Sunset

“If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.”

 ~ G. K. Chesterton 

Puppy Love

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive. 

~Gilda Radner

Summer nights

Our first s'mores guest of the summer...complete with the discussion of how it is pronounced...but still a great time nevertheless.

The summer night is like a perfection of thought. 

~Wallace Stevens

Moments to treasure

Ahhhhh.....memories.....

“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.” 

~ Eudora Welty

#TBT

#TBT as they say....to when Alex was the little brother and Alyssa was the big sister....before they changed places.....

“We change, whether we like it or not”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Adventures await

Looking forward to some adventures with these three....

“I do not insist," answered Don Quixote, "that this is a full adventure, but it is the beginning of one, for this is the way adventures begin.” 

~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

The sky

Can't wait for this....

“In the sky there are always answers and explanations for everything: every pain, every suffering, joy and confusion.” 

~ Ishmael Beah

Finding a place in the sun

“Ô, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth.” 

~ Roman Payne

Looking forward to more summer fun such as this....

“In matters of healing the body or the mind, vacation is a true genius!” 

~ Mehmet Murat ildan

8th grade moving up....

Middle School is over...and I would like to say I am shedding a tear.  Middle School can just be an awful place sometimes.  I am ready to move on to high school and hopefully increased maturity and responsibility....  The end of one chapter, but the beginning of another.

“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.”

~ T.S. Eliot 

A New Era

Alex has his first marching band rehearsal under his belt.  So hard to believe that he will be in the high school next year and a new era of Marching Band is beginning for us.  It isn't all fun and games.  It's hard work and I know there will be times when he gets in the car after practice dreading the next time he has to go back.  I know this because I had two girls go through marching band.

But when all is said and done, both girls wrote their college essays on the ways in which marching band changed them.  I know there will be ups and downs.....but it has been one of the best experiences in Cara and Alyssa's life....and I know it will be for Alex as well.  And away we go.......

We don't play music and march because it's cute. We play music and march because we are members of the human race... medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. 

But music and marching band, these are what we stay alive for!

~ almost said by John Keating

in the movie "Dead Poet's Society" 

Family Faces

I am missing these kids who are now growing up at a rapid rate....and because of that growing up they are all running in different directions....which is making visits even more difficult to schedule...and oh so precious!!

Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future. ~Gail Lumet Buckley

Celebrating A New Baby

It seems unbelievable that Alyssa's first babysitter and Godmother now has 4 babies of her own...one just born on Monday.  Life is going to be pretty crazy for her for awhile...with four children between infant and 8yrs. old.  I know she will make it through and I what I wish for her, is that she is able to pull herself away from all of the demands....the exhaustion, the ever growing list of tasks, crazy schedules, fighting kids....to be able to enjoy this time of having young children...to be able to enjoy and this time and enjoy her babies....and stop for a moment and just look at what a wonder they are...because she will blink and in a minute....they will be all grown.

“Still the most magical day of my life was the day I became a mom.” 

~ Linda Becker

Longing for my day at the beach

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” 

~ Jacques Yves Cousteau

Father's Day

I don't think any parent child relationship goes along like a song.  There are times when you don't understand each other.  There are times when you resent each other.  There are times that you disagree....and perhaps neither of you are who the other envisioned you would be.....or want you to be.  In my younger days, I spent quite a bit of time at odds with my dad.  He wasn't always easy to get along with.  He wasn't always the dad that I wanted or felt I needed.

But thankfully, with maturity, I came to the realization that he was who he was and he was doing the best he could with what he had.  I think there comes a time in our lives that we have to forgive people for being who they are.....and maybe not who we want them to be.  I hope that some day I will be forgiven for these very same offenses.

I have seen a lot of Father's Day postings today.   They all proclaim their dad to be the very best.  Yet, I have been through life with some of these people.  I know there have been struggles in the past...and perhaps will be in the future.  All of the sudden on Father's Day every thing is rosy?  When it all comes down to it, the important thing about a dad is that he is there and he loves and supports  you....whatever that means to the both of you.  It is equally important that when his time of need comes...that you are there and you love and support him.  It is important on Father's Day...as well as every other day of the year, to take a moment to think about all the sacrifices our parent's have made for us.....and be grateful.

