There's no "i" in "team" but there's a "p" in "jump"

So yeah. Alison is 11. Seems impossible, but you can't argue with math. Among the festivities surrounding her big day included a romp at the newest "most-go" venue: SkyZoneSports. It's a trampoline place for most ages. It's pretty big with separated sections that allow you to flip off into a pit of soft blocks, play high-powered dodge ball, dunk basketballs or just jump around. They do a good job of refereeing and keeping the big kids from bouncing on the little ones, and making it safe for everyone to literally bounce off the walls. So it was great fun for the kids, who were a sweaty mess after an hour of jumping around. But here's a tip for anyone fool enough to think that after your body has carried and expelled at least one child that you can still bounce like a kangaroo on speed. Yes, you can bounce. But you must also land. Sometimes you will land hard. Do yourself a favor and pee first. And that's all I have to say about that. Before the weekend was over, we'd had two sleepovers (separate kids) one extended play date, and transporation needs for about six kids. Jenna, for the first time in a decade, didn't attend the party because her mother made her follow through on a commitment to play in her soccer game. Midway through the party I get a call that Jenna's en route to the E.R. She ended up with a wrist sprain and not a break.

Now I'm not one to say, "I told you so," but it WAS me who suggested that skipping one lousy soccer game wouldn't hurt anyone. (Just sayin'.) Jenna and Alison like to say they were friends before they were born because Amy and I were pregnant together, and the girls claim they talked to each other on some sort of belly-phone. Since the terrible breakup when they left day care and started in different Kindergarten classes, they've seen each other less, but every occasion they're together, it's like they never left. It's the best thing to watch and eavesdrop on. They're the best kind of sister-friends and I'm grateful every time they get together. Jennas still got to come for a sleepover, but the poor thing wasn't feeling well and ended up puking her little guts out both Saturday night and Sunday morning. But even a vomit-plagued Jenna is a good Jenna, and we made the best of it. We had some high points signing her soft cast -- which she was happy to have, though she confessed that if she'd broken her arm, she'd likely have gotten out of doing any more work at school. "Yeah, that would have been better," agreed Ali. We didn't know she was sick early in the evening. I'd left the girls with Jeff to go to the annual Gathering of the Goddesses event and didn't get back home until about 11. The evening is great because A. It's a great cause that helps poor women get the health care they need; and B. I get to see a ton of old friends from years ago.

I came home in my finery to find Jeff beside Jenna at the porcelain throne. We got her settled down and the next morning she and Alison went to the Angie's List garden with me where I joined our fitness instructor and her daughter to move some dirt. About four yards of dirt, I think with three shovels and wheelbarrows. A fourth gardener showed up and we got the work done around noon. By that time Jenna had puked again, cuddled on a couch for a while and then dried out on a rooftop patio surveying us as we worked. Once she'd perked up -- fueled by birthday cake (instead of the banana I'd packed) -- she and Ali were our water girls, saving our lives on a couple of occasions. We'd planned a movie, but when we got home, the girls sacked out in the living room and slept right through. On the way home from returning Jenna, Alison seemed a little depressed. I asked her what the trouble was and she started to recount the weekend. She'd had fun and enjoyed all of her presents and activities.

"But it just wasn't the same without Jenna," she said. "She's just such a big part of everything and when she's not feeling good, it's just not the same." A little retail therapy perked her up. She used her Grandpa's money and some gift cards to buy some shocking pink Chuck Taylors and some neon shorts. Summer's almost here and she's anxious to get a jump on it. Jenna woke up Monday feeling good, keeping her food and was headed off to school, according to her mother. We'll have our birthday do-over sometime soon. As long as we can keep off that damn soccer field... :)