The Final Journey

Uncle Marvin: 12/6/1920 - 8/16/2011

Uncle Marvin - circa 1921

I was driving back from an early morning dentist appointment when my cell phone started ringing. I answered, using my hands-free, blue tooth system in my car. It was my Uncle Marvin, calling from the hospital, where he was being cared for, against his wishes.

After telling me he just wanted to go back home to die, he made sure he let me know that he loved me. He also wanted me to "think good thoughts of him".

I arrived home to the stares of my teenage son, wondering what the dentist did to make my cry.

To Go or Not to Go

After my Uncle and his wife, Janet had moved from California to a Connecticut Assisted Living community to be closer to Aunt Janet's family, I had promised I'd try to visit more often.
The first year I brought my eldest son with me.

Last year I brought my middle son, a year after Janet passed away. It was a nice time to bond with one of my boys and spend some time with Marvin. I took lots of photos and posted on my blog to share with Marv as well as my blog friends.

This year was Colin's turn to visit. Alex had a friend that just moved out to Westchester County, NY and wanted to go again. Devon had a lot going on and was glad to stay home. After much contemplation, I booked the tickets. I also bought flight insurance which I decided not to use.

Marvin was able to return home although after one day of rallying, he took a turn for the worse and passed away just a few days before we were to arrive. I have a feeling this is what my uncle preferred.

Marvin and Janet together again

The Last Visit

The boys on a early morning flight

Things have a way of working out. Marvin was finally able to join his wife and was at peace. I was able to help pack up some of the apartment (although I wish I could have helped more). There was also an informal memorial and luncheon. We had a chance to spend time with some of my Aunt's family, meeting most of them for the first time in person. We were able to share fond memories of Marvin, fulfilling his wish of "thinking good thoughts".

We also had a day to visit NYC with Alex's friend Matthew, Matthew's mom and sister who just moved a week earlier. The highlight for the kids was a visit to Dylan's Candy Bar. It also was an adventure in navigating the city using trains, taking the subway and a cab ride for six.

Dylan's Candy Bar - a little (expensive) piece of heaven

Family Treasures

Aside from the memories from the trip, I also am treasuring some old family photos that were among my uncle's collection. My personal favorite is this portrait of my grandparents with my dad and uncle.

I'd like to think that they have reunited in heaven and are watching down over us.

Bad Mothering Lawsuit

I came across this article today about a woman being sued by her two children for "bad mothering".
I am now wondering if I am opening myself up to liability by my title of "Bad Momma"?
Fortunately the suit was dismissed.

The children now 20 & 23 years old complained about bad birthday cards, lack of care packages, being threatened with calling the police for not wearing a seat belt and calling her daughter at midnight to have her come home from homecoming.

I think my kids could come up with much better stuff against me....

Amateurs!

Splash!

Freedom

Faint strains of Frank Sinatra waft through the air from a neighboring yard as I preside over the family grill. A feeling of nostalgia washes over me.

I am dressed in a plaid sleeveless-button-down-shirt and Bermuda shorts similar to what my mother would have worn back in the day.My middle-son is mowing the front lawn while my eldest is helping with the grilling duties. My youngest son is dividing his time between practicing his piano lessons and complaining about having to do so. My husband is working on some chores.

Before long we are seated round the kitchen table for a feast of grilled chicken, rice, baked potatoes and sauteed vegetables (yellow squash, Swiss chard, onions, peas and basil) from the garden.

I take a mental snapshot to freeze this moment in time, finding joy in the mundane.

Blogcation

The last time I posted was Memorial Day Weekend. Life has been good.

• The garden is coming along nicely.
  
• The boys are on a Summer swim team.
  
• Music lessons.
  
• Cross country practice for Alex & Devon.
  
• I've been trying to keep up a walking routine.
  
• Devon and Alex are volunteering at the library.
  
• I volunteered with our local Blues & Jazz Festival.
• Started "Family Black-Out Nights" for board games and non-electronic activities.
  
• Went to a party thrown by the family of one of Alex's friends last night and had a blast.

I've been more active on FaceBook with status updates and photos. I'm also trying to get out more in the "Real World" and out from behind my computer. As the boys get older and are getting more independent, I realize it's time to connect with friends and enjoy more "me time".

It has been tough finding quiet time and inspiration to make it to my blog.

I can see from my Google Reader that many of my blog friends are facing the same issues. I don't feel so bad...

Life is Good!

Memorial Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend marks the start of my favorite season. The garden is off to a good start. I've been getting some small salads with onions & chives, and starting Friday, strawberries!