My dad wasn't big on expressing his feelings.  He was certainly his own unique person....who I still don't quite understand.  He left me with a lot of good story telling...this is for sure!! We didn't always see eye to eye.  But he was always there for me.  I know he always wanted the very best for me.  I know he was proud of me.  I certainly would not be the person I am today....in many ways....if it weren't for his influence.  It was perhaps in his last days....that I truly understood his love for me and for all of his family.

And so I raise a glass to my dad.....to the good times....and the bad; to being there and not giving up on each other.  And I thank him for being himself....and I laugh and I cry as I hear his voice in my memories.  I miss you and love you Daddy!

“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.” 

~ Umberto Eco Foucault's Pendulum

Weird

Life is such a mystery! There are so many unexplained phenomenon.....among them, the question about how I gave birth to such strange children, when I myself  have always been of so quiet and serious a nature....I will never understand!

When discussing the weird gene that runs through our family, we have always said that  my brother Johnny was born weird, my brother Dougie woke up weird one day and I had weirdness thrust upon me.  In our family Alyssa was born weird, Cara woke up weird one day and Alex had weirdness thrust upon him.  I mention this because it made me laugh when I  found the ending quote....   But after a day filled with working on things that had to be done and not really seeing the light of day....I am pretty happy to indulge my kids in a little weirdness....although, as I say, not really sure where they got that from....

“Some are born weird, some achieve it, others have weirdness thrust upon them.” 

~ Dick Francis

The Sun

Hoping the sun decides to make an appearance tomorrow!!

“After the rain, the sun will reappear. 

There is life. After the pain, the joy will still be here.”

~ Walt Disney

Krissy

I post this photo today in honor of our dear friend Krissy's 22nd birthday!  Gone are the days when she spent so much time at my house that she was almost like one of my own.  This picture is a classic from way back as my girls try to imitate Krissy's classic mad face.  These days she is all grown up, graduated from college and ready to start her adult life and we couldn't be more proud!!

“Never stop screaming, playing and laughing, it's part of our childhood which will always be with us.” 

~ Romina Noriega

Alien

I would love to know what alien life form has taken over the mind of my sweet little boy.  And I would also love for someone to tell me how I am going to live through this.  I was not prepared for the raising of a boy.  And all of you that told me over the years that girls were so difficult to raise, and boys were easy by comparison.....well, as far as I am concerned you all lied!! Tonight I am feeling defeated and definitely not up to the task.  Gone are the days of Thomas the tank and trucks and cars and superheroes.  Now there are girl issues and attitudes and video games....Give me strength. I don't see how I will live through this!!

“I raised my three teens with love, perseverance, tenacity, sweat, tears, prayers, lighting candles, and the list could go on.” 

~ Ana Monnar

A moment...

I attended this wedding over a year ago.  This is one of my favorite pictures.  The bride and her sister chatting during the reception.  It doesn't matter necessarily that both these girls are super special to me..... I just love this picture of a stolen moment between sisters.

“In a person's lifetime there may be not more than half a dozen occasions that he can look back to in the certain knowledge that right then, at that moment, there was room for nothing but happiness in his heart.” 

~ Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Slow down and notice....

“I will be the gladdest thing under the sun! I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one.” 

~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

Broadway Fever

Tonight is Tony Awards night.  This is a big deal in this family, as we are big broadway fans.  Feel free to argue with me if you think that anywhere in this world there exists a bigger broadway fan than my daughter Cara.  She has been looking forward to the awards for a few months now, has posted a couple of statuses about it tonight and is texting us about her dire need to see certain musicals.

These photos are from our first day in the city together to see her first musical.....Seussical!!  Little did I know what kind of a broadway monster I was creating.

I approve of this passion of hers....I actually nurtured it in her....but I hope and pray she can calm down a little...because unfortunately....the sad truth is, we are not the type of people who can afford to go to Broadway very often....and we do...we are way in the back.

