tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35406105376927193732024-03-19T06:29:15.495-04:00Confessions of a Disorganized PerfectionistRandom musings on motherhood, life with twins, kids with special needs, organization, the perils of perfectionism, crafts, and whatever else I need to get out of my brain...BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-27641714063922650352024-02-14T15:49:00.001-05:002024-02-14T15:49:21.932-05:0022 Things About You at Age 22<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9YlPuUWfMHsOStU3QFejLlwNN2ThsLSoLXAXwCt_IAB4S_1nyP1p5KsxKTcuet_0tYs7DAALso4P15VjDilMls3ysfqu6GaTDVbqWEyazGh_onMncJlQ6OWhTrFfsZwzM-rW1UxuPGXzlUfvga3EMMHzkkSNjyhqhsGKm4dAAY0Glw8iQ7nii6nc_Qg/s4032/20231225_095015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9YlPuUWfMHsOStU3QFejLlwNN2ThsLSoLXAXwCt_IAB4S_1nyP1p5KsxKTcuet_0tYs7DAALso4P15VjDilMls3ysfqu6GaTDVbqWEyazGh_onMncJlQ6OWhTrFfsZwzM-rW1UxuPGXzlUfvga3EMMHzkkSNjyhqhsGKm4dAAY0Glw8iQ7nii6nc_Qg/s320/20231225_095015.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zWhqlBA_ln6BOIWCyMUJtc0qrwVBfRtz_MWdwhp0OPPREYdkGOMuONS7Wk-g69jxrnVQIMw0uvC09KtsrBQ6pOR2msOy2qJbLu5sCsxfzFT7UAZucsnZLXm7qxl9J3VVVf_qiY5-S1zZBzh_tjC7jKLno5_PGQgB0om_C6cOPlcg_Um4W32sypFiIvw/s320/77257.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZO0bAWmErPMDE6_JMhk-6tnt5778vv71EDeji1OP4lYwabyUVEdb4mtOv2q4hMRIR6n8UaPkIB8EBM0G0RKdhkCJ3aNj4QF6gOxHHDxLuMuw8Kpmbgt0SJoQ6rUU8y1ZrjdA59DbY2Vj88sPAk7ztzAzedZadZMesVGiNOwNhdBbISuYQkD0KT0iAtM/s4032/20230528_144357.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZO0bAWmErPMDE6_JMhk-6tnt5778vv71EDeji1OP4lYwabyUVEdb4mtOv2q4hMRIR6n8UaPkIB8EBM0G0RKdhkCJ3aNj4QF6gOxHHDxLuMuw8Kpmbgt0SJoQ6rUU8y1ZrjdA59DbY2Vj88sPAk7ztzAzedZadZMesVGiNOwNhdBbISuYQkD0KT0iAtM/s320/20230528_144357.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><ol><li>Your Italian/EU dual citizenship should be finalized any day now!</li><li>You have such a variety of interests -- I never know what you will tell me you are reading about.</li><li>You are only working one full-time job right now, which means we see you more and when we do see you, you are awake. That's very nice!</li><li>You've taken on more responsibility at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, in addition to more hours. You are a shift leader and often open the store at 6 am or close it at 10 pm. </li><li>You are thinking about going back to school, exploring some options right now, no decisions yet.</li><li>Still a night owl! But you also prioritize sleep when you need to.</li><li>You went skiing for the 2nd time and all your bones remained intact. Parental Relief!</li><li>You spent a lot of time Christmas shopping this year and got very thoughtful, insightful things. You debated about figuring out a "signature" wrapping paper and ended up going with brown kraft paper and white ribbon. You had all your gifts arranged in front of the fireplace as you were getting them ready and some visitors thought it was decor. </li><li>You used your tools and knowledge to hang a curtain rod for me. Thank you!</li><li>You are a caring friend, always ready to help someone or provide a listening ear.</li><li>Your friend group does a lot of fun things together -- skiing and cookie baking and potlucks and secret santa exchanges and game nights and weekend trips, in addition to just hanging out. </li><li>You are generally good about texting us and let us know if you are staying overnight at a friends.</li><li>You are interested in cooking. Aunt Di taught you how to make Grandma's recipe for chicken soup. She also taught you to make her specialty cookies. You bought yourself a rice cooker. You are still adventurous with the food you will eat. Current favorite foods are salmon, collard greens and anything involving eggs.</li><li>You now use some specific hair products for curly hair so you always look your best. You are very particular about how your beard is trimmed.</li><li>You're very interested in essentialism and have been purging things that you feel are unnecessary. But I have to check the bags before they go to Goodwill because sometimes it's not just your stuff in there! </li><li>For instance you went through your closet so you could maintain a "uniform" of grey/black/navy shirts & hoodies as well as dark wash jeans.</li><li>One of your goals for the future is to own property, both for investment purposes and to live in. You are asking lots of good questions about how all that works.</li><li>We got a third car and that has given you more independence.</li><li>You bought some storage furniture and attempted to rearrange your room according to feng shui principles. As much as you could anyway given that you have no control over where the doors and windows are. The beds had to go back to where they were before because there's no other way they fit in the room!</li><li>One of the things almost no one talks about when becoming an adult is taking charge of your own medical care. You have been making your own doctor's appointments and getting things taken care of. Filling out all those forms and learning all the answers to those questions you don't necessarily know because you haven't had to is a rite of passage that you are managing wonderfully. </li><li>You are really good with little kids. You listen to them and get down on the floor and play with them and just enjoy being around them.</li><li>We have a little whiteboard on the refrigerator and every so often a cartoon or a drawing appears on it. But never when anyone can see you do it - you're like Banksy!</li></ol><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uxEmV__gHrhenYze67BLa_3keQG-Bhc0j6LE7MuF7be1Y0PcsSO6UOxWvunHB7dNH-c-_s5Rp6eAVhF0nkpZLOk_vZhRrYMmWpUjv87bMRqi26NbtyKRaNpvEpnDBdiZscacbexqUF73Bf5OoYuxTbke_N1RadtvEZz5VZpLmiEXMCVkBA8PXaEN-U8/s1280/64795.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uxEmV__gHrhenYze67BLa_3keQG-Bhc0j6LE7MuF7be1Y0PcsSO6UOxWvunHB7dNH-c-_s5Rp6eAVhF0nkpZLOk_vZhRrYMmWpUjv87bMRqi26NbtyKRaNpvEpnDBdiZscacbexqUF73Bf5OoYuxTbke_N1RadtvEZz5VZpLmiEXMCVkBA8PXaEN-U8/s320/64795.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_-rAB4Fw4CHjs9b_7oByz8-YlSqI8v-RQYKQ8lC-IrvYZ_P-PYiyVBfgzSq7bHaUbyaFo0gey8lv3qYLc-VO7rjjBG78Waacqtsq-dXdqVCL0Lp7_d-GKwBO1XbHcIg5JVWAd3Fhj3CraT5CQhYVITVj_WKIgykjoMBMuiPLMg5vZ6xNy-EKnPo4-W0/s4032/20230423_134249.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtnPIab1_HldTfdHUQvOSe__3zQIidD28TT-uj5V0ZUhVNAr0Vmkn9tLlvx6aXHMgE5o9FEykDbi4QnAEx0oSF1aLdZGiG7Vq6VeDguKdf_qufP18Y_5VeLh6keCVRAFpii8YgyovHAGENEY674-upff3f__EorD7x5S4nRJEbvs3mP_uCmdPV3R-VjM/s320/20230624_115654.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbWo2MuBiwPyYkzlRMznQSIfXtBTR2XSa6cx_ACYpXvaGsLSaciu_HeJHrEY_dPAhc0rXz3Xz7b6jtxRKbq5XBkHbd-wp1tpbiTlcTkStYg-YVsSIuG9fk7vQnBwiia56DB_nvTpUWXIbTO32VThLpIzPI0PR5tLASXDQaet_wmDgZg_wpyTpRyq82qs/s4032/20230913_134709.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbWo2MuBiwPyYkzlRMznQSIfXtBTR2XSa6cx_ACYpXvaGsLSaciu_HeJHrEY_dPAhc0rXz3Xz7b6jtxRKbq5XBkHbd-wp1tpbiTlcTkStYg-YVsSIuG9fk7vQnBwiia56DB_nvTpUWXIbTO32VThLpIzPI0PR5tLASXDQaet_wmDgZg_wpyTpRyq82qs/s320/20230913_134709.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZ7KrEHtZLoJB8fLVPd0B6Pjw-g2DzbTCaTSKwHzzxO3MVGtXceUDna2T5xRwRK4JTOvvgA2vdSVohyphenhyphengG53qk5sW1r7UD66XNStvCTE3uW2qGROO_di70kXN-GCBmgpU3vj1Asj9GLnDfJX3SQY__2wU-iaKg8ttUYtsbh9_hwOhS2im8z6qva-jqenc/s1440/Paul%20at%20BJs%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZ7KrEHtZLoJB8fLVPd0B6Pjw-g2DzbTCaTSKwHzzxO3MVGtXceUDna2T5xRwRK4JTOvvgA2vdSVohyphenhyphengG53qk5sW1r7UD66XNStvCTE3uW2qGROO_di70kXN-GCBmgpU3vj1Asj9GLnDfJX3SQY__2wU-iaKg8ttUYtsbh9_hwOhS2im8z6qva-jqenc/s320/Paul%20at%20BJs%202023.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><ol><li>You graduated from North High School in June 2023. You started going to a People Inc Dayhab Without Walls - Lincoln CAPP in July 2023. You LOVE it! You do a mix of volunteer things like Meals on Wheels or helping at the Senior Apartments as well as some fun things like bowling and playing mini golf and cooking classes. There are several other participants you know from school or dance or bowling so it was nice to go in already having friends. The staff there is really great too. We are all very happy with this change in your daily routine.</li><li>You carry your own money every day in your wallet so you can make purchases and pay for activities. Sometimes you come home with receipts from your purchases and I see that you have gotten a Mountain Dew or an Iced Capp with praline syrup. These are not things you generally like *at all* When I ask if you really drank/ate that, you give an enthusiastic yes and then you laugh and laugh. So I don't know for sure if you really did?</li><li>You love it when Mark picks you up from program because you stop for snacks!</li><li>You still go to dance once a week and swim twice a week and bowl every other week. At dance you like to go into my office and steal my snacks!</li><li>In big bowling news - you now just walk up to the line and throw the ball. Right out of your hand on the first go! No more swinging the ball ten or twelve times before you let it go. We're not really sure what prompted the change but a game takes less time now and I'm also sure it will be noticed in your next chiropractor visit!</li><li>New this year were two different fitness classes, one of Mondays and one on Fridays. The Friday one is over for now so we may look into a gym membership to keep that momentum going. Miss Christine works all of you hard but you like it and are very proud of yourself when you come out of class.