I also need to step up my game fighting garden pests. With all the rain, I've noticed some slugs munching greedily on my lettuce. I also discovered a baby bunny in my strawberry patch last night while picking a few berries for my salad. He promptly scampered off, with no doubt, plans to return.

And finally this morning as I was inspecting my domain, I found teething marks, that most likely came from a raccoon, on one of my plastic planters.

Looks like I have my work cut out for me. I kind of feel like Mr. MacGregor from Peter Rabbit!


For more garden shots, hop on over to my photo blog, Drive By Shooting!

Money Tree

I love this time of year. Each day my gardens yield new surprises. I have a bad habit of buying lots of cheap seed packets (19 - 25 cents on sale) and randomly planting them in my flower beds (or vegetable garden) and then forgetting about them until they grow into mature plants.

I just discovered that the purple flowers, from seeds planted last year, are Silver Dollar Plants or Money Plants! It made my day. My grandfather used to love these flowers & would keep the dried seed pods in vases.

It's funny how certain plants or flowers can bring back childhood memories.

For more garden shots from last week, check out my photo blog!

Happy May 5th!

This is from a few years ago. Never gets old. At least for me.... Time for a margarita!
Feliz Cinco De Mayo!

Holy Guacamole! Adventures in Parenthood

Did you ever have one of those days, the ones that seem 48 hours long? The ones that become comedic as the day goes on? The kind where you collapse into hysterical fits of laughter reserved for patients in straight-jackets in padded-wall rooms? Over something as innocuous as Guacamole?

Yesterday was such a day.

It started out with allowing my middle-son, Alex to go with some friends to a YuGiOh preview/tournament event at a game store.

Against my better judgement.

My boys have a TON of YuGiOh playing cards which at an average of 20-25 cents a piece, for a small piece of cardboard, seems a bit excessive.

When Alex left the house, I thought he had $20 plus extra money for lunch. I also thought it was understood that he was allowed to buy the pack of cards required as part of admission, but no more than the bare-minimum. It wasn't until I was about to pick Alex up from his friend's house, I discovered this was not the case.

His brothers gave Alex a total of $50, along with a wish-list of cards to purchase. Their mistake was to not set limitations at what they were willing to pay; and their vocal displeasure that their funds were used to buy 4 "rare" cards. That's how most great plots get discovered at our house.

When things go terribly wrong.

As a teaching-moment I drove back to the store, with all three boys in tow. After getting a refund, as well as the proper amount of public humiliation, I set the next part of the punishment into motion. The boys got to run errands with me.

I hit a few stores to find a First Communion gift and was at my last stop, the grocery store. My hubby gave me instructions to purchase $50 worth of groceries so that we could get 30 cents on next month's fuel perks.

As I rolled into the checkout lane, I was ready to get home. The boys already called me to see what was taking so long, the car was getting a little warm. I explained that they could tough it out and that I'd be out soon.

I was careful to put dividers in front & behind my groceries. The clerk moved quickly and rang up half of my cart before I could hand her my shopper-discount card. When she was done, my total came up to over $90, which seemed a bit high. I swiped my card, not wanting to hold up the line and as I was handed my receipt, I noticed that there was a 12-pack of beer that was not originally in my cart.

At this point, I had to go to the Customer Service line to make a return & get a refund. While in line, I also noticed several more items that were not mine. Once again, my phone rang.

"Mom? Where are you?"

I explained the mix-up and told them it would be a few more minutes. To which I was reminded that the car was getting warm. I told them that they were big boys now and they could open the car-door if they required fresh-air.

Two more people in line ahead. Almost done.

Just then my cashier and a flustered-looking woman came hurrying over. Turns out there was another person in front of me in the original line. A customer who realized she didn't have enough cash and left the line to get funds from a nearby ATM. Not only did the cashier not hear this lady excuse herself, she didn't pay attention to the dividers between our groceries.

As I was pulling out the items I needed to return for a refund, my cell phone went off again.
Apparently as the boys unsuccessfully tried to open the car doors, the car-alarm went off.
I marched to the front of the store, clicked the magic button on my key-fob and went back to the matter at hand.

The shopper whose groceries I purchased was profusely apologetic. I assured her not to worry, my boys were in trouble and this was part of their punishment. I also remembered the time someone "bought" my groceries. These things happen.

When we arrived home, the boys helped me bring in, unpack and put away our groceries. We came across an unfamiliar item, the box of Wholly Guacamole, pictured above.

To which I collapsed in a fit of hysteria...

Sometimes as a parent, you have to laugh to keep from crying!

