The Greatest Gift of All

I have just been blessed with an incredible Christmas. I am so lucky to have a family with such love. For years I have been preaching about cooperation and appreciation. This year I feel like we are finally making some progress. Laurel and Owen were so adorable to see with their bright smiles and genuine happiness. Owen was excited to tell people how this was a very exciting Christmas because it was his first time giving a gift. I really wish I had a photo of the joy in his eyes when he handed me his gift. But I did not want to ruin the moment saying- wait let me get the camera so I will just need to keep the vision fresh in my heads. He gave me this wonderful mug that says Mom Rocks.
Christmas Eve was another spectacular event a Grammy's house. We were so happy to have Nana join us for the first time. We began with our usual feast of lasagna, meatballs, scallops, salmon, salad and garlic bread. Then we watched the children preform the nativity. Next Elf, Dominique the Donkey, Cindy Lou, Grinch, Santa and the Whoville mayor and Mrs. Claus delivered Christmas cheer to the children. Thanks to Grammy’s generosity, everyone is decked out in beautiful LLBean items. We finished the evening singing happy birthday to Jesus and enjoying cupcakes and handmade Christmas cookies.
Christmas morning was filled with happiness. Laurel and Owen were both excited to get an itouch. Laurel was also thrilled to receive a ukulele. Owen was so happy to get a chin up bar to help him with his cub scout goals. Of course.... legos continue to be a classic part of Christmas morning. After enjoying a Christmas casserole and chilling out with our new items, we went for a late morning hike with Tina, Emma and Craig. Then we rested up and showered we headed over to see Justin's family. It was a nice visit with Grandma Stella, Grandpa Murray and Grandpa David. They kept the Hess Truck tradition alive with the 2011 edition. Laurel was thrilled to get some games and a nail station. Then we headed over to Nana's house to hang with Lindsay and Nana. We have grown to love this calm tradition of catching up. As always everyone was way too generous and Laurel and Owen left with ear to ear grins. Then we were home by 7pm with plenty of time to each enjoy one the best gifts of all- a little time for each other.

Happy Holidays

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Guest Blogging With Owen

Last week Owen learned about my blog. We were eating peanuts and I mentioned that my first blog was about eating peanuts with Owen. I read the blog to him. He asked to hear more. So we read many of the blogs. Then he asked me if I had written any new ones. I had not so we decided to write this one about our date to see the Lion King together. Our day started with an easy, early drive to New York City. When we got there we started walking up 5TH Ave to Central Park. We passed Rockefeller Center and the Lego Store but it wasn't open yet. We went to say hello to the sea lions at Central Park Zoo. We also saw the clock ring with monkeys at 11:00. Then we walked over to get on line at a restaurant called Serendipity. They have famous hot chocolate that we wanted to try. We waited on line for 45 minutes but were no closer to getting in. So we crossed the street to eat at a delicious pizzeria. Then we started walking back to the theater. We walked faster and faster but it still was a long way off. Owen got a cramp from running so much. But it was worth the effort because we got tour seats just in time to see the amazing start of the show with the Circle of Life. It was amazing to see Times Square turn into the African Safari with elephants, giraffes, lions, gazelles and birds. The show was a feast for the eyes with incredible costumes, dancing and singing. When it ended, Owen and I walked around Times Square and visited ToysRUs. We did not buy anything but as always, we checked out the Lego department. It was a terrific day and we both look forward to another date soon.

Turning 40

Turning 40!

It’s official. I am in the decade I once thought of as old. But I have felt no sadness or melancholy about the big 4-0. Conversely, I feel very lucky and happy to have lived this wonderful life filled with health and happiness for the past four decades. I cannot help but think of my friend Eileen and sister Denise who never even came close to this milestone. I have had just enough hardship to appreciate the fact that turning forty is certainly nothing to be sad about.

On my actual 40^th birthday, I celebrated it exactly how I would choose to spend most days, a nice simple barbeque in my backyard with family. We had plenty of time to chat and enjoy the nice weather.

