Merry Everything!

To quote the deep and meaningful reflections of Miley Cyrus... with our family "you get the best of both worlds!" May your Christmas be blessed. May the light of Hanukkah brighten your home. And may 2009 bring peace to all of us!

Have yourself a crafty little Christmas

Every year I have such big expectations of what I want to do for homemade decorations or gifts. I usually don't get many done, but I wanted to share two things I did do that were new. In the spirit of being green, I dusted off my mom's sewing machine and scoured my closets for interesting fabrics to make re-usable gift bags. I didn't want Christmas fabric, but rather bags that could be used year round for birthdays, etc. If every family had 3-4 fabric bags they could use and re-use, the paper saved would be huge. This picture is of two of my favorite bags... the yellow and blue striped one is from the curtains that hung in Noah's nursery when he was first born. I also made one out of a favorite receiving blanket of Benny's. Jason and I decided we wouldn't part with these as it is such a wonderful reminder to see the fabric and remember when we used them. The other bag which is denim was made with an old pair of jeans I found of mine. Jeans that I wore years ago when I was a smidge larger than I am now. I'm happily giving that one away! No need to remember that.

The other thing I did was make the "fruit cake" decoration as Alanya calls it. I took my glass cake plate, filled the cover with fruit and flipped it. The only problem is, I missed a few Sunkist stickers on some fruit, and this morning I noticed one of the lemons is starting to go bad. Oh well. Haven't decided if I'll flip it back and try to fix it. Pretty and colorful though.

And finally, even though my intentions were good, some things just didn't happen for Christmas because of the ice storm, power outage, flooded basement, and did I mention that Alanya started throwing up last night? However I sat down yesterday and spent some time to write a little poem to stand in as an "IOU". I'm assuming my family is too busy this Christmas Eve morning to be reading this, so I'm including it here... Merry Christmas everyone!

Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house,

not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.
Intentions were good, my presents were planned,

the tree was put up all straight in its stand.
When all of a sudden one dark stormy night,

the power went out, it caused us some fright.
Food started to melt, the pumps overflowed,

laundry piled up and the house got so cold.
Our choices were few, our kids would come first,

presents must wait for the pipes may just burst.
Frustrated we both exclaimed to the night,

“No tv! No laptop! This just isn’t right!”
Our nightmare did end for the lights came back on,

but by then it was time that had passed us along.
So with a sad heart I’m sorry to say

I can’t hand you your gift as I wanted today.
I am working my best to complete it real soon,

In fact you should receive it before the new moon.
Thanks for understanding, that’s all I can say.
Blessings of Christmas to you on this day!

First Night of Hanukkah

Even though everyone has Christmas on the brain, we happily pushed that aside tonight to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. The miracle of lights which has a whole new meaning for us after the five days in the dark. After lighting our two menorahs we all chowed down on Jason's latkes. A few years ago the kids wouldn't touch them, but tonight we all enjoyed them. Most of us eating them with applesauce, Noah going for the ketchup. At least he ate them!

Speaking of latkes, Jason picked up a great book this weekend called The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming, a Christmas Story by Lemony Snicket. It's the story of a misunderstood latke who is exasperated because people aren't listening when he says Hanukkah has nothing to do with Christmas. "It is very frustrating not to be understood in this world. If you say one thing and keep being told that you mean something else, it can make you want to scream. But somewhere in the world there is a place for all of us, whether you are an electric form of decoration, peppermint-scented sweet, a source of timber, or a potato pancake." I hope our kids can be like the latke... explaining to everyone, even the people who don't want to hear it, that each holiday is different, and both are special.

Benny does the Pops!

Yesterday was a busy day with lots to do after 10 inches of snow Friday night and another 10 inches coming Sunday. But the big event of the day was Benny's birthday gift... tickets to the Boston Pops holiday concert. We had great seats, and the show was wonderful. Ben, Jason and I had a wonderful time. Ben said his favorite was the 12 Days of Christmas. The arrangement had different music for every verse. For example, five golden rings was sung to Beethoven's Fifth, and so on. Very funny. Ben loved it because he has been playing the 12 Days of Christmas on the piano over and over since Thanksgiving! A special day for our guy.

Time for a deep breath

I have until 1pm on Christmas Eve to finish everything I have to do. OK. Deep breath. I've had to really think about what's important, and it's the kids. The extra decorations I wanted to make and put together aren't going to happen. The gifts that still need to be made aren't going to happen. Perfect wrapping with bells and ribbons... not happening. This year is just going to have to be different. I can do this. My expectations aren't "lower" meaning not as good. My expectations are simply different this year.

Something to smile about

And even with all the chaos around here, life goes on, little girls get bigger and teeth fall out! Finally the tooth fairy came... we were putting it off when we were refugees and moving place to place. I love the smile the first few days with the big gaping hole. No more babies around here.

Time to pick up

The top of one of our trees simply snapped off and fell on our neighbors shed and fence and landed in a second neighbors yard.

No, we didn't collect all these branches here... these all fell here by themselves.

This section of fence was a magnet for every limb and branch in a 30 foot area!

And we can't forget the basement... here is the damaged cabinet in the laundry room. Rotten and crumbling and nasty!

Back in the real world

The power went on last night four days and seventeen and a half hours after going off. It seemed like 40 days. I'm not kidding. Every hour was an eternity. Every hour that was except for the few we sat and watched the sump pumps overflow. That went fast. Too fast for us to do anything. Tonight though I sit here in my warm kitchen with the lights on, supper going. Talk about taking things for granted.

Over the last few days Jason kept saying this wouldn't have been so hard if we were prepared for it. If we had a generator, or a wood stove, or some other means of keeping the house warm and the pumps working. But we didn't. We have insurance which takes the sting away a bit. We have a large number of trees and debris that have to be removed. Unfortunately we now have 2-3 inches of snow covering everything. We have the soggy basement that needs to be reclaimed. I'm waiting right now for the restoration company that will come in and start working on it. Insurance covers that thank goodness. And finally, I was relieved to find out that we'll get some reimbursement after a deductible for the loss of the food in the deep freezer and refrigerator. I very cautiously shopped today, not wanting to jinx myself in case we had another outage.

