The Intersection

Sunday Kitchen

2010-11-11T16:58:00.001-05:00

One of my little photographers caught me in the kitchen in my Sunday kerchief,
making coffee in the French press.

New Woolly Popos

2010-11-09T05:23:00.000-05:00

Here are two new Woolly Popos. I like their long legs, and their long hair, like dreadlocks. My new thing is to sew a little pocket on the back and stick a heart in.

That way, you can use the Woolly Popo as a tooth-fairy pillow, and put the tooth in the little pocket. Or, it can be a bad-dream-banisher -- write some happy thoughts or draw a happy picture on a piece of paper, fold it up and tuck it in the pocket, then take you Happy Dreams Monster to bed with you, and the bad dreams can't hurt you!

P.S. Did you see my blanket in the background of the first photo? That's the one that Kathleen sewed together for me on her serger. It is made from 16 squares of felted wool about 14" square, cut from old sweaters. I love to use it in the evening to cozy up with. Dad, do you see your old, rusty-orange sweater in there? That must be almost 50 years old!?

Halloween

2010-11-07T13:14:00.003-05:00

Halloween kind of slipped by me this year. The boys dressed up in costumes they had already.

Here they are in their school costume parade.
Troy is the red and blue Spiderman, above, and Teddy is the black Spiderman, below.

They went out Trick-or-treating on Sunday night, and I stayed home and handed out candy. I didn't dress up, and neither did Pippa, so I didn't get to create anything. I love costumes and making things, so afterwards, I regretted not getting more involved. I've determined to make up for it next year . . .

Woolly Popos

2010-10-17T22:41:00.006-04:00

I had a very crafty weekend! I spent the weekend with my sister, Kathleen, the talented designer and seamstress of KH Designs -- NO BOYS ALLOWED :)

We sent the boys with my dear H (hers was out of town) and we took the girls and went shopping and made sushi and did crafts. Kathleen helped me finish a warm, woolly, winter project, which I already used, and I can't wait to show. But even better, I photographed my current batch of Woolly Popos in her sunny window on Sunday morning. I have some great wool right now, with perfect Autumn colors:

This one has a little pocket on the back, which you can use as a tooth-fairy (or tooth-monster) pillow. My friend Catie gave me that idea. Isn't that great?

I just posted all these and more in my Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/woollypopo

New York Trip

2010-10-11T21:30:00.000-04:00

I promised a full report of my trip to NYC, so here it is. We took the MegaBus. This was our view from the front seats at the top of the double-decker.

The trip down was great.
I always get excited when I arrive in The City. The atmosphere is just . . . there's nothing like it.

We reserved a hotel room through Hot Wire, so we didn't know what it would be like until after we reserved it, but it turned out to be a boutique hotel called the Night hotel, which turned out to be really fun. Everything was decorated black and white and very Urban Gothic. Here is the view looking in to the room:

Here is a close-up of the wallpaper. I love the thistles:

This is the bed. It would have been romantic, if I hadn't been sharing the room with my BFF from tenth grade:

And the black-tiled bathroom:

After checking in, we went shopping in the Fashion District (the bead stores -- wow), went to the top of the Empire State Building and took pictures . . .

Then we walked to Times Square, shopping along the way, and had dinner at 10 pm (very New York).
On Sunday we went to the Guggenheim, and then down to Greenwich Village to visit Purl SoHo, shopping along the way (are you starting to sense a theme, here?). We had a fantastic lunch at an Indian restaurant in the NYU area, and took the subway back to the hotel to pick up our bags. Suddenly, it was late, and we had to run the 14 blocks to the bus station. We were toward the end of the line, so we didn't get seats together, so the trip back was not as pleasant. All in all, though, it was a relatively reasonable way to take a whirlwind tour of the Big Apple. I'll definitely do it again!

New House

2010-10-09T21:16:00.003-04:00

Well, it's like new on the outside. Here are the pictures I promised.
We really like the color, and other people seem to like it, too.

The decorative molding shows up so much more, now.

And the greenery looks nice in front of it. Also, I didn't get a good picture of the foundation, but even the grey stone looks nicer now with against the contrast of the strong red.

Here it is in all its glory, our "little red house."

New York trip -- another sneak peak

2010-09-29T11:03:00.000-04:00

My friend Penny visited from Vancouver last week. Over the weekend I took her to the City. I have lots to report, but here is a sneak peak: some of my loot from the great shops we went to. There are Day of the Dead skulls, plastic goldfish, a scarab beetle in clear plastic, and a few of the fabulous fabrics they had at Purl Soho. (I could have spent days just shopping for beads and fabrics!)

Sneak peak

2010-09-26T10:45:00.001-04:00

After many long, hot days over the summer spent scraping, sanding, patching, caulking and painting, the project that began a year ago is done. Our house, which used to be a pale, tired, chalky grey, is now "Pomegranate."

Here is what it looked like Halloween 2009 (blech):

And here is a glimpse of what it looks like now

We also replaced some windows that had failed, and had a mason repair the foundation. It's like a whole new house. I'll post some beauty shots soon -- wait till you see!

First Day of School

2010-09-25T10:32:00.002-04:00

It's old news by now, but Teddy started Kindergarten. Once we did the orientation and he got to know his teacher a little bit, he was excited (particularly to ride the bus with his big brother).
I don't know if you can tell in these pictures, but I can: he suddenly had a fever the day before the first day of school, and he's still looking pale and has circles under his eyes here. I thought he was going to miss the first day of school, just like Troy did, but he pulled it off.
The big cone filled with treats is a German tradition. My sister made this one for Troy two years ago.They had school Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, then a long weekend.
On Monday morning when I woke him up he asked "Do I have to go to school AGAIN? How many times do I have to go?!"

Welcome to the real world, little buddy.

On the bunting train

2010-08-28T21:04:00.006-04:00

I've been seeing photos of hand made bunting, bunting how-to's, and bunting for sale all over the internet lately. Crochet, vintage hankies, paper, anything you can think of.

I was skeptical, though. Why? Where do you put it? Then, I saw bunting made out of felted wool circles (here). I was interested, but not won over, yet. Then I saw some in real life, on the big screened-in porch of my sister's beautiful sea-side house, and it looked fabulous (you can just see it in this picture, hanging across the porch door, here).
When I got home, I looked around, and seeing the bare windows of our sun room, it struck me -- they need bunting, of course! I'm sure you guessed that I would pick the wool circles.

De-cluttering

2010-07-26T08:26:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, we re-arranged some furniture, cleared out the living room (including removing the area rug) and removed one settee from the sun porch. This space used to be the "play room," but over time had devolved into toy and shoe storage area. I decided the boys are old enough now that they can go upstairs to their room to get whatever toys they want to play with, so I moved most of them out of this room, and got rid of the series of small baskets that used to hold their little shoes and slippers and gloves. I moved this armchair into the sunroom and made a slipcover for it out of some white fabric I had on hand (the upholstery is dark blue and green, and getting very worn). As you might guess from the picture, the inspiration for all this was that I was looking for a spot for my vintage, granny-square pillow! In any case, this is also the entry-way, which now looks a lot neater when you first come into the house, and I have a nice sunny corner to sit for a few minutes in the mornings, read, and drink my coffee.

New shoes

2010-07-18T22:33:00.002-04:00

I am so proud of myself! I found these plain, navy blue wool clogs at Savers for under $10, and I embroidered the flowers myself. It's my first attempt at embroidery (if you look too close, you can see the mistakes) but it was pretty easy! I found a pattern at Needlecrafter.com that was just what I was looking for, and I used some leftover needlepoint floss from years and years ago.

My whole day goes better when I've accomplished a project like this. I hope you had a successful weekend, too . . .

More catching up

2010-07-16T21:19:00.003-04:00

We rearranged our office/studio a while back. The easel and stereo system is gone, and the Woolly Popos are moved in.

They have a cozy spot in one of my old leather suitcases, and Pippa has a cozy spot next to the heater vent.

My desk is next to the window that looks out into the backyard, and I love sitting there with the window open and hearing the boys playing in the backyard.

I mentioned last time that my mom is a great source of vintage goodies for me. Here is something else that came from her: a vintage black slip with lace trim. It's so well-made and so detailed.
I have to admit, it's my new favorite piece of clothing. A fitted, sleeveless T, and some cute ballerina flats, and I'm good to go!

Stay cool,

Vintage

2010-07-09T21:47:00.004-04:00

My younger sister and I clearly inherited the "vintage" gene from our mother (insert joke about my age, here). I have the first piece she bought, back in the 70s. It's a child-sized rocker, Victorian, I think. Not for a toddler, but for a school-aged child. Ever since I can remember, we've been going to antique stores and flea markets. I have the broken cylinder record I picked out when I was about 13, and the ethnic silver bracelets when I was in high school (but where is that doe-eyed bunny figurine I made her buy, I wonder?).

Since then, she has been a reliable source of textiles, silver, and ephemera for my collections, especially from Germany. More recently, I have been "inheriting" the old toys she has saved or picked up. Look at this intricate child's tea set.

It has scenes of chidren playing in traditional German outfits. It has an embossed pattern, and it's sprinkled with sweet flowers and a gold rim, and the china is really fine.
This is my second toy tea-set. I'm not sure what to do with them. It seems a shame to hide them away. Any ideas?

Catching up

2010-07-05T09:04:00.006-04:00

I have a lot of catching up to do -- photos from great weekends at the Cape, rearranged rooms, etc., but I'm too excited about my latest "treasures" to think about those things right now. I went to my favorite thrift store this weekend. While I was there, a I woman called and asked if they would take an old doll bed and toy cookware. If they didn't want it, she would take it the "Treasure Chest" (some people call it the "take-it-or-leave-it". It's a place at the dump where people leave things that others might want. Do all towns have that?)

