May

May 1st - 4th, 2024:

May began on a Wednesday and that meant that the first of the month also coincided with the first day of outdoor soccer season for Evan and Tanya and their Shinkickers!  The day proceeded as most Wednesdays do, with Tanya, Aleks, and Evan each off taking care of their respective responsibilities (work, school, and work at school).  Aleks' dad picked her up from school (as he typically does on Wednesdays), but for the first time since August he didn't drop her off at their house like he normally would - instead, he dropped her off at the Tree Farm soccer fields so she could hang out with her friend Isabel while watching Evan and Tanya (and Isabel's dad, Drew) play some outdoor soccer to start the season off strong.  Granted, the game ended in a 1-1 tie, but it still felt great to be back out on the pitch, in the real grass and experiencing the natural elements.

While Thursday passed without much to write home (or...here?) about, Friday involved more excitement on two different fronts.  First, Aleks was picked up from lacrosse practice not by Tanya or Evan, but by her friend Gwen and her mom.  She then proceeded to play with Gwen at her house for the next several hours, which included dinner and a stop at Al's for ice cream, before returning home.  Evan, after dropping his car off at his mechanic to get his winter tires switched back for his all-seasons (as the Vermont snow had finally seceded for the season), was picked up by Tanya and driven down to Montpelier to test drive a couple of Fords she had found that piqued her interest.  On the way, she regaled him with all of the car exploration she had done earlier that day - including visits to several other more local dealerships and some test driving on her own.  Now, it was time to check out a Ford Edge (that had been on their market for quite some time) and a couple of Ford Escapes while they were at it.  In the end, the Edge didn't enthrall them, but the Escape seemed somewhat more exciting.  And, in an experience neither of them had ever endeavored before, they ended up driving one of the Escapes home for the evening for an overnight test drive.  So, when Aleks arrived home from her playdate with Gwen, she was greeted by a new car in the driveway; albeit a temporary one.

The next morning, the trio took their temporary transportation to another dealership to trial an alternative and take stock of their complimentary and contradictory traits.  However, after test driving the Honda CRV that they had shown up to assess they all but forgot about the car they had arrived in.  For Tanya, it was love at first sight.  For Aleks, it was love at first sight of the rear seat armrest.  For Evan, it was love at first sight of Tanya's joy as she drove the car.  So, upon returning the CRV to its rightful home (for the time being) it became time to make some plans, and potentially some big decisions.  First on the docket, Aleks' impending playdate with her good friend Chelsea which was scheduled for 11am that morning.  Second hurdle, the current car they were test driving that they needed to return in order to get their own car back.  Third hurdle, could they even afford this CRV they had fallen in love with, or was the Ford Escape (which they had enjoyed; granted, not quite as much) a more fiscally responsible decision for their family?

In the end, and after much deliberation, the day concluded with a fabulously successful playdate (which culminated in a trip to Colchester High School to see an Irish step dancing performance of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, featuring a friend of the family's from church and a friend of Evan's from work) AND a $500 deposit on a "new" certified, pre-owned Honda CRV!  What a way to close out a week!

May 5th - 11th, 2024:

The week began with some car preparations - this time, preparing to sell rather than to buy (or, more so, because we were already preparing to buy).  Tanya cleared out her car (the Kia Sorento that had taken great care of her for the past 6 years) and snapped some enticing pictures of it to post online with the hopes that they might get a bite or two.  Later on, the trio went to Starbucks for their letter writing day, but arrived to disappointment as their local Starbucks boasted a renovation that would keep them unfortunately closed for the short-term future.  However, Aleks was not deterred and came up with the idea of going to the W/Healthy Living around the corner to get some special drinks there and find ourselves a table to bunker down at.  It worked like a charm and each of the Makhlina-Ecksteins churned out a letter (or two) while enjoying their tasty beverage of choice (a Maple Milk for Aleks, a Mocha for Evan, and a Latte for Tanya).

Afterwards, they headed home and Aleks packed and prepped for the school week before Evan and Tanya brought her to her dad's house for the evening.  Then, the dynamic duo headed off into the chilly, rainy weather to play some soccer.  Their first Sunday Mexicali outdoor session began in less desirable conditions, but it was still fun to be back in the great outdoors, with their friends, on the pitch, kicking a ball around in cordial competition.  

And when they got home later that night, they popped next door to check on their neighbors adorable cat Benji and then returned home to post the pictures of the Kia and wait for the replies to roll in...

The next day was an important one.  It required an alignment of stars...and paperwork, which started with an early morning trip to NEFCU for Tanya to acquire the necessary approvals and supportive documentation that would grant her access to her new car.  However, alignments are often a bit creaky and full of cracks to start with - as was this one.  The paperwork that the Honda dealership was supposed to send over hadn't been.  So, the series of phone calls, messages, and back-and-forth communication between Tanya, NEFCU, and Honda began.  And within an hour and a half (yes...that's actually how long it took as this process hit one snag after another and truly pushed Tanya's limits of patience), Tanya was able to walk out the NEFCU doors with all of the appropriate paperwork in hand.

