Staying occupied....

Not me, that is. I have no problem in that area - busy, busy evening last night - even busier day today. I am still in the throes of redesigning and reconcepting this blog space PLUS a new, VERY interesting writing project has entered my radar - loooong selection process and I am actually anticipating heavy competition, so.... we'll see.

Anyway - stay busy, y'all (and, SL, stay true to you - do not let anyone stray you from your path :-).

Photo: Milo, staying busy with his new indoor ring toss ;-). We did "My Little Outback" in Squirrel Hill yesterday (thanks for invite, E) - have done it before, and I do have photos to share, but.... I am also way pressed for time today. Details, endorsements and recommendations to follow shortly :-).

Oh... and EVERYONE slept soundly through the night last night! Are we back on track? I think we are :-). Off to a workout then to help at school then to run some birthday errands then.... well - you get the picture... Enjoy your "busy" today, everyone...

School drop-off, a Blogher response

Currently, we have icy pavement, muddy grass, chilly air, and a lot of mittens, hats and coats to track on our way to school. Post-holiday, we are a little slower with lunches, back packs and gym shoes, but... both my boys, the preschooler and the kindergartner, head off cheerfully and ready to start their days. My high school freshman is a little more reluctant, leggings under her uniform skirt, back pack so heavy with homework that I don't know how she makes it into the school, she does head out, encouraged by her involvement with youth group, class council, and indoor lacrosse :-) later in the day. Of course, the three year old is with me - happy to have her one on one time, though full of warm weather memories - days on which she would "help" me get the boys to school (daddy having driven the teen). Way back when school first started, it WAS sunny and warm - everyone still tanned and rested from summer. Back then, it was light and people chatted and played on the playground, walked the neighborhood, met for coffee - love that our little school in an urban neighborhood has that feel to it. Now, it is so dark - streets stained with salt (but the snow all melted ;-(, so we all head back home, like hermits, to our fires and our coffee ;-).

So .... meditating on the photo of warm weather fun - laughing (again) at the sweet little paper and marker "friends" hanging on the wall welcoming us back during "back to school season" - AND looking forward, in this new year :-), to helping kindergarten with some winter crafts, my teen's birthday, a skiing outing on the horizon, my three year old's return to her "morning out" program, and a big gymnastic party for the preschooler this coming weekend. All good. All school stuff :-).

So far - so good

Resolutions to stop and smell the roses more - do lunch with hubby - workout - stay engaged, organized and task-oriented (blowing through that old "to do" list ;-) are going rather well. Of course, it is pretty much officially day 1, but.... a good start, regardless.

So we did a morning in the Strip District (and, yes, locals, it was cold :-). Breakfast at Deluca's (eggs benedict for hubby - veggie breakfast burrito for me) - Steelers gear shopping (as hubby said.... gotta be ready for the play-offs) - a stinky stop in Wholey's fish market where Lil was fascinated by the live striped bass and lobsters - a fragrant stop in Penzey's spices where we only had the foresight to grab ready-made taco seasoning despite loads of tempting, lovely, exotic spices - then.... limited by time, we grabbed a coffee and headed off to get Milo at school (and, yes, the routine is in full swing - Olivia due home soon - Enzo next...). A nice day :-).

And, btw - I am on a personal quest for improvement, as many of you out there are. I do always appreciate your comments - and.... lately, they have come mostly via Facebook and Facebook messaging, which I love. I also appreciate all the blog comments and my emails (and texts :-) as well. I LOVE hearing your stories - rants about your challenges - quick notes about happy moments - bursts of ego-boosting comments - and even probing questions regarding what to do in difficult situations. I even like "nice photo", "I disagree with you" and other random-ish comments. So.... thanks, as always. I'm sorry that some of you have either stopped following me or just prefer not to interact on this blog - would love to have you back - know that all bloggers in this niche area do like the back and forth, but.... I do respect the fact that some people have chosen to move on. Remember, though, it NEVER hurts to lend support, a shoulder to cry on, or a bit of snarky, funny, or serious advice ;-).

See you later this week; I need a bit of a break.

A Blur

That's right. These past few weeks at home - with family - holiday festivities - crazy hours, etc. - has felt like a literal blur. Truly. I mean, we are "in it" on a daily basis, so... it gets past us, ya know? Museum one day - home baking cookies the next - trying to get out to see a movie without kids the next - family dinner after that.... and on and on. Well, today it all ended, and we went back to the bulk of the school year (that's right - NOT half over yet) with a new year on the calendar, feeling (hopefully) refreshed and ready to begin new projects (and, if you're me, finish way old ones ;-).