A few weeks later my mom generously treated my sister and I to a weekend escape to Skytop. It was a wonderful getaway for the three of us that included nature trails and heavenly spa treatments and delicious food. The three of us also enjoyed the peppermint spa pedicure (Grammy’s first ever.)

Well- here we are two months later and I am still celebrating! I realize my parents were very wise to realize the wonderful-ness of one-on-one time. I am following their example and rather than doing a single family outing, I am enjoying a birthday date with each member of my family. I thought about a lot of possibilities…. Great Adventure , NJ Boardwalk , Adventure Course and zip line, or Broadway shows.

Last night Laurel and I had our date to Lincoln Center to see War Horse. First we stopped at the Lion King Theater to buy tickets for me and Owen (that will be our date). Then we walked up towards Lincoln Center. We looked and looked for somewhere to eat that would be a treat but not a rip off. As we got closer and closer to Lincoln Center, prices went higher and higher. Five blocks past our destination, we found a perfect place. It was a Jewish Deli/ Restaurant called Lansky’s. After a relaxing meal we walked back towards the theater and settled down for an amazing war drama with incredible horse puppets…. You really have to see it to believe that a life-size horse puppet controlled by three people could so convincingly come to life. It was so nice to spend eight hours with Laurel and have no competition for attention, sibling rivalry or button-pushing. I can’t wait for my next two dates with Owen and Justin.

White Mountains, NH

White Mountains, NH

Last Thursday we made the long drive to New Hampshire. After ninety minutes on the road Laurel started with I'm bored and "Are we there yet?". I started to wonder if this seven hour journey was really worth it. Around 4:30 we pulled into our site at Moose Hillock Campground. I could tell right away that this was worth the drive. It took about two hours to set-up camp. It is so much easier to camp now that we have the Fleetwood Pop-up. Soon Maya, Joe and Corbett pulled up and we enjoyed a hot dog dinner and a campfire. The next day we all went hiking at Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. On Saturday Carrie and Colin came to visit and we enjoyed the pool and natural river swimming area at the campground. Sunday was a wonderful exploring day. First we stopped at Breezy Point along the Baker River. All four of us took a swim while grammy took action shots with her camera. Then we drove up to a nice hike called Artists Bluff at the North End of Franconia Notch State Park. After that we enjoyed a well-deserved dinner with beer at the Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery. On Monday Grammy watched L&O while Justin and I took a hike. We each had strong opinions- Justin loved the impossible incline while I would have preferred a less strenuous "date." The weather for Tuesday did not look so great but rather than sit around waiting for the rain, we decided to go exploring again. We started out by driving on the Kancamagus Highway. Once again we found some rivers to enjoy. This time it was at the Lower Falls. (Owen is posing along this stretch of river but it did not take long for all four of us to be drawn into the refreshing, trout-filled water.) After a lengthy swim we headed to lunch at Lake Winnipesaukee. Then we went to the world's biggest arcade, Funspot. (In case you saw the documentary, King of Kong- this is where the arcade competitions are held.) With only one day left to go, time was getting short and I still wanted to see a moose so I told everyone I would be going on a moose watch early the next morning. Owen and Grammy eagerly joined in while Laurel and Justin took a chance to relax a little while on vacation :) I had read books and looked at maps and we followed a road that was supposed to be filled with wild life. After 90 minutes of alert watching, nothing. I pulled into a hiking area and tried to decide which trail we should hike on. Owen protested that he only had crocs on and did not want to hike. I lectured that moose would not just be hanging out on the road waiting for him, that if we wanted to see a moose we need to get into the woods. No sooner did I finish my speech, we all turn right and saw a mother with her calf standing right at the edge of the road! We were so lucky and so excited. Even though we still had to drive another two hours back, the moose sighting made it worth our early morning outing. We finished up our day with a trip to a trout hatchery and Lake Tarlton State Park. A week was way too short to take in all that the White Mountains have to offer. I sure do hope I will make it back there sometime soon!