However, the excitement, and snafus, of the day didn't stop there.  The rest of the school/work day continued as normal, but the coordinating train continued as Evan and Tanya figured out how they were all going to get to Honda before they closed (as they had been clear that their last appointment was at 5pm).  So, the end-of-the-day rush began as Evan swept through Mater Christi School to grab Aleks at the end of her Girls on the Run practice and then raced home to pick up Tanya, where she had dropped off her Kia, to get all three of them to the Honda dealership in time.  They made it by 5:10pm, but were allowed entry as Tanya had cleared it in advance with their go-to salesman (and his manager).  The trip wires were not all deactivated yet though.  As the paperwork process began, Tanya pulled out her checkbook to find that her last check had already been written... Thankfully, Evan kept a secret check in his wallet for these very occasions and the final hurdle was ultimately overcome!  Thus, the rush of paperwork was signed, the keys were handed over, and Tanya became the newest owner of a beautiful black 2020 Honda CRV EX-L (with a remote starter, moon roof, heated seats, and so much more to enjoy)!!!

They all went for a brief celebratory ride around the block, before bringing Evan back to his car, and then returning home in tandem to have dinner together and relish in their most recent trio triumph.

On Tuesday Tanya got to take her titillatingly new transportation on its first trip to work.  And that evening Evan came home with some flowers to further boost the joyous mood.  

The next day was celebrated with soccer for Evan and Tanya.  However, the weather almost compromised that as the rain had Tanya considering staying home with Aleks (so she didn't have to sit at the cold, wet fields for an hour while they played).  But, as luck would have it the rain stopped just in time and their plans shifted.  Tanya and Aleks arrived just as the game was starting (Evan had already arrived ahead of time).  The change of plans paid off even more as Tanya stepped onto the field for her first play of the game and SCORED!  And, not only that, but 5-10min later, she scored AGAIN!  In the end, the Shinkickers won the game 9-5 and Tanya was on cloud 9.  Evan had the opportunity to play one more game with their friends on Gol Lytely afterwards and got himself a goal too - a beautiful header goal at that!

Given all of the excitement from earlier in the week, Thursday was a relatively low-key day with a low-stress afternoon following Evan and Aleks' Girls on the Run practice.  However, part of that afternoon was used to gear up for the next big day - Friday's Field Trip to Boston (which Aleks was attending and Tanya was chaperoning).  Aleks' 5th grade team at Mater Christi had been selling popcorn and fundraising for the past few months in order to go on a trip to Boston (riding a fancy UVM Coach bus at that) to learn more about the Underground Railroad, Paul Revere, and so much more.  The girls had to wake up much earlier than usual as they were expected at the school for a 6:15am arrival with a firm 6:30am departure.  They had a great time exploring many historical sights in Boston and didn't return home until almost 9pm!  It was a VERY long day, which culminated in another drive (for Tanya) to drop Aleks off at her dad's for the weekend before finally returning home, giving Evan a brief overview of the trials and tribulations of the day (as a 13-hour day with a bunch of 5th graders is bound to be full of them), and then crashing into bed for a well-deserved night's rest.

The week ended with an opportunity for Tanya to sing in the Saint Michael's College graduation weekend mass, which was very well attended including a full band and choir to accompany the services.  Afterwards, Tanya was invited to join several of choir members for dinner at a local Thai restaurant.  And, after she returned home, she (and Evan this time) were invited out again to join a few of her choir friends for some evening drinks at The Tavern (in the Inn at Essex).  They had a wonderful time with good drinks and great friends - the fantastic way to cap off an incredible week!

May 12th - 18th, 2024:

The week started with Mother's Day - albeit a slightly bittersweet one given the fact that Aleks wasn't home for it.  Thus, Mother's Day was only partially celebrated with the intention of extending its important celebratory significance the following weekend, when Aleks was home and able to fully embody all that Mother's Day essentially encapsulates.  However, Evan couldn't let the day go entirely unnoticed and unappreciated, so Tanya woke up to a bouquet of roses, a card from her loving husband (celebrating all of the incredible things that her motherhood has brought into this world, and taught him in turn), and a card from her...furrier daughter, Rogue, which sealed the moment in a love-filled light.  Then, some phone calls were made to extend the love to Evan's marvelous mother (Robin) and some flowers were delivered to Tanya's magnificent mother (Jenny) before swinging by Tanya's best friend's place (Anna) to celebrate her...Birthday! [As that day wasn't only about mother's it turned out.]  So, some additional flowers were delivered, along with some small celebratory treats, and a short stint of time was spent - actually celebrating both Anna and Tanya's birthdays (as Anna had some belated birthday presents that she hadn't yet had a chance to deliver herself).  