</li><li>When we are driving to and from "work" you sit in the front seat. When we are going to "fun" things you insist on sitting in the back LOL</li><li>Meat sticks and pickles and craisins are still your favorite snacks. Pasta is still your top meal request. If there are leftovers from dinner, you like to have them for breakfast the next day. You LOVE salads.</li><li>In big hat news, you have decided that you like baseball hats now! Your favorites are a new burgundy corduroy one you got for Christmas and an orange one that Dad brought you back from Florida. Your favorite shirts are still the ones from Life Is Good.</li><li>Orange is still your favorite color, but now you like blue a lot too.</li><li>We are hoping for two respite weekends at Cradle Beach this year and a session over the summer. </li><li>You got a new Toy Story blanket to use just for camp. The other one was getting too worn but I know you like the routine of what you bring there.</li><li>You still lobby hard for takeout on the weekends and planning what we are getting from where. You and Dad will often go out for lunch on Saturdays which you love.</li><li>You are starting to like staying up later at night and sleeping in (somewhat - getting up at 9 am is really late for you!)</li><li>You take a long walk with Dad almost every night and you have a routine of retelling stories on - your versions of the 3 Little Pigs or the 3 Kittens or the 3 Bears or the 3 Billy Goats. And then you mix-in all your other favorite characters from various shows and family members. Elmo is Piggy #1, Anthony Wiggle is Piggy #2, Kipper is Piggy #3 and Mark is the Big Bad Wolf. You laugh and laugh. Sometimes you get so involved with the storytelling that you have to go down a few more streets until you finish the story.</li><li>We have noticed a real improvement in your verbal speech. Whether that is being out in the community more and having to interact more or maturity or I don't know what, but it is lovely to hear.</li><li>You grew 3 inches this year! Your thyroid still normal! Your cholesterol is still somewhat high but all your exercise and being active throughout the day is really helping with that. We did decide to start a low dose of medication to help with it, which I think we avoided for as long as we possibly could. The reality is that DS already makes you susceptible to Alzheimer's & Dementia and high cholesterol increases that risk even more. So we've got to keep that risk as low as we can for as long as we can. Whatever we have to do to keep you healthy!</li><li>You love going to the grocery store. Pushing the cart, picking out the items, putting items up on the conveyor belt or scanning at the self-checkout, you are there and ready to help! You come home and help put things away too.</li><li>In fact you have been really taking the initiative to help around the house with all kinds of things. You would always help before when we asked you to but now we are finding that you have already unloaded the dishwasher or switched the clothes from the washer to the dryer or taken the dirty clothes down to the basement ready for the next load. Wow!</li><li>You went to the dermatologist recently to have some moles and skin tags removed. You were really great about it and didn't complain at all. Except about the band aids, you still hate those.</li><li>You still really do not like dogs or any animals really. You still meow a lot, sometimes we have whole meowing conversations which we both find hilarious. But an actual cat? No.</li><li>Going to Disney on Ice is still one of your favorite things to do each winter.</li></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDhD-fPcqEpMTDY4Yc3qUSIygzjpMGPM5QTRb7RxpO7jdJAQk4ZKM5mCjXW4J_uvAcgfZNFWq45VxOLweWd10liv8H4NWVT-9BokOnFnccdc3Xetgz4jOtsCyx_9mXflZJCoU5MBKWJv7lzEDcj1vb7LxIxt4sTIIBmLGoRVYk-9SqKSMud_QnDc6-QQ/s960/76529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDhD-fPcqEpMTDY4Yc3qUSIygzjpMGPM5QTRb7RxpO7jdJAQk4ZKM5mCjXW4J_uvAcgfZNFWq45VxOLweWd10liv8H4NWVT-9BokOnFnccdc3Xetgz4jOtsCyx_9mXflZJCoU5MBKWJv7lzEDcj1vb7LxIxt4sTIIBmLGoRVYk-9SqKSMud_QnDc6-QQ/s320/76529.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRd6RDpKskbrMURgYrAFTcAZzMv6oKOT1S23_wvyIZHcL2-Krw39oPCqyNR_HMcHy5QJiFQ4dpgkC-D_zfEjBBd8njaVCL4ZdGVN_Jnsonxo7h2KSHZrJzoVTQm6NyaQVWmxtyO4n1X7nqIY8P6-tYQp3q9H_wmoK1yo1bLFoger8Pf-Huvy6CWvxAbU/s4032/20230513_152236.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-71100500452526138512023-02-14T17:46:00.008-05:002023-02-15T16:45:26.529-05:0021 Things About You at Age 21<p> Adults! For Real! I'm sure you were babies just a few minutes ago...</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg0lGCaB6VlMArXGPkeXlBY6f-E8r4kFamksJkQUN9Zki585SRh0C0t_912l91Y6njVMQCJu3j4p9ZO3xteeXQoXAkRnTDvypv-_gxJsQRZXVwRLYQLzydfxAqCA-Tn9yMJ6i0aOazTdTjJ1FSLw-t6jsVTuFoOFQJJcnag9oTGfkFtZjvq6oHUnj/s4032/20220719_125146%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg0lGCaB6VlMArXGPkeXlBY6f-E8r4kFamksJkQUN9Zki585SRh0C0t_912l91Y6njVMQCJu3j4p9ZO3xteeXQoXAkRnTDvypv-_gxJsQRZXVwRLYQLzydfxAqCA-Tn9yMJ6i0aOazTdTjJ1FSLw-t6jsVTuFoOFQJJcnag9oTGfkFtZjvq6oHUnj/s320/20220719_125146%5B1%5D.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BJh1-7OULk_lJaCIspBjJFqC6x1ZozT6nh1GUgGektczP_IcqfsZeuILw1XJXRx0Q0oTIW_PnpO6RE1qCBJAbdh8fWtV3Gmf8VeNWz9dlMXyG6NNWI81pQWno9zlLm_bEkLAyTH_1Teo7EbLMz98V5BHX9aLdKNsYf-SwZISX98XxDxUaJWn2hsK/s4032/20220805_185922%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7Bsouia6uf0Ja93wOqwokX0VQt3Z72hstkKHgPo3asEy5mQbR18ey5isMi_XVN8dxbo0XPdHwibRMNipJ4OrXH7jw8hAmvSGtEvPyC5GwbSdsJhhi6Z29YL1G4qXfWLlVfZ7nFD5lAOY5OjItQKPB143qlMIr_TugF8AfJK-KCtIuExPbqNcpHgQ/s320/IMG-20220720-WA0001%5B1%5D.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVAaas0Jv-n0EcgIPnPcaiSchXRwWlXiuT9STZvm3oEEqTp0qOUfEBQGS9zB9sUioMMHi76fiHRr7dmDTrAFbH7Gj3na9ehEu49szjK_UWzS7DEmsUfPl_1V-57cXIbQmriJndZ6wHLfRBVIfqfreATjotKi7Tkbn1dzz8AqbPYaduY0O1DG6e503/s1296/IMG-20220731-WA0000%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="972" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVAaas0Jv-n0EcgIPnPcaiSchXRwWlXiuT9STZvm3oEEqTp0qOUfEBQGS9zB9sUioMMHi76fiHRr7dmDTrAFbH7Gj3na9ehEu49szjK_UWzS7DEmsUfPl_1V-57cXIbQmriJndZ6wHLfRBVIfqfreATjotKi7Tkbn1dzz8AqbPYaduY0O1DG6e503/s320/IMG-20220731-WA0000%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKkJ-zVjRQhWVm6M_QopuWsevRwL_osIbeTJPtGQzmIQOpVgSuRPfnJrYK2JOtarNVAbul8x1trp3t5EnpOJdBXyDywgPKPiNEOFJgznwFvWO--TmYAtFx70Q-i_RWp5LxI5cpCNAsNuDUSJX3TrOmC44rkAoN8CzublminrExGzmt23thBz8TyiT/s1280/55045%5B1%5D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKkJ-zVjRQhWVm6M_QopuWsevRwL_osIbeTJPtGQzmIQOpVgSuRPfnJrYK2JOtarNVAbul8x1trp3t5EnpOJdBXyDywgPKPiNEOFJgznwFvWO--TmYAtFx70Q-i_RWp5LxI5cpCNAsNuDUSJX3TrOmC44rkAoN8CzublminrExGzmt23thBz8TyiT/s320/55045%5B1%5D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><ol><li>This past summer you were able to go to Italy with your cousin, G. We were amazed that you two saw so much of the country in just 10 days. Milan, Venice, Rome, Naples, Florence, Pisa, the Amalfi Coast, Sienna, Cinque Terra, Pompeii -- Sienna was your favorite, Naples was your least favorite. Coffee was surprisingly just ok but gelato was awesome. Water was expensive.</li><li>Your Italian/EU dual citizenship is in the works, right now it is in the Italian court system.</li><li>You are happy the border is open again and looking forward to going to Canada again.</li><li>You have a very nice group of friends that you met when you all worked at Spirit Halloween. </li><li>You are a caring friend, always ready to give a ride or help somebody out.</li><li>You are saving up for a car. Or an apartment. Both.</li><li>Weekly D&D nights with your cousins don't happen as often as before due to everyone's work schedules but you do play as often as you can.</li><li>You are a hard worker - you have 4 or 5 jobs. Personally I think that is a bit much and I remind you to keep at least a day free in the week to see your friends, sleep, and play. </li><li>You still have the part-time job with Lakeshore School Supplies, delivering and putting together furniture and other items for local schools. That has slowed down quite a bit but they still call you from time to time. You like getting called for the "away" jobs that involve an overnight stay and free hotel breakfast. You work at the local Lowe's in the evenings, usually 4 or 5 nights a week, with a day shift every so often. Tropical Smoothie Cafe keeps you busy in the early mornings into the afternoons. That started out as one day a week, but some weeks you work 3 or 4 days. When the apartment complex in the neighborhood needs extra help, you'll do snow removal, salt the sidewalks and other maintenance work. And you have an online coding job that I do not even pretend to understand. :-D</li><li>You are still a night owl though these early morning jobs are making you go to bed much earlier than you would normally prefer. A few times you have fallen asleep in your dinner.</li><li>You went downhill skiing for the first time recently. It was fun! But you experienced your first sports injury ever and first broken bone ever. You slid headfirst into an electrical box and broke your nose! You said it didn't hurt that much though the blood was a bit alarming. The ride on the snowmobile with the ski patrol was fun. No concussion due to wearing a helmet and a visit to the ENT a few days ago fixed your nose without needing surgical intervention. That was a big relief to all of us.