A Visit from Grandma and Grandpa!

I just received word today that my dad and his wife (Grandpa Clint and Grandma Reda) booked airline tickets to come and visit us in April!

We are so excited to see them again! The last time they made it to the Boston area was in September 2007, when Eva was only about 2 1/2 months old. It will be so wonderful for Grandma and Grandpa to be here for all of the routine, daily things that go on in our household.

They will be here for a week, although it would be nice for them to take a side trip or two to do some touristy type things. If you guessed that I am already brainstorming about fun activities to do as a family while they're here, you would be correct.

Amanda's first request was to play "Car Wash" with Grandma and Grandpa, just like they all did a few years ago. I'm sure plenty of snuggling and reading will be on the agenda as well.

In March, Dave's father (Grampy) will be here for a few weeks, so there will be lots of fun in our future!

I guess when people start requesting visits to see us, it's a sure sign that spring is just around the corner.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today my dad celebrates yet another birthday. I hope our package of goodies will be delivered in time!

For the first time ever, Dad (aka Grandpa Clint) will be celebrating his birthday away from his family and friends in Wisconsin. Instead he'll be blowing out his candles in his new home city of Jacksonville, Florida. I imagine this is a bittersweet transition for him, but I'm sure the sunshine, warm temperatures and an abundance of golf courses will help to make it a little easier.

For my dad's 60th birthday just a few short years ago, his wife Reda coordinated a Surprise Birthday Party for him. Dave, Amanda, and I (pregnant with Eva at the time) booked a flight to Wisconsin and despite our excitement, we somehow managed to keep our arrival a secret.

Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate with our plans and the party had to be postponed due to the fierce snowstorm. Unfortunately we were already back in MA by that time and had to miss the grand shindig. (We were treated to a nice family brunch though, which was just as good in our minds.)

As part of the celebration, Reda had asked everyone to write a little something, be it humorous or serious, to read to Dad at his big birthday bash. She then created an album filled with the various stories, which is sure to be a wonderful keepsake for years to come.

Here is what I wrote, two years ago today, with a few minor changes/additions.

Stories of My Childhood – Dad’s 60th Birthday

When I was asked to share some stories about my dad, lots of happy memories popped into my head. It dawned on me that nearly all of my memories centered around times when it was just me and my dad... with no one else around. (I also realized that, oddly enough, many of my memories involved food.)

Dad worked a lot when we were growing up, so any time I got to spend with him was precious, no matter what we did or where we went.

Dad teaches Josh & Jared how to locate the Queen bee.(circa 1980)

One of the things I loved most as a child was going to watch my dad’s softball games, when he played for the Thunderbirds. For some reason, my brothers weren’t as interested in the games as I was, so I usually went alone. I loved to sit in the bleachers behind the dugout, and watch the action up close. Sometimes the whole team would go out for burgers and beers after the game. Even though I was very young, I enjoyed feeling like I was part of the team.

We presented Dad with a framed collection of his favorite baseball cards.

(Taken on Father's Day in 2000, right before I moved to California.)

I can’t reminisce about my childhood without fondly recalling how my dad helped me practice for the Annual Spelling Bee at my school. Year after year, I would come home with my large packet of words, and sit on the floor by Dad’s feet as he quizzed me each night. The following night, we would pick up where we left off. My dad really should have had his name printed right next to mine on the plaques and trophies, because I probably wouldn't have won without his help.

Another fond memory of my childhood involves my dad’s cooking. Mom did practically all of the cooking in our household, so when Dad took over, it was a rare treat. His three specialties were fried parsnips, potato pancakes and rice with cinnamon and prunes. I loved all of Dad's specialties. You can bet I'll be passing those dishes along to my own children in order to keep the family tradition going.

As my brothers and I got older, Dad introduced us to UW Badger Basketball. One night, my dad took Josh, Jared and I with him to a game. I was hooked immediately. As with softball, my brothers lost interest so it became a special event for just Dad and I. A few times each season, we would make the ride in to Madison, usually on a cold school night or a windy Saturday afternoon, and then make the frigid walk to the Fieldhouse. I loved going to those games, and could easily identify every single player on the team. (I especially liked Kurt Portmann.)

