T.J. and Grace making a leap over the heap of snow left by the snowplow last night.

I laughed when I heard them working this out.....Grace shouted to me,"Oh no, look at this!" Then they had a little discussion. I heard Grace's voice,"T.J., you go first..." That made me laugh. They always make me laugh!

The wheels on the bus......

90 minute delay....we finally get a real snowstorm in Connecticut with 2 plus feet of snow. The schools were closed yesterday. Today while other schools are still closed, our schools are open. A 90 minute delay was disappointing considering they've had early dismissals from school with NO snow on the ground. I admit that i was hoping for another snowday. Now that Grace and T.J. have gotten on the bus. I admit that I breathed a sigh of relief ....since now I can get more done. I have lots to do.

Me...the mini-snowplow! Just enough to let the kids get out for their bus to school!

Oh my achin' back...and arms...and legs...and neck. And I rhought I was in pretty good shape? One and a half hours and the path down thw driveway was done. Now how do I get out?

Good Morning!

Daisy and Fitz checking out the snow....from the inside.

Snow day for real

Daisy and Fitzgerald are looking out the window at the snow.....today they were up to their ears in the white fluffy stuff...literally! We couldn't open the door this morning....this is the snow day of my dreams.

Ooh ooh ooh looking out my back door!

Snow day like we wish for!

Crayons on the table

Back in Vermont, we had dinner with our friends after a full day of skiing. We had lots of laughs. All off the kids played Trivial Pursuit with occasional outbursts by the parents who were desperate to "help" answer the random questions. Life has changed. The questions came to us via the iPhone App! The world is getting crazier by the minute. All of our wi-fi service and internet connections could never have given us the fun we all had with the crayons. T.J. crayoned a portrait of Kate,the 5th grader, while Kate drew a portrait of T.J. T.J promised Kate that he would make her T.J. portrait his facebook profile pi ture.The simplicity of crayons make them capable of connecting all ages. I am convinced that we could have peace in the world if every house in the world kept crayons on the table. Everyone has a different perspective. Coloring, side by side with anyone, crayons have the power to connect. We all seem to see and respect the other's perspective when crayons are the common drawing tool. So simplistic. Make crayons not war.

Highlights

SNOW .....WHITE....WITH GOLDEN HIGHLIGHTS. That's in the wood, not the hair salon! Although the Golden Retriever color is what I crave.

Dream days of winter

The gift of our dogs...they get us out and about. They expose us to the beauty that surrounds us..everyday.

Sisters sharing the joy!

Love.Sparkles. Engagement. Romance. Proposal. Love. Thrills. Dream Plan. Laugh. Parties. It seems like yesterday.

Crunchy white snow....in the woods with Daisy and Fitzy.......peaceful. So fresh.First footprints. Scent-sational for 2 happy playfil pup

No way!

Biff and I had our first invitation to an engagement party....for an old friend's "little girl".....Yikes! We had a delightful time with our friends, their family and lots of old friends...old friends, not OLD friends. Although it does depend on one's perspective!
The party was at a very toney club.....afterwards we had some fun back at the house with an intimate group of close family friends.....did I mention that it was semi formal? Oh...I didn't. Either did Biff. Thankfully, I was dressed appropriately. But WOW......I don't even want to think about what little mix up could have taken place!

Morning

The morning light is here. The snow. The sky. It's cold this morning. Just as Grace and T.J. walk through the deep, still fluffy snow leaving a trail all the way to the road, I realize that Grace is up to her ankles and she's wearing her brand new, back-ordered Christmas present....pale pink suede mocs lined with fleece that envelopes her foot in coziness. Grace wears no socks. Not necessarily her fashion statement as I had understood it for the last year or so....I just was notified by Grace that she finds it difficult to sort through so many socks.

Throughout these transitional teen years, my very own daughter does show real signs of being my daughter. Unlike other teenage moments and mother/daughter fantastic fiery words, so easily misconstrued and blown out of proportion, I am convinced that she is truly my daughter and not switched at birth like it seems as she seems when she is that other girl....the teenager with wild opinions and observations. I understood because of the socks. It all made sense. Her fashion statement. It has been because of our sock frenzy in our house. Not that she is different from any teenager morphing into her own self....it's just that some days I look at my sweet girl and think....WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE DID YOU COME FROM? 