Later that day, Evan and Tanya took off for Bombardier Park in Milton, VT to enjoy one of their absolute favorite pastimes together - soccer.  They played an exciting game with their Shinkickers team and then briefly stayed for a bit to help out some other, newer friends on the Misfits.  However, they had to leave a bit early as they had bigger plans for the rest of the evening...

You see, Tanya had pre-planned an early birthday present for Evan as well that day.  While it was 10 days early, it was an incredibly thoughtful gift - tickets to go see the a cappella group Straight No Chaser in concert at the Flynn Theater in Burlington!  So, they left the Misfits game at halftime to make it home in time to quickly shower and dress up (tie and all for Evan) before heading downtown for the show (with their classic quick stop at City Market for some sneaky gummy treats right before the show began).  And what a show it was!  They had a blast listening to Straight No Chaser's renditions of a variety of "Yacht Rock" tunes and laughing at all of their hysterical interludes.  They had great seats (thanks to Tanya) and a wonderful time together.  It was a birthday present that would certainly be remembered - and quite fondly at that!

The next day was similarly exciting, albeit for a totally different reason.  Aleks had a half-day at school, which meant that Evan took a half-day from school to be able to pick her up on time.  However, Aleks' half-day was bolstered a bit by a belated cast party for her part in that year's school play, Days & Dreams: What's in a name?, which she had performed in the month before.  Upon arrival, Aleks was having a great time with her good friend Chelsea as the cast party wrapped up.  However, instead of heading straight home, they had a little side mission to accomplish first and ended up recruiting some supportive team members along the way.  You see, Tanya works at the hospital right around the corner from Aleks' school and just so happened to be having a slightly slower day at the office that day (very lucky for her as those days are unfortunately few and far between).  And, the timing of everything worked out that Aleks and Evan had both finished their half school days without lunch, Aleks' good friend Chelsea (and Chelsea's sister Lilly) also happened to all be at the cast party and had yet to eat a proper lunch (despite the many snacks and Popsicles that they imbibed as part of their cast party refreshments).  Chelsea and Lilly's dad also happened to work at the hospital and their mom worked at UVM on the other side of campus.  So, Evan took all three girls to the UVM Medical Center (after clearing these plans with the other parents) to visit Tanya and have some lunch with her in the hospital's atrium.  Aleks led the way through the hospital to Tanya's office (as she knew it like like the back of her hand by now) and Evan got to see Tanya's office for the very first time!  Then, the girls (all of them) showed Evan where to get ginger ale (as it seems that's a staple beverage in every hospital) on their way down to the atrium for lunch (which included FREE coffee for Evan as it just so happened to be "Free Coffee Day" that day - this being particularly exciting for him as Evan feels that all things taste a bit better when they're free).  After they all enjoyed a dining-hall-style lunch together, they headed back through the hospital in search of a giant poster that featured Chelsea and Lilly's dad, and then a quick stop by his office in the oncology wing.  After a surprising and splendid social visit with Chris (their dad), Evan took the girls to their mom's office (in the admissions building near his old grad school hangout) and Tanya went back to work to finish off her day at the hospital.  Evan and Aleks made it home with some time to spare to begin working on Aleks' Mother's Day present for Tanya (with just enough time to hide it before she got home).  

The following day started out in a typical fashion, but again had a bit of an audible in the afternoon.  This time, rather than attending lacrosse practice (as Aleks typically would on a Tuesday), she stayed in the building and prepared for the Intermediate Team's annual Poetry Slam!  Evan was able to scoot out of school right on time to make it, and save a seat for Tanya who was, at that moment, stuck in the hospital managing the care of several very sick patients (an unfortunately more typical day for her at work).  The Poetry Slam began with the fourth graders, and some amazing poems that they wrote, prepared, and presented in front of a room full of proud, applauding parents and supportive peers.  As the Poetry Slam continued, Tanya was still stuck at the hospital, but doing her absolute best to find a way to sneak off for a bit to catch Aleks' performance.  The 5th graders started and Tanya hadn't made it yet, but Aleks (somehow sensing the need) was able to stall her own performance for a little while.  Tanya arrived JUST in time (after finding herself locked out and Evan seeing her run back and forth past the basement window where the Poetry Slam was occurring and rushing upstairs to let her in before it was too late).  Aleks presented her poem on Courage and Evan and Tanya couldn't have been more proud of her!  She was proud, articulate, and powerful in her presentation (and writing) and not only were they proud of her, but, more importantly, she was proud of herself!  They all went home beaming from ear to ear with pride and a strong sense of accomplishment...And with Aleks' friend Chelsea in tow!  Somehow, at the end of the Poetry Slam Aleks and Chelsea had managed to convinced their parents that a subsequent playdate was the appropriate course of action following the Poetry Slam.  So, the four of them headed home, with a pit stop at the Williston Public Library so that Aleks could looks for some new books and Chelsea could quickly finish up her homework for the evening.  By the end, not only had Chelsea finished her homework, but she was also able to make several wonderful book recommendations for Aleks, who subsequently checked out several of those recommendations to add to her daily reading stack (as she had been churning through books all year long).  Afterwards, Evan offered to take the girls to the playground behind Williston Central School while Tanya headed home to get started on dinner for everyone.  Unfortunately, their playground plans were fizzled shortly thereafter by lightning and thunder in the distance (and headed their way).  Granted, thanks to Evan's observant eye all three of them made it into the car before the downpour began.  Upon returning home, dinner was deliciously served and a post-dinner duet ensued featuring Aleks on the saxophone and Chelsea on her clarinet!  It was an incredible show for Tanya and Evan, and, most of all, Rogue!  Eventually it was time to bring Chelsea back home, but with the hopes of further playtime in the very near future.