In any case, I didn't think much of it, but I was still there when she came (yes, it was quite a while, why do you ask?) and after taking a peek, I just couldn't leave them behind:

Here is the vintage toy cooking set. It's tin with red wood handles. First the utensils:

Then the pots and pans. Aren't they cute? I love the little coffee percolator. It has the little basket inside and everything. Some of the pieces have nursery book characters embossed in them.

This wasn't from that woman, but I love, love, love this American Tourister make-up case. I read that "Tri-Taper" was their top line, and people are selling these for around $25 on Etsy:

Some of my vintage sewing supplies inside. I think I will use it for my face-paint supplies. Or doll clothes. I can't decide.

And now for the piece-de-resistance:

Is that the cutest thing you've ever seen? No? Then this has to be:

I got it all (plus a few vintage, hand-embroidered hankies) for $30! Sehr gut, nicht?

I hope you get to relax and enjoy the summery weather!

Thrift stores

2010-07-02T19:16:00.002-04:00

I've recently re-discovered my passion for thrift stores. Right now I'm a little giddy at the thought of going to the Cape Cod thrift stores tomorrow. I have to say, though, that I'm a little disappointed in the state of thrift stores on the North Shore. My old favorites, "Sal's Boutique" (Salvation Army), seems messy, dirty and crowded. (I know, I know; it's a thrift store, but still.)

The new "Saver's" chain on the other hand, is like the big box of thrift stores. It's like the Wal-Mart of thrift stores. A thrift store chain? The first time I went, I walked out in disgust. "That's not a thrift store, that a bunch of old crap," I thought. (I know, it's a thrift store, but still.)

And yet, I couldn't resist going back. OK, a pair of vintage clogs and the cutest little purse with the tags still on -- maybe it's the Target of thrift stores. I'll give it another chance.

Snow Day

2010-02-17T08:36:00.002-05:00

It snowed again yesterday. I was feeling tired of the snow: tired of coats and mittens and boots and climbing over or around snow banks. OK, maybe snow banks is an overstatement. Snow-ridges. Anyway, we woke up this morning to a beautiful clear blue sky and several inches of snow everywhere. It's the kind of snow that sticks to every twig and wire, turning the town into a fairy-tale village. I wish I could spend some time outside today, taking pictures of the trees against the blue sky and sledding with the boys.

I love the snow.

Woolly PoPos

2010-02-09T08:20:00.002-05:00

I have been working feverishly in my spare time for the past several months on a series of stuffed animals (I understand those in the know call them "stuffies"). I'm calling the Woolly PoPos. Here are a couple of pictures. I like how this one looks melancholy:

I made the first ones for the boys. I wanted to applique a heart onto them, and as I was deciding where to put it, on a whim I decided to put it on the bum. I knew it would make the boys laugh. Hence, the "PoPo."

I've been having a great time creating these. It uses my sewing skills and sculptural impulses, and I get to see quick results. I also like the fact that the materials are recycled. (If you have any nice wool sweaters that are going to be thrown away, let me know . . .)

I just think these are so great, and I've had good feedback, so . .

I'm going to open a shop. It's going to be "cshargrove" on Etsy. If you're not familiar with Etsy.com, you should check it out, especially if you like handmade or vintage. My shop is there, but there's nothing in it yet -- I need a couple of hours to get the photos and descriptions posted. I am very excited, though, so I'll keep you posted.

Tschuss!

Driving

2010-01-27T22:29:00.003-05:00

I love driving. Whenever I have to go somewhere for work, there's a point when I'm in the car, on the way, and the stress of getting ready pauses for a moment and I relax. I'm alone and the sun is shining in (or the rain is drumming on the windows) and I see the trees and the sky, and I'm on the road. Maybe I should have been a trucker . . .

Today on the way home I bought a GPS, so now I'll have my little gadget with me -- I can go anywhere!

Class

2010-01-19T19:39:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday I took a jewelry-making class at Beadworks, a bead store in Salem. There were just two of us and the instructor. I pretty much knew the material already: making simple wire loops and wire-wrapped beads, but I made a nice pair of earrings (purple stone, of course), and spent a pleasant hour and a half chatting, with the winter sun shining through the windows on the smooth wood floor.

New Photos of Jewelry

2010-01-19T10:07:00.001-05:00

Here is a pair of earrings I made from new materials. They don't really fit into my series of vintage component jewelry, but I do like them. I also love this photo by my friend Monica Fecke:

New Photos of Jewelry

2010-01-18T10:00:00.004-05:00

My friend Monica took some photos for me. Here are a few of the green Murano glass earrings and necklaces "Heidelberg"

Cartoon people

2009-12-17T18:09:00.003-05:00

I had an inordinate amount of fun doing these last night. It's a website where you can pick face shape, hair, etc.:

Teddy

Troy
Daddy
Me:
I know, everyone who has a Wii has already done this, but videogames are banned on Home St. :)

Hutzelwald

2009-11-28T18:21:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone,

I've been making more jewelry, but I haven't had time to photograph it all. Here is another line of one-of-a-kind necklaces and bracelets with vintage components, including my favorite bracelet. I finally found a bead store nearby. I didn't get many beads, but they have silver plated and sterling silver wire, which I eventually want to start using. Stay tuned!

This pendant necklace collects together a vintage brown and black round button, a vintage brass cage bead, and vintage silver-plated "melon" bead, and a vintage green, fire-polished faceted glass bead suspended by bits of vintage chain from an old brass ring. The necklace chain is new, but with an antique brass finish.

This pendant necklace is made from a vintage wooden bead, separated by brass rounds with an antique finish from two vintage blue and white lampwork beads. It is suspended from two slightly different vintage brass chains.

My favorite so far: three vintage buttons wired together using reclaimed brass wire and a vintage brass ring, connected by a chain and lobster-claw clasp that are new but that have an antique brass finish. At the clasp hangs a vintage "melon" shaped bead that appears to have been silver plated brass. The finish is charmingly worn and patinaed.

This necklace is similar to the first, but with a pearlized-white button, instead of the black and brown.

HAPPY HOLLOWEEN

2009-10-31T18:29:00.002-04:00

Batman and the Ninja Turtle are off, trick-or-treating. It's a warm, windy night -- perfect Halloween weather.

Untitled

2009-10-28T19:43:00.001-04:00

This simple pendant pairs a small, time-worn silver key with a speckled blue ceramic bead held in place by a jet-black glass bead. They are strung on a long, silver-finish chain with charmingly-irregular links. A vintage shell button keeps the clasp company at the back of the neck.

"Worn"

2009-10-27T19:34:00.000-04:00

The photos don't do these justice. These are one-of-a-kind earrings and necklace set made with vintage buttons and amethyst-colored lampwork glass beads on antique-brass-finish fittings. I love how the subtle colors of the old buttons pick up the purple tones of the beads, the contrast in the shapes and finishes, and how the worn and irregular shapes of the stacked buttons look both geometric and organic.

The "Zermatt" collection

2009-10-26T19:14:00.000-04:00

I made these with the clear glass buttons. I wire-wrapped the buttons and dangled them off a loose silver-colored chain. The bracelet includes three speckled blue ceramic beads, like tiny planets. Clean and cool.

The "Heidelberg" collection

2009-10-25T19:03:00.002-04:00

I made this coordinating pendant and earring set out of beads from the Murano glass necklace from the Heidelberg flea market, combined with some little brass rings I've been saving for years. Emerald green vintage Murano glass beads and vintage brass rings with slight patina on antique-brass-color fittings.

Inspiration

2009-10-20T20:47:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Oma and Mika for scouring the flea market in Heidelberg and finding this fantastic Murano glass bead necklace. The necklace was a bit much as it was, with five layers of heavy glass beads, but with a couple of snips with the scissors and an evening of sorting, and I now have six or more plastic baggies stuffed with emerald green beads of various sizes and shapes. I don't think I would ever have chosen green, but necessity is truly the mother of invention -- it is when I am presented with limitations that I am most inspired. I have already had many hours of fun creating earrings, necklaces and bracelets.

Topsfield Fair

2009-10-18T20:29:00.003-04:00

Right now it's snowing outside, so it's almost nostalgic to look at these photos from two weeks ago. We went to the Topsfield fair and looked at animals, rode crazy rides, and ate corn dogs and cotton candy. The second annual trip to the fair -- it's a tradition

Funny story

2009-09-09T20:42:00.003-04:00

I already posted this on Facebook, but for you old-fashioned blog-readers, here it is again.

I was triying to explain to Troy what I do for work, which took a while, because it involved explaining the whole legal system, when C walked in.

C: If anyone asks you, I am an artist, and I take care of you.

Me: That's a lot easier! (meaning a lot easier to explain)

Troy (eyes wide in indignation): It is not easier, Mommy. Daddy has to spend all day cleaning the house!

I'm not sure what that says about us, but it sure made me laugh!

Back to school

2009-09-02T08:22:00.004-04:00

I just watched Troy get on the bus for his first day of first grade. I took one photo with my cell phone, but he wasn't really in a photo taking mood. He's a bit nervous, especially since his parents blew it and forgot about the "meet the teacher" day on Monday, so he's never seen his teacher and doesn't know where he's going. I was glad to see, though, that when faced with a situation like this, he sets his jaw and moves forward. I feel like a mother bird, pushing her baby out of the nest, and I even suggested to C that he could put Teddy in the car and go watch Troy go into the school.

I know he'll be fine. He even gave us a smile and a wave as the bus pulled away.

P.S. I folded his collar of his polo shirt down as we left the house, but he folded it back up again, just the way he likes it.