</li><li>You still do a lot around the house without being asked. </li><li>You planted a tree in the backyard!</li><li>You still don't seem to feel the cold when outdoors but you will put on more layers without rolling your eyes too much at me.</li><li>You quietly listen and pay attention and that makes you an inventive and thoughtful gift giver.</li><li>You still love turkey subs with lots of veggies. New favorites are white pizza (with spinach!) & Rueben sandwiches. You like Greek, Indian and Thai food.</li><li>You cut your hair short again and your curls are back.</li><li>You still love a hooded shirt and a leather jacket. You "borrowed" your brother's fleece-lined hoodie and have lived in it this winter. Yeah, he's not getting it back. (I did buy you one too that's exactly the same but... ?)</li><li>You are always up for playing with the little cousins. You are great with little kids, very patient listening to them and getting down on the floor to play with them.</li><li>You often house & dog sit for relatives. You like the little bit of independence and privacy and love their dog. Whenever we go over there she is so happy to see her buddy and stays glued to your side. </li><li>You spend an equal amount of time telling Paul to stop singing so loud as you do hugging him. You are always aware of where he is and what he is doing. He prefers it when you are "in charge" because you let him eat snacks!</li></ol><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaOAmr2pQ9mPk0Y610JITAJ4tmFZ1TKGuYlrsrxowmSMWvFJfP0uPC8neEtdMPVfUWFDLm21w7jCtW8M-50UuwVUsey6KrNAnkLbSpn8o5zrNI12Xb0BLLclNujRz0rpCA12gJOZZL8NOMqC3IBQPARLQfOjvADTinz4SsWZ2plqwmh4LCRLzmjsK/s4032/20230130_184957%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaOAmr2pQ9mPk0Y610JITAJ4tmFZ1TKGuYlrsrxowmSMWvFJfP0uPC8neEtdMPVfUWFDLm21w7jCtW8M-50UuwVUsey6KrNAnkLbSpn8o5zrNI12Xb0BLLclNujRz0rpCA12gJOZZL8NOMqC3IBQPARLQfOjvADTinz4SsWZ2plqwmh4LCRLzmjsK/s320/20230130_184957%5B1%5D.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmz_HnvLWr7wVRLxx-g5LZVNvSetcgNULWo70_E4eaM0Qcr8PimDfsxlPQ6Ald6K6bNl73vZkGTtNZrR9obq9kU7NMjQizEdim0cHT98gkfCaksyF3F6Pol4w923I3Y8psdpJaIOfATqa1sKqCD9-Erjci1e_JVcqRiaJP67T-TLxFC4cw7FBmbAt/s4032/20230101_000754%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmz_HnvLWr7wVRLxx-g5LZVNvSetcgNULWo70_E4eaM0Qcr8PimDfsxlPQ6Ald6K6bNl73vZkGTtNZrR9obq9kU7NMjQizEdim0cHT98gkfCaksyF3F6Pol4w923I3Y8psdpJaIOfATqa1sKqCD9-Erjci1e_JVcqRiaJP67T-TLxFC4cw7FBmbAt/s320/20230101_000754%5B1%5D.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXSR0XbYwQfiTK5up5CWNswkq8Syj5j8eDtq7Iibohb5JnvFKtdbJ4WNTgjHtQwgke-mykVchN2gdUHEpj0VRmjh4UWVVC86qgwXGpLhZ2fWWLTAAZAzkPJFRDDxMRtYxmEvLtHVvG4cKTsWp_S2efiMFFNVHk2lLeRU9sVdTVz0tiV7c12f1Y66I/s4032/20220403_185759%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXSR0XbYwQfiTK5up5CWNswkq8Syj5j8eDtq7Iibohb5JnvFKtdbJ4WNTgjHtQwgke-mykVchN2gdUHEpj0VRmjh4UWVVC86qgwXGpLhZ2fWWLTAAZAzkPJFRDDxMRtYxmEvLtHVvG4cKTsWp_S2efiMFFNVHk2lLeRU9sVdTVz0tiV7c12f1Y66I/s320/20220403_185759%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SP2rnp26PJxZr3Lt32oTJrTARu32nfSHAKw0LoL8aOkoWW89LSgl9e1XNyRit-79ndg4gL03G-9Q7-8uRH2nCRaXPuAWWUsU-oMaQZ3A16wMILGO5Jsdw0onZXuGVSyUn7TF2B3Dok93oa2krU-IxLphPDlwbK6VdyNv5yXi23XCvsA5WREUyP0d/s1280/64795%5B1%5D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SP2rnp26PJxZr3Lt32oTJrTARu32nfSHAKw0LoL8aOkoWW89LSgl9e1XNyRit-79ndg4gL03G-9Q7-8uRH2nCRaXPuAWWUsU-oMaQZ3A16wMILGO5Jsdw0onZXuGVSyUn7TF2B3Dok93oa2krU-IxLphPDlwbK6VdyNv5yXi23XCvsA5WREUyP0d/s320/64795%5B1%5D.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><ol><li>Final year of high school! Senior Perks! You are still "the Mayor of North" and a walk through the hall is all fist bumps and high fives. </li><li>You still go to the Harkness Center for half the day and have settled into that routine well. This semester your internships there will be with the Salvation Army and Joann Fabrics.</li><li>Your first district internship this year was at Anderson's Ice Cream and you *loved* it. You did a really really great job and got a glowing report. We really see the progress you are making towards working independently without your job coach being right next to you. You just started this week at BJs and are very excited about working there. Bonus that your uniform includes a hat :-D</li><li>We have started looking for adult day hab programs for you next year. It's stressful for us but we are seeing some good options, so we are getting more confident that we will find a good placement for you. Priorities are that you are with other kids your age, you are out in the community and have a variety of activities to keep you busy and engaged and active.</li><li>We went to Disney on Ice a few weeks ago and you loved it as much as ever. Dad and I enjoyed watching you just as much as the skaters.</li><li>In health news, your thyroid is still good & your cholesterol is too.</li><li>This fall you joined Unified Volleyball and you really enjoyed it. You were a stealth point getter :-D Special Olympics bowling is happening now, as is Unified Bowling with school. You love having your own ball and shoes and being with your friends and teammates. Unified Basketball signups are in a few weeks!</li><li>Adaptive Swim just started up again and you were SO happy to get back in the water! We switched up the days a bit so you don't have more than one activity in a day.</li><li>Your teacher started a Unified Club after school once a month just so you can all do some social things and that has been a lot of fun.</li><li>Your recital piece for dance this year is going to be super heroes. You keep telling Miss Chris that your favorite superhero is FoodMan (from a Wiggles DVD) and you laugh and laugh when you tell her that.</li><li>We finally made it to Gigi's Playhouse and you are taking a Narrative Photography class. You were a bit hesitant at first being in a new place with new people but when they handed out the cameras your smile was so big! There will be a gallery showing at the end of April with the opportunity to sell some of your art.</li><li>Your friends at school that you have speech with asked if they could have a birthday party for you since this is a "big" birthday. I love that you all take care of each other and that you have such a big friend group. Mrs. W. always gets the best photos of you all too!</li><li>Meat sticks and pickles and craisins are still your favorite snacks. Pasta is still your top meal request. Making your own breakfast almost always includes meatballs. You like to lie on the floor in between the ottoman and the couch and have a little snack picnic, which cracks us up.</li><li>We had to get another hat rack to accommodate your growing collection. It's still hard to choose the hat of the day each morning though!</li><li>Your favorite shirts are the ones from Life Is Good and your North or Unified shirts.</li><li>Orange is still your favorite color.</li><li>You have been listening to a lot of Elvis lately. </li><li>We are hoping for two respite weekends at Cradle Beach this year (last year there was a lot of sickness/staff shortages so you only got to go once.) We are also hoping Kiwanis Camp happens this summer for a week. That also got cancelled this past summer due to staff shortages but they planned a lot of lovely day things for everybody instead - a movie, a picnic, a boat ride, etc. so you still had fun.</li><li>You still love planning what we are getting for take-out on the weekends. </li><li>You are starting to like staying up later at night and sleeping in when you can. You complain loudly when it is time to go to bed. </li><li>You still give out hugs with abandon. Hopefully that never changes! Dad and I get our fair share but Mark gets far more than us - than anyone - and you always look for him first no matter what.</li></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDhF8CZbbksVC0kTcYDs-n1pv0Yf0ni05VWFmVvVU5KKeF0H-We8BE_79LQ_6VpPNqxNH0C5q27rCpXpS-PYZsxiuAV2Ej7rHMbqa-LL53a5azZ5IYUKdZNX8_A-IzeVsXqNr_8gOgy4XwM1EdefAXzY04luVJVf4NRrIDcX-dQ2iB9SVCwcauY8h/s4032/20220805_151400%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDhF8CZbbksVC0kTcYDs-n1pv0Yf0ni05VWFmVvVU5KKeF0H-We8BE_79LQ_6VpPNqxNH0C5q27rCpXpS-PYZsxiuAV2Ej7rHMbqa-LL53a5azZ5IYUKdZNX8_A-IzeVsXqNr_8gOgy4XwM1EdefAXzY04luVJVf4NRrIDcX-dQ2iB9SVCwcauY8h/s320/20220805_151400%5B1%5D.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UVi0oYa0vo4Jo4n7XefLhNHpZIqVX99vcNKk7U8mLn6Oo7P5OKRjarQl1kPx5ToWWfaE38J6_kgTTyz0zVUTI-GZJuSS4Iv6CiEjMYiIghe1GW0lb-GSH-U6MdftLDH0EsAY_HZqsxRp79v81lT3-yY7YfEbvQXlZdJMkSt2iy1GV_onkgPRz5hD/s4032/20221225_123821%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXAW_ZbEXVmL9llDHQ-0u9Ir3dzpWmxxC03waLckOsF2j5Xqs1of0cHKrLt3O6Q4yyI1J6z_Hbnox9JMi4UzGiekVELpg7EkHv7L68Gpzn46cel6BRmslMTvMibQYIZhdEiO3hky1gCLRVugLUWWhulE6ELmkzB6Mvn3Wv4XuSja6mOEMntYd6G-6v=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="443" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXAW_ZbEXVmL9llDHQ-0u9Ir3dzpWmxxC03waLckOsF2j5Xqs1of0cHKrLt3O6Q4yyI1J6z_Hbnox9JMi4UzGiekVELpg7EkHv7L68Gpzn46cel6BRmslMTvMibQYIZhdEiO3hky1gCLRVugLUWWhulE6ELmkzB6Mvn3Wv4XuSja6mOEMntYd6G-6v=s320" width="148" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><ol><li>The continued pandemic restrictions have continued to mess with your plans of global travel. But maybe more time to research where to go and refine your lists isn't such a bad thing. </li><li>One interesting development is that Uncle Jim figured out how to apply for Italian/EU dual citizenship via Great-Grandma Enea's naturalization papers. It's a pretty involved process but it looks like it is going to work. How cool would it be to be able to live and work in Europe someday? I would love that to happen for you.