Scenes From The Weekend

It started with parties and plays.

He joined old friends for a birthday party sleepover.

She got dolled up to attend a high school production of Cinderella with Aunt Jess who swore that being pretty in pink scored them second row seats.

We went out to wish a friend a happy 45th.

Hubby was up before dawn for game day festivities after his ride finally rang the doorbell tired of waiting in the driveway.

I was up too since he swore rather loudly, clamored through his closet, left the light on in our dressing room and went barreling down the stairs.

It was OK since I had lots of cooking to do for the post game party: my Mom's pumpkin bars, better than crack brownies, Cook's Illustrated lasagna and Ina's herb infused garlic bread.

Tigger and Peanut were my sous chefs for the day always close by when there are so many smells in the kitchen.

T. Bone watched football until I finally shagged him outside no longer all droopy eyed and dragging thanks to THE BIG Badger win.

Miss Bit scored a play date with a friend and then all the kids scored a ride in the limo that brought the happy dads home.

The party continued into the night until we had to strongly suggest that the last guests leave as one of their children went from simply trashing the house to terrorizing Miss Bit. I handed them a half-eaten pan of lasagna, said "Ba bye" and took my daughter upstairs to wash their son's spit from her sweet, incredulous face.
The picture below is proof that a good night's sleep made everything all better... homemade waffles topped with ruby red raspberries and dollops of fresh whipped cream didn't hurt either.

The day carried on as Sundays usually do:

Some chores and projects, a bit of yard work, a little R&R, more play dates, a pot of soup simmering on the stove - chicken noodle, football, movie night - Toy Story 3, readying for the week ahead.

Grateful Friday

Today I give thanks for...

Celebrating this amazing father and husband on his birthday. Today he turns 43, but he's celebrating the rest of the month.


He's ready for the Badger game tomorrow. His annual trek to Camp Randall with the boys falls appropriately on his birthday weekend. (Better him than me...it's supposed to be cold and rainy.)

A little light reading. I'm thinking this will take him through the long winter ahead.

Dance parties in the kitchen.

T. Bone and Miss Bit...cute and cuter in no particular order.

An anniversary getaway last weekend alone with my hubby.

Miss Bit sweetly singing her first solo, albeit also a little shyly.

T. Bone rocked his first guitar recital. He played Ode to Joy almost perfectly on his acoustic guitar and then he jammed out on the electric guitar.

Miss Bit saying she wants to play the guitar too.

Getting up for a walk this morning. It was dark and damp, but unseasonably warm for mid-November. I love starting my Friday pounding the pavement.

T. Bone realized he forgot his backpack this morning as he was getting out of the car. I told him he could just have hot lunch like his sister, which is fish fillet. Although he's not a fish fan, he acquiesced hesitantly, gave me knocks and ran off to get in the football game his friends were already well into. Miss Bit met me for a kiss with a quivering lip and said, "I just feel so bad for T. Bone." I was putty, and quickly back on my way home to pick up the forgotten backpack.

Family singathons on the way to school. This morning it was Soul Sister, loud and proud.

The scenic route. All week I've been moseying along the lakefront to get to work. It's actually faster than the freeway and much more enjoyable. Reminds me that it's not the destination that matters most, but the manner of traveling.

Hills and stairs at the Audubon this week.

Burning lungs and quads.

Easy, but delicious chicken marsala with a side of roasted zucchini.

Eventhough T. Bone was unable to attend a new friend's birthday party last weekend because he was at Grandma and Grandpa's, he asked me this week, "Mom, don't you think we should get J. a gift?" Normally we only bring gifts to the parties we attend, but how could I deny my boy's thoughtfulness.

Miss Bit's back in swimming lessons and once again fooling everyone that's she's a fish in the pool.

A weekend busy with play dates and parties.

Feline Fetish

Someone fancies my new shoes as much as I do.

On My Mind Monday

The World is not a place but the vastness of the soul. And the soul is nothing more than love, limitless, endless, all that moves us toward knowing what is true. I once thought love was supposed to be nothing but bliss. I now know it is also worry and grief, hope and trust. And believing in ghosts - that's believing that love never dies. If people we love die, then they are lost only to our ordinary senses. If we remember, we can find them anytime with our hundred secret senses.

Amy Tan

On the way to Kohler, I realized that the last time I was there was exactly 3 years ago to the very weekend. We had just learned of my Mom's diagnosis. My brother whisked us away for some pampering really to celebrate because we had so much hope that everything would be OK. I shared a room with my Mom. We all shared some tears, but more laughs. It's a bittersweet memory, but then aren't so very many?

I felt a moment of panic when I took stock of all that has happened since that weekend 3 years ago. Anyone who has lost someone pivotal in life knows that feeling of realization that washes over you unexpectantly at times...wait, this really happened? It's really been that long? I really am still living and laughing and loving? How? Wow.