So ... as is the case with most new years, new starts or - who am I kidding?? - new weeks, in general, my brain is filled with a bunch of random stuff. Foremost in my mind? The happy fact that Hidden Valley ski resort now has care for the younger kids. When we went in previous years, any little ones under 4 (and I've had a few) had nowhere to go aside from a random craft or snack gathering in one of the rooms in the very small lodge there. Now.... kids 2 - 6 years old can stay all day in the "Powder Pups" room where they will do, presumably, fun indoor activities while the "big people" ski :-). I have Lil signed up for MLK weekend.

Next? The fact that REM has a new album coming out 8 March 2011. Not sure how I feel about it. LOVE REM,but... have not been overly impressed with recent releases. I hear Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam, of course) is on this one. At one time, I thought he was a bit of a cry baby, but... after seeing his great tribute to REM when they were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (Hi, Cleveland :-) a few years ago, his speech was just so great, and.... I decided to give him another chance ;-). Anyway.... we'll see.....

And.... this just in..... Applauding a mother I just saw on the Today Show who wrote the book My Princess Boy in response to her 4 (now 5) year old boy's love of dresses and anything pink or sparkly and... his conviction to actually wear such outfits, often to the dismay of his classmates, family and other peers. His mom, in a brave show of support, has written a book to help other kids struggling with acceptance and / or bullying for their individuality. A lesson for us all, I think. I just remember feeling total acceptance for all my quirks when I went to my Montessori school, but... as soon as I moved and went to public school.... not so much. I know kids, now, who have left the comfort of their smaller private grade and middle schools to go to larger high schools where bullying or teasing for all sorts of things exists - from the way people dress to the activities they do - if they are, at all, different than their peers. So.... like I said.... applauding her today.

And, lastly, I am a little freaked that I just heard a comedian, Greg Giraldo, who I really like died like two months ago. I had no idea - have been laughing at him for years now. Anyway ... it was another prescription drug overdose, which just scares me. I mean, what are people thinking when they abuse themselves in such a way - taking drugs that are legal but can causes serious damage??? Sad.

So .... yeah - the New Year. Oh - and all those resolutions..... Hubby hitting the gym this am (all energetic,basking in the Steelers recent big win :-) - the teen asked me to pack her a healthy lunch today, and... me.... well..... I finally made a couple of silly, check up appointments that I have not had time for all year (the three little ones could care less - aside from resuming their regular routine). Time to check off that "to do" list and time to get healthy and stay active. We'll see how long that lasts for all of us, huh? ;-)

Speaking of such resolutions, I will be cleaning up Christmas for the rest of the day.... trying to get and stay organized along the way. Happy day to all of you, btw! 2011. Bring it!

Photo: Hubby and his band - circa 1995 (in the spirit of reminiscing over the holidays, this photo & an accompanying newspaper article emerged from somewhere).

One person's New Year's Day is not another's.

So ... we spent the day doing a little shopping - using some gift cards, preparing for the barrage of January birthdays on the horizon and... just taking in the last bit of holiday without the crazy crowds. It was nice to have our teen with us, enjoying a lucrative and stress-free shopping outing. It was even fun to do the whole "mall experience" - the food court "Five Guys" burgers, pizza, chicken and sodas (a little junk to start off the New Year - good thing diet is not on our resolution list ;-).

A couple of highlights to the day? My teen saying, "Oh no - why are THEY in here?" as we shopped Victoria's Secret, and I turned in time to see hubby, with all three kids running around him, holding up a sweatshirt and saying, "Did you see that they have Steelers stuff?" in a loud voice. Too funny. Another highlight was the teen running from hubby when he tried on his new brimmed hat with warm side flaps and did a little shopper's dance of joy, '80s style, in Nordstrom. Again, way funny.

I sat with my wee ones a bit.... drank iced soy chai and watched Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph with them, allowing the other two to shop with their cards and have some downtime (where IS that hubby - where IS that teen?). My downtime came later when I got ALL kids in bed and hubby went to practice (jam session, right musician friends?) with his old bandmates; I did chick flicks and hot tea propped up in bed.

