Chelle's Story

Words of Wisdom

2012-01-13T08:50:00.003-05:00

When I was a young mother with toddlers I would talk to my coworker about problems with my kids, ear infections, diaper rash, not sleeping through the night, Bryan biting his classmate, etc. She would listen to me and say "Little Kids, Little Problems, Big Kids, Big Problems." She had been through a husband in prison, her brother dying from AIDS, her teenage daughter pregnant and on welfare. She probably thought to herself, you ain't seen nothin' yet!

Her words of wisdom stuck with me and I always thought some day I will be in for it! That time is now. It is amazing how even though your children are adults you are still there, sweating every moment.

Yesterday Bryan got packed up and on the road after a lot of girlfriend drama, he is off for his second semester. Two hours into his 4 hour ride I get a call. "My rear tire blew out while I was driving" I about had a heart attack. He was shaken up but fine, he didn't harm any other drivers and he got the truck to a rest area so he wasn't on the side of the highway. His truck has body damage, which is a shame because of the age, it is hard to replace parts.
My mind started immediately racing "what do we do? While I am panicking, Jim calls and happens to have a buddy in Macon who is willing to go to Bryan and help him, since he had no spare tire, he was stranded. They removed the tire had a new one remounted, $180 later he was back on the road.

This was not the only excitement during Christmas break, some of his friends were in a bad car accident, another got a DUI, one was getting evicted from his apartment. Now these are all seemingly good kids and I know they have great parents. The road to adulthood sure is rocky!

Campus Visit

2011-11-14T13:02:00.003-05:00

We went for our first visit to see my son's life down in Statesboro at the Georgia Southern University campus. It was game weekend so the campus was alive with activity, which was nice to see, the first time we were there to drop him off was a week before classes started and it was deserted.

We tailgated, hit the bookstore, took him shopping to restock his pantry, got to experience a game at the stadium and the traffic jam afterwards he has been talking about. After a day of togetherness we said our "see you in the mornings" and he took off, no doubt to party with some buddies. Sunday morning we picked him up for breakfast, he looked rough, with stamps on his hands and a wristband from some party or club. I had to laugh I remember those crazy weekends.

Jim and I sure felt old while we were people watching on campus but are glad those days are behind us! Chris was observing everything and I am sure thinking about his future days at college. My only regret was stepping foot in their apartment, not the way I would chose to live, 4 guys living together can make quite a mess!

He almost has one semester under his belt, and I can tell he is feeling more confident being on his own.

Hair Raising Experience

2011-10-25T17:15:00.002-04:00

For years now I have not spent more than $20 total for cut and color ($13 for the cut and $7 for the bottle of L'Oreal) I guess it was starting to show so my friend and co-worker had mercy on me and gave me a gift certificate from one of our awesome advertisers who gave it to her as a Thank you --$160 --I was dumbfounded--who would ever pay that much for something that only lasts 4 weeks? That is the equivalent of a plane ticket to go see my folks I thought, how could it be so special?

I went in nervous as could be on a Tuesday at 4 pm -- four hours later I emerged a new woman, I just let the hair dresser work her magic, I didn't give her much direction, I figured she knew what she was doing. I have never sat still in a chair and been fussed over for that long in my life! -- Confession by the last hour I was up and pacing around--I was SO not used to this!

So for the last month I have felt beautiful, my hair styles like a dream, who knew? Well apparently all my girlfriends, I had no idea how much money has been exchanging hands with out my knowledge. It is hard to justify, in my mind but I can say I haven't felt this good in a long time.

Now it has grown out and the old hair is starting to emerge, so Friday I am going to go back for a touch up and treat myself to start out my 45th year in style!

Rose Colored Glasses

2011-08-29T19:38:00.002-04:00

After spending the weekend dropping off my son at college I was feeling nostalgic, remembering all the good times. What I seemed to have forgotten, which is all flooding back to my memory now is all the struggles, being a fish out of water, having trouble finding your way around, having trouble socially, making bad decisions. It is all coming back to me as I hear in his voice through his first weeks, the anxiety that goes along with being a Freshman. I have to say many of the memories are not ones I care to relive, but as they say, it made me the strong person I am today. So when he calls me with all his worries, I will remain tough and just listen and remind him we have all gone through this awkward stage in our lives, and we survived.

Separation Anxiety

2011-08-14T14:41:00.004-04:00

Ever since he was born we dreamed about this day, off to college! East Georgia College for now with a plan to transfer into Georgia Southern. The toughest thing for me to witness was him and his girlfriend saying goodbye, both in tears, I can say I remember that feeling well!

He is now settled in his college apartment. Jim and I did our best to get him all set up with everything he needs for a good start, hopefully I will be able to say he took advantage of the great opportunity he has. Even as we were pulling away in the car we were spouting last minute advice. It was strange driving away and giving up "control," he is on his own now. Except for the fact that he can call and text any time day or night! Going off to college doesn't seem as final as it used to be, when kids had to write letters to their loved ones. I am excited for him to start his own journey. Although, I did sneak him a text last night "Goodnight son" to which he replied "Love you Momma." I think I will let go in baby steps. . .

Summer Update

2011-07-10T14:20:00.008-04:00

I have been having a busy couple months I got a promotion at work and am now using every ounce of brain power and don't have much left for blogging. We have managed to have some fun this summer. It started of with a big graduation party, Jim did a great job transforming the backyard and feeding the crowd. Bryan requested a Southern BBQ so we fired up the neighbors smoker and made a bunch of pulled pork and chickens, it was a big hit. We slept 17 in the house, it was really special having everyone come to wish Bryan well. Weren't able to "get away" but have made the most of the beautiful area we live in. The best thing we did was go to my boss's luxury cabin on Lake Nantahala seen below.

Mission Accomplished

2011-05-22T21:38:00.002-04:00

It has been a long and uphill battle but my son is graduating this week. Academics are not his passion, to put it in a gentle way. He has had me sweating bullets, talking with teachers, nagging him incessantly, all the while he is cool, calm and collected. Never doubting himself for a minute. I was always an overachiever and would not accept less than my maximum effort. So you can imagine my befuddlement with my child, the one I had raised, just fine with low marks, as long as he accomplishes his goal of passing. It is nothing short of maddening.

But he did it, I can breathe a sigh of relief for now. Time to celebrate! Hopefully all the aggravation will fade away from my memory.

Signs

2011-04-08T11:31:00.003-04:00

I am all wound up with anxiety surrounding my son's impending graduation and college move. I could list all the worries, but I am sure you can imagine, the list is endless. I have been trying to quell my anxiety by working out, listening to music, saying the rosary etc. Well I think the universe is trying to send me a message, if I would only just take it to heart.
Recently while driving in the car the worrying started, and I looked up and the license plate of the car in front of me read "ITLBOK" as my younger son tried to crack the riddle I instantly said oh it says "It'll be Okay" I laughed and took a deep breath.
Then this morning, another stressful moment was upon me: filling out student loan papers, and I turned my attention back to work and the article I was asked to layout was entitled "Fear Not" and explained the concept of nothing ventured, nothing gained. Okay, I am starting to get the message, calm down Michelle, things have a way of working out.
My wonderful parents used to have words of encouragement hanging all over the house and one in particular is the advice I need at the moment: "Inch by inch life's a cinch, yard by yard, life is hard."

Not Like We Used to Do It!

2011-04-01T10:09:00.004-04:00

The day I had been waiting 17 years for finally arrived! My baby boy was going to the Prom! I was excited to see his girlfriend and him in my living room looking beautiful. I would be snapping photos and tearing up as they drove away....not in the 21st century.

From the minute she was sending him cellphone pictures from the dressing room, seeing if he liked the dress she was trying on, I knew it would not be "like I remember it."

The Prom and all that surround it, is now a group event --don't have a date --no problem you just pick a "picture partner" no strings attached. Pose for the photos and you are done, no need to buy her dinner.

The boy going to pick up his date in his car? Nope, the girl is dropped off by her parents where they all board the Disco Bus. At the end of the night the girl is picked up by her parents to take her home.

The boys aren't even that interested in finding their date in the crowd! I was envisioning a totally different scenario of romance and hand holding.

The photo op consisted of me following Bryan to the gathering place, hunting down his date and jockeying for a position like paparazzi with all the other parents for a good shot. The parents were all looking at each other saying "This in not like we used to do it!"

Apparently they had a great time, he texted me, telling me he "danced his heart out," at least that hasn't changed.

Two of My Favorite People

2011-03-26T14:16:00.005-04:00

My cousin Brendan got married on St. Patrick's Day at 12 noon, with the sounds of bagpipes echoing in the air, what a great day, the weather was flawless, no humidity, about 70 degrees, and the flowering trees of North Carolina were putting on a beautiful show.

We were met at our beautiful hotel room with a goody bag and a carefully planned itinerary. we arrived late the day before the wedding after fighting Atlanta traffic. I was totally exhausted but had trouble sleeping knowing in the morning I would get to see my extended family for the first time in about 18 months. I popped awake in the morning, jumped in the shower and headed down to the lobby for a family reunion over breakfast. What a great feeling to have all the people you love together in one room! Such a rare occasion in our family-- we are spread out all over the country.

Brendan's wife is a perfect match for him and fits right in to our clan. We hit it off from the minute we met, and I am so happy to see this union!

Guitar Lessons

2011-02-15T09:19:00.003-05:00

We got Chris an acoustic guitar for Christmas, and he is doing great, he seems to have a real knack for it. I am already amazed at the speed he can move his fingers around and how he is memorizing the notes on the strings.