Not A Baby Any More

2009-08-16T14:22:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated Teddy's fourth birthday with a barbeque in the back yard. All the cousins were here, as were aunties and uncles and friends and neighbors. It was hot out, but the yard is shady, and the kids played in the baby pool we had set up. Thanks to a very generous little boy named Charlie who had outgrown it and wanted to give it away, Teddy got a swing set in the back yard for his birthday. The kids had fun playing on it for much of the day. Here he is modeling the sweater he got from Oma and Opa

Four years old is definitely "big boy" territory (although there's still plenty of crying and whining going on). He's one of the kids now.

Another big birthday just passed, too, although I'm not sure exactly when. Pippa turned two some time this week. (When I adopted her, I was told she was eight weeks old, but had she turned eight weeks that day? Several days earlier? It was unclear, so I made her birthday the same as Max's, August 9.) Look at this picture of her this morning.

Those of you who know her, will see the significance -- she's SLEEPING. In her bed, during the day. I was actually walking around from room to room, and she was lying in her bed SLEEPING!

She's been doing this lately, just in the past week. This puppy has been stuck to me like velcro for two years, jumping up to follow me from room to room, barely closing her eyes when I'm around, so a few times I've actually gotten concerned when I noticed she wasn't underfoot and gone looking for her, only to find her lying in her bed. *Sigh* My babies are growing up!!

My new friends

2009-08-06T22:32:00.001-04:00

This is Shady. Shhh. He's hiding from Teddy until Monday, Teddy's birthday. In the background is Aubergine. She's looking for a friend.

Cape Cod Hydrangeas

2009-08-04T13:26:00.000-04:00

Hobbies

2009-08-03T08:03:00.002-04:00

Recently, I was in a group who was asked what our hobbies are. One woman said she has no hobbies. Then, I heard on of Massachusetts's female Supreme Judicial Court justices speak, and she basically said she has spent all her time, her whole adult life, working.

I'm torn. It makes sense that to be really successful at something, you need to focus your time and energy. When I think about actually doing it, though, it sounds so dull and . . . sad.

I taught myself how to play the harmonica. I don't know why. We had some for the boys, and I picked up one of theirs one day, and then I got curious and looked up how to play on the internet. Then I bought a "real" harmonica and a book . . .

I didn't practice yesterday, though, because I was busy making felted-wool stuffed animals out of recycled sweaters. I got a bunch in great colors from Goodwill, and I use buttons from my collection for the eyes. I had to stop, though -- time to go to work.

Getting a-head in life

2009-07-31T21:23:00.003-04:00

What is it with this summer?

2009-07-28T19:46:00.003-04:00

What is it with this summer? I'm feeling distinctly discontented this summer. Last year, we went down to the Cape a bunch of times, and it seemed so fun. Every Friday, we'd pile into the car, grab some pizza and eat on the way down there. We'd spend some time on the beach, have a couple of meals out on the deck, and head back home on Sunday. There didn't seem to be any crowds or traffic, and the sun was almost always shining. This year, every drive has been tortuously long and hot (as the air conditioner in our car became feeble and then died). It's usually cloudy, and when the sun comes out, it stays just long enough to lure you to the beach before being suffocated by clouds again. When it's hot, the beaches are crowded, and when it's raining, everyone gets in their cars and sits on Route 28.

On the other hand, the boys are learning to swim in the little pool in the back yard. It's still nice to sit out on the deck, and there's nothing like an outdoor shower after a crowded, hot afternoon at the beach. As Troy said last Saturday, "It sure is relaxing here." I think we'll go back next weekend . . .

Psst!

2009-07-28T19:45:00.002-04:00

Don't tell Teddy: They aren't really "Power Sticks"; they're cut up zucchini from the garden.

2009-07-19T15:19:00.002-04:00

It's a perfect day, and we went to Crane's Beach to enjoy the arrival of real summer weather. Unfortunately, half of Massachusetts was there, too. We got there at 10, which is usually before the crowds get there, but to find a place near the boardwalk (and hence not too far from the "potties"), we had to maneuver into a space in the middle of a bunch of other people who wanted to be near the potties and/or food (people with toddlers and one old lady). Then, shortly after we got there a big group of people who had apparently come from the city, because they had a much different definition of personal space moved in behind us. I breathed a cloud of sunscreen as one woman stepped away from her group to spray herself -- right upwind from us.

I could go on, but I'll just say, the water was clear and refreshingly cold, the sun was hot and the breeze kept the green-head flies away. We left after about an hour and a half, but that's the benefit of living 15 minutes away from the beach.

I'm sitting in the back yard now, after a picnic lunch, thinking about walking down to Patton park to hear the band. The one sad spot in today will be the memorial ceremony we're going to have for Nemo. I feel terrible, but we left Nemo yesterday in a spot where the sun shone in a window onto his cage and he got heat stroke. We were gone most of the day, and by the time we noticed, it was too late to save him. He died a few hours later, after being wetted and cooled, and then later warmed, wrapped in a washcloth in a basket on the kitchen counter. He was, as Troy said, the best hamster we ever had.

Dough Boys

2009-06-21T07:52:00.002-04:00

The boys brought home those dough-balls that Bertucci's gives the kids to play with. I feel like we have a new pet -- we had to add flour last night because they got too sticky, put them in plastic containers so the boys could take them to bed, and this morning I had to re-knead them and clean out their containers because the dough had risen over night. Feed, exercise and clean - it's just like the hamster!

The Weekend is over

2009-05-18T08:28:00.003-04:00

We had a great weekend. On Saturday, Troy and I ran some errands and picked up plants and potting soil to fill our window boxes and pots. We bought some tomato plants, too, because the ones we're growing from seeds are still so tiny, it's disheartening. The bush beans we planted in the vegetable bed are sprouting, though, and so are some sunflowers. It's so great to see things growing in the garden.

We were looking at sliding glass doors on the internet. We really want to put one in our dining room, with a deck into the back yard. And have the house painted. And have the driveway repaved. And we have no money to do any of that . . .

Saturday evening, after running around and gardening, I didn't feel like making dinner. We had a plate of vegetables and then went to the mall food court. We had fun with the boys, going up and down escalators, and we went to H&M and found them each a "cool" cap and some shirts on sale.

Yesterday we went to old friends for a barbeque lunch. The kids played nicely, and the grownups got to talk. We got home by 4:30, so still had time for a walk and to play some games before bedtime.

After weekends like that, it's hard to leave and go to work.

2009-05-15T18:06:00.003-04:00

I don't consider myself a funny person, but every once in a while, I'll crack a joke that will make people laugh. The weird thing is, I seem to do it at the time when I would think I would be most shy and inhibited.

As a first year associate, I was assigned to cover a few depositions in which we represented one of about two dozen companies that had been sued. If the plaintiff had lined up the defendants in order of importance, our client would probably have been around number 20. The depositions were tortuously long affairs, with dozens of lawyers in dark suits sitting around long conference tables, while one or two droned on, asking questions for hours. The rest of us kept only one ear open so that we could blurt out the obligatory "Objection!" whenever our respective clients' names were mentioned, regardless of the question. The rest of time we doodled, or daydreamed, or read the paper.

The partner I was working for, though, suggested I might want to ask one or two questions, to establish that the deponent didn't really know which product of our client's was supposedly involved. When it came time for me to ask my two questions,somehow, with 20 lawyers looking down the long conference table at me, and the stenographer typing every word into her computer, I managed to crack a joke. A pretty mild, friendly one, aimed at the plain silliness of the question I had asked ("You didn't memorize the item numbers of every one of dozens of products from ten years ago?") But why right then? Sometimes it still comes to me that somewhere in some transcript, amid hours of boring testimony, there's my little joke and the notation "(Laughter)", and I'm still embarrassed.

Funny things kids say

2009-04-30T08:13:00.003-04:00

C was cleaning when Pippa had an accident in the house (my fault for neglecting to take her out). Already frustrated, C exclaimed "Now why did the friggin' dog pee in the house!" Teddy was right there, immediately picked up the word he had never heard before and started practising it to commit it to memory. "The friggin dog peed! Friggin dog. Friggin' dog? Friggin' dog!" C had to turn to him and say "Um, Teddy, that's not a good word. I shouldn't have said that. Let's not use that word any more, ok?"

Ah, that's how kids make us better people.

Finding Nemo

2009-04-10T19:18:00.002-04:00

I have a question: is it bad to use your kids to gamble?

The reason I ask is that I think Troy is psychic, and I want to make him pick Lottery numbers for me. How do I know he's psychic? Last Friday night, on the way to the pet store to pick out a hamster (for his birthday), I suggested he should think about some possible names. After only a moment's thought he announced he had decided on "Nemo" (from the Pixar movie "Finding Nemo," which we've watched repeatedly).

Nemo is a perfectly nice Golden Hamster with a twitchy nose and beady black eyes -- and an amazing ability to get out of his cage. Every morning we come downstairs in a state of anticipation, wondering where he will be. Being quite clever, it only took us a few days to start adding security to the several little doors on his cage. Apparently, hamsters are quite clever, too, or at least persistent, and rubber bands and tape have so far not deterred him.

So what I want to know is: how did Troy know we would be spending every morning FINDING NEMO?!? I'm going to go pick up some Lottery tickets.

2009-03-09T17:45:00.004-04:00

Dear friends, family, and visitors,

I've been neglecting you lately, I know. First, I'm in a new relationship. I haven't been in a relationship like this in many years. It actually started on-line, but we've spent almost all our time together for the past two weeks. Old relationship wasn't working out anymore. It sure has been exciting. Sometimes I think it isn't going to work, but then I spend some time working out the kinks, and it's fantastic again. Everyone, I want you to meet the apple of my eye, my new laptop:

Thank you Ebay! Don't worry, we can still hang out. As a matter of fact, I hope this little iBook G4 will help us spend more time together. I'm actually working 0n-line right now, while riding the train. This hasn't come without some pain, mind you, getting this Wi-Fi/Airport Express/keychain password relationship worked out. Never mind -- I love you iBook!