My floor is vacuumed. Laundry is nearly done. The candles and flashlights put away. Amazing what 24 hours can do. There are still thousands without power, and my heart goes out to them. Particularly with Christmas right around the corner. I'm sure we'll remember this week for a very long time.

In the dark

The ice storm last Thursday night hit us hard. We lost power at 11pm Thursday. All night long and until about noon Friday limbs and trees crashed all around the neighborhood. It was surreal. When we got up at 7am, we checked our sump pumps and realized it was going to be inevitable. No power, and the massive amount of rain, and then melting ice, the water was rising. All 5 of us had flashlights and tried to get everything up off the basement floor. Jason made a trip to Home Depot and bought an inverter to try and run the pump off the car battery. It didn't work. Realizing there was nothing more we could do, Jason left for work, and I sat down to wait. At 12:30 the water overflowed and quickly every square inch of the basement was covered. It maxed at about 3-4 inches deep.

We kept the kitchen warm by simmering pots of water on the gas stove. The kids hung out in the den where we have the gas insert in our fireplace that gives us the illusion of warmth. By the time the sun went down I had to get out of the house to warm up and charge my phone. The kids and I went out and sat at Starbucks until Jason could meet us for dinner. This adventure was slowly losing its charm.

Did I mention we had a massive amount of large limbs down, including large ones that demolished our neighbor's fence, crashed into his shed, as well as the top of a tree that landed in another neighbor's yard? Our insurance company was helpful, but this is going to be complicated.

After putting the kids to bed Friday, Jason and I emptied the deep freezer and refrigerator. Things were already defrosted. We sat in our cold kitchen at 10pm, me eating melted Klondike bars, and Jason eating a bowl of his beloved blueberries he picked in July. I can't think about the food. It's too upsetting.

We slept at home Friday night, and the temp in the house got down to about 50 degrees. Breakfast was french toast with blueberries. Silly to eat cereal when we had food going bad. Thank goodness we can use the stove. After breakfast Jason took the kids outside to take pictures for the insurance company, and I had a mission. I had less than 20 minutes to splash through the basement and move all of our hidden Christmas gifts up two flights of stairs to hide them somewhere else. Luckily we didn't lose anything to the water. I'll look back and laugh someday, right?

Jason went to talk to our neighbor and he had gotten his hands on a generator to run his sump pump. He generously offered to let us plug our pump in. Within an hour we had pumped the water out, it was amazing. Jason and I spent another hour sweeping water around the basement towards the pumps. Hopefully our hot water heater and furnace will turn on again once we get power. Saturday afternoon, we packed up and drove to my aunt's house for the night. Hot shower, hot meal, heaven. Jason went back home though so that he could keep an eye on the pumps. As of this morning, Sunday, the house was in the 40s and he is switching the generator back and forth on our two pumps. The water table is still extremely high.

We were able to salvage a large cooler full of meat from the freezer, plus another small bag of things which I stashed at my friend's house. Hopefully the deep freezer wasn't damaged by the water either.

I'm sitting here in my brother's living room, enjoying the heat, and his wireless Internet. The kids have been so good, but we all want to get home to our house. I don't know when that will be. I heard the schools have power, but there are still a huge number of closed roads, and the buses won't be able to get through. If school is open Monday, I suppose I'll bring the kids home. Other than that, I'm not sure what I will do. Imagine this was next weekend and a day or two before Christmas. I'm already overwhelmed. Have almost started crying a few times. Have been able to hold it together thus far. Talk about a humbling experience.

Last night my little girl lost her front tooth. She has a little lisp now and a beautiful smile. Life goes on.

Clementine boxes

We love clementines. The cheapest I've seen them is $4.99, but usually they are a dollar or two more. You know why clementines are so expensive? You are paying for that fancy box. That fancy box that everyone hates to throw away. That box that sits on your counter for a few days before you move it somewhere else for awhile. That box that looks perfect for something, but it never quite works for anything. Granted, these little beauties have quite a trip as they travel across the Atlantic from Spain and North Africa and the boxes surely help protect them, but it sure does seem like overkill. Google 'clementine box' and the possibilities are endless, but nothing I need right now. Off to add another clementine box to the stack in the basement. Some day I'll figure out the perfect solution for it.

The perfect meal

For some strange reason, my kids talk about what the meal will be at their wedding. The ultimate, perfect meal that they think will be all their favorite foods. The conversations are quite funny, particularly to hear what they think is "fancy".

Tonight at dinner they went at it again. Benjamin started with dessert, apple pie. I think he just has apple pie on the brain from Thanksgiving. The main dish will be Shepherd's pie. He had three servings of it last week when I made it. Alanya said she'd have appetizers of "weenies", I presume she means those little hot dogs in the pastry, with "dipping sauces" of mustard and ketchup. The main course will be spaghetti and sausage with red sauce. Sounds like a very difficult meal to eat in a white gown. Noah will have chicken with "choice of" peas, corn or green beans, and Hasselbeck potatoes (something I make rarely, usually around Hanukkah). It all sounds good, but I could probably do without Alanya's weenies!

Fried raspberry

No, not a new dessert. Fried raspberry as in, my pink blackberry was dead this morning. Jason gave me the blackberry for my birthday and I never thought I'd use it for anything more than a phone. How wrong I was. I love this thing. But this morning I picked it up and it was just dead. I took it to the store and Mike, the customer service tech, quickly pronounced it dead. He said he'd only seen that error message once before, and nothing could be done, all information on it is lost. I've lost everything. But I can pick up the pieces and move on. (sniff) I have a brand new shiny pink raspberry, eager and ready to receive everything I will put in it. So if I'm in your phone, or I have ever called you, can you shoot me an email with your numbers? I'm not kidding. I have nothing. In fact when I sat down this week to address Christmas cards I discovered that the old little Rolodex that I thought wasn't needed for anything, the one I threw away, actually had more info than I realized. Doh! Any help getting set up again would be appreciated. And don't worry, Mike threw in a CD and cable so that from now on I can back the raspberry up on the laptop. Phew!