Wednesday was mostly a typical day, except for the fact that Aleks' lacrosse team got their first opportunity to have a scrimmage by organizing something with the Rice JV Girls Lacrosse team.  They had a chance to play against each other and Aleks had a great time - playing goalie!  Afterwards, Evan and Tanya had a soccer game at 7pm so Evan took the day off from the sport to spend time with Aleks at home, giving her the opportunity to complete her homework and make some more progress on her Mother's Day gift, while Tanya was at the pitch supporting the team in their victory.  Thursday was a somewhat similar day with a typical start and a slight snafu at the end when Evan left his after school meeting a bit early to pick-up Aleks from Girls on the Run practice, having not yet received the text messages from Tanya informing him that she was able to do so.  So, while on his way he finally connected with Tanya and changed course for home, which allowed for him to get started on their weekly house cleaning a bit early as they had big plans for the weekend making this a task that had to be done sooner rather than later.  For you see, Friday included a much more special occasion - Aleks hosting a much-anticipated sleepover with her good friend Chelsea!

Friday arrived with much excitement in the air, and it turned out to be for more than just the impending sleepover.  As, in addition to the exuberant, high-energy enthusiasm that Aleks embodied as she planned and prepared for her highly anticipated sleep over with Chelsea, Evan and Tanya were also preparing for the potential sale of Tanya's 2012 Kia Sorento, due to the recent inquisition Tanya had received from a possible purchaser.  So, while Tanya drove off to Mater Christi School to pick Aleks and Chelsea up from lacrosse practice, Evan headed out to Hinesburg in the Kia to meet up with the potential buyers and provide them the opportunity for a test drive.  All went fairly well on both ends - Aleks and Chelsea had a great lax practice, stopped at Chelsea's house to pick up "a few" things (including a giant bag full of different board games for the crew to explore that evening), and made it home with time to play before dinner, while Evan made it out to Hinesburg, met a lovely older couple who enjoyed the Kia very much and expressed significant interest in buying (pending a bit of negotiation and a quick review of the vehicle by their trusted mechanic).  They all arrived home around a similar time and prepared for another excursion - this time to Lake Iroquois for some landscape painting and sand playing.  Included in the "few" things that Chelsea had brought from her house in preparation for their sleepover was a portable easel that the girls could use to paint on the beach.  So, with Chelsea providing the easel and paper and Aleks providing the paints and brushes, the girls set up at the water's edge to begin their masterpieces.  However, their plans were sullied once more by an incoming rain cloud that quickly convinced everyone that an umbrella over their canvases was insufficient and that it would be better to return home and finish painting another day.  And with that, the crew packed up their things and headed back for home, but not without making a pit stop at their favorite pizza place to pick up a prodigious pie.

After dinner, they dove into the bag of board games that Chelsea had brought to try out some new names, such as The Scrambled States of America, Googly Eyes, and, an old classic, Twister (which Tanya had totally missed out on growing up, having spent most of her childhood in Russia).  Googly Eyes was certainly a fan favorite, with Twister a close second for the younger generation.  Once they were all gamed out, or at least ready for an intermission, it was time for ice cream sundaes.  Tanya had picked up a tasty vanilla ice cream for everyone, Aleks had brought home a fun raspberry swirl topping from her dad's to share, and the toppings stretched across the countertop for each of them to hand-select what they felt best met their sundae needs.  After the sundaes were satisfactorily consumed, it was time for bed.  

Saturday morning involved an early wake-up for the girls (the excitement was still booming for them and interrupted their sleep much earlier than would be expected for a typical weekend).  When Tanya eventually went downstairs to start the coffee she found Aleks painting at the table and Chelsea working on a puzzle on the floor.  It was unclear exactly how long they had been awake, but they were certainly much more up and active than Tanya had expected.  Nonetheless, that energy was put to very good use shortly thereafter as the girls endeavored to make a pancake breakfast for everyone.  And, to be clear, these were no normal pancakes.  First off, the pancake batter was separated into five containers in order to provide the opportunity for color differentiation.  Beyond that, each color (for the most part) was given its own additional ingredient (e.g., butterscotch chips for yellow pancakes, mini peanut butter M&Ms for red pancakes, etc.).  The final stack of pancakes was beyond impressive and the ultimate spread at the table was improved further by bowls of chopped strawberries and bananas (thanks to Tanya).  It was certainly a noteworthy feast and ended with another memorable moment - the sale of Tanya's 2012 Kia Sorento.  For, you see, Tanya had played a little bit of hardball with the potential buyers and was eventually able to convince them to buy it [mechanic] sight unseen (granted, for a slightly lower price than she had originally been hoping for, but still an adequate deal).  So, after his hearty breakfast, Evan drove the Kia back out to Hinesburg to solidify the deal.  There was another quick review of the vehicle by the buyers and an almost-panic moment when no one could find the spare tire (and thought maybe it was gone - when it turned out that it was actually just UNDER the car), but in the end they made the deal and Tanya (with the girls in tow) came to pick Evan up as they left the Kia behind and went straight to the bank to deposit the significant amount of cash they had earned in the transaction.  