Hearing the band blast the energetic crowd favorites and feeling the electricity in the air made it so much fun, even if the Badgers lost. Occasionally we would go to Pizza Hut afterward, typically ordering the Badger Special. Over pizza and cokes, Dad and I would discuss the highlights and disappointments, and relive the game, minute by minute. To this day, I get cravings for both the pizza and the basketball games, but I still have my scrapbook collection of ticket stubs and newspaper articles to keep the memories alive.

When I went away to college at Whitewater, I spent most weekends on campus due to Marching Band or Pep Band obligations. On the rare weekends when I came home, it was usually Dad that made the drive to pick me up late on a Friday afternoon. Those drives were a nice, quiet time to discuss my classes and life in general .

Once home, I looked forward to our competitive Scrabble games that we would try to fit in. I am convinced that my vocabulary grew as a result of those games. On Sunday afternoons or evenings, Dad and I would somewhat reluctantly make the trip back to Whitewater, sometimes stopping at Subway before dropping me off at my dorm. After eating the horrible dining hall food, those Spicy Italian subs seemed like a Thanksgiving feast to me.

Dad and Reda - visiting me in California (2001)

Dad made me so proud when he started piano lessons. (2007)

Amanda and Grandpa Clint at Rexhame Beach (2007)

Grandpa Clint and Eva (2007)

When I look back on the past 30 some years, I realize that the most meaningful memories are the ones comprised of routine, everyday types of things. They are not necessarily the road trips to Disney World or the Christmas trip to the Grand Canyon.

Things like picking rocks from the fields on the hill for 10 cents per bucket. Sitting at your feet patiently awaiting the Red Delicious or "Golden Delicious Also's" that you peeled and quartered for us. Attending church every Sunday morning and countless weekday evenings for various meetings and events. Going to the store and shopping for a Monkey Swing on my birthday. "Helping" you with your crossword puzzles. Going out for Friday night Fish Fries...mmm, beer battered cod. Having you in the audience during each of my band concerts. Going to the State Fair, primarily to sample the food: Cream puffs, sweet corn, & baked potatoes. Throwing split logs through the open basement window in preparation for winter wood fires. Reading the Sunday comics. Planting seedlings. Harvesting potatoes while trying to avoid the blade of your shovel. Waiting for you to come home with loaves of Gardner's bread and wondering which new Milwaukee Brewer's card I could add to my collection. Losing said collection at my first Brewer game. Riding in the hay wagon, waiting for the bales to chute out. Watering the trees and shrubs in the nursery. Playing school with you. Feeding the sheep and helping out during shearing time... I could go on and on.

Those routine, day to day events are what stand out most in my mind. They are what my childhood was made of... and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything in the world.

As Dave and I raise our children, I hope that we will keep this thought in mind. It’s not where we go or what we do that will make the most impact on our daughters. Rather, it’s the amount of quality time we spend as a family that our children will remember more than anything else.

Sometimes it takes growing up to realize what matters most.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

I love you and I appreciate all you've ever done for me.

Sunday Happiness

Today I had Book Club... Have I mentioned how much I enjoy being a part of this group!?

We discussed The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by Stieg Larsson.


As always, we had plenty to talk about. The perspectives revolving around morality and loyalty alone were enough to keep my mind buzzing for the entire drive home! I always love some good brain stimulation and I was sad to see our two hours pass by so quickly.

Next month I will be hosting our club, at which time we will be discussing The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz.


I had never heard of this book before my sister-in-law April mentioned that she was reading it for her own Book Club. I threw about five choices out to my group of girls and everyone seemed intrigued by Diaz' book, especially one member who had heard an interview with the author on NPR. And so, the unanimous decision was made. I am really anxious to dig into this book!