</li><li>You opted not to return to UB. That frustrates Dad, which in turn frustrates you. But I have every confidence that you will figure it all out and you will be fine.</li><li>You are going out with friends again and doing more things out of the house. Being vaccinated and boosted helped everyone feel better about doing things again while still being safe.</li><li>Finally getting your license also helped! You are a confident driver (but maybe a little heavy on the gas like your mom!) and you can back into the garage like a pro.</li><li>You really want to take Paul out for a snack or ice cream now that you can drive. You offer to go to the store or run errands.</li><li>You are still a gamer. Digital & Analog. Weekly D&D nights with your cousins are still happening & another night with friends. You are often coding and making your own games. You will meet a friend at Panera with your chess board or he will bring one of his games. </li><li>You have a part-time job with Lakeshore School Supplies, delivering and putting together furniture and other items for local schools. You got promoted to supervisor! It slows down in the winter so you are looking for other work at the moment to pick up the slack. You did go and help Uncle Mike with his setup of the building that will eventually become his sandwich shop. And you figured out what was wrong with his snowblower and fixed that for him.</li><li>Speaking of summer jobs, you are thinking of applying for summer work in Hoonah. They're going to have 90+ cruise ships stopping there this summer so the community is getting ramped up for action again after the pandemic downturn. It would be neat for you to go back there to live again as an adult. Our local friends would also appreciate your help.</li><li>You do a lot around the house without being asked. During a recent snow day you took charge of keeping the driveway clear so Dad didn't have to and you also went and introduced yourself to the new neighbor and helped him clear his driveway. We are grateful for your help!</li><li>Like Dad you don't seem to feel the cold when outdoors but you love wearing the microwave heating pad around the house. Dad gave us some more for Christmas so we don't have to share!</li><li>We continue to love watching GBBO together! I love how you give everyone a funny nickname until we've gotten far enough into the season to remember their names. We always discuss if a bake is worth trying ourselves or not. You are a willing taste tester!</li><li>You are still an inventive cook and this year you have explored spices and flavor combinations. You made soup the other day that had us all starving after smelling it on the stove all day. Fake chicken nuggets are still your go-to snack, but French fries also get made a lot. For dinners you love fajitas, red curry Thai chicken and yellow rice.. A turkey sub with every veggie on offer is also a popular choice.</li><li>Your hair is quite long now, which straightens out your curls. To me it looks like a gorgeous lion's mane! </li><li>You are often humming or singing when you think no one can see or hear. (but Moms see & hear everything and we have the pictures and recordings to prove it!). </li><li>You like listening to ASMR videos while you work.</li><li>You still love a hoodie and a leather jacket. </li><li>You still love art and anime and all kinds of creative endeavors. You were super happy that the Ghibli Chalkfest came back to the North Park. (There's a Ghibli theme park opening in Japan this year...)</li><li>You pay attention and give really thoughtful gifts.</li><li>You are always aware of what time it is on school days and are at the door to greet your brother as soon as he gets off the bus. You always stop what you are doing and hang out on the couch with him for awhile. Until he tells you to get lost LOL You always know what he is trying to tell you.</li></ol><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKmqbRTrQ-fcXYkp9_V7nOvc9s0srxMM6LPOApGozJMIAHJzn64Pet-zPEt6OHBHU_w6D-zdPrHHZYABAYGo_Yg71W2KgRycEMXfSv-UAwA-gtNQ9P_W1C8pqbghf6ojXY5lcF--ASrwmUX8MDVbkSY5jIGiStOgESKOjJ2uTtjfL8w9ywvscPmT8t=s2265" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2265" data-original-width="1699" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKmqbRTrQ-fcXYkp9_V7nOvc9s0srxMM6LPOApGozJMIAHJzn64Pet-zPEt6OHBHU_w6D-zdPrHHZYABAYGo_Yg71W2KgRycEMXfSv-UAwA-gtNQ9P_W1C8pqbghf6ojXY5lcF--ASrwmUX8MDVbkSY5jIGiStOgESKOjJ2uTtjfL8w9ywvscPmT8t=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeyLi4DpfQhPT7IS8UCmoXLWNCa6kVAISeDBp-jkAlbFaYmUeq6aWtmRhJBSbmr0c5nbSYgnGR4f_KvVBkG54DGWMMW0IH7IeBU6Ski9hg2NEzzrPoRnXw-5_Ll70iR4ht-yh4K-xWrS8rK1Gw1xbfBZDIoQNmhEmz7n3Bs8L2gLG4zAH5s1i-VTRq=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEYk8wtXkbKj9tXWxpHUKH2aAZMmpv9ucFjiBCziwWWs36tHRiir6p92ym-tE5aegDPLEXVbtnWTamAU69Ktkk1drVU7GC98vDDGmTBAkCT2qBX2cM-IXGnUoN6ZqjXMur888cHMWRxYbIU0HcO8h8A4SYDtpjvIazdp3q-pFIZHXkD8kgZmsvlWUC=s320" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqoxrxBJECctFU2ze33wE_mfErJbDP0t3lABDxwr_j403zCHg4HNDsfDYmK5WnHiFEGf8MkBl5Ao1WmUPbDD37cuKqKiKOdCYEYEzvitYCls3D77hsqrYghOhfFVJfWJ6SD7igY3UQi9O9VC3u3Q3hG7NWMYDm3AW09nI56R6iDc85zprBQtOdGxe9=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqoxrxBJECctFU2ze33wE_mfErJbDP0t3lABDxwr_j403zCHg4HNDsfDYmK5WnHiFEGf8MkBl5Ao1WmUPbDD37cuKqKiKOdCYEYEzvitYCls3D77hsqrYghOhfFVJfWJ6SD7igY3UQi9O9VC3u3Q3hG7NWMYDm3AW09nI56R6iDc85zprBQtOdGxe9=s320" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizBx5JtL1jb77BJorTqgIp-FR4oGRCuwZXSDXmZX2dOzjwm61eVD9nLa5Az_bwBWnRhrR_ibbQ2vli18ieNQXdK9DxAhovVYtCurHPpzy0fMXos51q476szJg3B9zEz9i3Y7PRs7LMX6HYcyVYln5v0rw22HazPpEHy5v5TC9BniT5EbFuGKnEa57z=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizBx5JtL1jb77BJorTqgIp-FR4oGRCuwZXSDXmZX2dOzjwm61eVD9nLa5Az_bwBWnRhrR_ibbQ2vli18ieNQXdK9DxAhovVYtCurHPpzy0fMXos51q476szJg3B9zEz9i3Y7PRs7LMX6HYcyVYln5v0rw22HazPpEHy5v5TC9BniT5EbFuGKnEa57z=s320" width="180" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><ol><li>You love being back to in-person school with your friends. Your teacher calls you "the Mayor of North" and reports that a walk through the hall is all fist bumps and high fives. </li><li>You also go to the Harkness Center for half the day. You are finally settling in there and letting the teachers see your personality now.</li><li>Your most recent district internship was with Spot Coffee and you *loved* it. Especially using the dish sanitizer. Your Harkness internship was cleaning at one of Russell's hotels and you didn't love that so much. Next up: BJ's and a grocery store. I think you will like both of those.</li><li>You have been great at mask wearing this whole time. We had to recently switch things up because the cotton ones we had just weren't fitting your face all of a sudden. But we found some fun KN95s that work great. We were super relieved when you were able to get vaccinated and you got boosted as soon as you were eligible. So far no scares, quarantines or other close calls. </li><li>In other health news, your thyroid is still good & your cholesterol has come down also.</li><li>Special Olympics bowling is happening, as is Unified Bowling with school. You love having your own ball and shoes. You often break 100. You love bowling with your friends and teammates. </li><li>You are looking forward to Unified Basketball starting up in the spring too.</li><li>Adaptive Swim just started up again and you were SO happy to get back in the water!</li><li>Your teacher started a Unified Club after school once a month just so you can all do some social things and that has been a lot of fun.</li><li>Your recital piece for dance this year is going to be Pirates and all the guys are very excited about that. And even better, Miss Robin said there will be a sword fight!</li><li>Your brother asks you every day if you want to go out for ice cream or a hot dog. Right now you keep saying no because you don't believe it is legal for him to drive by himself. LOL </li><li>You came home from school the other day with a huge container of pickles that Mrs. T. made just for you. You were thrilled! I love that they all take care of you and know you so well. Those are still your favorite snack, along with craisins and meat sticks.</li><li>You got a bunch of new shirts recently and already have a few favorites that you reach for as soon as they are out of the wash, a teal Henley and an orange one. And you love showing your school spirit with your North shirts. And of course the hat of the day.</li><li>Orange still seems to be your favorite color.</li><li>You don't let a day go by without listening to Celine Dion and Cher. We have long conversations about how pretty Cher's hair is and all of Celine's sparkly show outfits. You would love to see either of them in concert. Which might involve a trip to Vegas... </li><li>We just found out that you can go to two respite weekends at Cradle Beach this year and that is very exciting. The notice is on the refrigerator and you remind me every day that you can go twice. We hope you will also be able to go for a week in the summer with Kiwanis.