2 Busy 4 Ur Own Good

In No Particular Order:

Planning Too Far Ahead??? -
I know we are all busy and important but I see a disturbing trend. In order to catch up with a friend or business acquaintance, I've been having to schedule a date that is 2 or 3 weeks out. Only to have that breakfast or lunch rescheduled 2 or 3 times.

I just had my 2nd-last-minute-cancellation/reschedule for this week due to pressing work issues.

What ever happened to "spur-of-the-moment"? This is why I don't like to plan too far out.....

Linkin' Up

LinkedIn is not FaceBook people. If you don't know me, don't send an invitation to connect without a valid explanation WHY. I will ignore you!

Come to think of it, I won't accept you as a friend on FaceBook either!

Returning Calls & Emails

When I am a Volunteer for your community project, I expect my calls and emails answered within 48 - 72 hours at the latest. I need answers so I can do my committee work properly, and on a timely basis. I often have others that are waiting for your information. We are all busy. I hate that I am turning into a "stalker". I would like to be paid... With Respect!

Do you ever wonder why good volunteers are hard to find? Or why you can't keep Committee Heads?

Social Media Sheep

Retweeting a comment or post or re-posting someone else's content or "Liking" something on FaceBook does not make you a Social Media Guru. More like a Social Media Sheep...

I find it irritating when I find I am the only one commenting on a business post while there are dozens of likes or retweets.

Fortunately while this is common on the Business-side of SoMe, I rarely see this with personal blogs.


Whew. Rant over and back to work. Thanks for letting me vent here. Where the real source of my annoyances won't see this post!

First Flowers of Spring

I Scream, We all Scream!

Today was a balmy, 86 degrees; the first really nice, sunny and unseasonably warm day of Spring. After a trip to the garden store, I spent a good chunk of the day cleaning up some of my flower beds and planted a few flowers to add some color to my planters.

Later in the day, I took 2 of my boys, Devon and Colin, for Rita's. (Italian Ice). Alex was out with a friend.

Even though I was hot & sweaty, and not looking my best (or even close), I had Devon snap a photo with my cell phone. I wanted to remember my favorite pair of vintage sunglasses. I discovered they hold a secret power over my middle-son.

The Power of Embarrassment!

I was at a track meet earlier this week, and I wore the sunglasses in the above photo. My favorite pair of shades has a lens that popped out and my second favorite pair was m.i.a. I was able to find a vintage pair that I haven't worn for a while.

After the meet was over, Alex pulled me aside and in a low voice, said "Mom, you might want to wear another pair of sunglasses next time."

"Why?" I asked "Do these embarrass you?"

"It's just that people may stare and talk about you" he explained.

"Good thing I don't care!" I replied back, flashing a big, goofy grin as he tried to hide his mortified expression. As the boys get older, I have less control over them. The "Power of Embarrassment" is one of my few superpowers left.....

One boy down, two to go.

Get Up, Get Moving

Earning My Moniker

The boys have been taking piano lessons for just over three years now. This is usually the time when music students tend to drop off. My boys would quit if we'd let them. They don't know this but their Dad would allow them to stop their lessons. I, on the other hand, refuse to let them give up. We bought our piano after six months of lessons with the understanding they would stick with it.

My boys are used to school (especially math) coming relatively easy to them. They like to get by with bare-minimum amount of work possible to achieve good grades. As they progress with their piano lessons, the music becomes more challenging and requires more practice time. It is a struggle to get just a half-hour a day, which isn't really enough time.

Lately, I have been pushing for not only more time at the ivories, I have been tying in a reward/consequence system. Which helps keep me a "Bad Momma".

Colin let me record him for YouTube if I let him wear a fake mustache (part of a set I brought home from work). I find the boys are more motivated to practice if there is a performance involved.

How long should kids be pushed into lessons? What would you do?

March Madness

This week my baby turned "Double-Digits". It's amazing how fast they grow up!

I also celebrated my 4th year of blogging. Where does the time go? I took a trip down memory lane and revisited the beginning of my blog. It would be several months till I would get a real comment (other than from a friend). I even made up a 2nd ID on Blogger so I could see what a comment would look like. Even though I only did this once, I still feel a bit sheepish.

This past year I've cut back a bit on my blogging but I am hopeful I will keep the blog alive for at least 4 more years.

Spring is here!


Today I started to work on my garden. I spend a short time cleaning up some of my beds. I also planted some dill, peas, lettuce, spinach, and swiss chard. My onions are popping up as well as my strawberry plants.

I have a ways to go in cleaning up, fertilizing and preparing the soil for planting. I plan to take a few small sections at a time so I don't get overwhelmed. It will be another month or so until I can start planting the rest of my crops. The temperatures are bouncing between the 60's and the high 20's.

