricotta?"
Thursday, Christmas Eve, brought another trip to see the neuro-muscular trainer as well as company for dinner and a whole lot of present wrapping. Late at night, another house guest arrived for our Christmas celebration. On Christmas morning, we all opened presents, ate lots of food, prepared amazing lasagna, set the tables up for nineteen people to dine, and enjoyed each others company. From cooking to presents to washing mounds of dishes and napkins and tablecloths, it was a great day being together as an extended family.
Marlie and Max left on Saturday morning, Kirsten left shortly thereafter, Britta and I washed the sheets and cleaned the bathrooms, and we waited for the next wave of visitors. We had more people over for dinner on the 26th and new sleep-over guests arrive on the 27th. Britta left on the 28th for a trip to New Jersey and New York and I left for a trip to see my brother and family in Akron, Ohio. I went to Ohio with my step-mom and my 94 year-old grandmother so we could see my brother, my sister-in-law, my 3 1/2 year old nephew, and 10 month old niece. To say that my heart was over-flowing for the five days in Ohio would be a profound understatement. From making dinner to playing with a baby to cajoling a preschooler into a bathtub...my final week of vacation was magical.
I got to spend New Year's Eve toasting another year of happiness and health, New Year's Day watching a little kiddo fall off of a bike then say, "I'm ok, everybody!", showing the Rose Parade to my sister-in-law for the first time, and watching Stanford win the Rose Bowl. On January 2nd, I struggled through the TCU v. Oregon game and collapsed after the Horned Frog victory during triple overtime! On Sunday January 3rd, I had to hug and kiss my sweet brother and family goodbye, board a plane bound for San Diego, and prepare for reuniting with my favorite teenagers at Marshall Middle School.
I am really excited to play with all of my students for the next six months and look forward to great conversations about your vacation, your ideas, and your busy lives! So love all of your cards, notes, holiday treats, and Starbuck's cards! Thank you so so so so much for everything, my sweet students!
Happy January and lots of love,
Ms. Chalupsky