Happy Mother's Day

Laurel totally made my day on Mother's Day. She was getting herself some ice cream and she asked me if I wanted some. I told her I really did but that I needed to start saying no to desserts because my clothes were getting tight. She says, "Mom, you know what I think? As long as this part (pointing to my chest) sticks out more than this part (pointing to my belly), then I think you are doing pretty well." I love her reasoning. I have been enjoying dessert ever since!

Wilson the Wonder Dog

Yesterday was a very sad day for our family. After 14 years of having Wilson in our life, he died. First, I'll start at the beginning. Wilson was born the day after we got married on May 17, 1997. We got him from a breeder on Long Island. In June we drove out to pick out our puppy. We had narrowed it down to two and were ready to mark our pick when Wilson came walking over. We said, "Wait a minute. I think this guy likes us." So I guess you could say Wilson picked us. About 6 weeks later we drove out again to bring our baby home. Puppy Wilson had a wonderful life. We were a young, outdoors couple who took him walking around the lake, hiking in the mountains and camping all over, including a long road trip to New Mexico. Wilson loved a party and often left home looking for more people to hang with. One time we drove around the neighborhood trying to find him and he was at a big party- winning over the hearts of everyone there. Wilson helped us meet people from the neighborhood. Often people would say- Oh- I know you- you live with Wilson. Sometimes Justin would jokingly call him a pound puppy and one day he lived up to that name. While Justin was sick in bed, he ran away. When the dog catcher said, "Come", he ran right into her van. We bailed him out. Eventually Wilson had to start sharing our attention with our new babies (human this time.) At first he was not a big fan of the colicky screaming baby. But soon Laurel started to eat Cheerios and he realized he had a wonderful new food source of something other than IAMS. Soon Laurel and Owen grew big enough to play with Wilson. He never knew what to expect but he always kept his temper in check.
So here we are fourteen years later. It has been a very sad week. Wilson started to get sick on Monday. After several days we finally had to bring him to the vet yesterday. It was so hard to say good-bye to someone who has lived in our house for 14 years. Laurel and Owen had never known a time without him. But we knew we had a lot of good memories and we wanted to keep it that way.
Anyone who has said goodbye to a pet knows- words cannot express how sad it is. All of those daily routines suddenly become painful reminders that someone is missing. When I walked to the bus stop for the first time without Wilson I knew Laurel and Owen would know why he was not there. Owen saw me and tried to remain optimistic. He hopefully asked, "Wilson didn't feel up to leaving the house?" My eyes filled with tears. I told them he was in doggy heaven. The four of us walked home very quietly. News quickly spread through the neighborhood. Moms stopped to say they were sorry. Friends sent text messages. Everyone was sad.
But there are a few things I am grateful for. First of all I feel lucky that I had such a wonderful dog for 14 happy years. Second, as sad as it is to see Laurel and Owen experiencing this real loss, I am happy their first close experience with death was with a pet rather than a human. It is so hard to realize how permanent death is and how hard it is to wish you appreciated someone more when they were around. But at least now they know that reality and the importance of trying to make every day a great day because you just never know.
Thank you Wilson- We were so lucky to have you. As Justin would always say- Wilson loves love. He was always ready to give it and take it. Let us all be a little more like Wilson!:)

Final Exams

Although my dad was terminally ill, his death still came as a surprise. Shortly after he died, my mom found a file on the computer titled, “My Final Exam”. It was a combination Memoir/ Reflection on his life as a Christian. Unfortunately, between my father’s infamous long-windedness and his failing lungs, he had only gotten to his college days by the time he was admitted to the hospital for the last time. But still, his analogy of the final exam got me thinking of how life does constantly test us on our faith and Christian love with everything from quizzes, to exams to surprise tests. Some events are quite predictable and uneventful- not much different from the weekly spelling quiz. For example, striving for weekly attendance at church, joining a prayer club or sharing money with those less fortunate. These are all structured events that we can plan for and carry out. Some events in our life are of greater importance and feel more like a test than a quiz. For example, I am in an interfaith marriage. While it may not be ideal, I do feel that answering questions and having discussions with someone who was not raised as I was has eventually strengthened my faith and relationship with God since I have had to understand these beliefs well enough to explain them to an “outsider” and not to just mindlessly “do what I have always done”. As life becomes more complicated, I sometimes feel like it is more of the crunch of mid-term exams than a single test. I am constantly trying to balance all of the pieces of my life including friends and family, career and church. In order not to “fail” in one area, I need to keep balance within and between all areas. The most challenging of all is the pop-test. During these times my relationship and understanding of God is most tested since it is done without planning and preparation. So far the biggest pop test for me was when my sister was in a car accident one week after I graduated college. She was spending her junior year in Russia as an exchange student. Up until this time I had felt most prayers had been answered. I had a wonderful childhood and my high school years and college years remain some of my most rewarding and life-filled. All I prayed for was that she would could be flown home and come out of her coma. But during this important pop test I learned that really the only request I should make in a prayer is to be able to handle the outcome. I cannot change the “master plan” but I can use all these experiences to become a better person. Whether or not I pass my final exam remains to be seen, but at least I am learning with each “test” to better love God and this Christian life he has blessed me with.