Then, the crew returned home to pack some snacks as they headed off again, this time for the South Burlington Library - a library that Chelsea had been raving about to Aleks and so the girls decided it was worth checking out.  And, it was worth it, was both Evan, Tanya, and Aleks saw why Chelsea had liked it so much - not only did it boast an impressive selection of books (several of which Tanya checked out for herself and Aleks), but it also had an activity room with coloring and Legos and a small wooden train set to play with (for when you needed a break from reading).  Not only that, but it was located right behind Rick Marcotte Central School, which boasted an impressive playground (largely due to its excessive play structure) that the girls played on after they had expended their time in the library.

They all returned home for lunch and some additional board game playing (primarily focused on rematches of Twister and Googly Eyes) before Chelsea's dad arrived to pick her up.  While the girls attempted a negotiation to extend their sleepover by another 24 hours, in the end Chelsea returned to her home (with hopes of repeating this epic event again in the near future).  However, as the trio returned to its 3-part whole, it also provided an opportunity for some belated Mother's Day celebrations to commence.

Thus, Aleks and Evan kindly requested that Tanya busy herself in her bedroom (with the door closed) for a brief period of time as they finalized their plans and put them into motion.  Eventually, Tanya was released from her loving captivity to follow a series of cute notes that Aleks put throughout the house that guided her down the hallway (to her Mother's Day card from Aleks) and then down the stairs and around the corner to the dining room table (where Aleks' Mother's Day gift awaited her), and finally around the corner once more where Aleks herself patiently waited with some of the "Card Day" plans they had created.  Tanya's first card selection resulted in a family soccer game at Williston Central School (rather than some family lacrosse), but not until after she took a few moments to open her card and present (of which some heart-filled tears may have been shed at the sweet, thoughtful, loving gift that Aleks created for her Mama to remind her just how much she loves and appreciates her).  It was a beautiful moment, which led to another "Card" interlude - this time, Tanya's selection resulted in a hug from Aleks and Rogue (rather than from Evan and Rogue)...and, ultimately, a full-family hug to seal the deal.  As the emotional moment subsided, it was time to prepare for some family fun.  Matching outfits donned, water bottles filled, and cleats acquired, the trio took off for Williston Central to enjoy a little soccer scrimmaging together.  

After returning home, sufficiently sweaty, they embarked on their next adventure of the day (this one less Mother's Day related).  They changed into some more socially appropriate attire and headed off to the Very Merry Theater to watch their production of High School Musical!  It was a fabulous performance!  Just before the show began Tanya's final Mother's Day "Card" of the day was presented.  The final decision was Hana Sushi (rather than Sakura) for dinner.  So, Evan called in an order and then, during intermission, snuck off to pick it up.  He returned back to the show in time to catch the last couple of songs from the second act.  By then, they were all quite hungry and ended up sharing most of the appetizers they'd ordered in the car on the way home.  However, the main event still awaited them and when they got home they were finally able to tear into the delectable sushi containers that awaited them.  It was a wonderful day, with a wonderful ending to the evening, and a great way to belatedly celebrate Mother's Day with Tanya (now that her whole family was together again).  And still, there are some more "Cards" that await her in the somewhat near future...

May 19th - 25th, 2024:

It was another exciting week for the Makhlina-Ecksteins.  It started slow, with a Sunday full of tasks, errands, and To Dos, but ending with four consecutive soccer games for Tanya and Evan as they played with their own Shinkickers team and also helped out their friends on Rum Punch Kick, VT FC, and The Misfits.  By the end, they had their soccer fill for the day and were exhausted, sore, and quite hungry!  

Monday started with a quick errand for Evan to drop Tanya's old Kia license plates off at the DMV before heading into work (with a quick stop at his barber's [Roger's Barbershop] for a much needed, overdue haircut).  Later that day, Evan picked Aleks up from Girls on the Run and discussed their afternoon plans on the way home - which, due to Aleks hard work throughout the school day, resulted in an impromptu trip to Lake Iroquois for some beach fun!  Tanya made it home just in time to join them for the ride.  While there, Aleks bumped into a friend from school (Jack) and they were able to play together for a bit before it was time to head home for the evening; however, they didn't depart from one another without first making a pact to get together again soon.  