* *
In other news, Eva marked up yet another successful trip to the potty tonight! By George, I think we're plunging into this endeavor head first... ready or not! She definitely knows what she's doing and is eager to prove it. It's a bittersweet slap in the face for me because I will probably always see her as my "baby." I guess I will have to accept the fact that she's growing up... and embrace it.

Now I understand why some women end up in a perpetual cycle of having children.

Admitting that my "baby" is growing up means I must face the fact that I, too, am growing older.

And that's a scary thing to me.

Hot Shots Soccer

Our town has a great soccer program for girls ages 2-11. Amanda was enrolled in it last year, but we weren't sure if she really enjoyed it enough to sign up again this year. However, one of her best friends re-enrolled and invited Amanda to attend a session with her today.

Katelynn and Amanda

The goal of Hot Shots?

"To build girls' self-esteem, athletic skills, and sense of belonging in a supportive, fun-filled, non-competitive environment while providing parents a rare opportunity to play, learn and bond with their daughter."

Girls and their parents meet in the middle school gymnasium to learn the basics of soccer through fun games and activities. Parachutes, stuffed animals and various other props are used to teach skills such as dribbling and throw ins. Women from an area college's soccer team are also present to serve as role models and assistants.


At the beginning and end of each Hot Shots session, the girls sing the Hot Shots song and afterward the coach introduces some of the girls. Using a microphone, he interviews them, learning about their favorite things and shouting our their names.

The introductions have always been the highlight of the program for Amanda. After all, how could it get any better for someone who loves being the center of attention?

Today when the coach asked for volunteers to come up to be introduced, Amanda's hand shot up in the air. Here she is being interviewed by Coach John.



Favorite food? Avocado.
Favorite animal? Zebra.
Favorite color? Pink.

As for the soccer skills, she did much better this year - despite the coach's involved instructions. I admit that I sometimes found myself watching other parents to figure what exactly we were supposed to be doing!

From beginning to end, each weekly session lasts one hour. That's a pretty long time for a 3 1/2 year old to stay focused and follow instructions. At one point, Amanda was doing pirouettes while stray soccer balls whizzed past her. I really think we need to get her into ballet.

Although we have made a tentative agreement to try Hot Shots again next year, when Eva is 2 and it can be a Sunday family activity. Time will tell.

Potty Training?

Tonight Eva told me she had to go potty.

This is nothing new. She has been expressing an interest in the potty for a few months now, but has never actually done anything.

Still, not wanting to discourage her, I went through the motions of unzipping her pajamas, taking off her diaper and setting up the little red Elmo potty seat for her.

And what do you know?! She actually WENT!! For the first time ever! Woo hoo!

So of course, we made a huge deal of it... all of us in the bathroom cheering for her. And then she was rewarded with an M&M. (It just so happens that I had a jar of M&M's, thank goodness.)

Amanda is very excited about all of this because she wants Eva to grow up as fast as possible. Amanda told her, "When you're doing potty training, you get candy corn!" However, Amanda's potty training happened during the fall season. Maybe jelly beans would be more appropriate for Eva? She also offered to share her underpants with Eva. Is that love or what?

Even so, at not quite 20 months, Eva is still pretty young for the whole potty training thing so I'm not getting my hopes up... but if she really wants to go for it, I will not stand in her way.

Although it would figure. I just bought diapers today... a full two cases worth.

Quack?

Today Amanda surprised me. Really surprised me.

Before putting Eva down for her afternoon nap, I chose a library book called "Truck Duck."
We had never read the book before, but paging through it, I could tell it would be a quick read. In other words, the perfect bedtime story.

I sat on the bedroom floor with Eva in my lap, Amanda seated next to me. I opened the cover of the book and saw this:
I said to Amanda,"What do you think this sign says?"

I figured she'd answer like most children would... and say "Stop."

Without missing a beat, Amanda calmly responded,"Quack."

She did this without even pausing to think.

I literally did a doubletake.

I then said,"Wow... that's right! How did you know it said quack, and not stop?"