Second, the weather was BEAUTIFUL this weekend! It was 60 and sunny both days. We played and walked and sat around and stood talking to the neighbors ALL weekend long. I think all that fresh air tired us all out, because last night we were all ready for bed, even though we had lost an hour to daylight savings time. I almost didn't notice the blizzard on the way to work this morning. OK, I totally didn and it was depressing, but it's ok, because we have the seeds for our new vegetable garden at home, and Spring is coming.

Love always,

Imagine it's summer

2009-02-23T21:09:00.004-05:00

You're lying in the warm sun, squinting in the brightness. You splash in the water to cool off . . .

Aaaahhhh! I can't wait

Another winter weekend

2009-02-21T19:39:00.002-05:00

This is a hard time of year. It seems like the hours spent at work are so long, and the time at home is so short. At least I realize now that it's not a sign that I need to make a major change in my life -- I just have to make it a few more weeks until Spring.

We're passing the time by planning our vegetable garden. We're going to put in a second bed and plant tomatoes, lettuce, peas, beans, zucchini, and we're going to try garlic and watermelon, too.

Today, I took both the boys to the grocery store to get a few things for dinner tonight and tomorrow. (Marcy is coming to visit tomorrow afternoon, and we're going to have the Clapps over. I decided to make chicken schnitzel.) I cleaned out their closet a little, made lunch, and then we all had a rest together. Teddy and I made "healthy" cookies (Oatmeal, nut, dried cranberries, and reduced sugar; which apparently I am going to eat by myself).

Before dinner, I took Pippa for a walk at Patton Park. It was just before 5:30, and the sun was setting on a clear, cold day, outlining the trees against the glowing sky.

I figured out the trick to get Teddy to do ANYTHING: ask Troy to ask him to do it. Right now they are both upstairs putting on their PJs by themselves. You don't know how many nights we have battled him to put his PJs on (and to put his clothes on in the morning)!

All is peaceful here. Good night :)

Educational Programming is Ruining My Kids

2009-02-11T21:49:00.004-05:00

This evening as we were cleaning up after dinner, Teddy ran to the bathroom and tried to open the door. He can't quite get the hang of pushing the handle down and pushing the door in at the same time. "Slow down, Teddy, and you'll have more success," said Christian. Yes, we are those people. The ones who talk to their kids like we're perpetually trying to impress a college professor or potential employer (I said perpetually). We do it for the same reason we restrict their television viewing to the educational shows on public television, like "Sid, The Science Kid," about a boy who likes to learn about science, and "Martha Speaks," about a dog who can talk and who learns vocabulary words -- because we want to increase their exposure to knowledge and decrease their exposure to vulgarity (although apparently we don't want it enough to do without TV altogether).

Teddy opened the door, went into the bathroom, and stuck his head back out. "But Daddy! Success means making a lot of money!"

Christian's jaw dropped and my head spun around so fast, I nearly pulled a muscle. I recovered quickly enough to try to explain that for some people, success means being happy, or doing something to help others. But Teddy insisted that "the man on 'Martha Speaks' said that success means making money!"

That's it! No more PBS for you, young man. From now it's Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel, 24/7!

Look out, Tech Show, here comes anti-matter girl!

2009-02-10T18:13:00.002-05:00

I'm afraid to touch anything. I've been experiencing a string of technology failures, and my sphere of destruction seems to be growing.

First, it was the horn in the car. I tried to be cute this weekend and honk as we passed our friends in the street, but ended up looking like a doofus when no sound come out.

Luckily, no one was watching my next technology failure, as I tried over and over to push the toast into the toaster, with no success, going from one outlet to another. Later, when Christian drove the car, the horn (and the speaker -- that had nothing to do with me) suddenly started working again. Ditto with the toaster.

On Monday morning I arrived to find our server had crashed. It broke repeatedly and was finally taken out on a stretcher today. When I tried to scan something, the scanner didn't work, and now one of the printers doesn't seem to be working. I think I better go. I'm going to walk really carefully, and try not to touch the train.

They're going to love me at the Tech Show tomorrow . . .

Teaching, Tweets, and Turkey Turnovers

2009-02-04T16:58:00.004-05:00

I had a busy few weeks there, which I definitely like better than when work is slow. I am proud to say that I did a big mediation by myself (with the client there) and it went really well. It didn't settle, but that was not unexpected. I also gave a speech to a group of lawyers about social networking and blogging (as it relates to legal marketing). That was fun and gave me an excuse to learn all about Twitter and the related applications. Now I'm hooked, and spending all my extra time hanging out with my "Tweople" instead of "you people" (Sean, are you reading this?)

The thing I like about both the mediation and the panel talk was the teaching aspect of it. I still get super nervous before-hand, but I still love it. I think it's like sky-diving is for other people -- that's how I get my thrills. I know; that's weird.

In between I took the boys and went to Heidi's for the weekend for a "leave daddy home alone" weekend (remember, there used to be Girls' Weekend?) It was quick but fun. Always so relaxing to be there. I made dinner for them: Turkey Turnovers. Ask me for the recipe. It's soooo good.

Love always,

Ohio Is Actually Not That Bad

2009-01-20T20:49:00.004-05:00

I had a great trip to Ohio. I flew in on Saturday, and after a couple of delays (late flights, confusing city streets) Monique picked me up at the airport. We went to the "Short North", an area of Columbus where her brother Sean lives, and where we spent most of the weekend. We stopped for lunch at North Market (Vietnamese food) and then went to see a t-shirt designer who designed some great Obama t-shirts so Monique could get a t-shirt. We stopped by to see Sean's friend, Jane, who has the coolest house, and then went "home" to Sean's cute brick Victorian. We went to pick up Sean's daughter at her friend's house, where they were making plans for their all-girl band. I am determined to come up with the best band name for them -- what a cool bunch of kids!

BUYING CRUSTY BREAD AND GOAT'S CHEESE AT NORTH MARKET

Later that night, the four of us went to a restaurant called Rigsby's, and had some fantastic appetizers and drinks. Monique and I kept going until midnight, so we could celebrate her birthday. We went to a bar where Sean's kick-boxing instructor was performing with her band. It was just like old times!

It took us a while to get moving on Sunday, for some reason (like old times?). Sean made breakfast, and then Monique and I went to the Ohio State University's art museum to see an exhibit of Andy Warhol.

HANGING OUT WITH ANDY AT THE WEXNER

Sunday night was dinner with Monique's parents at a really good Italian restaurant. On Monday, we had big plans, but got bogged down at the mall, shopping and eating at The Cheesecake Factory. We made up for it with Yoga that night, and then dinner of soup and veggie drinks at a health-food restaurant called North Star. They made the best Rustic Tomato and Bread soup, ever!

All in all, it was a relaxing weekend of reminiscing, good food, and hanging out. Thank you Columbus!!!

MY ARTSY PICTURE OF HIGH STREET IN THE SHORT NORTH

Guest Blogger

2009-01-18T20:18:00.000-05:00

Hi, This is Teddy. Mommy went on a trip this weekend and told us we had to be good helpers while she's gone, so I'm helping her with her blog.

Grown-ups say crazy things sometimes, though. In the middle of dinner the other night, after I ate a lot and I was making my Celery-guy dive into the little pool of Dressing, I felt thirsty. Mommy always says I have to use my Big Boy voice, so I said, "I want something to drink!" real loud so Mommy and Daddy could hear it, except I think I might have accidentally said "I want something to eat," but celery-guy kept wanting to jump from higher and higher, so I can't remember. "Aaaaaaaah!" That was Celery guy jumping.

I know she heard me, though, because when I said:

"I want something to eat!"

She said: "Oka-a-ay . . . How about I make you a sandwich with bacon and lettuce and tomato -- like the half-eaten one on your plate in front of you?"

I think she was trying to be funny, but grown-ups always tell me it's yucky when I put food in my drink, so I said: "No! That would be disgusting!"

Celery Guy: "Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Mommy: "What's disgusting about about it?"

Me: "Because you don't want to have it when you put food in it!"

Mommy: "You want me to make a sandwich that doesn't have any food in it?" Her eyebrows were up high so they make those lines on her forehead.

Me: (using lots of words and moving my hands around like grownups do when they try to explain things) "No, not the food in the sandwich that you're eating it, it's when you don't want to have it for drinking because you're thirsty!"

Mommy: "Oh! you're thirsty; you want something to drink! Why didn't you say so?"

Celery Guy: "AAAAAaaaah."

I don't know why she would think I was hungry, when I already ate lots of bites of my dinner; grownups make everything so difficult! I hope she doesn't say crazy stuff like that to her friends this weekend, or they might send her back early.

Photo Of The Day

2009-01-17T12:47:00.000-05:00

Another weekend snowstorm

2009-01-12T09:38:00.001-05:00

We got several inches of snow on Saturday night, on top of the icy layer of snow still on the ground. We've come to really enjoy these snowy days, forced to stay home and find ways to amuse ourselves, having time to bake bread and playing in the snow.

The roads were snowy, so we didn't want to drive anywhere to go sledding. Instead we made a little ramp in the backyard and pushed the boys the 40 feet to the bottom of the yard.

Troy got snow in his collar and went inside after a few minutes, but Teddy had fun for over an hour. I got a good workout, too, shoveling snow, packing the run, and running after the sled. It's so satisfying to come inside and have a nice, warm lunch after some tiring fun in the snow!

Only one week until I go to Ohio for M's birthday. I can't wait for our "Girls Weekend."

Remember the "Seinfeld" episode about B.O.?

2009-01-11T09:04:00.004-05:00

I got a great new sweater yesterday, but it smells like a perfume I don't like. What should I do? How did I end up with a new sweater? It all starts with the dog . . .