</li><li>If you know I'm going to the grocery store, you start giving me a list of things to get. Meatloaf is always at the top of the list!</li><li>You love planning what we are getting for take-out on the weekends. </li><li>You are probably more attached to your iPads than is good for you. We have to refocus your attention at meal times and bedtime, especially on the weekends when you have a lot of free time. </li><li>I always get a hug when you're passing through on your way to get a snack or switch iPads. You and Dad will hang out on the couch in the morning and get a few extra winks in while waiting for the bus to arrive. But Mark gets the lion's share of hugs and you always look for him first.</li></ol><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcRwY00U_mTWV8ctidHMK-u7pRugHIja6ajQxTbezF8wZKEiWFMvh-iJrsXeWs1z846ZLytbXvtl9drUY4nJnHB4IsU7NBNBrPwxX4Stqy1H-KtUOYzjCyDlapMHG-2XsUcb5INItY5mpzEFLBw01kzWVU6nZqcj3XpAX0Sy1JO8SogiMV1APxfwbi=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcRwY00U_mTWV8ctidHMK-u7pRugHIja6ajQxTbezF8wZKEiWFMvh-iJrsXeWs1z846ZLytbXvtl9drUY4nJnHB4IsU7NBNBrPwxX4Stqy1H-KtUOYzjCyDlapMHG-2XsUcb5INItY5mpzEFLBw01kzWVU6nZqcj3XpAX0Sy1JO8SogiMV1APxfwbi=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiG7u2x6KdXCtjjwP05U5fh7U2TbclVd3gQHbAlSc_xgMkMA20tGp8gN_QUOCnXYN2agFLrztPdMjGXSyrnOPv8MOFRSBqAkaJHdNt6kkKQvSQoEOQiK9AUWply6X1rvUF11BU5WZbWOqwKtaRord7Ob9iE_eHvNNKn49e1pD0PpZpCotlGmwyrqTqN=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3CP1K13wXMVU5xpP4J145dHd9T15cntepc1_CWjnCaka0UkxkJGgyvFZivGxtrjRxXLCnogEkqtRF5bqMg65TTRwOcDv3cEn2NMyX_KjRi12i95ZLz21QXUVyTE4TxhWxppEHgo84e5lEnYdBi4128Gm5muwlbMzzUsmlw-SA09HMiOhIVug6VbQb=s1682" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1541" data-original-width="1682" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3CP1K13wXMVU5xpP4J145dHd9T15cntepc1_CWjnCaka0UkxkJGgyvFZivGxtrjRxXLCnogEkqtRF5bqMg65TTRwOcDv3cEn2NMyX_KjRi12i95ZLz21QXUVyTE4TxhWxppEHgo84e5lEnYdBi4128Gm5muwlbMzzUsmlw-SA09HMiOhIVug6VbQb=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div>BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-36761498809587724602021-02-13T16:26:00.001-05:002021-02-22T08:14:56.596-05:0019 Things About You at Age 19<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline;">In some ways 19 is hitting me as more significant than 18 did. Maybe because it's a number that is firmly settled into adulthood. Maybe it's because with these beards you certainly *look* more adult. Maybe it's just that this year has been extra emotional in so many ways. Maybe it's just cause I'm your mom! I love you both and I am so proud of you! Happy birthday!</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZJ2CcULH91a9OM8aY519S8Yap9sCq41GaeFwgjGTaRjESZGmSVcvZj4LcpO1UceWCTkkHErMJxl11bbE1wZAUYhK8XEhdvNUD88b1uCpEf6GhfIC8pDGC3gpiTJKaIVBJg8sEqeWTwo/s2048/20201225_113207%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZJ2CcULH91a9OM8aY519S8Yap9sCq41GaeFwgjGTaRjESZGmSVcvZj4LcpO1UceWCTkkHErMJxl11bbE1wZAUYhK8XEhdvNUD88b1uCpEf6GhfIC8pDGC3gpiTJKaIVBJg8sEqeWTwo/s320/20201225_113207%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xVQi1MsBBzdpEanauBg-CetaXris-Be4QXAq8z9kb-0aWjbxFIAG_tAmS-eKy_79GkirKGbakk2urNaENGftsIEWh-OBYkoLaEvzi4A3El03ImNZDlKpMQzos-6cWfg6-n2yXPtwYag/s2048/20201224_130238%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7rF2V_x1YdVxflzuMjcIpIhQ5vWf3d2NCIlJC5gJAuZOwPSKtuzTEyQ7w-Ll8R_zOCOGcB7ZueJ7DL1EsSTU4F72EuM06Lte1YJo0oRSa6JcukKYcR2OLlWo_6jkLWaErfbpUS97DcQ/s320/20200613_162609%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH3CkoFBh_yGuqAm0g8Y6YssfzpgLBQ73xcs0bZtvyEd31E8m0hhiAw1aWx7fcFGIqeF1m6eXFY-QBSmXuYHG-5u0WJ3Kg9loPL2cHJDNRST4Ad4Sgl-kHLHBQR1wPRrFZmhSw4J5W8k/s2048/20200831_152541%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH3CkoFBh_yGuqAm0g8Y6YssfzpgLBQ73xcs0bZtvyEd31E8m0hhiAw1aWx7fcFGIqeF1m6eXFY-QBSmXuYHG-5u0WJ3Kg9loPL2cHJDNRST4Ad4Sgl-kHLHBQR1wPRrFZmhSw4J5W8k/s320/20200831_152541%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFDe7YqLvW2YBXPudmmnRAKihErlki4j_AbrUCpNoDao-X9MHIX1ovLfZ-GJxlA_4hnfmu_0c35yxN6zoaLn_b_tc3DQ9tfiRxVNzP9lCA3DCVVDqi7jy9MApSRXp9qjpl6nzE3GoF7c/s1280/26844%255B1%255D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFDe7YqLvW2YBXPudmmnRAKihErlki4j_AbrUCpNoDao-X9MHIX1ovLfZ-GJxlA_4hnfmu_0c35yxN6zoaLn_b_tc3DQ9tfiRxVNzP9lCA3DCVVDqi7jy9MApSRXp9qjpl6nzE3GoF7c/s320/26844%255B1%255D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>This pandemic year wasn't the Gap Year of worldwide travel that you envisioned and it has been hard being stuck at home - not to mention stuck at home with all of us! - but you've made the best of it.</li><li>You were up late a lot of nights in the beginning just because it was the only time the rest of us weren't around. We eventually figured out ways to give each other space, though we do still get on each other's nerves sometimes.</li><li>You got to spend a few days with G. over the summer after a lot of careful planning and because the infection rates had gone down, which you were very grateful for.</li><li>You are in your 2nd semester at UB. You had one on-campus class your first semester & you enjoyed being there even though it wasn't the busy environment it usually is. Online isn't your preferred learning method but again, you are making the best of it.</li><li>You took Italian last semester and continued with it this semester. We joke a bit about all the recent news stories about buying property in Italy, but you do think it would be neat to live & work in Europe or other places around the world.</li><li>You would like to work for awhile before deciding on the rest of college, but again, pandemic year has made that more difficult. </li><li>At least one night a week you play D&D with your cousins, sometimes other games. You're keeping in touch with your school friends via gaming too.</li><li>You also regularly check in with another cousin who is away from home at college to make sure he's doing ok and if he needs anything.</li><li>There was a lot of Great British Bake Off watching this year. We attempted to bake some of the things but you much prefer your role as taste tester.</li><li>One of my dearest long-held dreams has finally come true! You are old enough to watch Highlander with me. We watch a few episodes a week. Naturally, you make fun of all the 80s & 90s fashion & the music and then make fun of me when I try to explain it all and tell you how great it was! You also guessed a key plot point that doesn't happen until well into Season 2 in the very first episode.</li><li>When you went with Dad to vote in the Presidential election, they couldn't find your information right away due to being a new voter and with everything being different than usual with the pandemic. It took awhile and you did get to cast your vote, but you kept your cool throughout and were very patient. There were some adults who didn't do that, so thank you for setting a good example.</li><li>I will often get up in the morning to find that you've unloaded the dishwasher or done some other little jobs around the house after we've gone to bed. Thanks!</li><li>You quickly gave up the idea of growing your beard as long as possible during the pandemic. But you are growing out your hair. Itisthisclose to being long enough for a ponytail. </li><li>A relative recently gave us a picture of your grandfather when he was in his early 20s. I've always thought you looked like him but man, this picture is amazing. I will have to take your picture holding it and see what other people think about the resemblance.</li><li>Hoodies are your daily fashion choice. And you love a leather jacket.</li><li>You will often get up in the early early morning just to give your brother a hug before he gets on the bus for school.</li><li>You have a great eye for color. I always ask your opinion if I can't decide on colors for a project and you often suggest something I hadn't thought of that ends up being perfect.</li><li>We've always had good conversations around the dinner table, but I love the evolution of them into more grownup subjects and hearing your opinions and thoughts on whatever is going on in the world.</li><li>Your favorite thing to cook might be ramen. None of that instant stuff, you get the noodles and chop up the veg and add the egg and the whole thing. You like just making up recipes and seeing what works</li></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1GeM_IxP-Y5Avrul0_QsHMuEYjNKeYx7oWexK9NAbit_UUq0JM7PBjnaC33o2Oou5KISdXGmfiii-rcfpZ_xeUVhtC797JRxH4xJ4rW3dq1BfLSKOC-85Z9QBU215LkA7eAvIhqSS38/s2048/20200223_183541%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1GeM_IxP-Y5Avrul0_QsHMuEYjNKeYx7oWexK9NAbit_UUq0JM7PBjnaC33o2Oou5KISdXGmfiii-rcfpZ_xeUVhtC797JRxH4xJ4rW3dq1BfLSKOC-85Z9QBU215LkA7eAvIhqSS38/s320/20200223_183541%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBa9IJLYN2Yqiqws_88SxQkKRjh6HMl0QxkB0bZhJxWEaWHl9RWGSTOrH5Afun0vnLw6ygPpb0zn4gcCOmHi3MDRc5AjRXaMP1s4GTs5wSshGvEayGQyu310KIQ7I_35Pc0NB6qsbI4uQ/s2048/20200303_184249%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90Zyghre_Iwou3_ukA88wjIHE_Pk2xiIyAAw22QpCGPwcU1aLB5Ve09w0dvFbYh-RQZqSzbUGfWgIiVhPvr7xNBQsGA102tZdi9fOk7hQAIs24QfLdjdspkmF5Xl4Yp6z94LNEBflemI/s2048/20200613_150329%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90Zyghre_Iwou3_ukA88wjIHE_Pk2xiIyAAw22QpCGPwcU1aLB5Ve09w0dvFbYh-RQZqSzbUGfWgIiVhPvr7xNBQsGA102tZdi9fOk7hQAIs24QfLdjdspkmF5Xl4Yp6z94LNEBflemI/s320/20200613_150329%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>This pandemic year wasn't quite what you were expecting, but you've stayed happy throughout.