She matter of factly said,"Because it starts with Q, U, A."

I am shocked. She really is getting it!

* *
In the meantime, Eva is starting to talk up a storm! She is putting 2 and 3 words together consistently, as in "Thank you, Daddy" or "Stop, Danda!" when Amanda is bothering her.

("Danda" is what she calls Amanda. It's also what she calls herself, either because she can't pronounce Eva... or because she really does think her name is Amanda.)

The other day she shook a container of fish food and spilled some of it.

She said,"Oh no, Daddy! Ook." (Meaning look.)

The other day, she impressed us by identifying animals by their actual name, rather than by the sound they make. Not too long ago, all dogs were all "Woo"; cats were "Meow"; sheep were "Baa."

Now, dogs are puppies. Cats are kitties. Sheep are... ship. (It took me a long time to realize that's what she was saying.)

Sometimes I just shake my head and wonder how they grew up so fast.

Our Weekend Play-by-Play

What a wonderfully refreshing weekend we had! Where to begin!?

Reminder: You can click on any picture to enlarge it and then right-click to "Save As".

We left early Friday morning, deciding to take the "scenic route" (read: long way) to Connecticut, but it was so worth it. We drove through Newport, RI - our first time in that area - and made plans to explore it more once the weather warms up. Going over the series of big bridges was beautiful!

Newport, Rhode IslandLighthouse at Point Judith, Rhode Island

After having a mediocre lunch at a family restaurant equipped with a children's play area, we continued on our way, eager to see our friends Jen and Andre. After arriving at their house and taking a few minutes to unpack and settle in, the men took Amanda/Eva to the playground while Jen and I took a walk and chatted. Following that, the women took Amanda/Eva to the library while the guys chatted over beer and wings at a local resturant. (It's so nice to be able to take turns with kid duty!)

Bedtime Stories with Jen

That evening we ordered Chinese takeout, and I was very content to have gotten my trademark Walnut Prawns. (I wish I knew what was in that sauce so I could attempt making this at home!) Getting the girls to settle down for bed that first night was utterly frustrating, partially due to their excitement at being with Andre and Jen... and partially to being overtired.

Ready for bed?

The next morning, Jen went all out and made banana chocolate chip pancakes and bacon, which the girls devoured. Then I tagged along with Jen for a much needed trip to the gym. After an exhilarating stint on the treadmill, I realized how much I missed my daily workouts. For the rest of the day, I enjoyed my "runner's high." (I then spent the rest of the weekend trying to persuade Dave that we should join a gym once we were back at home. And I'm happy to report that I joined this morning, and have already gotten one workout under my belt!) While Jen and I worked out, the guys took the kids to the mall to burn off some steam of their own and then on to Costco, the only place Dave can buy his favorite potstickers.

After a lunchtime leftover buffet, we headed to Norwalk to visit the Children's Museum. If you ask the girls, I think they would say this was the highlight of the trip. And actually, it was probably one of mine as well! That place was awesome!!

Watching Amanda and Eva in the waterplay area was especially fun and I guess I should have packed an extra set of clothes. They were both soaked to the bone, but neither one of them complained. After a million attempts to get some good photos there, they outwitted me. Neither one of them stayed in one spot long enough.. but I guess that's the whole point. Here are a few I managed to capture while in other areas of the museum.

Eva was fascinated by the ball maze contraption and was happy to have Andre as her museum companion.

In true Eva form, she spent most of her time doing some type of craft... either in the paint bottle area or the construction paper/glue stick/scissors area. Her attention span astounds me! I think she must spent close to 30 minutes in each of those areas.

Eva, our budding artist.

Amanda, on the other hand, bounced from thing to another, not wanting to miss anything. She really had fun in the dress up area, especially in her adorable skunk costume.

Amanda's ferocious skunk imtitationEva loved her bike helmet.We got crafty and made Valentines.