I tried to take Pippa to her doggy-playgroup yesterday. My New Year's Resolution to get up early and take her out wasn't very successful last week (I'm not giving up). The second day, the radio alarm accidentally got turned down so low, I slept through it. The third day, it was sleeting, and I had stayed up late, so I turned off the alarm and went back to bed, Thursday blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, she had not gotten much exercise, and it was pretty cold out, so I figured I would take her to play with the dogs, where she gets completely, utterly exhausted. The place where we took puppy obedience has an indoor facility where on Saturdays they host a play group for small dogs for one hour. Of course, they charge money to do this, and so I actually pay $15, yes, $15, so that Pippa can play with dogs her size. Even though there are lots and lots of dogs in our neighborhood, it's rare to run into an opportunity for them to play and run around, and even more rare that it's really fun for Pippa because she's so much smaller than most of the Labs and Goldens around here. That's how I justify the $15.

I guess they changed the time, though, because when we got to the Fit-N-Trim Dog Agility center, there was no one there. What could I do? I went shopping at TJ Maxx nearby, and then took Pip' for a walk in our local park on the way home. At TJ Maxx they had jackets and sweaters marked way down, and I found a nice charcoal grey cardigan with a cowl neck that was marked down to $20 ($20 minus $15 saved because no dog group = sweater only cost $5). In the car, I thought I smelled car air freshener. I didn't notice until I picked up the bag to get out of the car that it was the sweater. I had it laid out all night in the enclosed porch, and it still stinks! It's some perfume that I recognize, but I don't know the name. I can smell it wafting over here now. Either someone tried it on while wearing a gallon of the stuff, or someone wore it and returned it. Is this why it was marked down? Will the smell ever go away? Ech!

P.S. I added photos to "Of God and Videogames" below. You should check them out :)

2009-01-08T21:13:00.004-05:00

In the old days, I was against the Photo-of-the-Kids Christmas Card. Every Christmas, I would tear open the envelopes from far-away friends, eagerly expecting news of how they were and what they had been doing. I would be disappointed when I would find only a picture of a child I didn't know and a sterile (I thought) "Merry Christmas."

Time goes by. Life changes.

This was the picture on our Christmas card this year:

I am now fully a converted Photo-of -Kids-Christmas-Card-ist. What I realize now, is that this photo, printed on a card ordered online, with a few words scribbled on the back, says more about how I am and what I have been doing, than I could write in 1,000 words. You have to look closely, but it's all there.

"I am happy," it says. "I am completely captivated by these two boys." In the picture, they are sitting in my lap, but all you see is the edges of my arms holding them: "They have become the most important things in my life." C isn't in the picture either; he's behind the camera: "He is as engrossed in them as I am. We are sharing this with each other." See how close he gets to them with the camera? Trying to capture forever the exact color of each eye, the shape of each tooth, the curve of each smile.

They squeeze in close together, pressing their faces to the camera: "They are happy, unembarrassed, unencumbered. They love each other."

You can see the reminder of the sun and sand of Cape Cod in the color of their cheeks, the highlights in their hair. "We took a week off and went to Cape Cod," it says. "The weather was fine. The boys are always thrilled by the waves."

"They are healthy," say the eyes and the smiles, bright and clear. "We laugh a lot, see their silly smiles? We spend time together as a family."

"And we think of you, even if we are busy. Too busy to even write anything on this card, other than a very heartfelt 'Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year'. We think of you when we see a picture in the last days of summer and think, this will make a great Christmas card. I can't wait for them to see it."

Of God and Video Games

2009-01-06T20:55:00.008-05:00

Around Thanksgiving, Troy's kindergarten teacher had the kids write and draw a picture of what they were thankful for; and for New Year's she had them write and draw a New Year's Resolution. Now, C and I are atheists and proud of it. I think the most discussion of religion Troy has heard in our house is me saying "Oh my god, Troy, how many times are you going to ask me that?" Of course, everyone is entitled to their beliefs, and we want him to be free to find his own way and beliefs, so we don't say anything negative, either; it's just a complete non-issue in our house. So imagine my, um, surprise, when I looked at his school papers and saw his "I am thankful for _____" paper.

Apparently, Troy is thankful for . . . GOD.

Complete with a drawing of the Holy Ghost in the sky.

After looking at it for several seconds with my mouth hanging open, I gently put it in the drawer with all his other drawings. A few weeks later, in front of the local Church's nativity scene, I gave Troy a little intro to Christianity. He didn't seem overly interested, and I felt my duty satisfied for the time being.

Today when I came home from work no one was home because the guys were at the bonfire where the town burns all the Christmas trees (which in itself is becoming an odd sort of community ritual). There, on the dining room table among the notices and other papers from school, I saw "My New Year's Resolution is ____." Curious, I pulled it out. Imagine my relief when I read:

"My New Year's Resolution: veleo gemks." Teacher's translation written below it: "to get better at video games."

PHEW! (I like how accurately he has tried to draw the TV on top of the cabinet, and that its main feature is the keyhole that locks the door where we keep the DVDs and videogame.)

Sledding

2009-01-04T14:00:00.003-05:00

The weekend has been cold, but sunny. We found a new sledding hill, and had a great time sledding yesterday and today. The temperature has been hovering right around freezing, so the snow was packed and fast. The boys are just old enough now to enjoy it and be able to walk up the hill on their own (mostly). I'm so happy that they're learning that you can get bundled up and have fun outside even when it's cold. Good preparation for skiing?

I took the camera along, but left it in the car because I was having too much fun sledding, myself, so no pictures. You'll just have to imagine it: C, sitting crosslegged on a round plastic sled, flying down the hill backwards, yelling "Ahh, ahhhh, AAAAHHH!"

On the last run of the day, I accidentally sent Troy into the bushes. Luckily he had his sunglasses on, but he got a good scrape on the side of his face. We ended the day in tears, worn out and hungry, but I think we'll be back again soon.

Secrets

2009-01-01T10:46:00.002-05:00

Kids say funny things, and I think one of the things that makes them funny is that they point out how illogical our use of language sometimes is. Before Christmas, I was trying to introduce the boys to the "giving" part of the holiday. I had each of them wrap a small present with me for his brother. Troy gave Teddy one of the magnets we had made out of one of his drawings. Teddy was happy with the tiny square package tied with a ribbon -- he didn't even care what was inside.

Teddy and I picked out a Star Wars figure for Troy and wrapped it together. Teddy was so excited. "I can't wait to tell Troy!"

"No, Teddy, listen. Don't say anything. It's a secret."

"Oh, yeah. OK, when Troy comes home, I'll whisper it real quiet in his ear!"

2009 has arrived in Boston

2009-01-01T00:08:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!!!!

Well, that's over

2008-12-30T20:57:00.002-05:00

There was shopping, baking, wrapping, snow, partying, and playing. The week before Christmas, I went across the street to a friends' Wrapping Party, which is a fun way to get some wrapping done. I made cookies for a cookie swap at work, and then took the assorted cookies to the Clapps' Christmas Eve party. We made a Gingerbread house that didn't turn out too great, but the cookies tasted good. We opened presents at home on Xmas morning, and then drove to Maine for the day, where we ate a big lunch and opened more presents. The next 3 days we spent hanging around, relaxing, and playing with our new toys. The Hyperdash game is fun, and Troy likes the spelling game "What's Gnu". Teddy likes his CD player and his sock monkey. They both look super cute in their new PJs and white, fluffy robes.

But Troy said it best: "the best thing about Christmas isn't the presents; the best thing is spending time with my family!"

Photo of the Day

2008-12-11T21:31:00.001-05:00

FIRST SNOW, DECEMBER 2008

Oma's Story

2008-12-11T19:44:00.011-05:00

My mother is now mostly known as Oma, the German word for Grandma. Here is a bit of her story. I hope there will be more to come.

Oma was born in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1941, the youngest of three children. I get the sense that she admired her older brother and sister, but also that she enjoyed the indulgent attention she received as the baby of the family. At a time when little German girls wore knee socks and flowered dresses with matching aprons, Oma preferred Lederhosen. She exasperated her mother by balancing on the high wall that separated their courtyard from the schoolyard next door, and shocked her aunts by whistling "like a boy."

Heidelberg is an ancient city built of red sandstone nestled in the crook where the vast, flat stretches of the Rhine River valley meet the thickly forested hills of the Odenwald. Roads that were first cleared by the Romans are still in use today, and a medieval stone castle stands on the side of a hill overlooking the city (photo). The house where Oma grew up, on the Fahrtgasse, was a stone building on a narrow street in the center of the town (kind of like this one). Ingrid's father, Paul, was a cobbler, and his shop was on the ground floor, facing the street. A sally-port led to the small courtyard in the back of the shop, surrounded on three sides by houses and on the fourth by the wall of the schoolyard next door. A staircase led from the courtyard with its small, raised garden area, to the second floor apartment. The residents had to leave the apartment and cross an exterior balcony to reach the tiny bathroom with its pull-chain, raised-tank toilet.

It's fitting, in a way, that the house on the Fahrtgasse was eventually torn down to make way for a municipal swimming pool because water and swimming weave through the story of Oma's childhood. In those days, the Neckar river, which cuts a sharp valley through the Odenwald and also cuts through the city of Heidelberg, was an integral part of life in the city, a major conduit of commerce and a source of livelihood, recreation, and danger -- the high-water marks of the Neckar are still visible on the oldest buildings. As a child, Oma followed the older children down the street to swim in the Neckar. Her older brother, Klaus, would swim with her on his back. When she was five, she swam across the Neckar by herself the first time. The Neckar is as wide as a football field is long, and deep and swift enough to carry barges laden with timber. Later, she joined in the games of daring the children played: grabbing the side of a low-lying barge to get towed upstream, swimming under a barge, underwater from one side to the other, or climbing over the high railing of the bridge to jump the 20 feet or so into the river.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

First snow

2008-12-08T19:29:00.000-05:00

The boys went to get a tree on Saturday. I was hesitating to put it up, because our living room is so small. Now that it's up, it looks nice a cozy, though.