Even our family dinner went well :-).

Photos: Scenes from a mall.

Welcome 2011

Not that 2010 was bad; it was actually quite good. I am just anxious to start a new year - I really am (I am also anxious for everyone's "winter break" to end - schlepping teenagers from shopping to movies to sleepovers is getting old as is trying to pick up the remnants of Christmas AND keep all three little ones fed and occupied and in clean clothes and on some semblance of a schedule - I mean, they wanted chips for breakfast today and I allowed it.... uh oh).

So what did you do to ring in the new year? Hubby and I went to the gym together yesterday (at which time, I carried my new Adidas by Stella McCartney gym bag :-) - browsed Anthropologie a bit - hit Whole Foods for some treats - and had lunch at BrGr (see photo - and, yes, that really is a side of gravy, friends, with my turkey burger, which tastes like Thanksgiving on a bun - yum - glad I strayed from my "tree hugger" veggie version for a day - and hubby is partaking of the Festivus ale, which was very mild and tasty...). Anyway - a nice day. We came home, fed our wee ones, sent the teen up the street to her annual get together, and... made ourselves some eggnog and a blackberry crumble with fresh whipped cream while we watched The American (which was OK)...... we are boring, but we know what we like ;-). Of course, there was the texting Happy New Year to Olivia at midnight - the countdown with hubby here - the quiet (aside from some neighbor's fireworks) otherwise :-).

So ... have a pleasant day, all. I know everyone's eyes are on the rain and the pending "Winter Classic" hockey game, so... good luck with all that ;-). We are off to dinner with family later - have a lot of laundry catch-up and Good Will bag packing to do (all those discarded and forgotten toys - tsk tsk).

2011. Wow.

Children's Museum!!!

The photos should say it all (and thanks to a new preschool class friend for suggesting the outing :-)....

Skate photos

Apparently, Milo tackled the ice like he does everything else - with a vengeance and with no fear. Enzo was more methodical, as he always is, and was doing really well - able to skate faster than his older cousins. I was treated to videos of Milo having one of his meltdowns, which kinda made me chuckle, as he was able to right himself on his wobbly skates and continue on his way as freaked out skaters looked on, and Enzo with his sweet face just beaming with pride as he glided along unaided and happy in his surprise ability to skate well. Anyway, next time, Lil's feet will be big enough for skates (though she had fun with Mommy on our shopping outing :-), and Olivia, who has rediscovered ice skating, will join us (I feel confident in that ;-). I actually took lessons as a kid - though did not take to it like my Mom had hoped (she is a really good skater - many times, my mom showed me up on both roller skates and ice skates :-), so... I will, of course, be present for the festivities as well. For tonight.... just glad they had SUCH a good time with Daddy :-).

Gussied up ... a party... and some skating....

So ... Lil and I got all gussied up in our jewels and lipstick and went grocery shopping tonight (we like to get the to do list out of the way then indulge in some coffee for me - chicken nuggets for her ;-). So ... with Olivia at her friend, Danielle's 15th birthday party (cannot believe these girls are THAT old) - and hubby taking his boys (mine too, but... his tonight ;-) ice skating downtown (still waiting on some photos, MF...).... Lil and I are left to our own devices. I think I have a tea party, a bubble bath and a girls' movie night on my agenda tonight (Lil picked out a winter watermelon for herself at the store - so we'll have that with the "tea" ;-). Love it! Love, too, that Olivia, on her way out, said to be sure to tell Enzo that she was using the cosmetic bag he got her at Santa's Treasure Shop for her sleepover tonight, and... well... isn't that sweet? Lil using the "prince-ness" bath gel he gave her too ... Milo also gushed over his gift Christmas morning (Enzo got me the best gift ever, which was... to the "not in the know Mommy here" - some sort of Transformer robot thing :-). See? They don't have to fight all the time (holiday cheer not entirely lost on my angels at all ;-).... because they DO look out for one another (whether they know it or not ;-). Feeling happy. Hope you are too.

Calm?

Not really - but... we have a whole lot of togetherness going on. Everyone in the house all at once. Took my cold shower yesterday morning - took the whole brood to D's for lunch where my veggie dog was burned beyond tasty - was late to our original choice of movie, Megamind, because we were carting the teen back and forth from sleepover to lunch to house to shopping and had to see the Jack Black, Gulliver's Travels, which wasn't that good - spilled my chai tea latte in the theater (HUGE sticky puddle) - just one of those days......