Tuesday started out in typical Tuesday fashion, but was met few a few zigzags later in the day.  Aleks would've typically had lacrosse practice after school, but it was unexpected canceled due to some potential thunderstorms that were expected around the time practice would take place.  So, Tanya (in her amazing, always-on-top-of-everything way) reached out to Chelsea's parents (as Chelsea and her sister Lilly were also impacted by this unexpected change of plans) to sort something out.  In the end, Chelsea's dad picked up all three girls and brought them back to Chelsea's house for a brief playdate, until Tanya was able to get out of work and pick Aleks up.  Again, not leaving without making plans to see each other again very soon.  The other unexpected aspect of the day came in the form of a broken coffee maker.  Evan tried his best to fix it, but in the end conceded and decided to buy a new one instead.

The following day he was able to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee from his brand new coffee maker in celebration of his birthday!!!  Not only that, but Aleks (being the absolutely amazing daughter that she is) had set out an outfit for Evan to wear on his special day (considering his love for the color blue and his recent appreciation for summer vibes attire) and placed a series of sticky notes throughout the house to lead Evan from his room all the way to the cards/gifts that awaited him downstairs.  In addition, Tanya (being the incredibly loving wife that she is) woke up early to make him a special breakfast and send him off to work with a great big hug putting the best smile on his face, starting his day off in the most perfect way.

At school Evan also received a series of "Happy Birthday"s from many of his coworkers and even an extra special Boston Creme Birthday Cake (homemade by Sophie, considering his love for the inspirational doughnut)!  From there, things started to get a little wonky.  While the day was celebratory in nature, it did have some serious content to be addressed as well.  For you see, Milton's School Budget still, unfortunately, had not passed and there was Union work to be done to try and help remedy that in preparation for their third budget vote, coming up on June 4th.  So, MESA Members had planned to gather on Route 7 out front of the Milton High School for a "Honk and Wave" community engagement activity (hoping to inspire a higher number of Yes votes at the upcoming polls).  This gave Evan only an hour for an important part of his birthday (before he was needed as this, also important event) - his free Starbucks birthday drink.  Some important decisions needed to be made - which Starbucks was close enough to get there and back within the hour he had allotted for this precious part of the day?  He decided on the Colchester Starbucks (just off Exit 16).  Unfortunately, he had not taken into account the unknowable fact that this Starbucks seemed to be plagued that week by short staffing and had, therefore, decided to close early every day that week to account for it...this he unfortunately found out as he pulled into their parking lot and was greeted by a lightless building and a posted sign on the door informing him of the reasoning for the unexpected disappointment.  So, he was now faced with another decision - travel to another Starbucks and risk being late for his MESA event, or accept the fact that his Birthday Starbucks drink this year was not in the cards for him.  While he debated it for a short while, the end result seemed to be an obvious one - no one was going to tell him that his Birthday Starbucks was out of reach; so, off to Susie Wilson Road he went.  A little while later, with a massive Birthday Starbucks Frappuccino in hand and an even bigger birthday grin on his face, he was headed back to Milton to wave at the community in the hopes of inspiring more Yes votes for the very near future.  He only arrived a few minutes late and was greeted by many familiar faces, and a few unfamiliar ones as some union members from neighboring districts had taken time out of their day to support the Milton team in their important endeavor.  The many honks and waves they received over the 1.5-2 hours they spent holding signs, displaying big smiles, and sharing hopeful waves was a positive sensation, but also left more work to be done (as there were also an unfortunate number of cars passing by that did not respond in kind).   Nonetheless, the event was considered an overall success and Evan was off to his next activity - soccer with the Shinkickers, this time at the Shelburne Field House (as their Wednesday league was alternating between the Tree Farm and the Field House for the summer to accommodate the excessive number of teams this year).  Evan arrived to soccer with a cooler full of Gatorades and Double Stuf Oreos to share with the team (another birthday treat provided by his wonderful wife Tanya).  The game ended in an unfortunate 2-1 loss, Evan having provided two of the 3 goals in the game (one unfortunately against his own team on a very poor deflection, and the other, to cancel it out, by scoring off of the other team in a much more fortunate deflection).  Then, it was finally time to go home and get to see his family on his birthday before Aleks' impending bedtime.  However, he was greeted by another unexpected zigzag of the day - his car wouldn't start.  And, his phone was dying...

A friendly referee from the soccer game offered to help jump it, but that didn't work out.  Evan made an anxious phone call to Tanya that, on the third try, finally went through in which he made a very efficient request ("Can you please come to the field house because my car is dead?") before his phone died in the same vane as his car.  Thirty minutes later Tanya and Aleks pulled into the lot and Evan used Tanya's phone to initiate a Geico Roadside Assistance Request (as he under the impression that he needed to be towed due to a Starter issue).  In the end, when he was able to get in touch with the tow truck driver (who was about 45min away) he was advised to try to jump his car one more time (but wait much longer than he had the first time before trying to start his own car).  Thankfully, this worked out and Evan's car started once again.  The family all made it home safe and sound, albeit about an hour or so later than originally expected.  And Evan's birthday ended with a goodnight/happy birthday hug and kiss from his wife and daughter and an online purchase of a portable batter charger kit.