He has been getting skype lessons from my brother Jon which is so nice! We did a little name that tune with songs Chris has learned and they were all recognizable. Chris is also learning from lessons on YouTube--it is unbelievable how excellent some of the lessons are! The other night I had him indulge me and learn one of my favorite Pink Floyd tunes "Wish You Were Here" the acoustic beginning, he is working on it, it gives me chills! Of course he has never heard of Pink Floyd or the song before. I have been "educating" him on all the oldies, Led Zepplin, AC/DC, Eric Clapton, they are ancient to him, but he appreciates their music.

We have been having some great bonding time, I will spend hours helping him, it is so enjoyable to watch him catch on, it's our time together, and of course being the sweet heart he is he always thanks me when we are done.

An Education in Higher Education

2011-01-23T19:28:00.004-05:00

Last weekend we went to our first college recruitment visit. A coach has been courting Bryan to come play at their school. It seemed like a tempting proposition. The college is in a picturesque town in western North Carolina a 3 hour ride, through the Blue Ridge mountains. We got up at 5 a.m. Saturday morning, the tour and welcoming committee wanted us there at 9:30. The campus was founded in 1853, and the coaches couldn't have been nicer with their southern hospitality. The well-educated head coach uses the phrase "dad-gum" in just about every opportune statement, it is a real different world in the mountains! The Yankee in me just shudders, Bryan has lived here long enough that it is becoming part of his vocabulary too!

After 8 hours of pep talks and tours, we were done and ready for the long ride home. The college isn't what Bryan pictured for himself, there are only 650 students, I truly didn't know such a small college existed, but they do dot the South, as we are learning. He has gotten some strange offers from as far away as northern Minnesota, but nothing feels like the right fit yet.

Being the parent of a potential student athlete is a complicated journey.

To Be Thankful

2011-01-23T19:07:00.006-05:00

I had the most heart warming experience on one of the coldest of winter nights. It was the Football banquet wrapping up the season. Each Senior was filmed reflecting about what they have learned, who influenced them and a true long heartfelt thank you to their moms. All the moms were teary and I was just welling with pride, that my young man could express himself so well, he hit every high and low point so well. "Thanks for all those early morning rides to school in your PJs, thanks for doing my nasty laundry every night, thanks for running my forgotten gear or homework over to school, etc. It was a long time coming and it meant a lot, to be publicly thanked, no kid rushed through it--just awesome.

When thinking back on it I think, it was not just for the benefit of the moms, it was also a great life lesson for these young men to teach them to be thankful as well, if you go through life without gratitude, you can develop a real problem with future relationships. I think the younger players who are there to witness this, also learn a lesson from the "big" guys, seeing them with humility, and acknowledging they didn't do this alone. Each of the coaches got up to the podium and broke down with emotion, an amazing thing to witness. Another chapter closes.

Snow Day 2011! The Epilogue

2011-01-10T12:42:00.006-05:00

What started out as a blast is now lingering on its 3rd day. We arose this morning to another day of a paralyzed city. It is amazing how much you miss your routine when you are forced to break it! Our eating habits have been atrocious, we are cooking, baking and eating for sheer entertainment. I finally was able to escape to work late this morning, once Jim ventured out to check my route to work for ice. I was happy to get out and had a mere 89 important emails to answer.

You would not believe how unplowed roads and steep hills make for such a mess. The first day we did have fun running around on the ATV, it was like a lawless no-man's land kids sledding on what is usually a busy main road, no threat of any police, they were also not able to patrol because of the ice, no postal service with no apologies, I hate to think if you needed an ambulance what would have happened. ATL really needs to invest in some snow removal equipment, the schools are sure to be out the rest of the week since it is still frigid.

Living on the Edge

2010-12-22T08:39:00.003-05:00

I have always prided myself on being smart with my money and always maximizing a dollar. So when shopping for a house, we have always strived to live on the edge of a really nice town. The cheaper edge that is. In Florida, it worked out perfectly, we lived on the border of Boca Raton, one of the nicest areas in south Florida. I was able to take advantage of all the great shopping, beautiful parks and great schools, without the high dollar zip code. I would sit in traffic jams surrounded by Jauguars, Mercedes and Porshes and chuckle to myself thinking about what they paid for thier cars.

When relocating to Atlanta, I did my research, I wanted the best schools and the lowest possible taxes, but also great sports, parks etc. We started looking in the "better" part of town and realized there were lots of fees and strict rules that come along with living there. We went just a mile down the road, found a much bigger house on a huge lot, with no rules and even lower fees. And just like before, we get to enjoy the assets of the affluent town.

There is only one drawback, who are my children friends with? Children who are handed a set of keys to a beautiful car on their 16th birthday, children who go on cruises for spring break and ski every winter, children who get the latest gadget the minute it debuts! And now children who can go to high-dollar colleges. As an adult I don't have trouble with the "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality, I know the full picture. But what ends up happening is as a parent it seems you can never measure up. I know it is better for my kids to learn fiscal lessons, earlier in life, that you can be happy with less and living on a budget is reality. But this time of year my mind is always blown by what some of their friends receive as gifts. I have a feeling these children will be surprised when they go out on their own someday.

Supporting Role

2010-12-14T10:10:00.003-05:00

Well the "Glory Days" of the great football season are behind us, now it's back to reality. Jim and I need to help Bryan weigh all his options and help guide him to the next phase in his life, inching toward adulthood. It is a thankless job, most of the time, the satisfaction that you are doing the right thing definitely has to come from within, because teens aren't known for appreciating guidance from their parents.

We have the cap and gown ordered ($100!) the Senior portraits are taken, the calls from recruiters are coming in, many of his friends have been accepted to the college of their choice. The wheels are in motion! The tests have been taken and retaken, trying to get the scores he needs. Nothing ever goes easy for him!

There is a lot more to do and time is ticking away-- the tap dance between nagging and letting him figure it out on his own is where we are at right now. Once a decision is made, then we get to access how we are going to pay for it all--intimidating stuff! It seems like just yesterday, I was teaching him to walk, now we are starting to nudge him out of the nest!

Painful Perk

2010-11-15T13:46:00.005-05:00

I have a great arrangement at work where I have access to a low cost massage once a month , this is a good thing since I have chronic back and neck pain from 25 years of sitting in front of a computer.

I have a love/hate relationship with this process, it feels indulgent since the massuese is awesome and knows my back problems very well, she is methodical and so knowledgeable, and one hour of peace and uninterrupted attention is so nice. But oooh does it hurt, during and after, the next day I feel beat up, but I know it is a necessary part of unlocking my tight muscles, I will keep going back for more!

The Difference Between Mom and Dad

2010-11-12T10:42:00.003-05:00

I was chatting on my phone last night when Chris picked up the house phone, "Bryan needs to talk to you Mom. " I am waving him off because I am in the middle of a conversation, so Jim grabs the phone.

I hear, "Hmm, well that stinks, figure it out," and Jim settles back on the couch and continues to watch TV. After I hang up I ask "What was that all about?"

"Bryan locked his only set of keys in his truck"

I immediately start to get up, he says "just sit down he needs to figure this out on his own."

I was ready to call AAA or hop in the car and rescue him (sorry can't help the mommy instinct). This never even occured to Jim.

A few minutes later we hear the truck pull in the driveway, Bryan comes in the house all smiles, him and his buddies found a way in and they hoisted a smaller kid in the back side window that won't lock.

That's why boys need a Mom and a Dad, Jim gave him a good lesson in self-sufficiency.

Mom's Taxi Got a Makeover

2010-11-10T11:28:00.003-05:00

I am a happy girl — traded in the "bus" for a much more fuel efficient and sportier crossover vehicle, since I only cart around one boy these days, I was ready to downsize! I just love it!

Family History Shared

2010-11-04T10:06:00.006-04:00

It didn't start out on the best note, after 6 full months of anticipation and years of a plan in my mind, we were finally doing it--I was going to have my father give my boys his personalized tour of Notre Dame. Surely a memory they will never forget

My industrious husband found a connection to the near impossible--6 tickets to a Notre Dame football game, we chose the weekend carefully, wanted fall in full bloom and of course it had to accommodate Bryan's football schedule. We were able to get the tickets for his Bye week. All the stars had aligned on this and it was going to happen!

We approached Bryan's coach and explain he will miss just one practice, granted our whole year has revolved around his grueling schedule, which starts in January, monopolizes our entire summer etc., this would truly be the first time he is missing. The coach was furious and decided to punish Bryan by not letting him start for his last home game, I was crazy mad and in disbelief. Bryan being the mellow soul that he is was not that shaken up by it.

As we are driving up in the car we hear a headline come over the radio "Tragedy on Notre Dame Campus". A student was killed in a freak accident and the campus was in mourning. A very sad story for sure. I wondered how it would affect the festivities we were looking forward to. They cancelled the pep rally and coaches luncheon we were planning to attend, at least they didn't cancel the game.

When we arrived the campus didn't disappoint, it is spectacular so rich with history and music at every turn.

My father recounted his days to his grandsons, showed us where he stayed, and how drastically things had changed, he attended 50 years ago, with lights out at 10 pm, dining jackets worn in the cafeteria, no girls on campus and tution, room and board costing $1,900-- now its $52,000!

The highlight of the trip was the marching band--300 best and brightest young musicians in the country -- you have to have some serious chops to be in this band, it was awesome and they really engage the fans. My Dad had been a drummer in the ND band back in the day and that impressed the boys.

A real connection to our family history was made and I couldn't be happier, what a great weekend!