“There’s a kid in the middle of nowhere who’s sitting there living for Tony performances. Singing and flipping along with the Pippins, and Wickeds, and Kinkys, Matildas, and Mormons's. So we might reassure that kid, and do something to spur that kid, ‘cause I promise you, all of us up here tonight, we were that kid.” 

~ Neil Patrick Harris

The wonders we so often notice

“The earth has music for those who listen.” 

~ George Santayana

Another Day

The greatest act of faith some days is to simply get up and face another day.” 

~ Amy Gatliff

Tonight's sky

Sometimes I go about pitying myself, and all the while I am being carried across the sky by beautiful clouds. ~Ojibwe Proverb

Inspiration to sleep on

I have often said that I am afflicted with BOMTYCC disease (Bite Off More Than You Can Chew).  I tend to take on more than I can handle, and sometimes I frustrate and overwhelm myself.  I am often guilty of doing too much...more than necessary maybe, a little over the top sometimes.  "Why drive yourself crazy?", I am asked.  I don't really always have an answer other than to say that I just need to do it...there is a voice inside me that insists.

So, tonight after a night of one Murphy's Law Moment after another and feeling like I am not going to get it all done. Feeling like I am not going to meet those deadlines... I ask myself why I insist on driving myself crazy.  And the answer, I guess, lies in the quote below.  I know that this too, will pass and I will once again feel as serene as this photo...but in the meantime....I will just cling to what I truly believe....that giving to others, doing for others, is the highest calling....and in the end, I will forget this night of frustration.  It will be long gone...but hopefully, the things I am able to do for others will live on.

The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy." 

~ Kalu Kalu

Thankful

Tonight was Alex's last band concert of the 8th grade.  It is hard to believe.  I wish I could say that I am getting teary eyed about saying good-bye to the middle school years.  Quite the opposite, I can't wait for them to be behind us....although I am still in shock that Alex will be in high school next year.  Still, there were some good things about the middle school years. I am thankful that Alex found his love of theatre and found his niche of people in the drama club.  I am also thankful that Alex had a phenomenal band teacher for the past 3 years.  She has been the constant for him over these tumultuous middle school years.  She has been great for him and whipped him in to shape to the extent that is actually humanly possible.  She is a good mix of high expectations and expertise and an awesome sense of humor.    I am so proud to be part of the Arlington School District for many reasons.  One of the most important reasons is the phenomenal music program. This teacher is one of the people that make the program what it is.

 As Alex prepares to leave his middle school, I am tempted to thumb my nose at the place.  But if there was one silver lining amidst the dark clouds of middle school, it was absolutely Ms. Chong.  I am so very thankful for her and all she has given, not only Alex.....but all she has come in contact with.  She is the only thing we will miss about middle school!  And we will miss her a lot!!

 "To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable." 

~ Ludwig van Beethoven

Cure for a Monday

Today was a Monday...in every possible way.  I am glad to be bidding it farewell and moving on.  I was just in no mood for today and many of the things it flung my way.  But when the going was getting tough, I thought about the wonderful weekend I had with my kids and I was thankful and it gave me the energy to plod on through the muck and mire of  Monday.

"The family is a haven in a heartless world." 

~ Christopher Lasch

Good Friends

We went to a beautiful wedding on Saturday.  Part of what made it beautiful was that we have known this family for close to forever.  The kids have been in school, scouts, church, choir, variety shows, marching band.... together.  To say we love them all is a huge understatement.  Now that kids are moving up and out...and adding new people to the family....and thus the photo, we try to get together around the holidays, gathering anyone who is home.  On an occasion as momentous as this one, a photo was definitely in order.  I could have chosen the photo where they were all standing and smiling sweetly.  But, I chose this one...that shows them being themselves.  I also chose it for one of the most ingenious photo bombs I have seen yet!! Kudo's to the friend on the right that we just met.  He is our kind of people!!

Days like this one, make you go home at night, get down on your knees and thank God for the wonderful blessings he has given you!! I am so thankful for all these people and all the joy they have brought into our life.

“We'll be Friends Forever, won't we, Pooh?' asked Piglet.

Even longer,' Pooh answered.” 

~ A.A. Milne