My crazy Saturday afternoon

Every December a local organization has a fundraiser where they sell tickets to tour 4-5 homes that have been decked out by local decorators and florists for the holidays. The houses are of course impressive, even before the professionals move in. Last year my friend and I got roped into volunteering at one of the homes. Our job was to keep the flow of people moving in the right direction, and make sure people weren't stealing anything or poking around in closets or underwear drawers. The whole things has a sick, voyeuristic quality to it.

On Saturday, my friend and I showed up at the house we were to 'work' at, and what a few hours it turned out to be! We were stationed upstairs, and were to move people through the upper level and down a back set of stairs. We weren't there 4 minutes when the craziness started.

The first three women who came upstairs were having fun, chatting about the decorations, etc. They went into a bedroom next to me and a big decorative sign that was perched on top of the closet door molding falls off and hits a woman in the head! It took her a minute to get herself together and when she pulled her hands away from her head, she had blood on her hands! This was not the cushy volunteer gig I signed up for! I quickly took her over to my friend who helped her into the bathroom and I ran down to the person in charge. When I told the woman what happened... well... her exact words can't be repeated on a family blog such as this one! In the end, the injured woman's head slowly stopped bleeding and they were able to laugh about it. I was shocked when the woman in charge said to call her next year for free tickets to the tour. That's it. I hope a lawsuit isn't coming!

That was a crazy way to start the afternoon, but it only got stranger. The point was to see the decorations, yet people felt like it was an open invitation to peer into the lives of the people who lived there! I had people push by me into a closed off bathroom. When I told them it wasn't decorated for the holidays, they said it didn't matter, they just wanted to look. People stood and read every word of framed diplomas. One woman took her shoes off to see if the floor had radiant heat. People grilled me wanting to know how big the home was, and how many people lived there. I'm telling you, it was creepy. I'm not sure I'd want thousands of people traipsing through my home and trying to sneak peeks into my bathroom, even if it was worthy of being on the tour! My friend said the same thing... she was creeped out by it too. We decided we need to have plans when they call us to see if we'll volunteer next year!

Christmas preparations

This weekend we finally got our act together and took out our decorations. And with the hope of helping Santa focus a bit, the kids wrote their letters. Each one is precious. Ben (my child with the handwriting of a font designer) teased Noah (my child who writes like a first grader) that if Santa can't read a letter because of bad handwriting, that child gets no gifts! What a bugger. Alanya sat here and happily spent 40 minutes working through her letter with the help of Jason, and had us in stitches the entire time.

The tree is up and when we finished I asked the kids what they thought of it. Noah said it looked great. Alanya said in typical six year old fashion, "but it will look even better with presents under it!" Don't they always?

The piano lesson

Tonight while Alanya was having her piano lesson I picked up the camera and took a little video. I thought it was so cute with her playing with her teacher.

Then, because I took a video of Alanya, I had to do it for Ben! He's only been working on Jingle Bells for a few days, so he did quite well!

The incredible shrinking everything

We've all seen those bits on the news, or Andy Rooney getting all crotchety, about product packaging getting smaller but the price staying the same. Did you know that a half gallon of ice cream is no longer a half gallon? Or maybe I should say that a half gallon is no longer the standard size for ice cream. It isn't just food though. A few weeks ago I was changing the toilet paper roll and when I put the new one on, it just looked odd. I took the old tube and held it up to the new roll. The new roll was 3/4 of an inch narrower. Interesting. We still get the 1000 sheets of toilet paper, but they are smaller squares. Brilliant. I wonder who thought up that one over at Kimberly Clark, and I hope they got a raise. It was one of those days, and I couldn't help myself, so I emailed them to inquire. The response I got stated that the "new size" allowed them to fit more product on their trucks and therefore save more energy in transport. Interesting spin to put on them making more money when I get less product.

This mystery of the shrinking product goes beyond the grocery store. Ever been to the clothing store Chico's? Here the product isn't shrinking, just the arbitrary size on the label. Someone there came up with the idea that women don't want to be reminded they are a size 10 or 14, so their sizing is 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4. I feel so much better about my body image now that I can strut around in a pair of size 1 pants. I never thought it possible.

You probably thought your bedding was safe. Not so. Earlier this year I went shopping for a new comforter cover, found one I liked and bought one for my queen sized bed. It was labeled "full/queen" and I didn't think anything of it. I put it on the bed and it looked ridiculous, barely hanging over the bed or covering the mattress. I started investigating bedding sizes and they had shaved about 4 inches off the width of a queen to make this new size full/queen. Did they think no one would notice? Now they didn't need to produce two different sizes, they could cover both the full and the queen with one. I went in search of a straight "queen" size in a style I liked. No luck. I ended up getting a king size comforter to put on my queen bed. Crazy, I know, but it looks right! Beware, you never know what may be shrinking!

My little gymnast

Alanya had a ball at the gym. This video of her on the beam is one of her favorites. Her beam routine is much better than mine!

And here she is demonstrating how to do the aerial silks. She looks like a little angel flying through the air.

And one more of her on the trampoline!

I missed my calling!

Yesterday we went to have another Thanksgiving dinner with Jason's family. The rest of the world lays on the couch and watches TV, or goes for a walk after eating. They go to the gym. We went so the kids could play in the gym school.... right... so the kids could play. I think I missed my calling. I gave the aerial silks a try, and think I should call Cirque de Soleil for an audition!

Thanksgiving through the eyes of a child...

A few quick things that stuck out from our Thanksgiving Day. My mom used to have us make place cards when we were little. She would send us out in the back yard to collect leaves, pine cones, and acorns, then sit us at the table with construction paper and Elmer's glue. They were usually masterpieces. Jump to 2008. My children made origami "mayflowers" as place cards. How things have changed.

The other night at dinner the kids were discussing waddles on a turkey and how weird they look. Alanya said her teacher asked if anyone knew what a waddle was and she said she raised her hand and said "it's like the floppy part under my Nana's chin!" Doh! Sorry mom.

Thanksgiving morning my kids were off the wall, especially Ben. They were so excited to watch the Macy's Parade. I used to watch the parade, but back then I'm pretty sure it was still an actual parade, and not a string of lip-synched performances that promote the latest Broadway show and movie opening. Nonetheless, they got to eat their Cheerios in the living room in front of the TV. To them, that is the official kick-off to Thanksgiving Day.