Thursday ended up as another busy day.  Work/school was followed by Girls on the Run practice for Evan and Aleks (and Aleks' good friend Chelsea).  However, this week's practice had been no ordinary practice as it was the day of the Girls on the Run Bake Sale that the team had coordinated to help raise money for Vermont Adaptive, a program that helps to ensure everyone (particularly those with potentially interfering disabilities) has access to fun and exciting adaptive sports activities and opportunities.  The team worked tireless as students and families swarmed their tables full of baked goods and spent dollar after dollar on treats to benefit this worthy program.  In the end, the girls raised over $500!!!  Afterwards, Chelsea came home with Aleks for a little bit of time to hang out before changing into their colorful dresses, grabbing their instruments, and heading back to school for their end-of-year band concert.  It was incredible to see how far Aleks had come in her saxophone skills from having just picked the instrument up for the first time earlier this school year.  All three went home feeling very proud and already looking forward to future concerts!

Friday also had a busy afternoon.  While Aleks ran around at lacrosse practice, Evan "ran" around picking up different birthday treats from places such as Subway, Panera, and, best of all, Crumbl Cookie.  However, this Friday had an unusual twist as Tanya was able to pick Aleks up from lacrosse practice (instead of her dad) and bring Aleks home to change for the weekend and, finally, celebrate Evan's birthday with the incredible cake that they had made (but not yet had the time to enjoy).  A brownie-based, peanut butter and caramel latte frosted cake, baked and decorated by Aleks cake turned out to be one of the best birthday cakes that Evan had ever had!  Then, he and Tanya were both able to drive with Aleks out to Georgia to drop her off at her dad's for the weekend before popping off to find another fishing spot for Tanya to continue her fishing expeditions she had started earlier that day.  For you see, Tanya secretly loves fishing, but hasn't had her own fishing pole for a while (since the first ever magical fishing pole that she bought herself broke).  However, earlier that day Tanya had decided to finally go out and find herself a new magic pole to enjoy this hobby with once again.  And she certainly did!  After finding a little spot in Milton, Tanya cast her line and caught a fish on the very first try!  She and Evan stayed there for a while longer as she fished for more bluegills and pumpkinseeds (and even spotted a cute little turtle at one point as well), before deciding to pack it up and head home, making a quick pit stop at Jersey Mike's for a final birthday treat for them to share (a Jersey Mike's Italian Combo sub). 

Saturday was the day of Evan's second birthday present (as he had already celebrated his first present two weeks prior at the Straight No Chaser concert).  The morning started out in a relaxing way, until eventually it was time for Evan and Tanya to head off to UVM's Virtue Field to watch a Vermont Green (Vermont's semi-professional soccer team) game - the first that either of them had been to.  It was a great game, on a beautiful day, with many familiar faces scattered throughout the crowd!  And something that they hope to do again, hopefully even with Aleks, as it was so much fun the first time around - the enthusiasm in the stands supporting the team was electric!  

Afterwards, Tanya met up with her best friend Anna for a shared, belated birthday celebration of pedicures, dinner, and drinks.  So, they met up at Bella Vie in Williston for their pedicures and to plan the rest of their evening.  They ended up traveling to Waterbury together for dinner at the delicious pizza place, Stones Throw, and then followed that up with some drinks at Waterworks in Winooski.  Beyond that, they finished the evening with some bigger, future plans to spend a whole day together to more adequately celebrate their birthdays together (as they had originally intended).

May 26th - 31st, 2024:

With Aleks at her dad's house for the weekend, Evan and Tanya took off for Manchester, NH to meet up with their good friends the Mocks whom they hadn't seen in a while due to the Mocks' somewhat recent relocation to Southbridge, MA.  Being the first time that they had gotten together in far too long, it was a very momentous occasion.  They had plenty to catch up on and plenty of games to play as they met up at Boards & Brews in Manchester, a board game cafe that served delicious coffees, tasty snacks, a full bar, and various dinner options along with hundreds of board games to choose from!  Their 3pm arrival culminated in a 9:30pm departure - there was much to be shared and just as much to do.