Anticipation

2010-10-27T09:37:00.005-04:00

It has been an amazing season, Bryan's team is 8-1 and last week they won the biggest game of the year against their rival. We have been waiting for this since 3rd grade. I even remember sitting him down in front of the TV as a toddler explaining 1st down, etc. to him and cheering on our favorite teams together. Now my boy is out there on the field making us proud and he is having the time of his life, we are counting down the weeks, only a few left, hoping it is not the end of the line. Hoping he will get a call from a college recruiter. . . to be continued.

Ad-Libbing

2010-10-07T11:00:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was one of those days I can't believe I made it through. My creative mind kicked in and came to the rescue.

I enjoy order and neatness in my life (the designer in me) but hate to be constrained to a strict routine (the artist in me) If I start to feel my life is controlling me I push back.

I seem to do my best designing when I just get started and follow where it leads me, I go into it with an open mind.

Yesterday was one of those days when I had to follow where life was leading me: I rushed home from work with a loose idea of what dinner I was going to prepare, I had to quick get it in the oven before I head off to teach Rel.Ed. I discover I am missing some of the ingredients, so I stand in the pantry assessing what raw materials I have to work with.

I pulled out a can of fire-roasted tomatoes and some squiggly pasta. Over to the fridge, roasted chicken, red onions, mushrooms, garlic, mozzarella cheese, things were looking up. None of this was expected, but it whipped up into quite a creation by the time I was done! Deilish!

While cooking, the phone rings, it's my co-teacher , she will not be assisting me with the 18 unruly first graders, I start to panic. I pull out the curriculum for the days lesson and it says "Open" just great, I was hoping for a real long lesson to keep the monsters occupied, no such luck. I survived just barely, did a 15 miute lecture on the Rosary, found a videotape for them to watch and ended with a game of Hangman using an angel instead of a man in a noose.

I sure slept soundly last night!

I am officially a GLEEk!

2010-09-15T15:05:00.003-04:00

Chris and I have a real connection through music, the other night while taking a walk we started a duet of a song we had seen on Glee and went back to the house sat down at the keyboard and tried to figure out the melody, then I downloaded the sheet music on the computer. And played the real song on iTunes, no waiting for the song to come on the radio.

I thought back to the "old days" when I used to have to save up and then walk or get a ride to buy sheet music at the music store, if these kids today only knew how much the world is opened up to them!

Back to Glee, it has a racy undertone that is not appropriate for an 11 year old so I dvr it and we watch the musical parts, which are amazing!

I went to a high school with an AMAZING show choir and music director Ms. Renaletta, who is still wowwing audiences in NY, I went to a show a couple years ago and was blown away by the level of production, costumes and musical talent, they even built a performing arts center at the school and sell tickets to their performances!

Left My Heart . . .

2010-09-10T12:56:00.010-04:00

Just got back from a whirlwind 4 days in San Francisco area. Here are some highlights:

Celebrated my parents 45th wedding anniversary with them.

Met the new baby Julianne and celebrated Kira's 8th birthday.

Kira gave me a tour of Pier 39, she knows all the hot spots like Chocolate Heaven!

My brother Jon hooked us up with 6th row tickets to a SF Giants game!

Headed down to Cannery Row, beautiful historic area on Monterey Penninsula:

Then took an unbelieveable ride down the 17 mile drive, the Pacific Coastline at its finest:

Packed a lot into 4 days, I miss them all already!

My Boy!

2010-08-25T12:00:00.004-04:00

I had a nice "Mom moment" on Sunday. My 17 year old went to his first concert (Brooks & Dunn) with his girlfriend. I had told him for years I used to go line-dancing when I was pregnant with him and one of our favorites was a routine we did to "Boot, Scoot 'n Boogie." When B& D started playing it at the concert, he called me so I could hear it, very sweet, he said that was the highlight of the concert!

Goin' to Meet My New Niece!

2010-08-25T11:54:00.003-04:00

I'm on my way to Northern California to meet the newest addition to the Kuppinger clan, Julianne Rose. I would like to have her all to myself , but my parents will be meeting her for the first time too! She will get lots of love in the next few days--GUARANTEED!

Time Marches on . . .

2010-08-11T11:53:00.004-04:00

The candles have been blown out:

And the school year has begun:

Just what we needed . . .

2010-07-27T14:45:00.002-04:00

After a horribly hot and very busy day last Friday we ran out to a new campground by the lake and were thrilled to find it had a private beach! My friend and I left the kids with the Dads and took our inner tubes and went down to the beach where we floated and chatted --for 2 hours--under a full moon, it was divine all the stress of the day melted away. We were both wound tight when we first dipped in and couldn't believe the difference after a while. Of course, they finally came looking for us and our peaceful time ended quickly...

Local Knowledge

2010-07-15T15:28:00.005-04:00

I always have a craving to go somewhere I have never been before, but I am also basically a chicken. So whenever the "wanderlust" strikes, I venture to a new place that is home to a friend or family member. Luckily my family and friends have chosen some pretty awesome places to call home.

Thanks to a dear friend (and hopefully someday) relative we just returned from an amazing vacation, she was a great guide and had lots of needed local knowledge. Thanks Rebecca! And thanks to her Dad who guided us down the Nantahala River.

Thanks also to Jon and Laura for great tours of San Francisco; thanks to Stephanie for a blast in Boston; thanks to Paul and Sonia for the highlights of Phoenix; thanks to Wendy for my NYC get-away and Karla for a tropical paradise vacation I will never forget. Thanks to Darlene for planning our trip to Ireland that came complete with a local priest as our tour guide! Julie and Dani were tour guides supreme making reservations in spectacular places in Spain.

Coming soon will be a great guided tour of my Dad's alma mater University of Notre Dame!

Weddings: An Education

2010-07-02T09:21:00.004-04:00

We attended my sister-in-laws wedding last weekend. We had a nice time, it was good to see family, some that we hadn't seen in more than 3 years. The special thing about it? I realized it was the first wedding Chris had ever attended, there hasn't been a wedding in our combined families in 10 years!

The whole thing was fascinating to him, for the rest of us veteran wedding-goers, everything was very traditional, no suprises, so it was nice to see it for the first time through his eyes.

First he got a dance lesson with mom to a slow song, "hand on my hip, other hand up, step side to side" complete with a disapproving look from his cool teen-age brother. By the end of the night , he had the Electric Slide, Macarena and Jitterbug under his belt, he was loving it, the grand finale was YMCA that everybody even the Dads joined in on, which the boys will ever forget.

Diva Dog

2010-06-29T09:26:00.002-04:00

This past week, Jim and I had the fortunate coincidence of having both kids gone for 4 days, Chris visiting family in Florida and Bryan at a UCF Football camp. Free at last, I thought. I guess I wasn't thinking about the fact that we still have 2 clingy Dachshunds! They are truly under foot all the time, if I'm in a chair, they are on my lap, if I am cooking in the kitchen, they are standing directly under me to catch any slip-of-the-hand that may occur, nothing ever lands on the floor in my house, it is always caught in mid-air.

The latest addition we have had for just under a year, she is adorable and silky and cuddly but "dumber than a box of rocks". We are still having trouble with house breaking her and she is a destruction machine, each day we find one of her little "projects" She is kept in a crate during the day, I don't know when she manages to seek and destroy.

My older dog is so "with the program" she fits right in, I wish she could impart her wisdom to the younger dog, but I think she enjoys being the good girl, when the diva dog strikes.

The Brush Cut Kids

2010-06-14T13:06:00.004-04:00

When I was growing up every summer we used to go to "the mountains" for a vacation. Now there were us normal people from the burbs who went up to the mountains for some R &R and then there were the types that lived up there pemanently through the desolate and cold winters. One of these famililes had a litter of boys there had to be at least six. They all sported brush cuts, which back in the shaggy-haired 70's looked pretty strange to us. So they were dubbed the "brush cut kids" they ran wild and free.

I never thought anything of it until recently when Bryan came home from workouts with a brush cut, the guys in the weight room had a bet going and he was the shaggiest kid in the room so he lost a bet and they shaved his head. Well it turned out to be a real favor because he loves the freedom of no hair to worry about.

So I had to buy some clippers to keep up with the maintenance --I was certainly not going to pay a barber every 2 weeks to shave him down! Well now Chris and Jim have joined in and I have my very own set of "brush cut kids." It sure cuts down on the barber bill, which I suspect is why that mother back in the 70's was shaving her boys. I just line them up and shave them down, it's like shearing sheep! Now everyone is cool for their summer sports and I have extra money to buy that expensive shampoo I love when I go to the salon!

Summer Freedom

2010-06-03T10:05:00.003-04:00

Well summer got off to a rocky start, the first night of Bryan's 'summer of freedom' with his own wheels ended in a lapse of judgement in a 16 year old brain.
He was hanging out with friends he checked in as required at 11 p.m. and says"I'll be home in half an hour." I agree and tell him I am going to sleep. I wake up around 12:30 in a panic he isn't home yet! I assume something terrible has happened, since he has been really good about his curfew up to this point. My stomach churning and heart pounding, I call him, he casually says "Oh I decided to spend the night and didn't want to call and wake you up to tell you" I was so furious I couldn't sleep the rest of the night! I suppose its impossible for him to realize how scary this whole thing is from my perspective.

Needless to say, he is having a very boring first week of summer break.

Road worthy

2010-05-25T09:55:00.004-04:00

Last month my taxi duties were cut in half (or so I thought) Bryan passed his road test and the 1984 Bronco we have been restoring is now road worthy, even though it has cost about double what we anticipated. I was thrilled to be able to catch an extra 30 minutes of sleep. That was until the parking Nazi at the school decided she couldn't be bothered issuing him a parking permit for the last month of school. Bryan pleaded with her, I called and tried, she won't budge. So there sits the Bronco with a "16-year-old boy insurance rate" being paid on it and no where to go. Luckily school will be out soon and he can park at the school this summer for his early morning workouts.