Did get to relax and watch a Harry Potter movie with little ones late night - then... engaged in a midnight game of Scrabble with Olivia, Olivia B and hubby (should have photographed game board - we had words that I'm not sure were words.....) - snacked on homemade nutroll, cookies, and other holiday dinner leftovers all day - played with our new air hockey table and Hungry Hungry Hippos - got the boys signed into a ski school for MLK weekend - so..... mostly good. Ebb and flow - yin and yang ;-).

Enjoy time with those close to you this week if you can :-).

Cousins...

... One side anyway (and our kids make up half this group :-). More such meetings to come this week. Year in review countdown, all - start with those resolutions ;-).

What a day!

OK - so yesterday, morning was chaos and the day was a blur, but we did have fun in the evening - eating, talking and trading gifts with this other side of the family. And, yes, as I said Christmas morning was great too, but I did spend all day cooking, cleaning, and taking the gifts that cluttered the living room up the stairs - hubby (who treated us all to family electronics as group gifts - Blueray player, surround sound stereo, boxed Harry Potter set, etc. - spent a large part of the afternoon hooking it all up and hiding wires... good times). I would have rather sat on the couch and watched our new Harry Potter, eating cookies and drinking coffee, but... that's not how this year worked out. All good. I was a little peeved at first, but... like I said, happy to see that everyone enjoyed themselves in the evening (including me - again, need to lighten up ;-). Of course, there is no zen approach to Christmas with this group - they shower everyone with little gifties and bring trays and trays of cookies and candy. So... the photo? Yeah- all that is filled with cookies, pie, nutroll, etc. Christmas lights tonight - possibly a matinee this afternoon.... Enjoy yourselves, all! Oh - and make a run to the Community Food Bank or write that check to another favorite charity if you already haven't :-).

Was reminded this morning of the fact that Darci Kistler, someone who I watched growing up as she is just a little older than I am, danced her last dance as a professional ballerina earlier this year. Wow - passages.... huh? The year in review begins.....

Ask and ye shall receive....

... snow for Christmas Day!

Teen back asleep already after opening a literal pile of gifts - Lil cried the entire "Christmas morning video" but then calmed to see her "kitty" and "My Little Pony" - NEVER seen the boys so excited - listening now to the constant sound of "Sher - I need your help" (hubby) - smell cinnamon rolls and coffee - have pot roast, chicken pie, pumpkin curry soup and other yummies (wine, pie - the whole deal ;-) on the menu for when family comes over later....

Peace.

Santa's elves... hard at work....

... drinking ginger ale and eating cheese and crackers (I know, right? You would think it would be hot chocolate and sugar cookies. Hmmm... Definitely going to tackle the cookies and milk in a bit - though reindeer's carrots may go back in fridge ;-).

Lovely night - driving to my Mom's along that familiar stretch of road reminds me of my childhood - totally. Summers at the pool, dance class, long drives back from my grandma's.....

Good time this Christmas Eve - fantastic, actually. Felt nice to be back with my brothers and my Mom - nieces and nephews from many blended families all got along so well - yummy dinner piles of gifts and good cheer (as corny as that sounds - it is TRUE). And... all that worrying and fretting.... sheesh. Goes to show you that even hurt feelings and odd behavior will come to pass when more important things matter, ya know?

So ... time to partake of coffee and get a'workin'. Actually, just nice to enjoy some quiet time (because presumably all the children ARE nestled all snug in their beds while visions of Ds's, Kinectimals, "kitties that walk" and UGGs dance in their heads). LOVED seeing them all have a good time tonight. Olivia got the crazy, loud, happy family that she loves SO MUCH together again - the boys were thrilled to be at Grandma's and... Lil seems to finally understand all the hoopla this year :-). And... miracle of miracles.... another side of the family - a bit distant now due to unavoidable circumstances - did send a friendly greeting. Maybe they heard me - maybe they just wanted to? Doesn't matter; I'm glad they did.

I've said it before - I'll say it again.... Happy Christmas, all!

A beautiful night brings a change of heart.....

....So.... I was out amongst shoppers tonight - all of them cheerful and polite, a far cry from what I had experienced earlier this week and last. Fat, wet snowflakes fell as I went about my errands - picking and choosing last minute items for family gift baskets, and... I really got into the spirit, picking things I knew people would really like.