Nice Ditch!

Last month Owen and I were watching Supernanny together. At one point there was a close-up of supernanny and Owen asked, "Mom, why do some girls have that ditch under their neck?" The way he asked this question you could tell he saw this as an undesirable feature. I laughed as I told him it is called cleavage. I am guessing it won't be long before my cute, innocent boy sees this as more than a ditch.

Double Digits

I love it when things turn out 100 times better than you plan. That is what happened this weekend. Two weeks ago Laurel told me she really wanted a slumber party for her tenth birthday. It happened to fall over spring break so when we made a list of invites I told her she could invite seven girls because it was too hard to choose and I also figured half of them would be away for spring break. Laurel was thrilled when every single girl could come. I was a nervous wreck. I really value my sleep and I always worry about safety and happiness... Would everyone be nice, would everyone get along, would they think our house was boring? Where will eight girls fit to sleep? Will they even sleep? The morning started stressful- cleanups, dust, vacuum, putting clothes away, etc. Laurel did not feel she was getting the princess status she felt she deserved as a birthday queen. I was frustrated and explained that if she wanted to host a party, she needed to help get ready for it. We left for lacrosse practice a little annoyed at each other. At 5:25 guests started to arrive. By 5:35 everyone had come. Laurel was beaming. She took down some wooden train sets and set up her own little craft activity on the porch. These ten year old girls were surprisingly interested in these wooden trains that I had gotten on clearance a year ago for ten cents each. Then everyone made their own pizzas- each as unique as the girls themselves. While the pizzas cooked, the girls organized their own kickball game in the corner of our yard. After pizza we opened gifts. Then everyone enjoyed a wii game called Just Dance. Next Laurel asked her friends which board game they wanted and they all agreed on charades. Then we sang happy birthday with a brownie cake and make your own sundaes. After that we set up the living with mattresses so that eight girls would sleep comfortably. Wilson, our 14 year old lab, thought we had this new set- up for him and he couldn’t wait to settle down on this comfy sleeping area. By 11:30 the movie, Game Plan, was over and the popcorn was eaten and everyone was sleeping. By 7:30 everyone was done sleeping and ready for more fun. I drove to Mountain Lakes Bagels to buy breakfast. I came home and cooked up another of Laurel's favorite breakfast food, bacon. Once breakfast was done, the girls continued the kickball game from last night. After that they sat around the fire pit (no fire) chatting and waiting for their parents to arrive. By the time everyone got picked up, I couldn't help to be warmed by the best gift of all- friendship. It is such an important social skill to pick the right friends. So far I am really proud of Laurel and the nice friends that she chooses. I really could not have asked for a nicer group of children to stay over. They were well-mannered and appreciative and kind to each other. Everyone enjoyed whatever activity they were doing and there were no cliques. The eagerness for these eight girls to enjoy a simple game of kickball or a fun round of charades is such a reminder that it is the simple things in life that we need to make more time for. I never thought I would say this, but thank you Laurel for choosing to celebrate your birthday with a sleepover because my heart is warm just thinking of all the good times I saw you and your friends having. But don’t make this a habit because I am still a little tired :).