It was a great father-son project and they logged many, many hours getting it just right.

A Tough Week

2010-05-20T10:50:00.002-04:00

Last week, was one of those life experiences you never want to happen. One of Bryan's friends at 17 years old decided life wasn't worth living and ended his life violently. I think everyone who ever knew this only child and his single mother just cringes in pain. Senseless. Bryan attended the funeral by himself, he didn't want his blubbering Mom with him I guess, I am sure I would not have been able to hold it together, I was already in a melancholy mood since my sister's birthday was the day before the funeral.

I was so touched to hear about all the young men who came to comfort their friend's poor mother, they all really stepped up and tried to help her through this. Not an ordinary scenario for boys on the verge of careless Summertime days. A true life-changing event in their lives.

Rest in Peace, Connor.

Mother's Day Tradition

2010-05-11T13:06:00.004-04:00

Mother's Day 2006

Mother's Day 2010

Camping out on Mother's Day has become a tradition for us , the weather is always crisp and it is a nice time to spend unplugged with the kids. I came across this picture from 4 years ago and am marvelling at what a fine young man my son has become, he has grown a few inches along our journey together too, no I am not getting shorter! Hopefully he will always take time out of his busy life for dear ole' Mom.

Girl Power

2010-05-05T10:56:00.003-04:00

I am so crazy about my nieces! I had a great visit this weekend with them and was so impressed with their joy for life! They are beautiful and smart, Elizabeth is an amazing reader, and very thoughtful, Emelia (the younger one) is the life of the party! It was so fun to have girl time and fuss over our hair and dresses. Love you girls and can't wait to see you develop into young ladies.

Showtime!

2010-04-08T11:11:00.003-04:00

Last night I took Chris to his first Broadway production, we saw South Pacific a good G-rated oldie, it was really fun. I wanted him to experience something like this before it is not cool to see a musical with your mom. He hugged and thanked me several times after the show. He said it was better than he expected. I didn't know how a child of the technology age would appreciate a live orchestra and painted sets, but I am happy to report the magic of live theatre must still be alive and well. The Fox Theatre is magnificent, it opened in 1929 and seeing a show there is like a walk back in time.

Piles

2010-03-31T15:03:00.003-04:00

No, this is not a scene from an episode of Hoarders, this is what is usually waiting for me on Saturday mornings. Four feet deep and eight feet wide! I am not the type to keep up during the week, there is just no time so it piles up until the weekend. It is so daunting when I start, but I have to say, there is a sense of accomplishment when it is all clean and fresh and the dressers are all restocked. It is an easy mindless duty, I have it down to a system, one basket for each person, and I am training the kids to help. Someday they will be hanging out at a laundrymat like I used to in college, and will probably long for the days when mom used to take care of it all.

In the Clutch

2010-03-24T09:17:00.003-04:00

Last Friday night, the weather was finally right for baseball, sunny about 65 degrees, perfect. We have been sitting through freezing temps for weeks now, for some reason they start baseball in February in Georgia. The season has not been going great Chris's team had yet to win a game and now they were down 6-0 in the 4th inning. Suddenly their bats came alive and they got the score to 6-5. In the last inning the opposing team put in their best pitcher, two players got on base, then he struck out the next batter, and the next and I see Chris walking up to the plate with 2 outs and the game on the line. Oh great I thought, I was out of my seat and pacing around behind the bleachers I couldn't watch. Jim and I shot each other a bad look -- Chris is going to experience what it is like to blow a game for his team, after this great comeback. It reminded me of a scene from that movie "Mr. Destiny" where the main character's entire life hinged on one strikeout, if he could only go back and change it...

Both sets of bleachers were silent, it was win or lose. Chris got up to the plate and blasted one to the fence which scored 2 runs and the game was over -they won! It was high-fives all around, he was the hero for a night! They presented him with the game ball. We were so proud, all the parents in the stands know how great that feels, when its your kid who comes through in the clutch. What a night!

The Forgotten

2010-03-12T12:56:00.004-05:00

I am usually ultra-reliable, if I say I am going to be somewhere I am there, no doubt.
Well last week I messed up, Chris has joined the school chorus (yeah!) thus adding another obligation and scheduling wrinkle for me. So when I was at my work desk engrossed in my latest project, I was totally caught off-guard when my phone rang and the sweet voice on the other end said "Mom, where are you?" OMG I had forgotten to pick him up, he calmly said "its okay Mom just hurry." It was a full half hour past when he was supposed to be picked up. I flew out of the office and over to the school, they were not happy, they handed me a bill for $12 for aftercare. At this point my calm, cool and collected child burst into tears in front of his classmates. I felt terrible! He was mostly upset because they were penalizing me for forgetting.

I have rarely experienced this type of scenario, like I said I have never forgotten him before! I just kept apologizing, no excuses, just plain forgot.

How do I mend this, I thought. I needed to stop at WalMart to pick up some things, so I let him pick out whatever it was he wanted (within reason) I needed to fix this fast! He chose Flaming Hot Cheetos.

Probably not the textbook version of how I should have handled it, but on the way home he said "I am feeling better now Mom." Thats all I needed to hear.

No Prom Here

2010-03-09T11:49:00.002-05:00

I am bummed- my son has opted to skip the Prom!, He didn't really give it much thought (as far as I know). I was shocked, it was such a big deal back in my day. I guess it is more of a "girl" thing to get excited about getting dressed up for a night on the town. His school is having it at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, can't believe he will miss it!

No photo-op for Mom. Maybe when he is a Senior, I can always hope.

A Job I Love

2010-03-05T09:49:00.003-05:00

There has been a lot of talk lately in our house about career choices, higher education and the like. Mainly because my eldest son is starting to map out his future. It all starts with the questions when you sign up for the standardized testing... what colleges would you like your scores sent to? Well heck if he knows where he wants to go or what he wants to do with his life, he would be content to just hang out in the basement and play x-box.

Jim and I have different plans for him...

I am ready to sign him up for the military, oh except there is a war going on, not as enticing!

He often notices that my job doesn't pay anywhere near what I would like it too (REALLY)! But I can't let him lose the lesson that I, in fact do exactly what I love to do , it is convenient for my mom duties etc., so I compromise, no exotic vacations, or trips to the salon, but also no dread when I get up in the morning, to fight traffic to get to a job I find boring either.

Here is the website to the magazine I design, http://www.townelaker.com/ click on the covers and you can check it out. I did not design the website itself however.

I hope he can find a career that is interesting, the path to it over the next several years will indeed be interesting and expensive, no doubt.

Hibernation

2010-02-23T10:13:00.008-05:00

Why can't I get off the couch?

I am fully aware that my couch dwelling will be paid for with hours sweating at the gym. My clothes are tight, and I am feeling lazier by the day. Of course the dogs are thrilled I am spending so much time on the couch, they settle in, one my lap, one usually up by my neck. We are in a warm huddle buried in a heavy afghan. I can't possibly disturb them and get up go out in the cold and wind to exercise! They are accomplices in my lazy behavior for sure.

We finally got a real good snow, it was awesome for the boys, Chris said it was the best day of his life, and it was the most snow he had ever seen. Bryan and his teenage buddies weren't too cool to have fun in the snow either. Jim helped Chris build a big snowman, but I stayed in, I thought making hot cocoa was a much better idea!

Of course, we do live in the South and the next day the snow was just a memory.

Lessons from Teaching

2010-02-04T11:30:00.004-05:00

Many times when I leave work early to go teach a religion class I am muttering under my breath, why do I bother, this is such a hassle etc. but last night made it worthwhile.

One of the little boys in class, 7 years old with a distinct lisp, had a night to remember. We were having a class competition, sort of a Jeopardy game about what we have been learning all year. I was totally impressed with how much these children have learned in my class. It came down to a tie and for the tie-breaker we asked if anyone could recite the Act of Contrition, a prayer they have been studying, with many difficult words in it, I even have trouble remembering it. Well little Riley stood up and shyly started to recite it in front of the class, it was so cute and as he got closer to the end and realized he had done it he put his arms up in victory, all the kids on his team cheered, it was so precious! When his mom got there to pick him up he was on top of the world, he said I am the hero of my class. I thought, this may stick with him for life, I am so glad I got to witness it! It certainly made my day!

Commute Time

2010-01-25T16:19:00.003-05:00

I spend as little time as possible in my vehicle, I am blessed with having and unbelievably short commute (less than 5 minutes) when the roads are not washed out.

However on Wednesdays, I make the long (don't laugh) 30 minute commute with my younger son to religion class. It has become a really nice uninterrupted time for us to talk about faith and his philosophy on things from a 10 year old's standpoint. Sometimes he has to do his homework reading so he will read it to me and I have to admit I usually learn something about the Bible I didn't know. Then we discuss what it all means.

Someone once told me Chris was an "Old Soul" --I had never heard that term before but I think it does apply to him. Last week he was thinking deep thoughts about Heaven and dying. He told me he could not go on without me if I passed away. I told him "you would be suprised what you can do" and that I never thought I could stand being on this planet with out my little sister, but you somehow adapt. I reassured him that he will be able to handle anything that life throws at him.

The stolen half-hour there and half-hour back we have together is a really nice thing hopefully he will remember when he gets older.

Snow Day!

