Casa Chaos Chronicle: December 2015

Another year has come and gone (far too swiftly), which means it's time for the latest installment of the Casa Chaos Chronicle. Because every holiday season means another eagerly-anticipated installment of Keeping Up With The Khaos-ians, right?

This year we're going to keep you on your toes by mixing things up. No more youngest to oldest or even oldest to youngest. Nope. You will have to pay attention to keep everyone straight, and yes, there WILL be a quiz at the end.

Miriam made the jump from the Middle School Big Cheese to high school minor niner. She took part in the eighth grade trip to Boston (because she's never been there, nope) and went on the traditional whale watch (this year, vomit-free!). After a great break-the-bank summer (film camp, theater camp, Upper Canada Village), she dove into high school life. She plays cello in the orchestra, sings with the choir and the girls a cappella group, and has fun with French club. And don't even think of talking to her on Sunday nights when Once Upon A Time is on!

Daniel must now be addressed as M. Brown, for he completed his Master's in Education from Stanford and is quite happily teaching French at St. Ignatius College Preparatory in beautiful downtown San Francisco. Even more amazing, Gen still hangs out with him! They have a tiny but cute and convenient apartment in an area filled with restaurants that serve American food, Chinese style. Dan came home for a few days in the summer, but Gen is the vagabond of the West Coast, playing violin with a number of groups throughout the Bay area.

Noah got an excellent orientation to the working world with his first co-op placement at the Boston Municipal Research Bureau. As luck would have it, this meant he was a commuter during the Epic Winter of Boston's Discontent. Can you say SNOW DAYS? He then came home for a summer shepherding third-and fourth graders as a counselor in the village's playground program. After that it was probably a treat to return to Northeastern for another semester of classes. But in January he'll do his second co-op, this time farther afield: he'll be working in Peru, in the Monitoring and Evaluations Program at Awamaki, a social enterprise that helps connect rural Andean women to a global market. He'll be on the way to Machu Pichu so book your trips now!

Honorary daughter Jana continues to live in Germany (damn it), but she did make it Stateside at the end of June. She did the coast to coast tour – Boston, where all the Manlius/Boston folks got to hang with her, then on to San Fran for time with Dan and Gen before taking the scenic route up to Seattle. And then there was the girlfriend getaway to Tuscany. Hard to know how she manages to fit work into there, isn’t it?

Larry (aka Travel Agent Ken) had the once-in-a-lifetime adventure of his dreams when he went to Israel in April (flying there via Moscow. Because doesn't everyone?). If you didn't read about his epic adventures in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, here's all the details. We are most amazed that he did this trip solo. We didn’t know that was possible! He also had a great time organizing a trip to San Francisco in February and a Casa Chaos South weekend over Columbus Day/Canadian Thanksgiving, when Noah, Josh, and Rachel joined us in Florida for a long weekend of Disney magic. We found the key to a successful vacation with your adult children: rent a house with four bathrooms. We're not kidding.

Suzannah Banana has maintained her impish ways and delights in being a Big Kid of the elementary school (grade four, can you believe it?). Following in family tradition, she began a string instrument this year (violin) and thus far is a champion at the classic Mississippi-Stop-Stop rhythm. She returned to playing soccer this fall and even kicked the ball a few times! Zana is the mother hen of the neighborhood gang, loving to play with and watch over her younger friends. She spent her summer at the playground program where Noah was a counselor. Her favorite thing in the world is when she gets to spend time with her brothers.

Chris doesn't get out much, but that's the way she likes it. In addition to writing for Harlequin she also made a sale to Berkley books this year, which means that the word DEADLINE is now permanently imprinted on her forehead. When she's not at the computer she enjoys sleeping, going to the bathroom, and occasionally breathing.

Josh's Super Secret work continues, so we can’t tell you a lot about that. What we can tell you is that he and Rachel are still in Boston, still busy (Rachel with her research and cells, Josh with his optics and lasers), and still leaving the rest of us perplexed when they try to explain Science Stuff to us. Rachel survived her oral exams, and Josh finished his second Master's (you mean everyone doesn't have two of those lying around?) They will not be joining us for Christmas this year; instead, they will follow in Lar's footsteps and do a Birthright trip to Israel.

All in all, 2015 was good to us. The challenges were manageable and the joys abundant, and for that, we give continued thanks – and hope that the same is true for you.

And now, as promised, the quiz!

What is Zana's favorite activity at church picnics?
Which Prime Minister did Chris use as a model for the hero of her first book? (Hint: great hair)
How many states did Josh travel through on his Epic Coast to Coast drive with a friend in January?
How many inches of hair did Miri lose when she had it cut and donated?
What's the fastest way to bring a smile to Noah's face?
How small is Dan and Gen's apartment?
How many falafels did Larry eat while in Israel?