</li><li>Remote schooling ended up being great for us. I know a lot of people are still struggling, so I know how lucky we are. Your teachers are awesome and they all worked really hard to keep everybody engaged and moving forward. You did need someone to sit with you but that was more to keep you on task than to help you with the work (except math). You were able to share your screen and do presentations all on your own. Maybe because we have always had to be more hands-on with help and learning since you were born, we don't see this as anything out of the ordinary other than that you were home more than usual.</li><li>No internships this year so you got to "work from home" like the rest of the world! Your teachers made lots of "training videos" on tasks like how to run the washing machine, how to fold laundry, and all the kinds of life skills you need, as well as things that can translate to a job at some point. </li><li>We also did a lot of cooking for your culinary life skills class. You made pot pie, pizza, lasagna and we even canned pickles! You loved watching Mrs. Fitz's cooking show each week!</li><li>You also had seeds/plants to take care of and you were diligent about watering every day without any reminders from us.</li><li>You are back at school in-person every day and while wearing a mask all day is hard, you are doing a great job with it and you really enjoy being back with everyone in person.</li><li>You have had to have two Covid tests - just randomly selected, not because of any scares, thank goodness! - and you did great, no complaints. Ditto with getting a flu shot. Now that NY has expanded its eligibility for the Covid vaccine you may be able to get vaccinated soon. As more information becomes known about the effects of the virus on people with Down syndrome, it will be a big relief for us when you can be. </li><li>You've really really missed Special Olympics, both swim team and bowling team and all your teammates. We are making sure you get enough exercise in other ways but it's not the same.</li><li>Dance has continued and even when it was on Zoom you were happy to join in and get moving and hear your favorite songs and see your friends. </li><li>Unified bowling will start up with school in a few weeks with very strict rules in place and no mixing of teams/schools. I know you will be so happy to bowl again!</li><li>I think you are going to need a second hat rack soon.</li><li>Like your brother, you are planning your next vacation when travel is allowed.</li><li>Also like your brother, you are pretty much always planning your next take-out meal.</li><li>You don't love it when I cut your hair but even you will admit that I am getting better at it! Blow drying your hair after a wash gives you a fit of the giggles!</li><li>There's nothing you love more than getting up before everybody else on a Saturday morning, making your own breakfast and getting settled in with your iPad knowing the rest of the weekend is all yours.</li><li>Your latest crushes are Selena Gomez and Cher. You told me the other night that you felt sick (very obviously faking it) and when I asked what would make you feel better, you said "a kiss from a Princess." LOL!</li><li>Your favorite long-sleeved shirts are a maroon one you stole from Dad and a red one with a snowman on it. Your favorite short-sleeved ones are anything with a cartoon or Disney character on it. You will always choose the Snoopy pajamas.</li><li>Now that it's colder weather you will often layer a headband under your hat of the day. You do not allow it to cover your ears however which seems beside the point, but it's working for you. You are actually wearing gloves now too and can get them on by yourself.</li><li>You eat big salads that Dad makes almost every day, sometimes even before the pasta or main part of the meal. You always tell us how good everything tastes and thank you for the meal.</li></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVK-ZxDts9eHxDjRkJZF0X-TcKNJ8iyFfZkbp2WdfvWhXnVGh38_Hn3X8gA1BlkpKMVlnOpM3KvR_80CuPNFsFYZAGWoJkTgCBH-vKyGowwTDKBwueYwxvZres4RlY0jpND-iWUYbOD0/s2048/20200322_135010%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVK-ZxDts9eHxDjRkJZF0X-TcKNJ8iyFfZkbp2WdfvWhXnVGh38_Hn3X8gA1BlkpKMVlnOpM3KvR_80CuPNFsFYZAGWoJkTgCBH-vKyGowwTDKBwueYwxvZres4RlY0jpND-iWUYbOD0/s320/20200322_135010%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrkgqnSWBm4gJGAu1m9voY_j9ZU-CHS-94dR3zLzl_Nq-djz18MOPmFXeLguf599m0GVpqoAiftWSDoP32Je9wYNS39WKZv3SRedwcmM_BV3ZFQZRBsKAftQd4j6DKpiDIPqeBjw5ApY/s2048/20200331_141431%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_iakWYUFPFRYT1KahGJCv-ev72FdBseNGXUWP9Fk4xBMZBms2CSH0h0EhOtAEf8atKTjSCqwTMz4DLBkX2x1nmH7wq7bdptLXv9e1dlVW3pwAV4PkFlnQ8rcXJQGB-xxb_fxfpsE0NoA/s2048/20210111_172219%255B1%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_iakWYUFPFRYT1KahGJCv-ev72FdBseNGXUWP9Fk4xBMZBms2CSH0h0EhOtAEf8atKTjSCqwTMz4DLBkX2x1nmH7wq7bdptLXv9e1dlVW3pwAV4PkFlnQ8rcXJQGB-xxb_fxfpsE0NoA/s320/20210111_172219%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><p></p></div>BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-39982813077451474342020-02-13T06:56:00.001-05:002020-02-13T06:56:30.102-05:0018 Things About You at Age 18<div>
<span style="color: #5a5a5a; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">18?! How is this possible? At 7:49 pm and 7:50 pm on February 14 I will look at your first photo that is still hanging on the refrigerator and remember the 5 lb. 13 oz and 6 lb. 8.5 oz babies you were. And here you are now, grown into young men. Wow. It's a lot for a mama's heart to take in but I've loved - and will keep loving - Every. Single. Millisecond.</span></span><br />
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<ol style="background-color: white; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You walk over to Spot Coffee just about every day. And then have a ramble around town.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You are an adventurous eater now, which you weren't as a kid. Mexican? Thai? Chinese? Japanese? Indian? You're game for it all. You'll pretty much eat anything except shellfish. Which is great for me because I love all that stuff too! You gave me a gift certificate for high tea at Asa Ransom House and yes, of course I will take you with me. You're just super fun to hang out with.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You've tried your hand at cooking some of these things too, especially some things Uncle Denis taught you to make. Your favorite Christmas gift this year was an Instant Pot and you're having fun making snacks late at night. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">In addition to cooking, you're doing your own laundry and doing stuff around the house without being asked.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Your fashion choices still lean towards shirts with hoods & anything soft in neutral colors like black, grey & navy. With a colorful hoodie thrown over more often than not. You attempt not wearing a coat. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You've got a hybrid beard/goatee thing happening. At the moment you like your hair short. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You like to go out into the garage and jump up to do pullups on the steel beam. And hit the heavy bag. I did have to ask you once not to do it in the middle of the night because the house shaking woke me up, which was a little unnerving!</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Still doing driving lessons, next is learning how to drive stick shift on Dad's car.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You worked at Firehouse Subs last year. We were proud of you for always being on time for work, washing your uniforms, taking extra shifts when your co-workers were in a bind and being overall very responsible. The free food and steady cash didn't hurt either. Ultimately you decided that food service isn't really your thing, so we'll see what's next.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The 2nd year attending Otakon in Washington D.C. was great. Two cousins came along for twice the fun and you decided to cosplay as the Mii's from Nintendo Wii. You haven't all decided yet if you're going again this summer or maybe try a different convention.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You graduated high school just about a year early, in August 2019. You worked hard to do it and we're very proud of you.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">So far your gap year is going well. You spent some time in NJ with that side of the family and really enjoyed spending time with them and seeing their everyday life (as opposed to just seeing them for holidays and special occasions). You're planning some travel with various family members on both sides. You're also staying up late and sleeping in :-D </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You applied to and have been accepted at UB. You want to look around at a few more places before you decide for sure though. No planned major, just gonna see what seems interesting. We think that is a smart choice.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You have a little side business going drawing avatars for people in one of your gaming communities.