For many it's all about the meal. When it comes down to it, Noah eats two things on Thanksgiving... peas and Jason's sweet rolls. That's it, and he's perfectly happy. What makes it Thanksgiving for him is we don't pester him about not eating anything else.

When I was little we'd make Pilgrim hats and Indian headdresses and have all the stories down about the first Thanksgiving. Now, the difference is my kids have actual Indians in their classes, as in children from India. With the large number of high-tech jobs in the area, Indians are by far the overwhelming minority in our school. Needless to say, the way the kids learn about Thanksgiving is a little different with a global perspective. My kids go to the same school I went to, but the population has changed for the better and they have friends at school with different cultures and backgrounds. The world is a little bit smaller.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. We are off for another Thanksgiving meal with more family today. I'm thankful we have so many people who love us.

Bring it on Ole Man Winter!

I don't know what got into us but I feel we are actually prepared for the snow to fly this year. All of our leaves are officially done. We finished the season with approximately 150 leaf bags filled. On the last day this week of raking, I finally went out and splurged on a big green funnel to use with the bags. Should have bought it weeks ago. This year we even cleared out under the wooded area in the back of our yard. Usually we are frantically blowing leaves into this area hours before the first snow. The deck is clear and the outdoor furniture is in the basement. The driveway stakes are in and ready for the plow. And today, the piece de resistance was the gutter guys showed up to clean the gutters. Ever since we replaced our gutters over a year ago, we decided this was something we couldn't let slide. No more worries about ice dams, clogged gutters, water flowing back through the garage wall. We're ready. Bring it on!

Happy Belated Birthday Benny!!

My little Benny turned eight this weekend. He was so excited to have his special day. I can't believe how much he has changed in a few short years. The thing on the top of his birthday wish list? Tickets to the Boston Pops. How can you say no to that? Benny will be going with just his mom and dad in a few weeks while his brother and sister stay home with a babysitter. He can't wait! Happy birthday Benny!!!

My brave little guy

Noah had to go to the dermatologist today. Last winter this "thing" started growing on his back. What looked like a clogged pore kept growing and growing until it looked something like a kernel of corn on his back. Or one of those candies that is a drop of hard sugar on the strip of paper. Anyway, his pediatrician wanted someone else to see it, so four months later (gotta love dermatologists) we go.

We prepared him with the fact that they would likely want to remove it. He was very clear that wasn't going to happen. We told him that if the doctor recommends it come off, he was having it removed. Back and forth we went. Finally I said "Noah, you can't see it because it's on your back, but let me tell you, the girls will think it's gross." (pause) "Ok, it can come off." And he's only ten. Smart boy.

At the doctor he took his shirt off and sure enough, the doctor looks at me and says let's take it off. So Noah is on his stomach facing the wall, can't see anything the doctor is doing (which was writing notes and washing his hands!) and I see Noah's breathing start to get fast as he's freaking out anticipating this big knife coming at him that he can't see. Poor guy. I decide it's better to tell him that nothing is going to happen now, and then say, ok, here we go, get ready for the needle. He took some deep breaths, and before you knew it that kernel had popped right off. Phew. That was stressful.

As we were leaving, Noah reminded me that in our negotiations the night before I had promised him 'a treat' if he had to have it removed. So Noah lost his mole, and I'm out $1.19 for a cherry slurpee at 7-11. Small price to pay.

My duty to the state is done

I completed my jury service today. In my state, jurors are called for one month of service, and juries are filled every other Monday for the following two weeks of trials. Two weeks ago the trial was a conspiracy and burglary case. I sat in the general jury pool with about 80-90 other people and the clerk pulled one name after another. It was rather surreal to hear my name called as juror #10. I took my place in the juror box while they continued to fill the seats. As each name was called, some potential jurors would approach the bench and tell the judge if they felt there was a problem with them serving, some were excused, some were not. Once the seats were filled, the lawyer went and conferred with his client... was it my imagination, or did he just look right at me? I decided I was just being paranoid. Sure enough, "juror #10 is excused". Well, I never! What was wrong with me? Was it my dashing good looks? My funky socks? My knock-off designer purse? I took it personally. So close to making it.

Today was the final day of selection. I looked around, same group of people from last time, and I think, what are the chances my name tag will find the clerk's fingers again, slim I'm sure. Not so. Hello juror #2. I take my seat, and look at the defendant, this one a woman accused of DUI. All the seats get filled, attorney confers with the defendant, lo and behold... I get excused again! Once, maybe. Twice? What is it that they don't like? That I'm a mother to young children? That I have a graduate degree? That I wear a pink jacket? I don't get it. Off I went back to the jury pool. One more trial today that needs jurors and my name doesn't come out of the wooden box. We're dismissed and thanked for our service.

That's it. I'm a little disappointed I didn't get to sit through a trial, but a little relieved. I couldn't help but notice the defendant's elderly mother sitting in the back of the courtroom, her heart likely breaking. Or maybe it was her house they were conspiring to rob. Guess I'll never know. I dropped my official juror name tag in the box on my way out. In a week or so I'll receive a $10 check for my half day of service today. The whole experience was very odd, sitting with strangers for hours, getting a glimpse into the lives of defendants, wondering why you didn't measure up for the attorney, and getting a measly ten bucks for my troubles. This is what America is built on. Strange, but something about it must work. Until the next time.

Throw a little money at the problem

My sister has always been rather amused by my frugal ways. She is single, successful, and her general theme in life is "throw a little money at the problem". A running joke with the nieces and nephews is that she is Auntie Money-Bags since she spoils them whenever she can. All of this is said in a loving sort of way of course. She laughs about it too.

Well today she suggested I take her into a CVS and show her how it's done. She had a small stack of CVS promotional coupons she had been keeping from her receipts, and I had my coupons. First stop - I showed her the magic coupon machine that spits out coupons when you scan your card. She swears she had no idea the thing existed as she didn't remember ever seeing it before. Then, on to the deals. Free bottle of her favorite conditioner on sale, with an ECB promotion, then out came my coupon to make it a moneymaker. She looks at the coupon I pulled out of my accordion file and asked in a bewildered way "now tell me where you got that coupon." Two tubes of Colgate for $.29. Three packages of purse size tissues for free. She was giddy as we went up and down the aisles. She ended up picking up a lot of stuff she would have just paid full price for. In the end, she paid $17 (with $2ecb for later) for what I figure was about $40 worth of stuff at least. She was so proud of herself, she insisted I take a picture and post it here.