I came home to find my three boys (hubby included) having a snowball fight in the front yard, Christmas lights ablaze, snow still falling (and little Lil inside - eating Cheetos and watching Finding Nemo alone - hilarious ;-). Olivia was ready for her "reunion Christmas party" (friends from Oakland Catholic and Shadyside Academy), all dressed up in cute boots and scarf tucked around her neck, holding some nicely wrapped gifts. The night is cold, but... the temp is hanging around freezing, so it is pleasant. My brother in law showed up to go to the Steelers game with hubby (these are my family's tickets, so he rarely gets to go - which makes it all the nicer that this opportunity occurs at Christmastime). I spoke to my Mom earlier, and she was anxious for a visit with my kids (and me and hubby, of course) - so what if my brother changed the details of the Jan ski trip on us, right? I need to lighten up.

By some miracle, I AM organized - gifts wrapped - cookies and pumpkin bread on the agenda for tonight (and books Auntie Claus and Olivia helps with Christmas) - downstairs and upstairs cleaned up for guests (thanks to my hubby and kids who helped with everything from grocery bags to vacuuming to laundry and toy schlepping up the stairs :-). Holiday greetings keep rolling in - I am watching movies fireside with my little ones - all the mysterious wrapped packages have me all excited (as I said, I do like the retail - CANNOT help myself).

Anyway, so what if I have some laundry to do and some baths to give. So what if all can manage for dinner tonight is pasta with butter. So what if I'm still laying out and laundering holiday finery. We are happy and together and excited for the festivities to begin.

Merry Christmas (and no more Bah Humbug - promise ;-)

So ... I wrapped and wrapped last night - ran out of paper - had to leave a number of gifts under a big comforter in my room lest someone for whom they are intended see them. It looks like a dead body - or.... really... several dead bodies. BUT the gifts that I did get wrapped look beautiful (nothing special - just sparkly Crate and Barrel paper and ribbon).... and ... we wrapped our porch up in greenery, and I think it looks sweet and retro with our big, funky house lights. I happened upon an extra Barnes and Noble card (guess I bought my Mom two - oh well), AND... big score... an extra Williams Sonoma mulling spices (which are only $10 and so tasty in cider).

I'm a little stressed this week. An old back / hip injury that I've had since I was about (and I'm not kidding) 17 years old is acting up - has not been this bad since my late 20s, and it usually reacts when my body is tensed - I have a filling that hurts, though it is on the side of my mouth on which I grind my jaw when I'm stressed - and I kinda can't sleep. Still - today, I awoke today renewed (after much introspection at 4 in the morning), but then the toilet overflowed, and my five year old ran into the wall face first in response to the fact that we do not have apple juice, we have orange juice. I hope this doesn't set the precedent for the rest of the day.

I DO love hearing my boys get excited about the Advent calender, counting down the days to Christmas. I love the covert gift-wrapping (and even the Christmas Day menu planning as we watch Top Chef), and the fact that Olivia has her super cool teen gift exchange tonight. I do not like the fact that I have to rearrange my downstairs for Santa gifts and a large number of people on Christmas Day. I do not like all the spending. I mean, I do like shopping, but I feel obscene, crazed - the way I've been flashing that debit card all over the place (our online financial summary sent an alert this morning - "exceeded budget on gas and fuel" - what? just fuel and gas? how 'bout ridiculous kitchen utensils, sweaters and designer crap? - which... we all know is actually fabulous, to buy AND receive - I love my designer crap and all the fun kitchen toys, etc. - I am always a very grateful recipient of anything at Christmas - love seeing the thoughtfulness in gifts and love returning the gestures :-) - in truth, the retail side of it actually does kinda thrill me - just like when I was a kid :-). I dislike the daily fighting between the kids, a little bored because the adults have work to do, and the snow isn't deep enough to be fun. And... while I'm glad that I did get to do some shopping outings with Olivia, and did get to go out to dinner with hubby, I have not had time to enjoy the magic of the season with Lil or snuggle more with the boys on the couch or even bake more (and hubby IS going to the Steelers game tonight, so... maybe another family movie night like we did last night, which will be truly lovely).