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Now that you're done with school, you started reading again for pleasure. You recommend books to us and also podcasts.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You're pretty much always at your computer with your headphones on, singing away as you work on your art or game or talk to your friends. You and Paul take turns telling each other to be quiet. LOL</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You're pretty excited that you can register to vote now and that the first election you get to participate in will be a Presidential one.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You don't seem to live on your phone. Most of the time it's on the kitchen counter and you're somewhere else in the house. That could be a totally different thing when you're out and about though.</li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You joined the Unified Basketball team at school last spring and while you only played a little bit, you really liked being part of the team and learning how to play. Over the summer you played a lot with the kids next door and now you can make a basket! You're going to join up again this year.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">This brings your activities to: dance, Special Olympics swim team, Special Olympics bowling team, unified bowling team and unified basketball. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Last week you bowled a 75, your highest score ever. Your average is 52. You really get along with your Special Olympics team mates, especially R. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You like coffee now, but only if you think you are "stealing" it. If we give you a cup of your own, you won't drink it. Except at bowling because the other guys come in with coffee so you want one too.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">We were able to go to Disney World in December and you LOVED meeting all the characters. It was a dream come true for both of us. Except now you want Princesses to appear everywhere you go. Which, come to think of it, would be pretty cool. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Naturally we bought several hats as souvenirs :-D</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">And since that trip was so fun, you are talking even more about Hawaii. Bucket List!</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You still love going out to eat. You're not even done with the meal before you're planning which restaurant we're going to go to next. Like Mark, you have become a much more adventurous eater as you have gotten older. Pasta is still your favorite, but you like trying all the different kinds of foods too. You loved watching the chef at the Hibachi table! You did tell him to be very careful with the fire though!</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You've rediscovered High Five and are enjoying watching those videos and singing along. You also love Crocodile Rock by Elton John. You've found every version there is on YouTube.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You're still a lark, but don't get up quite as early as before on the weekends (but still earlier than the rest of us night owls!) You say "no" when it's time to get up for school so some of that "teen wanting to sleep in" is hitting you a little later than most.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Your class read Harry Potter in school and you really enjoyed listening to the story. You get more of it now than you did before.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You still like shirts with funny graphics of your favorite characters. You like to get dressed up when there is a special occasion.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Sometimes choosing the hat of the day is difficult. Especially if the bus is waiting. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You don't mind shaving your beard when it gets too long but don't mess with the mustache! This past November you participated in your school's No Shave November Event - a six-week Tom Selleck Mustache contest. That was a lot of fun! And we got to see how fast your beard really grows. You got to choose a prize and you went with mustache-printed socks.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Your art teacher reports that you love to paint (which we knew) but that you also sing when you do it because it makes you so happy. There is always some art coming home in your bookbag from when you have a free period.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You got to go to Kiwanis Camp this year. We're hoping you get to go again this summer. You're already looking forward to your respite weekend at Cradle Beach in the fall.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">You are very independent at home. You can do a lot of chores unassisted, you do the whole bedtime routine on your own, you know what you need for which activity and can get it all ready to go pretty much by yourself.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Your first internship at Tops doing re-shops was a great experience. You knew when it was a work day and always remembered to wear your black shirt. Last week you started your second internship at Santora's Pizza and you are SO EXCITED about working in a restaurant. Right now you are working on rolling silverware and making crayon packs for the kids. But you want to make pizza. Maybe someday! You really really love having a job.</li>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-70219041637039254472020-02-10T22:38:00.000-05:002020-02-13T06:46:24.376-05:00Best Book of 2019I read 63 books in 2019, 11 more than my target. Yay me! Most were good, some were ok. Both book clubs kept me reading things I wouldn't normally. However, there were only two that I'd give 5 stars to:<br />
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<u>A Gentleman in Moscow</u> by Amor Towles. Long, but worth it. Beautiful language, beautiful enough to make you cry. Characters that live with you long after the book is over... ahhhhh. Read it with one book club and have convinced the other one to give it a go. Just go read it, you won't be sorry.<br />
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<u>Meet Me at the Museum </u>by Anne Youngson. Short, quick read but the imagery will stick with you. Like the above, these characters will continue to live in your mind and you will be thinking deep thoughts after.<br />
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In anticipation of Book 9 in the Outlander series (Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone) coming out sometime this year, I'm re-reading the series again. Just finishing <u>Drums of Autumn</u> now...BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-12856552431930049092019-02-13T21:57:00.000-05:002019-02-13T21:57:05.749-05:0017 Things About You at Age 17<br />
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<ol>
<li>You have your driver's permit and have been practicing several times a week with Dad, who reports that you are a careful driver.</li>
<li>Kingdom Hearts IV was completed in 30h; Secret playthrough 34h</li>
<li>You also spent quite a bit of time in the midst of those 30 hours trying to teach your brother how to play because you knew he would like all the Disney characters. You are a really great brother.</li>
<li>You even convinced me to have a go and didn't laugh when I couldn't push all the buttons at the same time.</li>
<li>You will be graduating high school early, in August 2019 if all goes according to plan.</li>
<li>You're taking your time figuring out what is next, wanting to make a good decision and one that is right for you.</li>
<li>Bananas disappear as soon as we bring them home, no matter how many we buy. </li>
<li>Some days you walk home from school rather than take the bus, even though it takes longer.</li>
<li>You loved seeing Hamilton when it toured here recently (Thank You Dad!).</li>
<li>Your favorite Christmas gift this year was the Nintendo Switch.</li>
<li>Your fashion choices still lean towards shirts with hoods, colored sneakers, anything soft.</li>
<li>Your sweet tooth seems to have disappeared. Unless tiramisu is on offer.</li>
<li>You still have the BEST laugh. </li>
<li>You would like to get back into martial arts and are investigating the different types.</li>
<li>You are still a night owl and mornings are hard.</li>
<li>You almost always have your sketchbook with you. Doodling, working out animations, just thinking through your fingers.</li>
<li>Dad took you and your cousin to Otakon this past summer and it was awesome! You've already got reservations for this year and another cousin will also be joining in the fun.</li>
</ol>
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<ol>
<li>You joined the Unified Bowling Team at school and you are really enjoying bowling with your school friends, and taking the bus back and forth to matches.</li>
<li>This brings your activities to: dance, special olympics swim team, special olympics bowling team and now unified bowling team. </li>
<li>When you bowl well, you have to give EVERYONE a high five.</li>
<li>You really really really want to go to Hawaii. And while you're there you want to drink a pineapple smoothie while wearing a hawaiian shirt, sunglasses and a straw hat.</li>
<li>You actually passed up a plate of pasta the other day in favor of a salad (I took your temperature!)</li>