We woke up on Sunday morning to the first snow fall. It was the really pretty kind that sticks to all the branches of the trees. Annakin and Luke put on their boots and coats over their pajamas and went outside to play (it was just after 7 in the morning). I stood in the doorway in my slippers and shushed them when they got too loud so they wouldn't wake the neighbors. Then we had hot chocolate and Lebkuchen for breakfast. It fun to spoil them sometimes!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-07T19:40:00.000-05:00

How was your Thanksgiving? Ours was pleasant and relaxing -- definitely the effect of going to someone else's house for the holiday. Some people say Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday, and I can understand that. It hides in the shadow of its splendidly shining older siblings, Christmas and Hanukkah, just as warm if not as glamorous. It has the good food, but without the shopping, consumerism and stress.

For the past several years, we have been invited to my sister, K's. For those of you who don't know us in real life (IRL), my sister and I married two brothers. I highly recommend marrying your sister's husband's brother, for a couple of reasons: first, when you complain about your in-laws to your sister, she REALLY can sympathize. JUST KIDDING, in-laws!! Seriously, it's great to go to my sister's for Thanksgiving and have my husband's family there. Even better is spending Christmas with my husband's family, and having my sister there, too.

So, as has become the tradition, we picked up C's sister, Samantha, and drove down to K and J's. The drive is always more fun with Sammy Jo along. I'll be disappointed if she ever makes good on the threat to get a driver's license. When we arrived, around noon, Annakin and Luke disappeared with their four cousins, and reappeared only occasionally (*big, relaxed sigh*). Grampa and Tracy arrived a little while later, in time to break open the wine and help prepare the meal. We had a late lunch, with all the trimmings (other than Samantha's Tofurkey, accidentally left home alone). Then, Samantha and I took most of the kids and three of the dogs for a walk to the beach.

We got back in time for dessert in front of the fireplace. C made his sought-after chocolate chip cookies from his secret recipe (here's a hint: it's on the back of the chocolate chip bag), and K made a pumpkin pie and a pecan pie. Completely stuffed, we put the boys in their pjs, and headed back home. I always regret having to leave, but it sure feels good to collapse into my own bed to sleep!

I hope you all enjoyed good company and good food, too. Love always.

Regrets

2008-12-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have a confession: I got a puppy from a pet store. No, not recently (I just gave everyone in my family a heart attack -- sorry). It was 1992, and I was young and stupid. I dragged C into a pet store with me after an afternoon at the mall, "just to look," and I fell in love with a Boston Terrier puppy. We left that evening, but after hours of badgering, C gave in and agreed to getting the puppy. We went back the next day. It was November 1st, a beautiful fall New England day. I was wearing a multi-colored, plaid, wool shirt from the Gap. We walked home from the pet store, and when we got to the bridge, I carried Max in the crook of my arm.

I never regretted getting Max (as you can probably tell from the fact that I remember everything about that day, including what I was wearing). I do, however, regret giving money to the pet store industry. Pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills that crank out dogs like sausages, and treat the "breeders" like machines -- think chicken farm with dogs piled in cages instead of birds. Then, the pet stores keep the puppies isolated in cages during their critical socialization period, teaching them to go to the bathroom where they sleep, and otherwise creating dogs that make poor family pets, while millions of healthy dogs are abandoned and euthanized at shelters every year.

Max turned out to be a great dog, but we were lucky. Don't do what I did. If you're going to get a dog, go to the shelter or a reputable breeder. Sorry for the preaching. I guess I needed to get that off my chest.

Sleepy Day-After-Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T19:13:00.000-05:00

Christmas in Germany

2008-11-25T21:47:00.000-05:00

Every year around this time I start thinking about Christmas in Germany. In Germany, our Christmas tree was always small, with short needles and plenty of space between the branches to hang the decorations. Every year it was decorated with clear, glass balls that were tied to the branches with little bits of red ribbons. Most of the ornaments were stars woven out of stiff, gold-colored straw, or tiny wooden figures painted with glossy paint. My favorites, though were the tiny angels made out of a little wooden ball for a head and a ring of fluffy white feathers forming a gown. There were strings of white lights, but on Christmas eve the sparkle was provided by dozens of little red candles clipped to the branches with pewter clips shaped like pinecones.

The first weekend in December, Oma would bake an assortment of cookies -- sugar cookies cut into shapes and glazed with egg or sprinkled with powdered sugar, vanilla and chocolate spirals, meringues, almond cookies and (an addition picked up in the States) Pecan Tassies. Every sunday we would celebrate the Advent by lighting a candle and having "Kaffee und Kuchen," the German version of Tea.

The weeks before Christmas also brought the Christmas Market to town. Despite the cold and usually dreary weather, everyone would visit the old center of town to shop at the stalls selling handcrafts, knick knacks, and Lebkuchen, and to drink hot spiced wine.

It became the tradition to have fondue for dinner on Christmas eve. After dinner we would sing carols before finally diving into the pile of gifts, a happy confusion of searching for presents, ripping paper and exclamations of surprise and thanks.

What a change when I first began spending Christmas with C's family. There, the tree is as tall as the ceiling, plump and bushy. It is covered with a layer of sparkling painted glass ornaments, tinsel, lights, and lovingly-preserved kids crafts. Lights twinkle around the whole house, inside and out, lighting up Christmas pictures, dishes, towels and figures in every nook and cranny. In the kitchen C's mom would be dressed in a Christmas sweater, wearing tiny, tinkling sleigh bells for earrings, cooking dinner or dessert. Christmas eve, after the kids were in bed or gone home, would be spent drinking wine, decorating the tree and wrapping presents, late into the night.

To the dismay of the little ones, this would delay breakfast and consequently the Opening of Presents in the morning. No running down the stairs and ripping open presents, here. First, everyone would assemble in the living room (not an easy feat in itself) and one person was designated "Santa" (usually C or his brother). "Santa" would pick a gift from the mountain of presents bulging under the tree, read the tag ("To Gramma, from C") and hand the gift to the recipient. Everyone watched the unwrapping, and when all admirations and thanks were expressed, the next gift was announced. As you can imagine, this process could take many hours, and the Opening of Presents often had to be interrupted for lunch, and sometimes even for dinner. Sometimes, when the mountain of presents began to seem a little thin, Gramma or Grampa would disappear, only to return with more bags or "big presents", too big to be wrapped.

Christmas with C's family was always fun, warm and comfortable, but I often missed my own family traditions. At first, Christmas didn't seem quite right without the candles and the Christmas market and cookies. I felt like I was missing something, but I didn't realize that I was gaining something, too. I don't know when, exactly, but at some point, the H family tradition became my traditions, too. Suddenly, I didn't want a Christmas without the "Santa" and the endless, one-at-a-time, unwrapping. And yet, I still missed the German cookies and Advent wreaths and candles.

It's only now, with two little boys to focus things, that I'm starting to let go of that It Has To Be The Way That It Always Was mentality. Now I see that the meaningful things that we do are becoming our traditions -- baking a gingerbread house, cutting a tree, Christmas eve party at the Clapps, Christmas day in Maine. I want to give the boys happy memories; I just hope they don't spend too much time trying to recreate The Way It Always Was someday.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Christina

The First Joke, Ever

2008-11-20T21:21:00.003-05:00

(First, an informational note: I'm tired of using T1 and T2 for the boys. It seems so impersonal; plus it's awkward to always have to type numbers. I still want to keep some anonymity on the 'web, though, so I'm going to go for Anakin and Luke, their favorite Star Wars characters instead. OK? OK.)

Anyway, Anakin made up his first real joke tonight. Pippa was licking his face which he loves. "She's a lick-er!" he said, giggling. Then, turning to me, he said, "Maybe she went to the . . . Licker store!" *silly grin*

(And no comments, please, about why the phrase "liquor store" is on the tip of my 5-year-old's tongue.)

Coincidence? I think not

2008-11-19T20:18:00.004-05:00

T2 went for his three-year check-up yesterday. He was:

Three years and three months old;

Three feet and three inches tall; and

Thirty-three pounds.

("Congratulations, it's a cube!")

Co-inky-dinky? I don't know, but I feel like I should play all threes in the lottery . . .

Photo of the Day

2008-11-19T11:35:00.002-05:00

Note to self: Pay a little more attention when furiously cleaning up kids' toys.

Visiting the Cousins

2008-11-17T21:18:00.002-05:00

We had a fun weekend with H and A and the cousins. T1, T2, and I jumped in the car Saturday and made the 3 hour drive. T1 got car sick for the first time (just queasy, not actually sick) but felt better after a little stop. Still made it by lunch time, plenty of time for playing and, when the rain cleared, a walk in the woods to a playground with the 5 kids and 3 dogs. Then, great Fajitas by A, wine for the mommies, and a movie for the kids. More playing in the morning, with lots of jumping on the trampoline, another attempt at a walk (little Xavier was tired, but too excited to sit still in the stroller). After lunch, we headed home for a relaxing Sunday evening at home. I actually played a board game with T1 and T2: Hi Ho Cherry-O. Too bad these weekends can't last forever . . .

Love,

Christina

Six Things

2008-11-11T21:19:00.003-05:00

Six Things My Dad Taught Me (see credits in prior post):

1. Why the sky is blue.

2. Why the leaves fall.

3. A good night's sleep is essential preparation for anything.

4. Don't take any wooden nickels.

5. If you're not 5 minutes early, you're late.

6. Follow the rules.

A faith in science, the ability to think logically, and the tools to succeed in life. Thanks, Dad! Plus, when Troy asked me why the sky is blue, I was actually able to explain it to him. "You 'splained that real good, Dad!"