Anne, this one is for you.... throw a little money at the problem!!

Things I'm thankful for

I know Thanksgiving isn't for two weeks, but a friend of mine posted on her blog a list of things she is thankful for sort of as a ramp-up to the big day. Lately around here, I have had some reminders that life can really throw curve balls when you least expect it. People are getting laid off -Jason watched it happen today. People are sick - a friend of mine told me today her dad isn't going to make it. Children can have challenges - I see it when I go into the school. So, to brighten my day and to put things into perspective, here is my top 10 list of things I am thankful for this year, in no particular order.

1. My kids. They make me laugh, make me want to pull out my hair, drive me bananas and bring tears of joy to my days. Each one bursting with love and so different from the other.

2. My husband. He knows me like no one else and still likes me, even when I'm crazy. He works his tail off but the rest of us always come first. When he comes home, he can read my face and instantly know if he needs to take over everything so I can stop being the parent and mentally check out. He supports me in everything I take on, even when it's too much.

3. A job. The paying one that is, not what I do every day. One week at a time, and take nothing for granted. I'm thankful Jason will work this week and get paid. I'll worry about next week then.

4. My home. I'm happy here and it has everything we need and then some. I don't drive around like I used to and wish I lived somewhere else, and that feels good. I may have landscaping envy, and a wish list of projects to do here, but that's about it. Our house is our home.

5. My brothers and sisters. There are five of us and each one of us is crazy in our own distorted way, yet we all put up with each other and truly enjoy spending time together. They are the ones who remember the stories about the Christmas when I was six years old. They are my history. I know they are always there.

6. My friends. There are some I see and talk to every day, and others not so often. These are the people who listen to me complain (see thankful items #5 and #1), lift me up when I'm down, talk me off a cliff, and help me keep things in perspective.

7. My parents. They are happy, still in love after 45 years and the cement that holds #5 together. I am blessed that they live four houses away from me six months of the year, although May to October seems much shorter than the long winter months. I'm thankful my kids have this chance to be with their grandparents.

8. Health, both physical and mental. Short of a bunion, and a few minor issues, I'm healthy, as are Jason and the kids. They are all prospering in school and are good students and friends. They will do well.

9. Being an American. Perhaps not a popular choice around the world, but let's face it, we can do and be anything. We can vote, have our say and decide to change things. We are free to speak, write and protest. We can make change.

10. Peace in my part of the world. I woke up to a gunshot this morning... a hunter in the acres of undeveloped land across from my house. It made me think of others who wake up the same way, but under different circumstances. I wish everyone this peace.

So the next time I'm depressed or stressed out or losing it with the kids, I just need to remind myself of a few of these things. It could be worse. I know that. I'm thankful.

A little late... but Happy Veterans Day

Due to some technical difficulties I couldn't get this picture off the camera yesterday, but here are the kids down on Main Street shortly before the parade yesterday. As you can see from Ben's get up, it was a bit nippy out, but we had fun. Jason had to work, so Grandpa walked downtown and met us. We knew quite a bit of people marching in the parade! Sometimes it does feel like we live in a small town. Thank you veterans.

Some things I don't want to forget

Today I got the first clementines of the season and my heart melted at dinner when Alanya said, "can I have a clementime?" She has always said clementime. No matter how many times we correct her. I would have forgotten if she hadn't done it tonight, and I imagine by the time this clementine season ends this winter, she will likely be saying it right. So... a few sweet things that my kids have said wrong that I don't want to forget...

action-finger, as in "Noah, can I play with that Batman action finger?"

Liza James, as in the song "way down south in Baltimore, little 'Liza James!" It should be Eliza Jane, but Alanya burned this one into our brains a few years ago as we drove through Baltimore at midnight and she sang the song at the top of her lungs clear through the state of Virginia when she finally fell asleep at two in the morning.

grant us pizza today, as in what a priest says after the Our Father, "deliver us Lord from every evil and grant us pizza today." That was Noah, age six.

I'm sure there are more, but these are some of my favorites. Off to peel another clementime.

She can be an angel

Alanya is obsessed with death. Not in a "Mommy, I'm scared" kind of way, but in an intrigued and curious kind of way.

A month or so ago her first grade class was discussing Johnny Appleseed. Alanya told me a child asked where he lived now and the teacher told the class he lived long ago, but is now dead. "So Mama, I raised my hand, and I told Mrs. Rx@ that Nana's twin is dead too!" she said with enthusiasm. (My mother's twin sister died a few days after birth, and Alanya just can't get enough of the story!) I gulped and asked her what the teacher said. "She said 'thank you for sharing Alanya'."

This past week our 88 year old neighbor passed away. A sweet old man, Mr. Burns would light up when he saw my kids. At church he'd always mess up their hair when he walked by. He told wonderful stories, and the kids liked him. When I told the kids he was very sick a few weeks ago, Alanya colored a picture of a butterfly and wrote "I love Mr. Burns" on it. I'm sure he loved it. When I told the kids the other night he passed away, she took it in, and didn't say much, but when she found out there were "events" she wanted to go too. I asked Noah if he wanted to go to the wake with me, and was not surprised when he said no. Alanya didn't understand why she couldn't go. When I got back from the funeral, she said "Mama, did Mrs. Burns cry?" I told her I couldn't really see, but I imagine she did. "Oh."

In the back of our church, there are small memorial crosses with people's names on them, and Alanya knows there is one for each of my grandparents. This morning she points to the crosses and whispers "after can we go look?" Look for what, I asked. "For Mr. Burns' cross." The sweet innocence to assume a cross with your name would magically appear on a wall when you die and become an angel. I told her Mr. Burns didn't have a cross on the wall yet. She accepted that, clasped her little hands and put her head down to "do her prayering" as she calls it.

Up to 100 and still counting!