After catching up on historic, interesting, and comical life events, they ordered some beverages and perused the game shelves.  Each person chose a game for the group to consider and brought it back to their table.  They ended up starting with a card game called Hanabi (a cooperative game in which each player is allowed to see everyone's cards, except their own).  As a group, they made their best attempts at a successful/monumental fireworks display for the imaginary onlookers and while they never quite earned a perfect score, they came darn close!  [Note: They enjoyed this game so much that Tanya ended up buying it for the family and, subsequently teaching it to Aleks later in the week]  

Then, they transitioned to a very different game - Munchkin Panic, another...well, at least somewhat...cooperative game in which the group had to defend their castles from an onslaught of outrageous attackers (including lawyers, 3,872 Orcs, Squidzilla, a Maul Rat, a Platycore, and so much more).  Needless to say, a great deal of fun was had, multiple attempts were made, and success was eventually achieved.  And by that point they had sampled several delectable coffees, imbibed some excellent alcoholic beverages, enjoyed their tasty meals, and shared in a Connect Four appetizer (consisting of M&Ms, peanut butter-filled pretzels, Cheez-Its, and Nilla Wafers).  Eventually, and sadly, it was time to part ways once again - but this time not without a pending plan for a future gathering at another, similar establishment (this one slightly closer to the Makhlina-Ecksteins to counter the extended drive they had this time around).

The next day, while it was a Monday, still allotted for Evan and Tanya to sleep in to counteract their late arrival home the night before.  Memorial Day gave Evan and Tanya an extra day to do some of the things they hadn't gotten to over the weekend yet - including see more friends they had been wanting to catch up with.  

For Tanya, that involved getting together with her friends Kristen and Amalia for lunch.  Unfortunately, Amalia had come down with a nasty cold and wasn't able to join, but Kristen ordered some food for herself and Tanya from the Firebird Cafe and picked it up on her way over to the Makhlina-Ecksteins humble abode to relax, catch up, and enjoy some take out together.  And, not only that, Kristen also got to spend some time with her favorite patient (Rogue) and save her from some uncomfortable ingrown toenails.  All three of them (Tanya, Kristen, and the cat) had a great time...well, the cat may not have enjoyed the nail removal, but was certainly very appreciative of it.

While all of this was going on, Evan was across town at the Tavern in Essex to have lunch with his friends Casey and Lindsey.  They also had plenty to catch up on as it had been too long since they'd gotten together.  After lunch they decided to continue their time together with a lovely walk around a nearby neighborhood.  Afterwards, Evan popped into Burlington to spend a little time with his longtime mentee Ali and say a quick, "Hi" to his kids now that they had all moved back to town.  They also went for a walk to get some fresh air and catch up on all that had been going on in Ali's life over the past several months (as it had been a very busy, and stressful, time for him).  It was great to get together and they left with the expectation that they would be seeing each other again soon - along with the heartwarming knowledge that it would be so much easier now that Ali was finally back in Vermont once again.

Evan's time with Ali was cut a little short due to an incoming rainstorm that not only halted their "walk and talk" time, but also put a major damper on the pick-up soccer plans that he had with Tanya for afterwards.  So, instead when he got home they had a quiet, relaxing evening on the couch instead.

The next day it was back to reality with the hospital calling to Tanya and the middle school beckoning Evan.  However, it also included Aleks' return home, which overwrote any potential gloom they may have experienced due to their subsequent returns to work.  Evan was in the final week of his assistant coaching for Girls on the Run and the team had some great weather for their final practice runs before the big 5K culminating event that weekend.  They were able to enjoy a nice run through some of UVM's campus and Aleks earned an exciting Energy Award upon their return to Mater Christi.  

Wednesday included some soccer at the Tree Farm for Evan and Tanya with a subsequent playdate with Isabel for Aleks.  The girls had a great time playing in the trees while Evan and Tanya tore it up on the pitch.

The following day was the last of the Girls on the Run practices for the season (although there was still an ice cream celebration to come the following week as a last hurrah).  The team created some cards to send to Vermont Adaptive with their earnings from their highly successful Bake Sale and took one last run through part of UVM's campus, with a stop at the fountain on the green for a team picture.  At the end, Aleks' friend Chelsea came home with her and Evan and the three engaged in some Hide and Seek around the house before transitioning to beach mode.  Tanya came home and whipped up some Caesar salad and chicken nuggets for dinner while Evan took the girls to the beach at Lake Iroquois.  Tanya met them there with dinner and her fishing pole.  Having left the worms at home, she decided to see whether fish liked chicken nuggets as much as their cat did.  It turned out that they did not...but further testing may still be warranted (as there aren't any catfish in Lake Iroquois).  While Tanya was testing her fishing prowess the girls were busy at work building a mini reservoir and attached aqueduct to see if they could transport the lake water from their manmade pool back into its home base.  In the end, their design worked like a charm!

After school on Friday Aleks had her last lacrosse practice of the year.  Having tweaked her ankle a little bit during GotR practice the day before, Tanya decided to pick her up a little early from practice so she could get home and rest/ice her ankle in preparation for the big event the next day (the epic Girls on the Run 5K Event).  So, the Makhlina-Ecksteins closed out the month of May with some Phase 10 (which the girls played while Evan participated in some preemptive Stern Center systems training) and then busted into their brand new game of Hanabi, which Aleks learned quite quickly.  They finished the evening with a couple rounds of You Wish and then a movie to top it off.  It was a relaxing way to finish another exciting month.