2010-01-13T13:25:00.004-05:00

The big "blizzard" of 2010 is over. It was actually more of an ice event. You can't see it in the pictures, it was very icy and we all did end up slipping and falling on the ice at one time or another. I have to admit I stayed in the house all day on the worst day because I was more concerned about the other inexperienced drivers out there! Jim witnessed many accidents when he ventured out.

The South truly can't handle winter weather.

A Houseful at the Holidays

2009-12-23T15:37:00.006-05:00

A full house is the way I like it best, Jim and I have relatives in many different states and wanted to have a home that could accommodate a whole bunch of guests, so this Thanksgiving when we had a bunch of visitors we were happy to host. Lots of laughs and good times were had. A game of Spinner a Rock Band Conert with Mom on guitar, Dad on drums, Bryan singing. We went up to an awesome museum Tellus in Cartersville. Mom and I even got out for aquick shopping trip.

You're Gonna Miss this...

2009-10-28T10:55:00.002-04:00

I got a nice reminder the other night watching "Marley and Me" that someday I will miss all the craziness in my life right now. Some days are just too much, but I will look back fondly on them.

As the Trace Adkins song goes:

"You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this"

Three-Ring Circus

2009-10-22T11:27:00.004-04:00

After a very busy day at work, I find myself in the detour back-up stressing out -- the road to my house has not been repaired yet. (See earlier post)

It is only 4 p.m. and I have no idea what aggravation is awaiting me.

I run to the house to pick up Chris, I need to fight traffic 10 miles to teach religion class. Topic of the day: end of the world, purgatory heaven and hell (not easy concepts for 1st graders--don't get me started). I get through the class, I think the kids are more confused, as am I, than when class began.

It is now 6 p.m., fight traffic to get Chris to his baseball practice, as I am pulling in the field a little early, Bryan calls, "can you come get me?" The only conversation the two of us seem to have lately. So I make a U-turn to pick him up, I only have a few minutes for this to take place, his buddy comes out to the car, Bryan is no where to be found. Meanwhile, Chris starts dancing around "I need to pee," "well quickly go find a bathroom" I holler! He comes back 5 minutes later, soaked, he didn't find a bathroom in time! Meanwhile, Bryan's buddy is in my car and he is ripe from football, a smell that cannnot be described-- add to that the pee-soaked boy.

Bryan still nowhere--so I leave --I am fuming!

Now I need to run to the house to get Chris fresh clothes -- oh yeah--the detour back up is between us and fresh clothes, so there we sit in the back up, my blood pressure is rising.

I drop off Bryan's buddy, I call Jim to pick up Bryan--I am too mad to see him anytime soon!

We get to the house --the dogs are hysterical -it is now 2 hours past their dinner time--they are both whining, so I tell them to hop in the car. I run Chris over to baseball, puppy in arms, where Jim and Bryan are waiting, I pick up Bryan in the parking lot--"Hi Mom, what's for dinner?"

My head is going to explode at this point.

It is now 7:30, back in the detour--everyone is "starving" luckily there are leftovers in the fridge-- cause mama ain't cookin'.

Everyone is back home by 8:45.

Time to collapse.

End of the Season

2009-10-15T15:36:00.003-04:00

Our last sunset was a beauty! That is our campsite there on the left.
We stayed until the very last minute on Sunday, they were closing down the campground for the season, we sure didn't want to leave! We pulled out at 8:30--the gates were being locked at 9. We had a really fun season with our friends and made many new memories.

Half My Life!

2009-10-09T10:33:00.002-04:00

This is my favorite picture of us as a young couple! We recently celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary, without much fanfare, Jim wasn't feeling well, recovering from the H1N1 Flu, but he made the effort to take me out to dinner (he has learned something in the past 20 years!)

He is still my hero, and I am constantly amazed at the projects he will tackle and complete beautifully. We still manage to laugh on a daily basis and are proud of the life we have built. We enjoy reflecting back on the old days and have so much history together it is a truly special relationship. Every day is not a picnic, but we manage past all that!
Here's to many more years together...

Raindrops and puppies...

2009-09-22T11:50:00.005-04:00

Well this week has gotten off to a crazy start!

Our new Dachshund puppy was ready to come home, we picked up Cleo during the middle of the rain storm. We listened to the torrential downpour all night while the puppy slept quietly, then Jim got up to check on her and she thought at 5 a.m. -"yeah it's time to play!" So we were both sleep deprived. Got ready for work and the mayhem ensued... roads washed out everywhere traffic backed up beyond description.

It is amazing the terrible feeling you have when you can't get to your house. Now I understand why people get swept away, you really lose your bearing when it is raining so hard and you are on a strange road. At one point on the way home, I took a wrong turn and was down some strange country road, I kept following it and came out on a familiar street, what a relief.

Above is a photo I swiped off Facebook of a nearby main intersection and the new baby!

731...

2009-09-15T10:50:00.007-04:00

It seems nearly impossible that you were stolen away from us 731 days ago. I never thought I could go on without you, little sis... my father said the morning after, that he thought the sun would not rise, he was suprised when it shone brightly that next morning, our lives have surely been dimmed.

Sometimes I imagine where you would be now, certainly married, maybe a business owner, your MBA was only a few months away... it was all so close. You were so full of life and possibilities, the most positive, talented, brilliant and beautiful woman I will ever know.

You were courageous and caring, you were the best hostess, when you pulled me out of my comfort zone and into your world in Barcelona. Thank God I made it over there to visit you.

I often thought of all the joys you will miss out on in life and then realized you will also be spared any of life's sorrows as well, you were perfectly happy and beautiful when you died, you will not have to suffer the loss of loved ones or your own declining health someday, you will not suffer disappointments, this is some comfort to me. I am afraid to go through them without you by my side, but I will manage.

My Slow Education in Wine

2009-09-14T12:30:00.005-04:00

At the ripe old age of 40 is when I started giving wine a chance. Thanks to a wino buddy (you know who you are!) I have begun to find out about this mysterious universe of wine.

I sure wish I could have a do-over when I was in Spain, to be more adventurous. My sister tried very hard to get me to appreciate the Spanish wine offerings. I guess the palate just takes time to develop. My brother, a certified wine snob, warned me --he said it will become an expensive habit, once you've had the good stuff you can't go back. Well the cheapskate that I am, I haven't delved into an expensive bottle of wine yet.

The other night though, I did get to sample some moderate priced wines at a girl's night out wine tasting. Seven wines to taste, all from a vinyard right here in Georgia, some were not to my liking --but some were wonderful! Of course they only give you a small sip. It was a great way to find out before you plunk down $25 and realize its not for you! I didn't end up getting a bottle, times are tight but it is definitely in the back of my mind for a splurge in the future.

It's amazing I could get this far in life not even knowing what a Shiraz, Pinot Noir or Sirah tasted like, glad I gave it a chance! I didn't need another vice, but it sure is fun! Julie would be proud.

Payback

2009-09-11T10:28:00.006-04:00

Last night was one of those moments a mom relishes in.

Seeing Bryan out there on the football field grinning from ear-to-ear, he just loves this game and loves being part of a team. Their team is 2-0 (that's 2 wins and no losses to you non-football types) after a last season record of 0-10 (that's no wins and 10 losses) they are on a roll. He was chosen as captain last week and it is nice to see him in a leadership role with the younger boys.

It was a perfect night for football--our first cool fall evening and we were playing our cross-town rivals, in the end we won 28-14.

Bryan got the idea to douse the coach like they do in the pro leagues, he got permission from one of the other coaches and gave their coach, who suffered through all those losses with them last year, a good celebratory soaking, everyone loved it!

It nice to finally reap some rewards from many years of hard work and waiting for those elusive wins! Go Eagles!

Oasis from Chaos

2009-08-20T12:33:00.002-04:00

My life, now that school is back in session, has become increasingly hectic, with spurts of chaos, but we are surviving. The tough part is looking over at the neighbor's pool where I spent MANY lazy evenings this spring and summer, kicking back with a cocktail or floating around on a raft, while we discussed the topic of the day. Always included in the discussion was the weather and the economy, nothing too deep. Lately, I have not had a single minute to drop over and relax! I don't dare go over there, then homework doesn't get done, dinner doesn't get cooked, etc.

When we moved in the house Chris jumped out of the car, ran through the house onto the back deck and shouted, "Mom we have a pool!" I told him no it wasn't ours, but I was wrong! We have the best neighbors who welcome us over anytime, and have even allowed me to host many of the boy's birthday parties at their pool.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that I can schedule in some time over at the oasis soon! It is calling me!

Hidden Talent

2009-08-07T12:54:00.002-04:00

If you know me on a public level you would describe me as reserved, quiet, maybe a little shy. Even bloggin' about my life has been a struggle because I am so introverted. My close friends see a more humorous side. Well the other night, deep in our basement I discovered my inner rock star!

I walked in the video game room where my son was cranking away on his "guitar." I loved the song he was playing and started humming along. He stopped and turned to me and asked Mom do you want to sing, it has a microphone. Usually I wouldn't never sing in front of any one--ever! But I had just finished a beer and thought what the heck.

What a blast, I was belting them out and my kids were getting a kick out of it. The song selection went from "Spoonman" to "One Way or Another" to "American Woman" to "Give it Away" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Some how the computer can hear you singing and grades you on it --I was getting all A's!

After and hour, I was hoarse and laughing, what a great way to blow off steam and I think I impressed the kids with my knowledge of rock!

The Transition

2009-08-05T11:38:00.005-04:00

Yes that's right all my northern friends, school has started in the middle of Summer, that's the way they do it in the South. The boys were ready, or at least they thought they were until the reality of it set in. I was ready for the routine of it all, until I realized my "sleeping in" routine has been disrupted and now I find myself up before dawn packing lunches.