Away For The Weekend

This weekend me and my man stole away to celebrate our anniversary. It couldn't have been any better. It was a perfect blend of nurture and nature. We both are feeling connected and refreshed. We hiked many miles on a sprawling private preserve along the banks of a river only encountering a few fishermen, spying deer, geese and hunters in blaze orange from afar. November has been mild in our neck of the woods, and it was warm enough that we left our jackets in the car.

After hours of hiking, a little shopping, some Scrabble, a few spirits and hors d'oeuvres, and spa showers, we took the shuttle to this quaint little cottage and followed the lighted path through the woods to enjoy dinner. It was one of the best meals we have ever had, and worth every calorie and penny. We ordered a favorite bottle of Frog's Leap, and made our own surf and turf by sharing my walleye and his tenderloin. Sadly, we had no room for dessert. The food was just as pleasing as the ambiance and the company. It was a treat that we almost had the Lincoln Room to ourselves. When I challenged my hubby to pick a book off the shelf beside us and turn to a random page, he picked a dictionary and turned to marriage. We took it as a good sign...a blessing for 15 more years.

We saved the bottle of champagne that the hotel sent us earlier for dessert, and went head to head for one more game of Scrabble before bed. We set off early the next morning for another hike, and then we toured the trails on horseback meandering through aspen and pine forests and trotting through meadows and fields. Lefty and Garth were the perfect guides (as were Tracy and Marty). We were lucky to have our own private trail ride, and despite the fact that I can barely walk today after 13 miles or so of hiking and an hour and a half on a horse, it was well worth it. I'd do it again tomorrow!

We took our time getting back to town just in time for Sunday dinner at my brother and sil's where we were happy to see T. Bone and Miss Bit after a weekend away. It was a fine end to a finer weekend spent celebrating 15 of the finest years.

Grateful Friday

Today I give thanks for...

Feeling the chi this morning. I woke feeling much more positive than I have all week. I woke early and got out of bed ready and eager to take on the day even if it was only 30 degrees.

Taking the scenic route to work today. A drive along the lakefront is centering for this water loving land dweller. Their were some serious white caps rolling in. This morning the lake would have been a surfer's paradise.

A belated anniversary getaway for just me and my man this weekend. We have one reservation for dinner at a cozy northwood's cabin and the rest of the time to explore and relax as we please.

Grandmas and grandpas who are very excited to have the littles for not 1, but 2 nights.

Both kids are doing so well in school. T. Bone's writing has much improved in every aspect. It's such a gift to hear him finding his voice. Miss Bit's reading has just taken off. So much so that I found her staring at the computer reading my blog the other day!

Treating myself with kid gloves this week. I was feeling a little fragile so I was tender with myself.

Miss Bit asking me what thoughtful was. I told her, "It's you. Someone who cares about others, and has a kind heart and giving spirit." "Oh, yeah," she said. She got it. It's so very true.

Purging...closets, baskets, drawers, bins, shelves and whole entire rooms. It's hard to get rid of things. There are so many memories attached to the trappings in life. I found a box of my Mom's perfectly wound Christmas ribbons and I cried like a baby. I also came across the outfit my Mom wore the last time she got dressed up crumpled in a dry cleaning bag and I cried some more because it no longer smelled like her. Later that day, Miss Bit spied one of her dollies in a donation box. She mused, "I really like that baby, but I want some little girl to have her who doesn't maybe have any dolls." Then she went downstairs to find another outfit that belonged to this doll and said, "Someone's going to have so much fun dressing you up," as she kissed her cheek good bye.

An afternoon with my kids yesterday. Of all things we went shopping at T. Bone's request. He wanted to find a particular red fleece Bucky jacket that he had conjured up in his wildest dreams. We made several unlucky stops, but finally found exactly what he wanted on line just before bed last night. When he woke up this morning the first thing out of his mouth was, "Do you think my Badger jacket is here yet?"

My Mom's tuna casserole. It's my childhood served in a corningware dish.

The right to vote. Turnout was high, but then I guess the stakes are too.

Banana chip muffins. No one even noticed I used whole wheat flour.

Swimming lessons started last night. Miss Bit's friend C. is in her class this time and I got to chat with her Mom, my friend S. Knowing I'm going to see S. will make it easier to motivate out of the house on cold Thursday nights.

Knowing my hubby's great Uncle Karl who passed a week ago in his sleep. He touched many people and was sent off with quite a tribute he more than deserved. Remembering him has made me think much about the kind of legacy I want to leave my loved ones.

A date with T. Bone and Miss Bit and tickets to see Cirque Dream Holidaze in a couple weeks.

"Jings." That's what my girl calls her denim leggings.

Crazy (and cute) cat ladies.

Photographic proof that T. Bone can and does dance.

On My Mind Monday

What I saw was time passing, each moment passing behind me before I had squeezed from it any life. It went so fast, is what I'm saying, that I myself sat still in the center of it. Time was rushing around me like water around a big, wet rock. The only difference is, I was not so durable as stones. Very quickly I would be smoothed away. It was happening already.

Louise Erdrich - Love Medicine