Love,

Christina

Six Things

2008-11-11T21:09:00.004-05:00

(I stole this idea from Suburban Rage's Five Things.)

Six Things My Mother Taught Me:

1. How to cook

2. How to sew (my livelihood for a while)

3. How to have a positive attitude

4. If you're trying to save money, allow yourself to spend just a little; if you try to deny yourself completely, you're liable not to stick with it. (Hence the little shopping trip today.)

5. Eat real, good food in moderation. (That's not a glaring grammatical error. I mean food that is good and food that is "real", as in not highly processed.) Someone wrote a whole book about this, but my mom knew it all along.

6. Sometimes it's OK to break the rules, just a little bit. (To be read in conjunction with Dad's Rule # 6, Follow The Rules).

Thanks, Mom! These are the foundation of health, happiness, income, and a cute new jacket.

Love, Christina

Photo of the day

2008-11-06T16:38:00.004-05:00

My first "baby," Max, at about 11 years old, in October 2003. The perfect dog! (Sorry Pippa, you're energetic, fun, eager to please, and definitely irreplaceable, but there are big shoes to fill.)

I am Placid

2008-11-04T15:25:00.004-05:00

I've been practicing being placid the past couple of days. Last night as I was on the train on the way home, our conductor Tom (remember, I ride the same train, same car, every night, so I know him) announced that there had been an accident in the Salem tunnel. We were stopped in the middle of the marsh between Chelsea and Lynn, where we sat for about half an hour. I listened to my ipod and worked on some writing ("Cool! More time to work on a blog topic!") Eventually we pulled into Lynn station so we could get off the train and get on shuttle busses to Salem. Hundreds of us stood outside for almost another half an hour, waiting for a bus. ("At least C is home with the kids, so I don't have to worry about hurrying home. I'll let the others get on first.") Finally, we piled onto a bus and started winding our way through Lynn, Swampscott, Salem and on to Beverly. I listened to my ipod and looked out the window, enjoying seeing the roast beef joints and physical therapy storefronts of Lynn, comparing them to the quaint pubs and bakeries of Salem. ("I haven't seen sights like this in a while. I should come back and take some pictures!")

We finally got out at Beverly Depot, and walked over to an empty train parked there. The conductor wasn't sure whether the train would be heading outbound (home), or inbound. We stood around on the platform and waited . . . No one seemed to know what was going on. I called Kathleen and talked for a while . . . No, this train would be heading inbound, we should go back to the other track to catch an outbound train. We waited some more . . . There was some rumbling in the crowd . . . I called Heidi ("I got a chance to talk to my sisters without interruptions!") Finally, the outbound train arrived, and the conductors announced it was bound for Rockport. Half of the waiting crowd yelled "Yay!" and climbed aboard. The other half moaned, and kept on waiting (me included).

At this point it was three hours after I had left North Station on my normally-45-minute ride home. Finally, another outbound train arrived. I knew right away it was my train because . . . conductor Tom opened the door and stepped out! This was the very same train I had debarked about two hours earlier!! I sat back down in the very same seat I had been warming while in the marsh. In the time it took for them to get everyone off the trains, into shuttle busses, through three towns and cooled off on the platform, they had cleared the tunnel and let the trains through. Tom shook his head as we got on; I chuckled and sat down and looked out the window because: I was placid.

How could I be so placid? One of the phone calls I made explains why. Heidi and I decided that we kind of miss being bored. With jobs and kids and pets and spouses and everything else, there is definitely no time to get bored. "Remember when we used to get bored?" She asked. "Oh, yes! Wasn't it great? Some day I want to be bored again. Have enough time to do all the things I want to do, until I run out of stuff and get bored. *sigh* I remember being bored." She told me about her friend with two young kids who did a catering job recently. They wanted someone to just stand behind the buffet table and keep an eye on it. The other waitresses were confused why they would be asked to just stand there, but Heidi's friend happily volunteered -- just stand there and do nothing, talk to nobody? No deadline? No runny noses or why's? Ahhhh, thank you! It's like a little vacation! I'll pay you so I just stand here by myself kind of half-smiling!

These days, I actually relish the opportunity to be completely still. No I-have-to's or I-really-should-be's. Mind you, it was hard to let it all go, but once I did, I was . . . placid.

Keyboard broke

2008-11-04T10:18:00.002-05:00

Can/'ty bloighl, kerypboiardf broiker., Watyer spilked oin/ it.,

Weekend Over!

2008-11-02T20:35:00.004-05:00

Halloween in the suburbs is basically a candy swap. C and the boys were gone for almost two hours, collecting candy, while I stayed home waiting for trick-or-treaters. Unfortunately, our street is pretty dark, and barely anyone came by, so we collected more candy than we gave out. We let the boys binge for a few minutes when they got home, and yesterday and today they actually didn't really ask for any candy.

T1's friend, Luke, and his mom stopped by, because they had been at a party nearby. He and Luke were so happy to see each other, we got together again on Saturday. We took Luke with us for a walk at Wingaersheek beach, and then they stayed for dinner. It was nice to have drop-in visitors like that, because I didn't have the stress of getting ready ahead of time.

Today I ran a few errands, and worked on the cushion covers I'm making for the wrought iron patio sofa. I know it seems weird to be working on them now, when we won't be able to use them until Spring, but I want to push myself to get them done, so they'll be ready when the weather gets nice (and I won't want to stay inside sewing any more). I also found some cool paper on sale at the craft store, and made T1 work on a project with me. I can't tell, because they may end up in some of your stockings!!

The boys are in bed now, but they had some super crankies there for a while -- sheesh! I wonder if it's the time change? Anyway, another weekend is over, and I didn't get a chance to call anyone. Hope you're all well. We miss you. Love,

Christina

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T18:39:00.003-04:00

I had a busy week at work, but was able to catch the early train home tonight. Just us Friday afternoon commuters and a whole herd of ghouls, goblins, and witches on their way to Salem to go Trick-or-treating (yeah, right). When I got home, we gobbled down a slice of pizza and got our own goblins ready. They've been gone almost an hour already collecting candy, while our giant bowl of candy sits here with not one visitor (we're going to have so much candy).

I don't have the photos of their costumes, yet (the battery in the camera died), but in the spirit of Halloween, here are some of my face-painting masterpieces.

(By the way, this post (her e) made me laugh so hard, by eyes were watering. Warning, it's gross-funny.)

Too much time alone with my thoughts today

2008-10-29T20:43:00.005-04:00

I had to drive to Worcester and back for a deposition today. Driving long distances in the car is always good for thinking deep thoughts. I had two today:

1. Is the smiley face is going to become the first new punctuation mark since the Middle Ages? On the one hand, it conveys something that the other punctuation marks can't (like, I'm being ironic, or trying to be funny). On the other hand, if I need to use a smiley face to tell the person I'm writing to that he or she shouldn't take what I just said seriously, I'd rather say it better so it's clear, or not say it at all. I'm reminded that in primate body language (that includes human body language), the baring of teeth (smiling) can be a sign of submission: "I'm not a threat to you". Does it mean something that few if any men use smiley faces in their writing? :)

2. Is "strategery" is going to insinuate itself into American English? I heard two people use the word in conversation this week. They prefaced it with something like, "As George Bush would say, 'strategery' . . ." But it's a catchy word ("strategery"), and if people keep saying that, it's going to become like "The Three R's", or "ginormous", words/phrases that people use as a joke so often that they go beyond cliche and start to actually mean something.

Magic Words

2008-10-28T19:01:00.003-04:00

I started reading Harry Potter to T1. I'm so happy -- I love Dr. Seuss, but it's hard to maintain your enthusiasm the 793rd time reading it. Troy seems to like it, and it made for a funny exchange this morning:

C: (to me) I think T1 likes Harry Potter; he made a wand and he's been walking around all morning saying that spell you were reading about last night.

C: (to T1) (who was in the bathroom) Troy, what's that spell you've been saying?

T1: What?

C: What is that magic spell?

T1: What?

C: What are the magic words?!

T2 (chimes in from the bathroom, in his high-pitched voice): "Thank you!"

(Please note that T2 was in the same half-bath as T1, for some unexplained reason, other than he seems to be tethered to his big brother these days.)

Photo of the Day

2008-10-27T21:09:00.003-04:00

This was Angel, the Boxer we adopted last year. Unfortunately, her seizures (which we knew she had when we adopted her) became worse shortly after we got her, and she only lived for a few months. She was a sweet dog, and the boys adored her. I was hopeful that we could give her a nice life for the last years of her life. Even though it only turned out to be a few months, I'm think she enjoyed it while she was here . . .

We got her from a great rescue group, called Second Chance Boxer Rescue (here).

Some silliness, loosely based on history

2008-10-25T18:55:00.003-04:00

I first met my husband's family 17 years ago. They were suspicious of me at first, I just know it. Or maybe I was just nervous and self-conscious about meeting my boyfriend's family. Would they like me? Would they accept me into the family? When I met my husband's older sister and her kids Amber and Noah, though, I knew my acceptance was sealed, because . . . Amber and I had the SAME FAVORITES!

Amber is in her 20's now and cute as the VW bug she drives. She was already cute as a button when I first met her, even though as a 6-year-old she was free to interrogate me in a way the adults didn't dare:

Amber (six years old): What's your favorite color?

Me (perched nervously on edge of sofa): Purple.

Amber: gasp That MY favorite color too!!!

What's your favorite animal?

Me: I like horses.

Amber: bigger gasp THAT'S MY FAVORITE ANIMAL, TOO!!! (Beaming)

Mom, guess what? (Runs to tell family the breaking news)

Me (leaning back): Oh yeah. I am totally in, now.

Thanks Amber!