The boys are gone a full hour and 15 minutes before I need to leave for work not, enough time to work out or go back to sleep, doing housework at 7 am is looking like it may become part of my new routine -- ugh.

I always start out the year with great intentions, pack nutritious lunches everyday, get Chris to bed at an early hour, so he is rested, the reality is it is only Wednesday all the lunch meat and bread is gone, we ran out of bananas and Chris hasn't gotten to sleep before 10!

Well here are the first day pictures before reality set in!

The greatest thing since...

2009-07-14T16:11:00.003-04:00

I have discovered something wonderful, well actually my son who shares my love of music discovered it and passed it onto me...

PANDORA, A Music Genome Project. It is a web-based personal radio station.

It is a music lover's dream come true, especially when you are chained to a computer 8 hours a day. You let it know what type of music you like and it chooses songs for you, if you don't like it, it will stop playing it and pick another, it has some sort of intellegence built in. I felt like it was reading my mind! It also exposed me to no less than 10 songs/artists in the first hour I had never heard before, but loved. If you change moods, you punch in a different type of music and viola a new group of songs appears.

You must try it! www.pandora.com

Oww, Ooh and Ahh

2009-07-10T08:49:00.008-04:00

I had a weekend of contradictions.

The Oww -- I hurt my back lifting something I shouldn't have, getting ready for our company to arrive. I felt a twinge which got increasingly worse. So, as I am at the doctor's office lying on his table crying in pain, not able to get up, my company is calling to tell me they have arrived! The doctor urged me to go to the ER for some heavy-duty meds, but I refused. I have things to do! I quickly realized that I couldn't even drive, so Bryan and Jim came to my rescue at the doctor's office and got me over to the physical therapist. After 3 sessions and a week of taking it easy I am up and about.
There I was flat on my back, while my guests fended for themselves, they were so much help. I wasn't much of a hostess, but when you are in that amount of pain you quickly take any help you can get!

The Ooh and Ahh --After several days, I was talked into a boat ride to see the fireworks --they were amazing! the night was cool and the fireworks were spectacular! Glad, I didn't miss them. The boat ride gave me a bit of a relapse. But it was a good memory with the kids.

Summertime in NY

2009-06-20T17:49:00.005-04:00

We just got back from a lovely family reunion in Rochester, NY. We saw the sights, had great visits with relatives, ate too much Rochester fare and soaked in the wonderful "upstate in June" climate before heading back to the hazy hot and humid south. We took the boys to see Niagra Falls I hadn't been there in 23 years, it was still as awe-inspiring as ever. We loaded up everybody, my brothers, their wives, my niece and nephews and mom and dad and headed out. It was just as enjoyable to drive trough the countryside along Lake Ontario and see all the little farm communities. We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather. We went down behind the falls, you really feel the power when you are down below watching the water fall!

Then we headed out to Letchworth State Park, they call it "the Grand Canyon of the East" and they aren't kidding, it was breathtaking!

We also managed to squeeze in the Rochester Jazz festival.

The first photos are Letchworth followed by Niagra Falls.

Obama at Notre Dame

2009-05-19T14:31:00.002-04:00

This was a big deal in the Kuppinger sphere, being from a strong Catholic family and with Notre Dame blue and gold running through our veins, the fact that Obama was speaking at Notre was a big deal (did I already say that?)

Anyway the speech was magnificent, I sat there on the couch with Bryan and (made him) listen to it, he and I both knew it was an important moment in the Catholic world. Two hours later we went to mass and the priest absolutely deflated the importance of that moment, he called it a "travesty" and just horrifying that this man would be applauded for what he was saying. I was holding myself back from standing up and saying something from the pews, obviously this man had not heard what I had just heard! Well below is a great piece that appeared in the National Catholic Reporter that sums up so many of the thoughts I was having about this topic. My uncle sent it out , it is so nice to be from such a thought-provoking family!

It was a 'face-up-to-the-life-you-have-just-inherited' speech

By Joan Chittister

Created May 18, 2009

Yes, I know, I know. At least according to the media and the anti-abortion movement, President Obama's presence at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana as graduation speaker and recipient of an honorary degree, was all about abortion. Except that it wasn't.
The speech was not about abortion at all. It was about lots of Catholic things -- if Catholics will only remember them -- but it was not about the morality or ultimate moral meaning of abortion at all. It was, in fact, more about the model of a Jesus who could talk to Roman soldiers and Samaritan women, to Pharisees and to adulterers with respect and with care. It wa s a recall of the Jesus who refused to condemn either the Roman emperor or his soldiers. It was also a call, at least indirectly, to the next generation to "put down their swords," to stop calling their opposite numbers -- those who seek to make abortion unnecessary than to criminalize it -- "murderers" and to listen to one another.
No small graduation speech.
Obama identified this year's Notre Dame graduates with a generation that must negotiate a global panoply of differences, a crossroads in time in need of lighthouses of faith to enable all of us to find our way.
Essential to the process, Obama insisted, was the willingness not to demonize those who hold faith-based positions different from ours, to realize their own sincerity, to take their positions as seriously as our own.
The speech was a breath of fresh air after living through an administration that fed on -- thrived on -- enemies and hate, that practiced ruthless partisanship in a pluralistic society, that chose party politics over the common needs of the country, that talked about "new crusades" and "terrorists" rather than attempt to relate to the needs and frustrations and ideals of peoples from whom such violence emerged, that chose ill-designed wars over the alliances necessary to marginalize such extremists even from their own.
Obama's speech was, in fact, far more than the standard-brand graduation rhetoric. It didn't extol aphorisms or meander down the Brady Bunch memory lane. It w as not a feel-good speech. It was a "face-up-to-the-life-you-have-just-inherited" speech.
It was a call not only to this year's graduates but to all of those who have preceded them intent more on winning than on working things out.
It was a call to adults to stop acting like sophomores in the name of faith. It was a cry to those on both sides of every issue to refuse to suppress complexity in a global, interfaith world. It was an attempt to move beyond force, beyond the denunciation of those who are just as committed to resolving problems as we are without making outlaws of those for whom the issue cannot wait for long-term answers.
It was, most of all, a very Catholic speech.
It deals with issues that have been a Catholic agenda for over 100 years of social justice encyclicals.
Obama asked graduates to see themselves as responsible for the global good as well as for their own success. He challenged them to go beyond the commitment to personal advantage to global good. He taught them that the zero-sum game, the notion that for me to win everyone else must lose, only means that everyone else will lose, and I, too, eventually. How can anyone in that audience who just went through an economic meltdown driven by greed which eventually brought the entire country down, doubt the value of those words, of that kind of commitment to a pro-life agenda.
He asked them, as an article of faith, to recognize the value of self-doubt that leads us to forego our own self-righteousness and inspires us to learn to listen to the wisdom of those around us.
He called them not to revel in the grandeur of their degrees from an isolated perspective but to remain open to the rest of the world. He called them to live their ideals but to resist the attempt to force them onto others.
He taught them to gain their hope from what has already been done in the past, what we as a people have already worked through and achieved, already overcome as a people together like the oppression of a king, the disregard for civil rights, the exploitation of laborers, the enslavement of a people, the struggle for animal rights, the recognition of women's equality, the movement beyond racism. It was, indeed, a very Catholic speech.
From where I stand, the struggle at Notre Dame to maintain a civil dialogue despite a difference in faith perspectives was another step in Catholic growth. We spoke clearly for the sacredness of life, yes, but we were also called not to leave any part of life out of our search for its sacredness.
Seventy out of 450 bishops criticized the presence of President Obama at a Notre Dame graduation and they denied the value of it. But the President did not. Instead, he modeled his own commitment to engage the country in common cause rather than divide it into mutually disrespectful camps. In the process, he may well have taught every bit as much about the gospel20and total respect for life as the bishops did. For the sake of the growth and impact of the church, I hope so.
From Where I Stand
Copyright © The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company

Happy Mothers Day

2009-05-10T21:25:00.005-04:00

Bonnie, Millie, Loretta, Dorothy and Dar...

Moms, grandmas and moms-in-law all hold a special place in my heart and all had a hand in developing my mothering skills. Teaching me everything from housekeeping, prayer, patience, sense of humor and traditions to discipline, courage and grace.

Thanks to you all!

Milestones

2009-05-07T12:16:00.004-04:00

As a Mom of a 15 year old the milestones are coming fast and furious. Last week Bryan got his driving permit, I am happy for him and terrified at the same time. It is a huge step toward independence, not to mention higher monthly bills! He has done well with driving around town but it is truly the most stressful experience I have ever had. I have to stay calm so I don't alarm him and cause him to flip our SUV. But he needs constant advice mainly SLOW DOWN! Everytime we get out of the car I feel like I have run a marathon.

Another milestone he reached this week was his confirmation, 10 years of religious education and community service, with me behind him with two hands pushing the whole time. It was a very beautiful ceremony. Jim and I were very proud of this accomplishment!

Wild weather

2009-04-28T09:23:00.003-04:00

We were having a pleasant evening at the ball park, Christopher's team won another game they are now 10-1! As we packed up, the sky started to look strange that yellow-gray glow --the temperature dropped about 25 degrees the wind picked up we got home quickly and down came the hail it was wild , it lasted almost an hour! The boys couldn't resist running out in it to collect some hail stones, Chris said it hurt when it hit him. One crazy night!

Reunion

2009-04-21T08:44:00.009-04:00

I have returned from a wonderful reunion/retreat with my dear friend Karla! It was so nice to go back to our old stomping ground, Bryan really got a kick out of seeing where he "grew up." He most likely will end up back in Florida, he really likes the lifestyle, can't blame him! The picture above is the sunrise we watched on Delray Beach.