I understood because of the socks. It all made sense. Her sockless fashion statement came to be all because of our family sock issues!  We have sock frenzy in our house. Believe me, we are not lacking socks. We have oodles. I learned the hard way. For years, I bought only the cutest and most colorful patterned socks. A plethora of patterns...argyles, polka dots, stripes, florals ...and that's not including the seasonal socks for the family. Jolly santa socks, valentine socks, shamrock socks, American flag socks, sailboat socks....all reflecting our festive spirit throughout the year. That had to end.

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Now, I have learned that white sport socks are the way to go. All the same. Except, sometimes I forget and buy the same style, different brand. While searching for my own pair of socks last week I came up with 7 different white socks, white with pink logo, white with gray logo, white with gray at heel and toe, white with pucker mid foot, white with wide band, white with no band, white with thin band....and that was just the start.

    
  



  

I like Grace's style. I like how she can adapt herself in different circumstances. I like that she is a free spirit. I like that she won't be held down by details. I like that she has priorities. I like that she works things out. I like that she has confidence in her choices. I like that she doesn't sweat the small stuff. I like that she doesn't miss the bus for the sake of socks. I

Grace is my daughter. I am sure of it. She has just tromped through the snow, with her toasty suede slippers lined and fluffy, warm and toasty...with no socks. I called to her a she lifted one foot out of the snow, preparing to plow forward, "Grace, why don't you walk down the driveway?" She turned to look at me. She gave me that look and muttered, "Mommmm." I know that look. I gave it to my mom. I recognized that tone. I gave it to my mom. Sometimes I wonder where she came from. Sometimes. Not today.

Snowday?

Daisy.....cozy by the fire. Tonight. Friday. Big talk of snow. Frantic weather reports. Early dismissal from school. No snow ....all day. Waiting all day. Shopping for the necessities. Walking the dogs before the big storm. Filling up the car with gas. Crediting some things that were never given as gifts. Meeting a couple of friends at the store....they were also waiting for the big storm.....doing some errands before the big storm! Dropping off a basket of flowers for a friend having a bad day. Home. Walking the dogs.....in snow. FINALLY. Snow.

 

It's nice to have a new year....fresh

start.......beginnings..... commencement.

 

1.Fitness

2.Healthy eating

3.Organization.

 

         

1.   

Fitness. I think that's a natural turn of events just because of the "I'll just have one" mentality of the Christmas cookie season....oh, and the gingerbread houses....and chocolates.....and hot chocolate with whipped cream......and those Starbucks foofy coffees. I need exercise all year long. It's a part of my routine. I crave it.

I've started my ZUMBA classes! I've been trying to get to take ZUMBA for months. Finally, I realized it was available for the new year...it was meant to be. It's really fun. It's what my aerobics classes were to the 80's ...with Latin music...and a tad more wiggling of the hips. 

Even with year long regular exercise, the beginning of the new year, the thought of more exercise with more discipline makes me feel invigorated.

 

 

2. 

Healthy eating. We are aware. We stock the fridge with healthy choices.We look for new recipes. We don't buy junk food. We read labels. We make healthy dinners. Even with our efforts to keep our home stocked well, talk about healthy eating....still, we have lots to work on. It's the balance...eating the right balance...and learning more about what balance works best for us.

 

3.

Since my mom and I worked at Saks Fifth Avenue we each had lots of merchandise that we were our responsibility...and closets filled to the brim at home. I still remember my mom teaching her salespeople to put "like with like" and she gave them a pack of crayons to see the order of colors. Then I got married and had kids...and we had lots more stuff in our closets, playroom and bedrooms. That's when mom's words, "like with like" became my mantra. They laugh when I say it now...but it works. Especially when any one of us is overwhelmed by the project...closet, garage, junk drawer or cabinet..."Like with like" 

 

Balance. Life is a balancing act. I try. Healthy. I try. Exercise. I try. Time. I try. Order. I try. Discipline. I try. Work. I try. Life. I try. I will always try. I am determined at this time of year to get it all together. For me, it's just like getting new notebooks and pens and folders for school in September.

Gifts

What a delight to be skiing in Vermont with our kids....dreams do come true. We had an early wake-up this morning. It was tricky business to roll our kids out of their toasty comforter covered nests.....but after our voices resonated in their dream filled peaceful and angelic sleeping selves, they were very motivated. Then we all hustled and bustled about, took good care of the animal farm, checked and double checked our packing profecionado potential with new gear, favorite accessories and technological devises times twelve, we scrambled out the door......after many stops and stalls and starts loving our dogs and cats.....we plopped our already exhausted bodies in the car.