I posted a few pictures on my photo blog of some early greenery. It is always fun for me to look back on the different stages of my vegetable garden and flower beds.

Speaking of beds, I have three beds to get filled with boys.....

Happy Spring!!!!

2010 Mid-June Garden

Lost & Found

Almost 13 years ago I became an "Adult Orphan" when my father passed away at the age of 72. My mother had preceded him in death by 5 years. I remember an overwhelming feeling of loss. Not only did I lose a parent, I suddenly felt the loss of a resource of my family history.

When my parents were alive, I never thought much about my ancestors. I knew if I ever had a question about my heritage, my folks were a phone call away.

A few weeks ago, I watched Rosie O'Donnell trace her Irish roots on "Who Do You Think You Are?" with my youngest son. Afterward, I was badgered to go visit the sponsor of the show's website, Ancestry.com. I signed up for a free 14 Day trial. While Colin thought we'd instantly receive our family tree, complete with famous relations, I knew there would be a bit of work involved.

I spoke with both of my uncles ( my mom's brother and my father's brother) as I was getting started. I was surprised at how little they knew about their aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents.

The Age of Information
On Ancestry.com's website, I found a distant relative's family tree which helped fill in some of the blanks on my tree. I also was able to view census records for my grandparents as well as some of the great-grandparents on both my side and my husband's family.

I amazed both of my uncles as to how much information I was able to find in a short time. It was fun helping jog their memories and to help fill in the blanks.

I never thought of myself as a history buff. I now have a new hobby. Although my 14 days are now up, I have just started finding out "who I am".

The nice part of this project is that I was able to help add to the data bases of Ancestry.com. In return, even though I no longer have access to their records, I still have an account and can continue working on my family tree.

Post Postscript

After I published my post today, I checked my emails and found this gem that was forwarded by a friend. I'm not sure who the original author is but I have to re-post as the timing is so uncanny.


They Teach It at Stanford

I just finished taking an evening class at Stanford. The last lecture was on the mind-body connection - the relationship between stress and disease.

The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among other things, that one of the best things that a man can do for his health is to be married to a woman, whereas for a woman, one of the best things she can do for her health is to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.

At first everyone laughed, but he was serious. Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences.

Physically this quality "girlfriend time" helps us to create more seratonin - a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well being. Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. They rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about how they feel about certain things or how their personal lives are going.

Jobs? Yes. Sports? Yes. Cars? Yes. Fishing, hunting, golf? Yes.

But their feelings? Rarely.

Women do it all of the time. We share from our souls with our sisters/mothers, and evidently that is very good for our health. He said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out at a gym.

There's a tendency to think that when we are "exercising" we are doing something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged-not true.

In fact, he said that failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our physical health as smoking!

So every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something good for your health! We are indeed very, very lucky. Sooooo, let's toast to our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently it's very good for our health.

The Other Side of the Picket Fence

A few weeks ago, my husband had me go through the stacks of Holiday cards from friends and family that have accumulated over the last several years. I was given the task of picking out what I wanted to save and to recycle the rest.

I took a brief trip down memory lane; marveling at the changes our lives have taken over the years. It's hard to believe that two decades ago, my singleton friends and I were fantasizing about the "2.5 kids-white-picket-fence-dream".

Life as a "Singleton"

I can remember pangs of longing when I would see a picture-perfect couple pushing a stroller on a family walk. I wondered what it would be like. I also considered the possibility of being a life-long singleton. I suffered through countless blind-dates from well-meaning friends.

I also smile when I recall Friday nights out with the girls looking for Mr. Right. (More like Mr. Right Now.) We'd gather at a friend's apartment and help each other with last-minute touch-ups to hair and make-up before heading out to the "clubs" (night clubs / bars).

Looking back on old photos, the 80's decade was not kind to us with regard to fashion. I can not help but cringe a bit.

The up-side to the single life was that most of my friends were single. We lived life more spontaneously. Much of our social-calendar was written with spur-of-the-moment planning.

What Happened to my Friends?

This week I was given two tickets to a charity event that my business donated a fair amount of work and materials to. My husband was already committed to taking the boys to swim-practice.
He's not a fan of fancy social fundraisers where we are among strangers. I needed to find a "date".

That's when it hit me. Where are my friends? Who could I call on short notice to come with me?
Most of my friends are tied-down with family commitments and are not able to slip away on a moment's notice. For a brief moment I felt sorry for myself while I racked my brain for who to call.

I suddenly remembered a single friend who might enjoy this event and gave her a call. As luck would have it, I found my date for the evening.