100 leaf bags that is. 44 this weekend alone. Unfortunately, this weekend everything was wet so they all weighed a ton. Luckily Jason moved them all and can still walk. Thank goodness we're stocked up on Advil! I may not have lugged bags, but I was up on the roof with the leaf blower. There were so many leaves on the roof, you couldn't even see the shingles. Now to get our name on the gutter cleaning company list. And likely another 50-75 bags, and we should be nearly done.

Jason and I may break our backs, but the kids are breaking the bank. In the past, the kids have shown no interest in helping us other than jumping in the piles and spreading them further. This year, finally accepting that kids can be bought, we offered to pay them. (Our kids don't get an allowance, so this was a novelty.) They get so much per bag, and Jason is the ultimate decision maker on who gets what based on how long the kids worked. Noah made $28 this weekend alone. Ben didn't make as much because last week he was our big money maker and yesterday he finally got his trip to Best Buy where he bought the new computer game he was saving for. He spent more time on the computer than raking today. And Alanya, well she spent a lot of time inside a brown leaf bag more than anything, but she did blow some leaves, and the enthusiasm was there, so she gets $4.

I keep thinking I should take a picture to post, but every time I think of it, I realize my time would be better spent raking. The glorious snow will come soon enough.

The gamble I took 15 years ago

When I was in grad school fifteen years ago this week, I took a big gamble and kissed my best friend. He wasn't expecting it and took a step backwards. He wasn't getting away that easy, so I moved in for a second go. That must have convinced him. Now, here we are.

You'll be reading this eventually, likely in the kitchen while I'm putting dinner on the table. Consider this my public love letter to you. Sort of like a 21st century yell from the rooftops. I adore you. I love you. And I'm glad I had that extra drink that night that gave me the confidence to go back in for the second kiss.

Today is going to be big

I've been up since 5:15 this morning since I had to go set up a bake sale for our school's PTO at the polls which opened at 6am. It was dark out and as I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed at least 30-40 people already in line waiting outside. Inside, the poll workers were frantically running around getting ready, and the guy in charge was pumping them up like before a big game, or a Broadway show.... "this is it people! doors open in 5 minutes! cell phones on vibrate! get ready for a long one! keep things moving!" It was actually quite exciting to see it all unfold. I got my vote in early when I looked up and saw my line miraculously empty, while all the others had people backed up. The volume fluctuated... people with last names in the beginning of the alphabet are early birds, and those in the end of the alphabet like to sleep in. Just my scientific observations.

At exactly six, the people flooded in and scrambled to find their correct line to receive their ballot. These were the people that had to get in and out before work, and unfortunately for me, no one was going to risk their space in line for a cup of coffee or a bagel. I got many interested looks, but people were afraid to get out of line. By the time my shift was done at 8am, sales were picking up a little and the wait to get a ballot wasn't more than 10 minutes. The big challenge was finding a place to put your car.

When I got home, Jason was ready to leave and was going to vote on his way. He asked where all the fruit went for is lunch. I had to explain that at the last minute I wanted some healthy things to sell, and if he wanted fruit for his lunch he'd have to go buy it back for 50 cents a piece!

My week to be an American

This is going to be a jam-packed week for me and my civic duties. We all know what is happening on Tuesday. A huge election on many fronts. I haven't been this excited for an election since November 1992 when fellow Hoya, Bill Clinton, was running for president and actually pulled it off. I was a senior and remember us opening our apartment windows looking out on the Henle courtyard and people screaming and cheering as the returns came in. This time around, the stakes seem higher as I now have a mortgage, retirement savings and all the other responsibilities that go along with it. I won't tell you who to vote for (Obama), but as Jason says in his goofy way (Obama), "Vote early and vote often!" You'll find Jason and I clicking back and forth between PBS, CNN and NBC for much of tomorrow night. I'm making popcorn!

As if that isn't enough, I have jury duty too. I had my jury instruction last week and tomorrow return to the courthouse for the first of two selection days this month. Call me a dork, but I find this whole experience interesting and exciting. Jason is so jealous. This is the second time I've been called, once before in Massachusetts but didn't get on a jury, and he has never been called. We're both dorks. Maybe that's why we fit so well together. Many people keep asking me if I tried to get out of it. Let's see... I don't work and my kids are in school... they'd laugh in my face. My mom said it 'isn't fair that busy people get picked, it should be all retired people.' Like that is a jury I'd want sitting in judgement of me!

So this week I get to have my say and vote, and there's a chance I could sit on a jury. How great is it to be an American?!

And to think I worried about this kid!

When Noah was in kindergarten, I was a first time parent in a haze of bliss thinking my child was brilliant and happy and so smart. Imagine my shock when half way through the year the teacher sent a note home saying that kids who were "readers" were welcome to bring a book in to read to the class. I raced to the phone, called my friend and asked, "there are kids who can read in that class?" I had no idea. I had two little ones at home so wasn't able to get into the classroom on a regular basis. Noah couldn't read. All of a sudden I started to worry. He still wasn't reading half way through first grade. Everyone kept telling me, "it will just click", "he'll catch up", or "he'll be fine." Problem was, I wasn't fine. I was worried sick.

Of course he did learn to read. He's now a voracious reader. Last June he asked us when he'd be able to watch the Lord of the Rings movies. Jason told him when he was old enough to read and understand the books. Noah said he'd try. Jason then added he had to start with The Hobbit first. Jason winked at me and said that would keep him busy at least until junior high. Not so. The Hobbit was done in no time and he started in on the trilogy. He plowed through it. He dragged those massive books everywhere. I questioned how much he was actually comprehending, and Jason would occasionally ask him questions about the books. I would walk in on discussions of Middle Earth, Gandolph and elves. Jason assured me Noah was getting it all.

He finished all four books in about three months. Dad now had to pay up. Time for the movie. For the last month or so, Jason and Noah will watch an hour of the movies every few nights. They love it. Not sure what they will do once the nine hours of movies are done. Every time I see Noah enjoying his special time with his dad, it reminds me of how determined he was to read those books. And to think I worried the child would never read!