After arriving back at Andre and Jen's place, we exchanged Valentine's gifts and cards... and then headed out for an early dinner. We ended up at a Mexican restaurant right on the coast, and enjoyed some wonderful enchiladas, fajitas and margaritas. Boy, after that meal, I was glad I had brought my comfy pants. My waistline is not used to so much good food in one weekend.

Andre and Jen at our Valentine's Day dinner

The next morning, we got up early and drove about an hour to visit Scott and Kym.

After a quick lunch, Scott, Dave and I went for a somewhat dangerous hike in the woods. We fought to keep our balance on the icy, steep slopes that led to the chilly stream below. (Thank goodness for the walking stick I found, which I used it as an ice pick. Without it, I probably would have broken a leg at some point during the hike!)

It was so peaceful listening to the bubbling of the stream and the gushing of the waterfalls. Scott took us to a little sandy beach where the water is surprisingly over 6 feet deep. It reminded me of a special spot Dave and I once discovered when camping in California, in the Trinity Alps. Simply breathtaking. Nature at its finest. We felt like we were a million miles from civilization.

Hiking along the Nonnewaug River in Connecticut

Scott and Dave take a break to admire the view.

While we were off exploring nature, Amanda and Eva played with Kym's children - 13 year old Kali and 15 year old Cameron. After being gone for nearly 2 hours, we returned from our hike to find Eva asleep, nestled securely under Cameron's arm. I was absolutely amazed! Eva is not one of those children who can just fall asleep anywhere. Who would have thought a 15 year old boy would be able to get her to sleep!? Apparently Cameron has the magic touch.

Amanda kept Cali busy, requesting story after story and Cali was happy to oblige. I think Cali wanted a little sister just as much as Amanda wants an older sister!

Cali reading to Amanda from the "Mother Goose" storybook.

We planned to hit the road around 4:00 pm, stop for dinner in Mystic, and be home by the girls' bedtime. But that plan fell by the wayside. We were having so much fun and time slipped away from us. We finally said our goodbyes at 7:00 pm... at which time Kali gave Eva a pink poodle. (She has barely let it out of her sight of since arriving home.)

After an extremely refreshing weekend, we were home, safe and sound, by 10:15 last night.

And now, daily life resumes with mountains of laundry, grocery shopping, making meals and lesson planning. But I can't complain. It was awfully nice to abandon those mundane tasks for three straight days. I haven't yet gone through my weekend videos, but if I find anything worth sharing, I'll create a separate blog posting with those.

Thanks, Jen and Andre, for letting us disrupt your normal weekend routine by hosting us! As usual, it was just perfect. The girls absolutely adore the two of you, and had so much fun painting with you, reading with you, and just spending quality time with you. It is so good for them to have you in their lives.

And thanks also to Scott and Kym, who fed us well and kept us all entertained. I only wish I had taken a few more pictures. (I think I was too tired after that hike!)

We hope to see you all again soon, once the weather warms up!

A Weekend Getaway

We are looking forward to a rare family getaway this weekend.

On Friday morning, we'll be packing up the Volvo for its maiden voyage, assuming Dave has completed all of the necessary work by then, to visit friends in Connecticut.

The girls, in particular, are looking forward to this "sleepover." We'll be spending two nights with Andre and Jen, and one day with Scott and Kim. I am sure it will be a fun-filled weekend for the entire family!

This morning Amanda pulled her suitcase out from underneath her bed and announced that she was going to start packing for the trip. (Just like her mama, she begins packing days in advance. But then again, isn't the anticipation half the fun of taking a vacation?)

After a few minutes, I checked in on Amanda's progress and saw that she had set aside a few pair of underpants, a nightgown and a few other random items of clothing.

Eva, in the meantime, was assigned to the task of packing stuffed animals.

This afternoon, I began sorting through the laundry and pulling out the suitcases for some early packing of my own.

I brought Amanda's suitcase to my bedroom, and to my surprise, it weighed about 15 pounds.

I laid it on the floor, unzipped it...

And this is what I found.
Ah, yes. She had packed the bare necessities. Who needs clothes!?