We stayed at Crane's Beach House just off Atlantic Avenue, what a hidden jem! Very tropical and private and then you walk a block and you are in the middle of the action!

The best part of course was getting together with my long time friends. We talked for hours, it was so great to catch up and see people in person, email and phones are great but "face time" is the best. Below is our awesome dinner at Luna Rosa Cafe right on the ocean, the moon came up over the ocean it was blazing red-- unforgettable.

Can't wait 'til next time!

Siblings

2009-03-24T08:47:00.002-04:00

My brothers just went on a "Mancation" to Lake Tahoe. I am so happy for them, they both work very hard and surely deserved a wonderful break.

Of course since losing my sister, those old feelings come back from childhood when they had each other and I was odd girl out. I was so happy when she was born and we got the news she was a girl, I finally had somebody just for me! (Little did I know she was a total Tomboy) but as the years went by we became very close. We had some incredible adventures together and had many other trips planned together. An accident stole her from my future, and I have realized now I have to rely on my longtime girlfriends to fill in for her, because there is nothing like having a common history with people. In a few weeks I am going down to reconnect with my "girls" in Florida and just can't wait to see them!

Our Songs

2009-03-21T18:01:00.003-04:00

My sister in law and I took my mother in law to see Elton John and Billy Joel face to face last week--she had always wanted to see them and I had never seen Elton before, it was the 3rd time I have seen Billy. It was phenomenal, 4 hours of memory evoking songs, I was emotionally drained at the end, I think I knew the words to every song and the melodies are so ingrained in my soul, it was something I will never forget.

Projects

2009-03-17T15:00:00.005-04:00

Last weekend the weather finally broke and I casually commented that the grill needed cleaning, my husband being the perfectionist that he is completely disassembled the grill , rebuilt and replaced burners, ground down any rusty spots degreased and repainted the entire grill! I can't believe how awesome it looks it had 5 years of grease caked on it. We ended up spending $100 on parts but better than $500 for a new grill !

Project number 2 was Chris's emergency reading project that he "remembered" was due the next day, and he had baseball practice until 8:30 that night so panic ensued. Dad to the rescue, he helped Chris fashion a really cool case out of shoe box tops and an old suitcase handle for his project-- the teacher was totally impressed and Chris was on top of the world!

Shepard Fairey

2009-02-24T12:27:00.003-05:00

This guy is great, graphically speaking! CBS Sunday morning featured this designer/artist last weekend and I was blown away by his stuff. check it out. (Sorry there is a commercial first-it's worth the wait)

Valentine's Day

2009-02-17T19:47:00.002-05:00

We decided to invite over some friends this Valentine's Day, it was a nice change from the usual. We did a candle lit surf and turf dinner while all the kids played downstairs. Nice low budget but just as delicious and fun alternative. We lit a fire and drank champagne. It was all just right!

Another tradition on Valentine's Day I just love is a gift from my Dad he has been getting more and more creative each year. This year it was a candy bar bouquet, very original! Love ya Dad, so many nice men in my life.

Hands

2009-01-27T12:52:00.003-05:00

This story is a great tribute to hard working hands, they are so important in the caring and raising of children and comforting of my family. I know mine are always exhausted at the end of the day, but I am glad to have touched the ones I love. It is also one of the things I miss the most about my sister is touching her --we were very touchy with each other and always noticed that our hands were very similar looking, even our handwriting was identical. There is such a huge connection between the hands and the heart. Read on:

Grandma's Hands:

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. 'Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking,' she said in a clear voice strong. 'I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK,' I explained to her.

'Have you ever looked at your hands,' she asked. 'I mean really looked at your hands?' I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story: 'Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

'They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.

They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.

They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.

They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

'They have been dirty, scraped and raw , swollen and bent.

They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.

Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.

They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

'They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.

They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.

And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

'These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.'

I will never look at my hands the same again.

But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

-- Author Unknown

Mom for president?

2009-01-24T17:50:00.004-05:00

Christopher decided the other day when we were discussing the new President, that I would make a good president because I am such a good cook, apparently that is the criteria of a nine year old boy. They have had some good meals lately and since I have been cooking for 20 years now I have a few dishes that just keep getting better. I take pride in cooking nearly every night using fresh ingredients, and am glad he appreciates it. To name a few family favorites: Spaghetti with bolognese sauce, chicken fajitas, sweet and sour chicken, pulled pork, my version of philly cheesesteaks and the tried and true homemade pizza, which is becoming a Friday night ritual: see below

I usually do a traditional and then always do one of my freestyle pizzas with all sorts of different toppings, this one had grilled chicken, broccoli, sundried tomatoes, red peppers onions, fresh tomatoes and some asiago cheese. it takes a long time to prepare but I am usually drinking wine while I am creating and it just keeps getting better.

I enjoy getting creative and forcing myself to use what is in the house, the other night I sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic and chicken threw in some cream of mushroom soup and sour cream served it over noodles and it was a hit, of course the boys always want to know the name of whatever dish they are getting, this one didn't have an official title.

Jim and I can't figure out why the boys don't like my meatloaf, we both love it, the boys don't have a choice , I guess it will grow on them.

It's sweet how little boys view things, if only the president could cook the enemies a nice meal the world would be a more peaceful place, what else is more important than a full tummy?

Tied up in knots

2009-01-13T08:49:00.003-05:00

Picture this: Bryan needs to leave for his football banquet in 10 minutes, his ride is on the way he is standing there looking at me: "Can you tie my neck for me?" I have not a clue, I am a woman, not in my repertoire. Jim is caught in traffic and it is not exactly something that you can be talked through on the phone. We think run to the neighbors, no luck. Panic is setting in. His coach is a tough guy and will not be pleased if he walks in looking anything but perfect. Not to mention the embarassment.

What does my son's generation think of next --the internet! Of course, so we both run down to the computer fire it up, the clock is ticking and search Youtube for a "How to" video, it doesn't disappoint, there it is as simple as can be step by step. We had to rewind the tricky parts a few times, and were laughing hysterically through most of it , but we managed to get a reasonably presentable knot. It definitely wasn't perfect , but I don't think we will ever forget that moment. He runs upstairs and his friends are waiting in the driveway, off he goes! Whew.

My New Retreat

2009-01-10T22:44:00.003-05:00

My amazing husband was at his best remodeling our bathroom check out his work:

January has been good to me

2009-01-07T08:51:00.003-05:00

Even though it is gloomy and cold out, I was thinking January is a very good month for me because some of my very favorite people were born in January!

In Date order:

January 2: My Grandma Millie who was such a wonderful lady, she taught me you can be tough and feminine at the same time, and was so generous to all her grandkids.

January 3: Karla, my very best friend in Florida, she was my boss but became my close friend through so many tough times in our lives, pregnancies, births, deaths, her husbands bout with cancer. She was understanding and supportive through it all, she made being a working mother bearable and treated my kids like they were her nephews. We had so many great walks and fun parties and not to mention 40 hours a week for 15 years of work!

January 7: My sister-in-law (more like a sister) Jeaneen, we also have been through every imaginable and unimaginable life event together, and still manage to take time to have fun together. I definitely cherish our friendship.

January 10: A new friend (for 5 years and counting) Susan, she was a breath of NY when I moved up to the south, the minute I met her I knew she was my kind of people. A great and thoughtful friend and always good for a laugh or a strong opinion!

January 14 (or 17): I am having a mental block on which day it is, Wendy, my best buddy from our formative years, one I will never let go of! SO glad we reconnected and picked up where we left off after almost 20 years of drifting apart, we never forgot about each other but forgot to make time. We won't do that again!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all the lovely ladies in my life!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-27T16:26:00.005-05:00

Christmas 2008 was nice and easy, not too much stress, boys were happy with what they got. Went to a few parties, ate way too many goodies, stayed close to home, didn't do the last minute shuffle this year, a good change. Enjoyed church Christmas Eve had some friends over for a drink and then lounged around on Christmas Day.

Check out Chris rocking in his boxers!

Bah Humbug

2008-12-19T16:36:00.003-05:00

I guess if I want this blog to be an accurate diary of my life, all entries can't be cheery. I don't know if it's the gloomy weather or all the bad news on TV, (I think I will take a break from news this weekend). I am in a pre Christmas funk, mainly beacause Jim and I who both normally get bonuses at the end of the year, didn't. I know, I know we should plan all year for the holiday spending, but it never happens that way. And I know, we should be thankful we have jobs, but we both worked "over and above" this year and it is just plain disappointing! So I guess my shopping is coming to a screeching halt, we have warned the boys "don't expect much" and they are understanding, although Chris keeps looking nervously under the tree. Things could definitely be worse, but this is my blog. It is interesting how the extra money is never spent on me, it always goes to others gifts, but it bothers me, I guess it is true Christmas is about giving and when you can't give freely, it is just not as fun!

Trying to Keep the "Reason for the Season"

2008-12-12T10:49:00.004-05:00

Bryan and I had an opportunity through our church to help with some holiday good deeds. It was great to get out and see what wonderful things are available for people in need right here in Woodstock. We delivered foodbaskets to the Hope Center it is an awesome place for women who find themselves with an unplanned pregnancy, a monumental time in a person's life for sure. We had a tour of the facility, and met the director Cindy O'Leary, she is so full of joy! she is doing such wonderful work, she left her lucrative corporate job to do "God's work" and seems so happy. Maybe in the future I will become a mentor for new mothers since, I think I developed some mommy skills raising my 2 boys.