The gala was much more elaborate than I expected. Food and drink were top-notch and plentiful. (I was responsible and only consumed one glass of wine). There was free valet parking, a fashion show, live auction and "after-party" with a buffet, DJ and open-bar.

I felt like Cinderella at the Ball.

Act 3 - Life as Family Matures

As I was dropping my friend back home, we discussed organizing another evening out with mutual friends.

I realized that as the boys become more independent, I will soon have more free evenings. I also am starting to crave an occasional "Girls Night Out". Now that I have "Mr. Right" and the 2.5 (actually 3) kids at home, what I crave most is estrogen-filled conversation; a little commiseration once in a while.

While I would never want to go back to the "free-and-easy" lifestyle of my singles-days, I realized I am entering a new phase in my life. It's time to keep up with old friends and perhaps make some new ones.

Who Are Your Readers?

Last night I came across a post by Jennifer James in her Mom Blog Magazine titled "Why Do People Read Your Blog? Do You Even Know?" which inspired me to respond.

Bonnie says:

February 15, 2011 at 10:11 PM

I have been blogging for almost four years now. I started my personal blog to learn about this form of communication and how I might be able to use a blog for my business. I have since learned that business blogging is much different than having a personal blog.

I also have found that blogging is a 2-way street. You get what you give. Unless you are a talented writer with a compelling story (think Pioneer Woman), your best bet is to make friends and comment on other blogs.

I made a few friends at Mom Blogger’s Club and the now-defunct Cre8Buzz. My “readers” are a handful of bloggers that cross-comment with me. I don’t spend as much time on my personal blog as I used to so I keep my bloggy friends to a small group.

I think it is more important to write for yourself than to worry about what your “readers” want to hear. For me, blogging is about personal development and keeping track of life’s trials and tribulations. And making a few friends along the way.

Experience is the Best Teacher

It's hard to believe that I am coming up on my 4-year anniversary of blogging. It's been an amazing journey. I've "met" some amazing bloggers along the way in my quest to understand Social Media. The knowledge I've gained has been helpful in understanding how to integrate tools like Twitter, Blogger, FaceBook and Constant Contact into my business.

There are so many misconceptions and worries when starting a blog. I worried about looking foolish in front of thousands of people. What would I write about? Would I be exposing my family to stalkers and trolls? How do I get started?

Truth is, in the beginning you will have no readers. No one will know about you. You are alone. The only person you will look foolish to is YOU.

Finding Your Voice

Forget about readers. The first challenge in blogging is to find your voice. Who are you? What is your unique perspective? What is your purpose for blogging?

If the answer is to make money, read no further. I am the wrong person to advise you.

Your number one reader should be you, the writer. Write about what you know, what interests you, and share your unique prospective on life. Write stories that you want to read. YOU will be your best audience and biggest fan!

A few tips on finding an audience

1. Join a Shared Interest Group - for an example, if you are a "Mom Blogger" join a site such as Mom Bloggers Club. You can find other groups on Ning, or use Google. Join in discussions, make comments on posts of interests. MAKE FRIENDS!

2. Key Words - Make sure you are using Key Words that someone might use when searching for the topic you are writing about. If possible, use these in your post title as well as when labeling the post in the area provided, "Labels for this post". Some websites have an area for SEO and ask for Meta words as well as a description.

3. Install a analytics program such as Stat-Counter or Google Analytics to find out who is coming to your blog and how they are finding you.

4. Tell your friends about your post - The best way to get others to read your post is to announce it on Twitter and provide a link. Shorten the title if possible using a program such as tiny URL. Give your fellow bloggers a reason to think about you and check out your blog. A well-worded comment on another post will help drive others to your blog.
Find posts to comment on.

What works for you? What drives others to your blog? How do you find your "readers"?

Couch Potato

This is how my eldest son likes to take a nap.
On MY favorite couch.
He is starting to blend into the fabric.
I almost sat on him the other day!

Freedom of Religion?

This weekend I attended the Bar Mitzvah of one of my nephews. The two major themes in the ceremony were Justice and Freedom.

In reflection, I began to wonder. How much "Freedom" of religion do we really have? My nephew did not have much of a choice in whether or not to go to Hebrew School in preparation for this major event. I'm sure at this point, being much richer in mind and in the bank, he does not regret the experience. But the fact remains. My nephew did not choose his religion, he was born into it.

Freedom of Speech?

As Americans, we often take our many freedoms for granted. We also sometimes can take them too far.

As our family was together celebrating this auspicious religious milestone, a gunman in Arizona opened fire at a political rally killing 6 people and injuring scores more.

While funerals are being planned, a "Church" is planning to picket the funerals of the victims. The courts and citizens are stepping in to protect the right of the mourners to say goodbye to their loved ones in peace. I can not help but wonder.