Now to get Alanya to read. Any day now things are supposed "to click" according to her teacher.
(Sigh)

Halloween 2008

Another Halloween come and gone. The weather was beautiful, the leaves filled the streets, and the jack o'lanterns glowed. How odd is it that my children walk the same streets I did trick or treating? Sometimes I think about that and I think how strange that is. (Wasn't it just yesterday that Mindy and I were dressed up as babies and meeting halfway between our two houses to rake in our own loot? We have six kids between the two of us now. Yikes.) We didn't have many kids ringing our doorbell, only about twenty. A sign of the odd mix of our diverse neighborhood with snowbirds and retirees, families with older kids and even single people. I read about these neighborhoods that are all young families with every house packed with little kids. Sort of a rated "G" Wisteria Lane. Not our neighborhood. But that doesn't mean it isn't fun.

Jason and his dad took the kids on our "regular route" as the kids go the same direction every year. God forbid they do it backwards or do a house out of order. It takes them a little over an hour, and that usually is enough having to lug those buckets up and down the hills of our neighborhood. Apparently Alanya and her friend Sara pooped out close to the end. It wasn't that long ago we had the wagon and double stroller to help. Noah always weighs his bucket, and this year it was 3.6 pounds. His personal best is 3.8, and he had hoped to break 4 pounds. Not this year. Benny darted around like a mosquito cranked up on sugar. When they got home they dumped their buckets and started sorting and tradesies, just like when I was little. Noah had 14 peanut butter cups and no kit kats. Ben had 13 kit kats and no peanut butter cups. Alanya had 3 ring pops. Funny the things they choose when offered a bowl. And between the three of them they had more full-size bars than a movie theatre concession stand. Who says the economy is bad?

We finally got them to bed close to 9pm, Benny moaning with a tummy ache on the couch. Alanya negotiating for "just one more." Noah stayed up a little later to watch part of a dvd with Jason. This is going to go by too fast, isn't it?

Halloween is behind us. Today the true work begins. Raking. Thank goodness we have an extra hour today. Better use it wisely.

Boo!

This picture was taken last Friday before a party at school. That is a dashing Zorro on the far left. Then a cutie-pie Cowgirl. And a furry monkey trying to hide behind the Evil Queen. The kids are bouncing off the walls and can't wait to go trick or treating tonight! Happy Halloween everyone.

What I got free at Rite Aid

My heart belongs to CVS, but when Rite Aid has a good week, I can't stay away. Everything in this picture was free after rebate this week, totalling $39.95. But after coupons I paid $29.95, meaning Rite Aid is paying me $10 to take this stuff off their hands. Not too shabby for one trip to the store.

The whole drug store 'game' was introduced to me by my cyber-friend Jennifer who writes the blog Getting Ahead about frugal challenges as the mother of four. She sent me to Money Saving Mom where all the basics of how to understand the drugstore promotions to your benefit are explained in detail. CVS 101 lays it all out for the newbie. From there, you can branch out to Walgreens and Rite Aid. It's not for the faint of heart, but a fun challenge that can save you lots of money.

The Bundt

I must be getting old because I bought myself a bundt pan today, and I'm very excited about it. Hip, young, cool people don't get excited about bake ware, and most definitely not a bundt pan. I'm sure of it. Bundt pans are for old Waspy people. Like the lady in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding... "I made a bundt" she says as she hands it to a confused Greek lady. The pan is for people who think it's ok to have a cake without butter cream frosting enrobing it. People with bundt pans think just a touch of powdered sugar lightly over the top will do. Kids hate people with bundt pans. When you're a kid and someone says 'would you like a slice of cake?' and you enthusiastically say yes, your heart drops as soon as you see the flowing curves of the bundt. No frosting. Drats. As an adult, I've figured it out. A bundt pan tries to distract you with its flashy lines so you are impressed with how it looks and don't notice that it's missing the good stuff.

So why did I buy one you ask? It probably has something to do with the fact that I too would like to convince my kids that a slice of zucchini cake in a fancy fluted shape is a dessert. Things don't have to be enrobed in sugar to be good. This past weekend I cut out two new recipes and they both called for the infamous bundt. I did ask Ben's opinion on if I should try them and he said I should. However, he suggested that I keep the secret ingredient (tomato soup) of the spice cake as our little secret as a way to protect Noah and Alanya. When I showed him I bought a can today he giggled and gleefully hid it in the pantry.

Maybe I'm getting old. Just don't call me old. Or I'll hit you in the head with my bundt.

Jason loves a good cannoli!

I'm posting this simply because I can. (tee hee hee) Jason was in heaven eating his chocolate chip cannoli from Mike's Pastries in the North End. I hope in 20 years doctors aren't bypassing around that cannoli!! The kids also got in on the action and tried bites of everything. How come they'll try Italian pastries and not the stew I made last week??

A day in the big city for the Olympic Gymnastics Show

Today we had a very exciting day, we're all exhausted. This morning we drove into Boston and picked up Jason's cousin Luke - who is travelling the country performing with the US Olympic Gymnastics team - at his hotel. We went over to the North End and got in line for Pizzeria Regina to open. A line... for pizza? You have to eat there to understand. It was that good. Luke had to get over to the Garden to get ready for the show, so we continued around the North End. We explored the Old North Church, and enjoyed cannoli in Paul Revere Plaza. It was absolutely gorgeous weather, and beautiful.

Once we got to the show, it was super exciting to see Luke perform with all the gymnasts. We decided he's a much better dancer than most of them. The arena was filled with thousands of girls ages 5-12, all of them screaming on the top of their lungs. Alanya was in heaven, and Ben and Noah thought it was pretty cool too. After the show, we pulled out our backstage passes and caught up with Jason's other cousin, Drew and his friend, and got in line to have our programs signed. The gymnasts have been living out of hotels, travelling in coach buses for weeks, and actually sort of grumpy! They just passed the programs down the table signing things and barely looked up. Unfortunately, my memory of Shawn Johnson is of her complaining to the manager if they could move the line along faster, she wanted to get out of there. Oh well. We were excited to see Luke, and he was happy we were there. A few more pictures and he was back on the bus and on his way to Connecticut.

Thanks Luke to treating us to such a wonderful day!

Spelling test results are in!