Today we are going to deliver our Adopt a Senior gifts and food, I am doing this in honor of Jim's Mom and my grandmothers, I can't stand the thought of lonely elderly people at Christmas! I really don't feel like it is enough, but we got them what they requested.

After this we will get back to the partying and shopping!

Over the river and through the woods...

2008-12-03T17:07:00.003-05:00

Actually it was many rivers and lots of woods, we drove 14 hrs to NY to spend the holidays with my family. With gas so cheap we decided to go for it, we saw it for $1.47 in one spot in Ohio!

It was really nice to see everyone, I hadn't been home for Thanksgiving in 15 years. I got to meet some of my 1st cousins once removed (we figured that out after much debate) for the first time, my cousin's sons. We found out my cousin Ted has to go back to Afghanistan for a year, tough with 2 small kids!

We had a few memorable moments, like when the oven became locked on the clean cycle just as we were getting ready to roast the turkeys (Jim's fault-I knew it would time lock!) So we ran the turkey over to the neighbors, thank God she had room in her oven!

We hit all the highlights: Schallers Bill Grays and Abbotts, still just as yummy as ever. We are a low budget bunch although dinner for 6 a Bill Grays runs about $72 dollars!

It was a tough 16 hour drive home, between the weather and the traffic. I actually really enjoyed the farmland scenery in Ohio and Kentucky and was impressed with Cincinnati, it is a cool looking city. Here are a few pictures from the weekend:

Mom's Taxi Gets a Break

2008-11-21T16:37:00.006-05:00

Well unfortunately for Bryan his football season that began with training in April ended abruptly Friday night when they lost in the first round of play-offs. Everyone was stunned, it was a really good season the team was 9-2, and I am sure he made lifelong friends. I can tell they are really making a man out of him, because this morning despite temps in the 30s and 40 mph winds he got up early and walked the 1/2 mile to the bus stop, not waking me for a ride. His workouts continue even though the season is over. It is so nice not to run him around everywhere, but I must admit, we have our best talks when we have uninterrupted time in the car, also when I am transporting his friends which happened often, I would get to catch up on the latest things going on in the mysterious life of 15 year olds.

So our nights are a lot less hectic now until March when baseball starts up again.

Things That Go Bump in the Night

2008-11-18T11:30:00.005-05:00

We were all snuggled in our camper on Lake Allatoona Friday night. It was very foggy and still, when we were awoken by loud crash, when a 40 foot tall tree decided it was the perfect time to drop one of its branches. It came right through the window sending shards of glass everywhere in the camper. Luckily no one was sleeping under the window they would have been injured for sure. We spent the next hour carefully looking for glass pieces, which when we were sure we found them all, another one would appear. Jim and I were shaken up from the sudden jolt, the boys on the other hand, didn't hear a thing! Jim taped up the window and reinforced it with cardboard since it was going to be in the 30s by morning.

We managed to have a nice family weekend after that watching the new Indiana Jones movie, Get Smart with Steve Karel and a movie called 21, we liked them all. We also built a campfire, played Monopoly and Chris and I (a budding artist maybe?) drew pictures and took crazy pictures. Here are shots I took of the lake and fall foliage:

Rochesterians Everywhere

2008-11-14T11:53:00.002-05:00

It is amazing how often Jim and I meet somebody from Rochester or Upstate NY. Last night we started Bryan with a Geometry tutor ($50 an hour!) to try and pull him out of a tailspin in that class and they saw my Adirondacks sweatshirt. Apparently they spend summers in Alexandria Bay, they honeymooned in the Adirondacks, her mother had been in Old Forge last year, their niece goes to Nazareth College and a nephew is at Brockport and on and on.

Then we find out a neighbor 3 doors down grew up in Fairport,NY. One of our franhise owners went to the U of R. Jim is working on a house of a lady from Rochester. And one of my coworkers here is from Buffalo with relatives in Rochester!

The same thing happened to us when we lived in Florida, I guess we always find each other because of the accent!

Autumn in Georgia

2008-11-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

After living in south Florida for many years, one of the things we were most looking forward to when we moved "up north to the deep south" was getting autumn back. We really enjoy it, and are going on a chilly camping trip this weekend, looking forward to keeping warm by the campfire.

Recently, we had my nieces join us at the campground and they really enjoyed playing in the leaves... remember when this was the best thing?

Here is a great shot I took at the Chestatee River near Dahlonega:

My Brother's brush with the Pres

2008-11-11T16:11:00.000-05:00

My brother and sister in law's band Double Funk Crunch http://www.doublefunkcrunch.com/ played for a rally when Obama was trying to get the nomination. Ever since he met him he was an over the top supporter. He had been very impressed with his charisma. Obama stopped to pose for a picture with the band:

What a keepsake this picture is now!

Way to go Bro!

Whatever Gets You Through the Day

2008-11-10T11:10:00.000-05:00

I for one, don't know what I ever did before streaming became available. We have an awesome radio station here in ATL called Dave FM http://www.929dave.fm/ they play all sorts of new music I ordinarily wouldn't hear any other way. It really keeps my creativity flowing when I am faced with a new layout to do.

My office mates and I are frequently in stitches over our favorite DJ Mara Davis who coincidently got her start in Rochester. She has a program called Radio Free Lunch with a theme each day and we often send her requests. Being loyal listeners, she mentions us now and then and last year she even invited us down to the station to hang out during her show. We had a blast! If you are ever looking for something new to stream I highly recommend it!

Here is a pic from our studio visit:

Sushi

2008-11-06T10:07:00.000-05:00

I have finally decided to give Sushi a try, ( it took until I was 20 years old to try Chinese food--believe it or not!) my girlfriends all seem to enjoy it, so recently at one of my perks of the job ( a restaurant review) we were treated to the best the chef had to offer, our reviews usually pack the restaurant for the next month. I get picture duty and the editor always seems to hit the mark with describing the essence of the establishment.

The Miso soup gave me the willys but my favorite dish was the Tuna Tartar, it was amazing, indescribable really! So now if I didn't have enough other food to crave now I keep thinking about my next foray into the sushi world. The chefs are truly artists!

Here is the shot I took:

Voting

2008-11-04T11:52:00.000-05:00

I'm glad to say voting was no problem at all, after the news promising hours of waiting, Jim went to check it out this morning and called to tell me there was no line at all! So I ran over in did my patriotic duty in less than 10 minutes!

One down one to go

2008-11-03T12:58:00.000-05:00

Chris's baseball season ended yesterday with a bang, he got a great hit to the fence, his first of the season (his hitting slump was tough on all of us). So I am happy to say Baseball is over for a few months, it makes the pace of our lives slow down a bit. Bryan still has a few more football games. Then mom's taxi service will have some time off!

It is nice to be "forced" to be outside and unplugged, watching the games.

Here is the slugger in action:

Halloween Update

2008-11-01T13:23:00.000-04:00

The evening went off as planned, Chris finished up his costume and ran off with his buddies. I hung out in front of the fireplace the neighbors put out in their driveway , handing out candy with Jim. Schatzie dressed up as a ladybug. Then I ran off to the football game and got my pictures for the magazine and watched Bryan's team make school history getting their 8th win. Here is the Hippie:

Halloween 2008

2008-10-31T14:25:00.000-04:00

Halloween is complicated this year, Chris is going as a hippie and only has partof his costume we will ad lib the rest, no doubt while his friends are knocking at the door. Luckily he has a bunch of buddies to go with. We have never had to think too hard about costumesin other years because inevitably he was whatever Bryan had been 6 years before and he was none the wiser, being too young to remember. It has worked out fine!

Besides getting the costume together, Bryan has a Varsity football Homecoming game tonight that I need to take pictures at, for the magazine. I guess Jim and Schatzie will answer the door.

I will post a picture of the costume tomorrow. Here is last years bounty:

42 Years!

2008-10-30T14:01:00.000-04:00

Well here I am at 42. A friend asked me if I was happy-- really and I couldn't think of any complaints besides wanting more hours in the day and more money in the bank. A day late and a dollar short pertains to me all too aften!

My birthday was nice I am still feeling happy 2 days later, it could be the beautiful fall weather or the fact that I have eaten more cake in the last 2 days than I have had in a full year I need to get back on my fitness track after a month long break. The boys sports are almost over, so i can get back to focusing on me a little more, so hard to do.

Well I am going to keep it up 2 blogs in a row!

NYC Adventure Part 2

2008-10-29T13:43:00.000-04:00

Whenever I am in NYC I am reinvigorated when I see the preservation of our American heritage and the cherishing of culture, we languished in the Met for hours at one point we were staring so long at a painting the guard told us to backup! The Met just elevates the soul, the architecture of the building itself lifts you up and then you wander through centuries of artwork, carefully preserved and shared with the masses, I was surprised on the day we went, the thousands of people lining up to see in animate objects. Everybody assumes nowadays we have to be plugged in to enjoy things, this is truly the opposite. The NY Public Library was also amazing, with a great exhibit on Yaddo www.yaddo.org an artist's colony that has been in existence for a century and I had never heard of it.

Luckily my travel partner was equally as interested in these things.

Here we are at the Met and NY Public Library:

My Fabulous NYC Adventure!

2008-10-29T13:28:00.000-04:00

This is my first posting, I was inspired and prompted by my dear friend Wendy to start a blog she finds it a good way to keep her writing skills fresh. i like the idea of a running diary that you can look back on and reflect. Life sure is busy and if you don't stop and record it sometimes it can fade away!

Well here are some photo highlights from my trip:

First stop was the rink at Rockafeller Plaza, not being a gifted skater we passed on taking a spin around the rink thanks to a nice Aussie tourist who took our picture.