How can untethered freedom of speech be a guaranteed right when it clearly infringes on others?

Where is the justice for the innocent victims of this horrific tragedy? How can a "church" celebrate this crime?

My heart breaks for the friends and families of the deceased.

Happy New Year!

Today I did something I haven't done for a long time. I drained most of our liquor cabinet.

Some of these bottles are over 25 years old. They were long over-due.

On Monday, the men who pick up our recycling will think that we had one heck of a party. Truth is it was our sink.... and the creatures who live in the sewers that were boozing it up.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2011!

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Wishing all our friends and family the Merriest of Holidays!

Christmas Eve in Sarajevo - Alex's Recital 12/22/10

Wishing all my friends a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year (and Belated Hannukah Greetings)!

Parenthood

This week I became a grandmother thanks to an Eighth-Grade school project. My eldest son is a parent for a week to a hard-boiled "baby" name Rex, who resides in a custom-made crib that befittingly resembles a T-Rex.

The assignment of carrying around an egg-baby for a week is designed to teach middle-schoolers that parenthood is not all it's cracked-up to be. (Pun intended!). The ultimate purpose is to get the kids thinking about the consequences of S-E-X...

I am not sure how carrying around an Egg drives home this point. If anything it will help make the kids more careful in helping bring in the groceries from the car. I also might look at hard-boiled eggs in a new light.

Will eating Deviled-Eggs make Grannie a cannibal?

The Last Piece of Pizza

My brother Ken will turn 50 in a few days. I was asked to share a favorite memory. Most of my memories involve either some sort of skirmish, someone getting in trouble or something wildly inappropriate. Or likely all of the aforementioned as with the first one that popped into my head.

The Last Piece of Pizza

One of our favorite takeout meals growing up was pizza. Back in the day, we mostly ate home-cooked meals. When we were lucky enough to have pizza for dinner, the kids in our family ate quickly, consuming as much pie as possible to make sure we got our fair share.

On one of these occasions, there was one piece left. Ken and I both dove for it. I was a few seconds quicker.

I had just put the last piece of pizza on my dinner plate when my brother grabbed for it. He tried to wrestle the dish from me, twisting the fingers on my left hand. The object of desire fell to the floor. At this point, I let go of the plate to tend to my aching hand.

As I walked away, my brother took the dish ( Corelle, oven-safe, heavy-duty) and flung it like a Frisbee. The plate bounced off my arm and landed on the kitchen counter completely unscathed.

Unlike my arm that was left with a diagonal-line bruise. And one of the fingers on the wrenched hand suffered a fractured joint. The knuckle never quite healed properly leaving me a souvenir from the event.

And a charming story to share!

Happy Birthday Ken!

Irony

This week my hubby turned the big 5-0. The boys and I took him out for a fancy birthday dinner. A package was waiting for us on our doorstep upon our return. It was a gift from my hubby's brother.

The boys watched with rabid anticipation as he carefully opened the box. As the contents were removed from the packing, all three sons could no longer contain their excitement. Amidst the tears of joy and howling cheers, stood my bewildered husband.

This is the parent who forbids gaming systems from entering our humble abode. Two years ago, my sister was forced to take back a Wii that she bought the boys for Christmas. "The technology makes the games too realistic, therefore highly addictive", was the reasoning.

The boys were never told. Until now.

The X-Box 360 Kinect sits unopened like a prisoner on Death Row.

Will the gift be returned? Or will it be re-engineered as a controller for Daddy's computer?

Or as my boys are hoping, that against all odds, that the Birthday Present will be used as it was intended and shared with the family?

Only time will tell.....
'

Wordless WEdnesday - Last Garden Salad of the Year

Last salad of the year with fresh greens & tomatoes from the garden

Boo Who?

We've Been Boo'd

Early this week, our doorbell rang and when my hubby answered it, no one was there. Where a visitor should have been standing, sat a vinyl Halloween bag that contained a jar of foil-wrapped Halloween-themed chocolates and a note/poem. There was a 2nd page to put on our door so no one else would "Boo" us.

This has been a neighborhood tradition for the past several years. I have no idea who started this but it looks like one of our neighbors got this idea from www.boograms.com

The next night we had fun "Boo"ing two of our neighbors. What a cool twist to the old prank of Ding-Dong-Ditch!


Boo Hoo.....

When school started in September, I took the boys shopping to fill any wardrobe deficiencies such as pants, shirts and shoes. I repeatedly asked about dress shirts and pants but was told by my two eldest boys that they were fine.