Today was Alanya's big test and after days of being tested and drilled by Ben (read about it here) the results are in. She got all ten regular words correct, and although she didn't work on the five optionals, her teacher said everyone had to try them. She got both 'apple' and 'October' correct (Ben taught her to look around the room for clues, like the calendar - smart boy), for a final mark of 102%! It is already up on our refrigerator, although she did ask if we could have it framed!

I can't do what they can do

This week I hit a new parenting milestone that I didn't know existed. When my children were born, they grew and learned things; how to sit up, how to walk, how to ride a bike. I taught them things, or Jason taught them things, even their teachers taught them things. I never really thought about it, but all these things I can do too. Then it happened. My children can do things that I can't. It feels odd, and yet makes me burst with pride.

This past weekend my seven year old, Ben, ran in a city-wide 2k cross country race. He ran it in 9 minutes 10 seconds and came in tenth against all second graders. His determination and focus was incredible, and it was so exciting to watch. As I watched him do it, I thought to myself how I couldn't do it. I'm not a runner, never have been, and there is no way I could have gotten this 37 year old body around that course at all, never mind in that time.

But that's not all. Ben plays the piano, and he's good. Really good. It's been a number of months now that he has surpassed my piano skills. And tonight as his instructor was leaving, she took me aside and said he is doing phenomenally. She is teaching him concepts she hopes fifth graders can grasp. The work he is getting is challenging, and she's afraid of burning him out at the age of seven. I'm supposed to watch for frustration and email her if I think she needs to slip in some easy fun pieces for him to work on. Again, my heart busts with pride, but in my mind is amazement. My seven year old child can do things I can't do.

Yes, I know, I could do these things if I wanted to, but will I? When both of these incidents hit me in a matter of days, I racked my brain for another example. I've been a parent for over 10 years, and as much as Noah is great at many things, they are things I can do.... hit a baseball, swim, etc. Maybe what I'm realizing is what I've known for quite some time. Ben isn't like me. Noah is like me. Ben is his own little person finding his place in the world. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and I can only imagine how the list of things my kids can do but I can't will grow.

Pretty amazing.

College Interview 101

I have been interviewing high school students applying to my college alma mater for over five years. With about 35-40 interviews under my belt (as well as reading well over a hundred reports done by other interviewers in my state), I like to think I know a thing or two about what to do and what not to do at an interview. Yet somehow 17 and 18 year olds continue to make the same mistakes. So, a few rules.

Rule #1 - Arrive with questions. At least one, preferably more. It shows that you stopped to think about the interview for more than the time it took you to drive there. The question doesn't have to be special, in fact you can have one question that you use at all of your interviews. Some of the applicants have asked me about my experience at the school. What would I have done differently? Did I regret not taking advantage of different things on campus? Every time it makes me stop and think, and ultimately leads to an actual conversation instead of a one-sided interview.

Rule #2 - Do your research. As a general rule of thumb, familiarize yourself with the basics about the school so that you don't look stupid, and again, unprepared. If the school has a religious affiliation, understand what that means. For example, all Jesuit schools are Catholic, but not all Catholic schools are Jesuit. If there is a word or description that you aren't familiar with, look it up or ask someone for help. Remember, the interviewer you are speaking with holds the school dear to their heart. One wrong statement about something basic shows you didn't bother reading and understanding the school's affiliation or history, and that will be what the interviewer remembers.

Rule #3 - Dress the part. This is not the time for flip flops, tank tops and running pants. You don't need to dress formally, but neat and put together. Would your grandmother or principal approve? Then you are all set.

Rule #4 - Be able to back up your answers. If you say you want to be a lawyer, or go into business, be able to answer why. Use the opportunity to spin your positive qualities or explain how you came to a decision. "I think it would be interesting", doesn't really say much. Whereas "I spent a few days visiting my uncle who is a prosecutor and I got to watch him in the courtroom" opens up the conversation. Your goal is to engage the interviewer and let your personality show. Simplistic answers just don't cut it.

Rule #5 - A thank you note goes a long way. I haven't received many, but I'm always impressed when I get them. An emailed or handwritten note thanking the interviewer for their time truly does make a difference.

In seven years (omg, so soon?!) when my oldest is doing the rounds of college interviews, let's hope he actually takes his dear old mom's advice. I doubt it.

Spelling Lesson or Life Lesson?

Yesterday Alanya came home with her first official spelling list. If you can remember back to first grade, can you remember how that was an exciting thing? No clue of the hundreds of spelling lists to come, she was finally "big" like her brothers. She proudly used a magnet and put that list up on the refrigerator. no. at. cat.

As she skipped off, Ben came up and looked at it with me. The spelling pro that he is being in second grade, he remembers well how the first grade list is set up - 10 words and 5 optional words for those who want to be more challenged. Ben always did all 5 optional words. He looked at the list. an. ran. man.

He took a deep breath and said, "Mom, what do you think? I think she should have one week to get used to it and not do the optionals, and then next week maybe choose one optional word to try. I think five big words is too much for her." It was true concern in his eyes as he tried to protect his little sister. He's no fool. I readily agreed that we should take some time to ease into the optional words. will. mom. dad.

Later in the evening when Daddy came home she proudly spelled October while reading it straight from her list. She was so proud of herself. Then Ben got the list down and asked if she wanted to 'play school' with her spelling words. He quizzed her, and made word scrambles, and started a word find. Alanya thought they were playing and had no idea. He really does love her.

Here I am.

A few days ago, a friend of mine mentioned she started blogging as a way to stay in touch with her family all over the country. The idea of having a place to jot down the little stories of my life, comment on the world and occasionally vent is tempting. I'm not sure anyone will read it, and not sure I want anyone to read it, but that keeps it interesting. Little did I know I had to name my blog. Jason and I came up with a laundry list of hokey titles that I'd be embarrassed to put here. The View from The Hill. Lau-lights and High-lights. Mom of 3 Monkeys. And those were some of the good ones. Yikes.

I settled on I Absolutely Do. If any of you were at my wedding, you may remember that phrase. As he stood next to me in front of everyone, he declared more than the usual "I do". It's his line. He's letting me use it. It was his way of saying he completely and without hesitation was committing himself to me and our marriage. I strive for that kind of unquestioning sure confidence in my life. I absolutely do.