Happy Birthday, Eliana!

Today we are celebrating yet another February birthday! (I told you it was a busy month!)

Happy Birthday to Eliana, one of our closest and most cherished family friends!

When I think of Eliana, an abundance of adjectives come to mind.

Words like warm, generous, kind, strong, honest, intelligent, nurturing, loving and gentle are just the tip of the iceberg.

On top of all that, she is a phenomenal cook! Whenever we have a dinner made by Eliana, we can be assured that we will be leaving her house not only with warm hugs, but also with full bellies.

Over the weekend, Amanda and Eva made birthday cards, which we will be delivering later this afternoon.

Amanda dictated her sentiments to me so I could write them down in legible English. She did an awfully good job of summing up Eliana's role in her (and our) lives.

- "I like it when you hug me." (We all do.)
- "I like it when you watch the "Cinderella" movie with me." (For the millionth time!)
- "I like it when we have happy dinners with you." (Again, we all do.)

This photo speaks for itself...

August 2008

Yes Eliana, Amanda loves you. We all do.

We are so blessed to have you in our lives.

Have a very happy birthday!

Cleaning Tip: Letter of the Day

Do you remember how Sesame Street always had a letter of the day and a number of the day?

As in: "Today's show was brought to you by the letter I and the number 3."

Each episode would include various skits and creative ways to feature the chosen sponsors, like this classic clip from 1969.



The program's format has undergone many changes, but the featured letter and number sponsors has remained untouched.

The past few days, I actually allowed the girls to watch Sesame Street in its entirety while I caught up on housework or lesson planning. (I use the term "watch" very loosely, because Eva has absolutely zero interest in staring at a television screen.)

And yes, you read that right. I actually permitted a full hour of television. Desperate times call for desperate measures! Besides, it's been too cold to go outside and play!

Anyhow, one morning the girls' playroom was an overwhelming disaster area. It honestly resembled a war zone; nearly every square inch of the floor was covered with some type of plaything. I was not getting much cooperation with my efforts to clean up.

I decided on the spot to create a "Letter of the Day" clean-up game. The rules were simple.

I randomly chose a letter and designated the little pink folding table as our collection area.

Any toy or object that began with the "letter of the day" was to be placed on the table. If it started with any other letter, it went back to its home, be it the toy box, the block box, the bookshelf, etc.

Can you guess what the letter of the day was in this particular photo?

All of a sudden, cleaning became fun! We were finished in a flash! Even Eva got into the act.

I tried the same technique the next day, using whatever Sesame Street had chosen as their letter of the day, for extra reinforcement.

I am happy to report that after three days of this, my plan has been 100% successful! The playroom is always clean by the time we sit down to have lunch, and it has cut down tremendously on my frustration over seeing clutter all over the floor.

Now, I realize that we may have some trouble coming up with toys that begin with X or Q, but for now, it's working just fine.

Besides, the fact that I am indirectly reinforcing phonetic awareness while also teaching the importance of cleaning up after one's self is enough to keep me satisfied.
[Cue Sesame Street theme song...]

"Today's blog entry was brought to you by the letter B and the number 2."

Two... as in, two very helpful little girls.

Thanks, Sesame Street.

A Correction... and Another Snow Day

It has been brought to my attention that I had the date of Jenny's birthday wrong! Ugh, I wonder how many years I've had it marked wrong on my calendar...

Anyhow, Happy Birthday to Jenny on the 6th... not on the 2nd, which is Groundhog Day! (Sorry Jenny!)

Also, the dorm room pictured in the group photo was not mine after all. It was actually Brenda's room, all the way across campus. (The neatly stacked items in the closet should have been the tip-off that it was, in fact, not my room.)

Apparently my memory is showing early signs of forgetfulness, which happens when your 36th birthday is approaching at the speed of the Concorde.

* *
In other news, yesterday the kids were released early from school due to another snowtorm. Today, our schools are closed - despite the fact that all of the neighboring towns have school. Deja vu. We had a Snow Day last Wednesday too!