Inertia Pays Off

2008-10-23T12:13:00.004-04:00

Dear Friends,

Tonight I'm going to the Women's Bar Association's annual dinner. I like to go because there's always a good speaker, and being in a room with hundreds of women attorneys always make me feel like my job is more than just a job -- that it's a career and a community of people with similar interests and goals. It reminds me of the importance of what we, collectively, do, and even though I'm just a cog in a little wheel, the legal system as a whole helps society function. It's also nice to see that there are lots of nice, friendly people out there who like their jobs and like to help others.

When I first started going, it felt really awkward, because I was trying to "network", but I didn't know anybody. It's really hard to strike up a conversation, even if you're in a room with 600 people! I'm excited tonight, though, because I've been involved in the organization long enough, that I'm sure to run into people I know. Also, another woman and I arranged to sit together, and we're going to be sitting with the New Lawyers, so there will be others there who are more nervous than me! That's one benefit of getting old, I guess: I get the benefits of having been around longer. Inertia pays off!

Love,

Christina

Disco dancing and jack-o-lanterns

2008-10-21T19:17:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone,

On Saturday we went to two birthday parties. T1 and I had fun at

his friend's sixth birthday party, with parachute games, cake and ice cream. That night all got to go for a friend's 40th birthday at the Bowl-O-Mat, with a disco ball, black light, 80's music and pizza:

The kids loved it, from the bowling to the disco dancing, to the pizza. We took it easy on Sunday, though. We all have a cold, and were feeling a little cranky. We did manage to carve some pumpkins and go for a walk, and found a boat for Opa:

Happy sailing.

Christina

How's That For Superpowers? Award

2008-10-20T17:54:00.003-04:00

And the award goes to:

My sister, K, whose stove has been broken for a week, and who has been cooking meals for her family of six on a conga line of small appliances: a two-burner hot plate, an electric griddle, a crockpot, a microwave, and a toaster oven. But that's not what the award is for. Oh, no. The award is because yesterday she made traditional German "Rouladen" (see here) with mashed potatoes and gravy. I can barely do that on a real stove!

Crime in a small town

2008-10-19T14:56:00.004-04:00

Dear Friends, Family and Visitors,

We live in a small New England town that I will call SoHa. We feel privileged to live here, where the streets are clean, the houses have picket fences, and the parks have stone walls and manicured baseball fields. The majority of our neighbors are even more "privileged" than we are, from the latest SUVs, to nannys, to second homes.

A few weeks ago, C took T1 and T2 to the park. T1 and T2 rode their scooters, as they've been doing since they got them this summer, gleefully zipping down the sidewalks of SoHa, keeping up their constant stream of chatter. When they got to the park, they dropped their scooters at the edge of the grass and ran to the playground. C briefly noticed some teenagers using foul language and messing around on the war memorial, but he quickly turned his attention back to pushing T1 and T2 on the swings. A while later, when they were ready to leave, the scooters were gone. A man nearby told C he had seen the two teenage boys ride off on them. One of the boys had longish blond hair sticking out from under a baseball cap.

One of the scooters turned up back at the park about a week later (thank you, Charlie, T1's friend, who spotted it and would not rest until it was returned!) The other appears to be gone forever. About a week after they were stolen, I saw a teenager with longish blond hair sticking out from under his baseball cap, hanging around the shopping center, riding what looked like T1's scooter. Before I could decide what to do, he was gone.

T1 and T2 were disappointed when they're scooters were taken, but not distraught. C and I were more upset than they were. The scooter could be replaced, but should we take some action so that the teenager wouldn't just get away with stealing a little kid's scooter? We struggled with whether to report the incident to the police.

I tried not to judge the boy and his parents, whoever they were. I know teenagers do foolish things, but I couldn't help wondering, what kind of kid would steal something in plain view of adults like that? Is he so spoiled that he thinks he can instantly have anything he wants? Or have his parents failed to instill the most basic values in him? Or are there kids who do bad things, despite their parents' best efforts? As the parent of two young boys, that was the most disturbing thought for me, that a parent can do his or her best, and the kid could fail to learn right from wrong.

In the end we did go to the police. We went to the police, not because we thought the boy was bad or because we wanted retribution. We went to the police because he is the son of one of our neighbors, even if we don't know them, and we thought they would want to know what their son had done. Some day our boys will be teenagers messing around in the park, and I hope that our neighbors will be our eye and ears, helping us to ensure that they never learn the lesson that they can steal something without consequences. I hope for the best for that boy; I hope the police catch him.

Love,

Christina

Photo of the day

2008-10-17T21:06:00.001-04:00

TOADSTOOL AND MOSS BALL

Photo of the day

2008-10-16T21:00:00.003-04:00

This is T2, who is three years and two months.

If you ask him what he wants to be when he grows up,

he says "a daddy."

Photo of the day

2008-10-15T20:59:00.003-04:00

Can you believe it?

I baked this bread by myself!

I just had to take a picture of it.

WMWASAHH's Unite!

2008-10-14T21:24:00.008-04:00

Dear family, friends and visitors,

There is something they don't tell you about being a WMWASAHH (Working Mom With A Stay At Home Husband). I've only been a WMWASAA* for two months, but I've already become a female chauvinist. It begins almost immediately, First, you find yourself coming home from work like a 1950's-style dad in panty hose, dropping your bag at the door, patting the kids on the head, and leaning over the stove to kiss your husband on the cheek while checking out what's for dinner. It seems like fun until, over the next few weeks, those pesky thoughts start creeping into your head as you walk in the door -- They're watching TV again? I thought the house would be cleaner now that he's at home all day, not messier! WHAT WAS HE DOING ALL DAY? -- even though just a short while ago it was YOU (me) who, after an exhausting day spent alternating between playing with the kids and battling with them over basic things like not strangling each other, would become immune to the chaos of objects on the floor and plop them in front of the television so you could frantically fix dinner.

Being a WMWASAHH seems to magnify your worst traits, turning you into a female chauvinist without you realizing it, like the goo that turns Spider Man into Venom. (Yes, it's true; since giving birth to two boys, all my cultural references are to comic book heroes.) When I started this blog, it was going to be about the qualities it takes to be a stay-at-home dad. Only it quickly began to sound like those books that used to instruct women how to be good wives. I was trying to praise my husband when I said "He's always been interested in fashion and clothes, so he's careful with the laundry and can pick out outfits for the boys." Huh!?! That's a compliment? Suddenly, I realized I was uttering the feeble praise of a closet chauvinist. What would he say about me? That I'm a very involved working mom, because I read to the boys every night? Somehow, the (im)balance between us didn't change, we just traded roles. This is a very uncomfortable position for me to find myself in, after years of examining the women lawyers' attempts to find work-life balance, and demanding equal commitment to home and family from men.

In my defense, though, C isn't a SAHD because of stereotyping or because his abilities are undervalued. He is a SAHD and I'm a WMWASAHH exactly because we are equal partners -- we are equal, so we are each able to throw off gender stereotypes and do what we together decided is best for our family. I'm working on reforming my female chauvinistic ways, and I think we're going to do all right.

Love, Christina

*For now, pronounce it WUM-wa-sah. Some day, when us WMWASAHH's are fully represented in society, someone will come up with a better acronym, at least one you can make into an easy-to-pronounce nickname like the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (you're surprised I know what HIPAA stands for? You don't even know the amount of useless information I have stored in brain; now if only I could remember my wedding anniversary).

Photo of the day

2008-10-13T20:39:00.002-04:00

Halibut Point State Park

2008-10-12T20:08:00.005-04:00

Just a note: Hi everyone! Today the whole family went to Cape Ann, for a walk through Halibut Point State Park, and a picnic down by the water. It was another one of those amazing fall days in New England, and one of those days when everything just worked and everyone was happy. I think we've made it through the Terrible Twos (which I think should be called the Terrible 1 1/2 to 3 1/2's!!) Yours Truly . . .

Photo of the day

2008-10-11T21:20:00.005-04:00

We had a great day, hope you did, too!

Photo of the day

2008-10-10T16:40:00.004-04:00

Five Years Ago Today (T1 and Scary-Cat, from Auntie S.)

Photo of the day

2008-10-09T20:58:00.003-04:00

Memories

2008-10-09T20:48:00.005-04:00

I was trying to think of my earliest memory, but I can't seem remember back very far. I think I have a vague memory of a visit to Germany, to my grandmother's house, the house where my mother grew up. I remember the hard dampness of the city, the smell of smoked meats coming out of a butcher shop, and the coldness of the bathroom that had no heat and one of those tanks high up with a chain to flush it.

Another early memory is of laughing with my family around the dinner table. My sisters, K and H must have been about 1 and 2, because H was still in a high chair, but K was a toddler. H was flinging her spaghetti noodles around, and managed to stick one to the wall. K, finished with the food on her plate, got up from the table and, as she left the room, nonchalantly peeled the noodle off the wall and ate it. My parents and I thought this was extraordinarily funny, and we all laughed. What a strange thing to remember for 35 years!

What's your earliest memory?

Thought you might like to know

2008-10-08T13:05:00.003-04:00

I stumbled on these a few years ago, and keep going back to them. If you're looking for something to do on the Web with your infant or toddler, try out Kneebouncers. You play the games by hitting any key on the keyboard (so easy, an adult can do it).

For older kids, (and adults who still have some hand-eye coordination left), try the beautifully-designed Orisinal: Morning Sunshine Games by Ferry Halim.

The illustrations and subjects are sweet, and many of them don't involve hitting or shooting. (The ones that do seem innocent and are not bloody or gory.) I like the ladybug one ("Bugs"), but apparently the bee game is the most popular. A bonus: the music is tinkly and calming -- no blasters, driving beats, electric guitars, or other noisy-noise, to drive everyone else in the room kookamunga. I would let T1 and T2 play them, if I could get my fingers untangled from trying them myself :)

Thought you might like to know . . .

Love,
Christina