Thursday, my eldest set a new record for finding out about a wardrobe deficiency, 10 minutes before we were to leave for a cross-country banquet.

Devon's shirt sleeves stopped 2 inches short of his wrists. He insisted that 3/4 sleeves are not an option and I didn't think his clip-on tie would work with a short-sleeve polo tee. I rummaged through my husband's shirts on the off-chance that he might have a shirt that shrunk and might fit my growing teen. No luck!

Then I remembered that my denim blue shirt is a men's size small from Old Navy. After convincing my son that this was really a man's shirt, I quickly ironed it and helped him cuff the sleeves. He tucked in his shirt and clipped on his tie.

Not bad!

I waited until we were in the car to tell my eldest that this is the shirt I wear for gardening!

My middle-son waited until after the party to let me know he needs new dress shoes.

I have resigned myself to the fact I am losing the battle to keep up with the Growth Spurts!



Scary Smart

Last weekend I noticed my youngest son diligently writing in a notebook.

"What are you working on?" I inquired

"A contract" he replied

I wasn't sure I heard him right. "A contract?"

In a few days Alex was to get braces. He had struck a deal with Colin. Alex agreed to give his baby brother all the candy he was not allowed to eat. Colin decided he better get this agreement in writing on the off-chance his brother forgot his promise.

Perhaps Colin should dress like a Lawyer for Beggars night!

Wordless Wednesday - Putting Our Money Where His Mouth Is

Homework Blues

My 5th Grader enjoying a frozen treat as a reward

After this past weekend, I am once again reminded why some parents will do a child's project as opposed to letting their child do their own work.

It is much easier!

As opposed to coaching, cajoling and policing all weekend.... which is what we had to do. Teachers may give three weeks for students to work on an assignment but the kids like to compress this into three days.

As promised, as a reward for working hard and completing this project, I took Colin out for ice cream. We (Colin, hubby & myself) have another presentation to have completed within the next few days. Thankfully Colin has a good chunk done.

I am reminded of my college days, group projects and why my pants are getting tighter. I guess seeing your child succeed is enough of a reward. Next time Hubby can partake in the after-project treat!

Sunday Afternoon Bike Ride

An Unexpected Festival
This afternoon I spent an hour or two starting to clear my flower beds and garden of dead plants and other plant debri. Afterwards I talked two of my boys into taking a bike ride to get some Rita's Italian Ice. I thought this would be a great idea to get some exercise before I showered and did some laundry.

I should have known that when I was looking all grungy and sweaty, sans makeup, I would run into several people I know.....


Turns out the last part of our route that takes us through the local High School parking lot, was the staging grounds for a festival/fundraiser for our local Historical Society.

Devon & Colin stumbled upon the bargain of the day:
Yu-Gi-O Cards - 3 for 25 cents

We parked too close to one of the booths.
I had several offers on our bikes.

Turns out Rita's had a booth at the fair,
which saved us the extra block or two ride.
Colin bought the Swedish Fish-flavored ice;
hence the bright red smile!

Home at last!
Looking & smelling ever so lovely.

RFA : How to Deal With a SmartyPants?

RFA:
In the business world, RFP is well known as a Request For Proposal. My plea in the blogosphere for a RFA is a Request For Advice. This one goes out to the parents who have made it through the teenage years.

My eldest son, who is a bit of a smart mouth, is also a bit of a night owl. He will stay up late on a school night reading or finishing up homework. He often will stay up until after 11:00 p.m. Repeated warnings about being past his bedtime are met with a smirk. ( I'm not sure he has a set bedtime).

He has mornings down to a science. He gets up at the last moment possible, allowing 45 minutes to get up, dressed, eat breakfast and walk to school. After school there is cross-country practice every afternoon followed by swimming 3 of these nights. Which leaves little spare time for frivolities.

Last night when I took my youngest son to the library to get some books for a project, my eldest came along to pick up some books as well. After the boys checked out their respective stack of books, I noticed one of the books that I am not fond of. Naruto. (a anime comic book)

The issue:
After dinner, during what was supposed to be homework time, I discovered my middle-schoolers hunched over their Naruto books. They scattered like cockroaches when I asked if all their homework was done.

I expressed concern about said reading and mentioned a possible ban on these books. I also stated that homework needs to be done before reading comics. As I was scolding the boys, my 13 year old spoke out.

"That's really MY business" he proclaimed.

"Excuse me?!!!" I shot back, in disbelief at his insolence.

"If I don't finish my homework, I will suffer the consequences. It's MY responsibilty." was the retort.

I took a step back, speechless. In a way he is right. And he is an Honor Roll Student. So far.