Normally, I would be excited about a Snow Day... except when it falls on a Monday or a Wednesday, because this means no preschool for Amanda.

This is even more unfortunate because today was supposed to have been "Amanda's Special Day."

Each of the children in her Preschool class have a designated "Special Day", which usually falls on their birthday. In the case of the kids who have summer birthdays, like Amanda, they celebrate on their half birthday instead.

Tomorrow is technically Amanda's half birthday. Yep, 3 1/2 years old... rounding the corner, now sprinting toward the ripe old age of 4. (Which, according to Amanda, is when she will officially be a grown-up.)

Now, I must admit that this is a fairly new term for me... like Sweetest Day. I had never really heard of celebrating half birthdays until we read a library book about it. As I commented to a fellow parent, I hope the idea of a half birthday does not become a tradition. (Celebrating one birthday per year is great plenty for me!)

In any case, Amanda was very disappointed that she would not be able to wear the "beautiful dress" she had laid out the night before... and saddened that she could not bring ice cream treats to share with the rest of her classmates.

As consolation, I promised that we would make lemon bars this morning and do a painting project. (Scatch that... I just realized that I used all of the eggs up when I made quiche yesterday.) Guess I'll have to come up with a Plan B.

Happy Birthday, Jenny!

February is a month filled with birthdays for friends and family.

Today it's Jenny's turn!

Jenny is the older sister of my college roommate, Sarah. When I became friends with Sarah, I inherited all of her friends as well, and Jenny was part of that package.

Throughout my four years of college, we were a close knit group through college, and that has continued through moves, marriages and children.

Jenny, Sarah, me, Brenda

Some of my fondest memories include:
- meeting for "eats" in the college dining halls
- watching "Saturday Night Live" from opposite sides of the campus while talking on the phone
- all of the fun and laughter we shared when playing board games
- the many deep and meaningful conversations about everything under the sun

If we were all together, you can bet the whole gang would be enjoying the traditional cherry cheesecake tonight.

College dorm room (1991 or 1992)
Back Row: Jenny, Sarah, Carrie
Front Row: Brenda, Julie (holding cherry cheesecake)

Happy Birthday, Jennifer Jo!

I miss you tons and will always value our friendship.

Hot Corn Dip Recipe

Did you all watch the Superbowl last night?

We had a great evening with friends, and I confess that I only caught snippets of the game... and about 5 minutes of the halftime show. For us, the Superbowl is just an excuse to get together with friends and indulge in a smorgasbord of appetizers.

Dave made his signature marinated chicken wings which were devoured in minutes. I made a delicious Hot Corn Dip, which was the perfect complement to Kate's chili and the grilled cream cheese filled jalapenos.

Because so many people have asked me for the recipe, I am going to post it here.

Hot Corn Dip

1 (15 ounce) can white corn, drained 1 (15 ounce) can yellow corn, drained 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced and softened 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder chopped fresh cilantro to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix white corn, yellow corn, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, cream cheese, chili powder, garlic powder and cilantro.
3. Pour into an ovensafe dish and bake for 30 minutes or until hot bubbly.

* Because I had an open jar in the fridge, I also added 2 Tbsp of cheese con queso dip, which gave it some extra spice.

Serve warm with tortilla chips. (I used blue corn tortilla chips, which were perfect.)

This yields 6 cups, which is a very big batch and perfect for parties. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, (Grandma) Reda!

Today is Grandma Reda's birthday! (Well, "Grandma" to the girls... Reda to the rest of us.)

September 2007: Reda and Eva

Amanda and Eva had a blast creating personalized birthday cards with their markers, crayons and rubber stamps. Unfortunately they will not arrive until after Reda's birthday, due to poor planning on my part.

Amanda asked if she could sing "Happy Birthday", and Eva even chimed in at the end - ever so softly.

We all hope you have a wonderful birthday, Reda! Enjoy that Florida sun, and you and Dad have a great time with guests.

We love you!