So.... today - yes, there are errands to run, but... I want to bake and cook, filling the house with all sorts of nice smells - I want to deliver our neighborhood Christmas gifts, and... I want to rest a bit - keep wrapping, preparing for family, enjoying my kids, looking forward to Christmas carols and a beautiful ceremony at our familiar little church on Christmas Eve, family joy and fun Christmas morning....

I am anticipating craziness over the next few days, so... my Christmas greeting to you comes today (and some of you will be receiving New Year's cards soon.... yeah - did not get to cards in a timely manner - and, AB, the scene will look familiar to you - though your card WAS better :-). Stay safe and cheerful, everyone - Happy, happy Christmas!!!

What I do is really NOT that important.

And, I mean my morning routine, whether or not I eat lunch or dinner, if I am stressed at all traveling Christmas Eve with little ones AND hosting Christmas Day dinner, if I get ANY of my Christmas / Santa errands done, if I need help with the piles of laundry, dishes or messy, messy "winter break" house (and, it is slowly coming back to me why we decided that hubby should no longer work from home even one day a week.... I mean - have you EVER tried to keep a teen, a kindergartner, a preschooler, and a just turned three year old completely quiet and well-behaved in a "Christmas house" while your creative director hubby handles important call after call and tries to "think straight" with all the "commotion"? Good times).....

Deep breath. I think it's time to create another list (the one on the door this morning was horribly incomplete - BUT still had eight immediate need items on it - like take van to car repair, pick up old UGGs from shoe repair, pick up photos, create grocery list, do "dry run" of pumpkin curry soup recipe for Christmas Day, etc.). Of course, hubby is my partner in all this - my teen has been pulling more than her weight babysitting, etc. And, above all, we are looking forward to seeing my Mom and brothers on Christmas Eve - plus, I actually like to entertain so want to make the house look warm and inviting on Christmas Day - full of warm food, candlelight, friendly faces.

I know I'm not alone in all this. I ran into friends last night, also out doing last-minute shopping (and it is that last minute kind of stuff - return a camera for a DS, pickup some "prince-ness" stocking stuffers, try to find something hubby will use and like...) at Target. Saw my friend's hubby, wide-eyed and crazed in line at an electronics counter while I carried a pile of little girl sparkly gifts to check-out. He flagged me down and showed the appropriate level of awe when I responded that, "Yes, I am, in fact, on my own tonight." But.... it was nice to feel some camaraderie in all this.

Today - it is strange stuff ... a package that needs to be sent to one family member who is distant and mean and never RSVPs invitations, so... if she and her equally hostile hubby don't want to come to Christmas Day, we CANNOT leave the kids out of the gift-giving, so... need to get their stuff out asap. And.... I need to create some family gift bags for Christmas Eve... though, in the past, our homemade cookies, hot choc and wine REALLY upset one family one year (they felt the homemade cookies and fudge were a slight - guess they wanted something from the mall), and... another time, they felt their older kids were left out (????) YET do not get us or our kids ANYTHING, so.... very awkward there. What to buy someone like THAT?

In the midst of all this, I'm going to meet a friend and fellow blogger for lunch, which will be a nice break in all this. Also, hubby and I may make another stocking stuffer / coffee run tomorrow sometime before our oldest has her friend gift exchange and party (Ooooo - which reminds me - need to bake some cookies for that - a rather pleasant task, actually :-). I think a skating outing for the boys will have to wait until the week between Christmas and New Year's - but... they had their movie night last night - Enzo a play date, Milo a super special Christmas errand with me :-). And, Lil - poor Lil, is still recovering from her recent illnesses, nursing a cough, having some rough nights, so... she is happy to be inside, by the fire, eating cookies and drawing with markers (BIG treat for her). Plus ... we all have Christmas light tour with cousins the day after Christmas AND a ski trip just after the first of the year (not to mention hubby's b-day, Olivia's b-day, and Milo's gymnastics party.... sheesh)...

I think I need to stop analyzing and just enjoy the season. So... wishing all of you some friends, family and fun this week!

Remember the sun?

I do. I remember hot, windy, long summer days. Time now, however, to embrace snowflakes and the smell of pine. I think I'm up for it, but... can't help reminiscing with a couple of photos :-).

Also time to embrace hubby's office lunch today (had my "work lunch" yesterday - the book I worked on went to print this morning :-) - more shopping (need to coerce Olivia to go) - play date for Enzo - movie night for both boys - house could use some more greenery - Lil wants to bake more cookies.....