The question for parents who have been through this:

How do you respond? What would you do?

Farewell to Summer Vacation

Flying the Friendly Skies

On Labor Day Weekend I took my middle son for a trip to Connecticut to see my Uncle Marvin. He will be 90 this December and this was the last weekend I could safely take a trip before I get busy at work. The last time I went for a visit, I took my eldest boy. I love the quality one-on-one time with my kids. It is also less stressful for all with only one child in tow.

Alex took this shot of the clouds outside his window
at 6:45 in the morning

Alex taking a bite of what he swears to be
the best pizza he has ever had!

We had a brief layover and plane change in Philly with enough time to grab breakfast. I had a croissant and Alex opted for a slice of pizza at 8:30 a.m. as he already had breakfast at home at 5:00 a.m.

Afternoon Visit

We landed in White Plains which has to be the smallest commercial airport I have ever been in.
I rented a car and drove through winding roads dotted with nice estate homes till we reached the highway to Norwalk, Ct. We were able to get checked into our hotel, freshen-up and make it to my Uncle's place in time for lunch.

We had a nice visit. There were several pianos in his complex and my uncle coaxed Alex into giving a few "concerts". I promised Alex as long as he would play piano "on demand", he could have pizza for every meal. He agreed but decided that Dunkin Donuts would be his choice for breakfast.

Taking Marv for a spin around his compound

As promised, pizza for dinner at Italia in Norwalk;
I opted for the Eggplant Rollatini

New York, New York

Saturday morning, after we had breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts, we took a train from S. Norwalk, Ct to Grand Central Station. I had printed out maps the night before for directions to a few of the places we wanted to visit. Our first stop, Sony Wonder Labs was a walkable .6 miles. However, we doubled the distance by a wrong turn out of the train station.

During our brisk walk, Alex noticed that there appeared to be a coffee shop on every street corner. He remarked,

"No wonder New York is the city that never sleeps! There's a Starbuck's on every corner!"

Sony Wonder Technology Lab

When we finally arrived, we were able to get tickets (Free!) and were first in line for this hands-on technology museum. Alex had fun playing with lots of cool gadgets and had a chance to get "on camera" to report on the weather. He was filmed against a blue screen which made the blue graphic on his shirt into a "window".

Future Reporter?

Next stop: The American Museum of Natural History

This time we decided to take a cab!

Wall in the main entry hall

Feeling a bit small

Largest Collection of Real Dinosaur Bones

We were advised by a docent to go the the 4th Floor to see the Dinosaur exhibit. The museum is famous for having the largest collection of REAL dinosaur fossils in the world!

We also spent a bit of time in the Rose Center for Earth and Space. I was fascinated by the Ecosphere. This was an entire ecosystem in a sealed environment complete with tiny fish swimming around.

Another highlight were the scales that show what your weight would be on the Sun, Moon and other planets.

This is waaay cooler than Sea-Monkeys!

Diet be damned, Fly me to the moon!

Lunch at the Museum Cafe.

Next up: Central Park

Folk concert on the edge of the Central Park 22 acre lake

Central Park was the highlight of my excursion into the Big Apple. I had no idea how gigantic this park is! At approximately 843 acres, this park was much more magnificent than I had imagined.
Located directly across from the Natural History Museum, we simply crossed the street, made our way past the Pedi-cabs and followed a path down into what seemed like another world.

The small patch we visited, was complete with horse-drawn carriages, a wedding party, a folk concert, cyclists, runners, boaters, hikers and tourists. Next time I am back in the city, I will allot more time to visit this haven.

Back to Connecticut

Having promised to be back by dinnertime, we took a cab from Central Park back to the Grand Central to catch the train back to S. Norwalk. We enjoyed the hour-plus ride back being entertained by a group of middle-aged women that were getting their drink on. Between their shameless ogling of the attractive, young train-worker and their salty language, Alex got quite an earful. These "train-wreck"s provided a great reinforcement of his D.A.R.E. training of the dangers of drugs and alcohol!

The rest of the trip we spent visiting with my uncle.

Reviewing old photographs,

and on Sunday before we left, we picked up lunch.....PIZZA! from the highly-touted "Wilton Pizza". Alex enjoyed this tasty treat but still claims that Sbarro's is the best!

After some minor difficulties with my rental-car's Garmin Nuvi (we got a bit lost near the airport) and a souvenir ( Newton's Cradle) that triggered a baggage search, we were on our way back home!


On our final leg, one of the flight attendants was a former employee of mine from a decade ago.

Amazing how time flies!

Alex's hands were a bit shakey due to a long day of travel
and a caffeine-buzz. (I let him drink regular Coke)