We checked and double checked our outerwear, underwear and footwear for every possible potential mishap, slaphappy situation and serious sense of disarray...

We had checked times 4. We were ready to roll and living the boy scout motto,"Be Prepared."

Just after the car started, we put the car in gear and began rolling down the driveway, our half asleep daughter perked up and blurted out "So now can we talk about my birthday? It's after New Year's. You always say after New Year's!"

Yes. Soon. But could we get out of the driveway first? After all, her almost 16 year old burst of enthusiasm was heartwarming ....not much can stir enthusiasm that early in the morning.....or for our teens in general.....unless they're with beings other than family. Especially at the rev of the engine beginning any roadtrip!

Let us just have coffee first?

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Biff and I have lots to celebrate. Still laughing and loving and changing and creating our lives together after being together since 1992. Eighteen years ago we were engaged.

We have been very blessed. Surely, throughout our life together we have had many awesome days, many losses, many joys, many gifts, much faith, fabulous friends, family near and far, small struggles with great learning and more strength as a couple, tears of laughter and tears of joy, many great life experiences, continued sense of humor, insecurity, security, a million memories, lots of love, more love, loving others. I could go on and on and on and on......well, you know that!

 

MY FACEBOOK STATUS:

Celebrating tonight 18 years ago tonight Griff proposed to me on the ice at Rockefeller Center,"Will you do crazy things with me for the rest of our lives?" "OH YEAH!!!!"

  

FACEBOOK LIKES:

• • Sally
    Trish
    Martha 
    Karen
    Nina
    Janet
    Bea
    Ellen
    Jim
    Hilary
    Ellen
    Georgia
    Joanna
    Deidre
    Gina
    Michael
    Dee
    Susan
    Sheila
    
    
    

    SHEILA:

    that is soooooo sweetttttt~~~

    
    

    BETSY:

    YEY!!!

    
    

    
    

    WENDY:love it, congrats!!!
    

    
    

    LORI:

    LOVE! Congratulations! :-)
    

    
    

    NANCY:congratulations!

    
    

    
    

    MICHAEL:Way to go Biff! 

    
    
    

    
    

    CHRISTINE:

    Congratulations! Love that story. Happy New Year!
    

    
    

    DEE:

    I got goose bumps. I love you too! Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.

    
    

    
    

    NANCY:

    Wonderful!!!! Happy engagement anniversary!

    JANET:

    Fantastic! Congratulations!
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

    XAVIER: 

    This calls for more crazy things!
    

    
    

    WAYNE:

    Good thing you said yes, otherwise that would have been a 2 minute delay of game penalty and an ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct.

    
    

    
    

    KATHY:

    Haha... that is wonderful! Congrats...

    ELLEN

    Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!
    

    
    

     

    ME:

    We still relive that night over and over. So many awesome moments...even better, we ARE still doing crazy things and then,we never could have dreamed of being so blessed!
    

    
    

    ME:
    

    Thank you kind friends. And Biff and I just realized the photo I posted of my daddy and brothers at Rockefeller Center...over his shoulder is exactly where Biff proposed.We always said dad must have put Biff on ice for me! We got chills. Thanks Dad!

    RICH:

    .........Happy engagement anniversary Liz......and happy happy new year!
    

     

    CARLA:
    

    That seems like a year ago

    JENNIFER:

    That's the best anniversary to remember! Keep doing the crazy for many more!

    PATTI:

    love it!!!
    

    LISA: 

    So Romantic!! Happy New Year!

    What love and support Biff and I have had throughout our lives together. We are blessed. We are grateful for the life we share. We are grateful. I am happy to share because we are so grateful. We love each other. We love our family. We love our  friends and our friends' children. They have supported us along the way. We have learned from them. We have learned what is best for us. We are still learning. We never want to take our lives together for granted. We never want to take our own family for granted. We have been blessed with beautiful children...literally gifts from God. We are so thankful....even when the children, now teens, have their own opinions and views and dreams and sometimes stubborn, even infuriating and then again, very funny and fun to be with. We are blessed....over and over and over....squared, cubed.....to infinity and beyond. 

GRATEFUL!Blackboard contributions from family and friends on Thanksgiving!