Laurel Spends Time With Grammy

Several years ago a parent told me that as good as it felt to score a soccer goal in high school, it felt even better to watch her son score a goal. Everything is magnified when you see your child accomplish something. I would say the same is true with spending time with Grammy or Nana. As much as I love to spend time with either one, my heart swells when I see the joy it brings for Laurel or Owen to get their special time.
This weekend Laurel had a date with Grammy. She had a wonderful time seeing the Great Falls in Paterson, going to get more sewing supplies at A.C.Moore and visiting Turtle Back Zoo.

Everyone should make a toast

If you are ever feeling down or ungrateful, get a bottle of Prosecco (of course only if you are of legal age) and make a toast. There is always something to toast. Toast the weather, toast the season, toast for the fact that you have a glass to raise to a toast. It is such a mistake to save toasting for only MIDNIGHT once a year. Toast at least once a onth if not once a week. And toast early- 6pm or 7pm before exhaustion sets in. There is no better way to BEGIN a night than with a toast. Give it a try!

Eating Peanuts with Owen

Last night I sat outside with my five year old son and a bag of peanuts. He asked if he could have some. I told him sure. He took a peanut and said, "How do I get it." At first I did not know what he meant. Shelling a peanut is so automatic to me I did not realize it could be a learned activity. I showed him how to squeeze a peanut by holding the peanut with the seam on the side and squeezing. This did not work for five year old fingers. So Owen picked out peanuts that were already partially cracked. WHo would have guessed so much conversation could be generated. "Wow- this one is fat.... Oh, it's a skinny one... Did you see that one shoot out?.... I do not like the skin by itself.... Cool this one has two..." Soon there were no more single peanut or open peanuts left. We had to find an alternative opening strategy. I showed him how to put a peanut on the table and pound with a fist. This is the perfect five year old technique!