<li>Going out to eat is still your favorite thing. It doesn't matter where.</li>
<li>You really like the Muppet movies lately. And Incredibles2.</li>
<li>You don't fuss too much when it's time to do homework.</li>
<li>You're still a lark and on the weekends you are the first one up. You'll make your own breakfast and then settle in with your iPad.</li>
<li>Your fashion choices are still solid colored shirts or ones with funny graphics of your favorite characters. Hawaiian shirt when you need to be a little more dressed up. And a different hat every day.</li>
<li>You got a fancy hat rack for Christmas which makes it so much easier to pick out the perfect one each morning.</li>
<li>You insisted that we buy a scarf loom and some yarn when we were at the craft store. But so far you're not that interested in actually doing it. You picked out some really nice yarn though!</li>
<li>When your brother sings too loud you tell him to be quiet. Then you get up and give him a hug.</li>
<li>You're already talking about camp even though it is months and months away.</li>
<li>If anyone leaves a drink or snack unattended, you like to finish it off and then you turn yourself in and we have to make a big show of being annoyed. So funny!</li>
<li>You love jokes now! Miss M put a whole bunch of corny ones on your iPad and you put a plastic snake in your brother's water bottle. </li>
<li>You did your first internship at the end of the school year last year, helping out at the food pantry. You did great and felt really proud of yourself! This year's rotations will be starting soon so we can't wait to see what you will be doing.</li>
</ol>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-65131070776895454252019-01-05T00:13:00.003-05:002019-01-05T00:13:37.804-05:00Books of 2018The final count was 69 books read in 2018 - I am happy with that! Here are the ones I really loved this year that will be added to the "highly recommended" list (in no particular order):<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><u>Pachinko</u> by Min Jin Lee. This is one of those sweeping family sagas that covers several generations. The story begins in Korea, with teenaged Sunja who finds herself pregnant by an (unbeknownst to her) married man. Refusing to become a kept mistress, she marries a sickly minister on his way to Japan. The story continues with her new family trying to make their way in Japan against prejudice, war and health crises. Twists and turns, you never know exactly where things are going to end up for all of them. The title refers to a mechanical gambling game that figures heavily in several characters lives. This was a book club selection and I really enjoyed the audio version. It took a little bit of time to get all the characters straight because of similar names, but after that, I was hooked.</li>
<li><u>Circe</u> by Madeline Miller. I was enthralled by this book! It's definitely on my list of "always recommended." The goddess Circe is a puzzling child to her parents, god of the sun Helios and the nymph Perse. She is neither powerful nor particularly beautiful and teased unmercifully for her strange voice. She turns to mortals for companionship and discovers her powers of witchcraft. Threatened by her power, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island where she spends eternity honing her powers and of course, meeting a who's who of greek mythology: the Minotaur, Daedalus and his son Icarus, Medea and of course Odysseus. In the end, Circe must gather all her power and choose once and for all where she belongs: with the gods she was born to or with the mortals she has come to love. I didn't know a lot about greek mythology beyond what M and I read in the Percy Jackson series but this swept me into all of it and I wanted to read more. Again, I listened to the audio book and Perdita Weeks was the perfect reader. There were many times I sat in the driveway finishing the chapter.</li>
<li><u>The Book of M </u>by Peng Shepherd. This book is classified as Fantasy, but I think it could also fit under Thriller. Set sometime in the future, the book begins when a man in India loses his shadow. It just disappears. And slowly his memories start to fade too until he doesn't remember anything - not where he is, not who he is, nothing. And since he can't remember his past reality, then he is able to make his own. And then the Forgetting and its accompanying destructive magic starts to spread like a plague across the world causing havoc, distrust, war and the rise of a cult. The book follows different people, coming from different parts of the world, heading towards New Orleans as they hear about a prophet who can fix people's memories. Ory is tracking his wife, Max, who left him when her shadow did in order to protect him. This book creeped me out but I couldn't put it down either. </li>
<li><u>Us Against You </u>by Fredrik Backman. The sequel to Beartown, we are back in the hockey-mad town, when the townspeople learn that their hockey team will be disbanded and all the best players have been lured to play for rival town Hed. A surprising newcomer is picked to coach and bond the players left behind into a team. But old grudges and new whispers escalate the decades-old rivalry. By the time the final game is played, someone is dead and both towns are wondering if the game they love can ever be just a simple game anymore. Fredrik Backman has a knack for building suspense and throwing in twists that you never see coming. </li>
<li><u>Matchmaking for Beginners </u>by Maddie Dawson. Marnie MacGraw just wants to marry her fiance, have kids, live in the suburbs, drive a minivan and fit in. Her fiance's eccentric great-aunt Blix tells her at their engagement party that this is never going to happen. When her marriage ends after only two weeks, she doesn't know what hit her. And then she finds out that Blix has passed away and left her the Brooklyn brownstone full of unfinished projects and neighbors who need someone to rely on. Why would somebody she only met for 10 minutes a year ago, do that? On the condition that she live there for a year, Blix insists via letter and other posthumous winks that Marnie is the perfect person to carry on her magic and matchmaking. And it turns out she was right.</li>
<li><u>Longbourn </u>by Jo Baker. It's no secret that I love Jane Austen. There have been an abundance of retellings and sequels and prequels. Some of them are interesting, some are execrable, and very few are good. Longbourn is a good one. Here, the servants take center stage and there is as much romance, heartbreak and intrigue as there is upstairs. And lots of laundering of muddy petticoats. It's at once familiar and new. I loved it.</li>
<li><u>The Keeper of Lost Things</u> by Ruth Hogan. Another book club choice, I really liked this one. Anthony Peardew lost something precious the day his beloved fiance died. He's since spent his life picking up lost things and cataloging them meticulously. He writes stories about them. But now near the end of his life, he worries that the items will never be reunited with their owners. Recovering after a painful divorce, Laura takes a job as Anthony's assistant, unsuspecting that he is going to leave her his house, all the lost things and his mission. With the help of the gardener, Freddy and delightful neighbor Sunshine, Laura struggles to do what Anthony wished and find the right home for all involved. As we find out the stories behind all the lost things and how they became lost, we realize that nothing is ever lost, everything - and everyone - end up exactly where they are meant to be in their own time. </li>
</ul>
BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-66220872570406304012018-02-14T08:50:00.001-05:002018-02-14T08:54:59.329-05:0016 Things About You at Age 1616. Wow. I continue to be amazed by you both! I am so blessed to be your Mom.<br />
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<br />
<ol>
<li>You seem to get taller by the minute! I don't know where you will stop!</li>
<li>You started fencing last year and, as predicted, you love it. Maybe not the Saturday morning practices.</li>
<li>You are teaching yourself computer animation and you are good!</li>
<li>You have a little business drawing avatars for people and they pay you in game currency.</li>
<li>You have a half-year class this year in Video Game Design so that's probably gonna be an easy A.</li>
<li>Your favorite class at school is still Global History.</li>
<li>Your favorite lunch now is Quorn chicken nuggets. Or jalapeno tuna. Your favorite snack is a whole pizza :-D</li>
<li>You still talk to your cousin on the phone a lot.</li>
<li>I recently started listening to audio books in the car and I torture you guys with listening to them when we're driving to and fro together. You seem like you're not paying attention and focused on your phone, but every so often you call out something witty. "Brandon's the better man, Marianne! Go with Brandon!" I recently got Master and Commander mostly because I thought you would enjoy it and you did. </li>
<li>Last night while watching Half-Pipe in the Olympics you said "Shaun White, the only role model we gingers have." I said that wasn't true and you said ok, name some more. I said Ed Sheeran, which you accepted. Prince Harry, which you said was pushing it. And then I couldn't think of any more. So now it's down to you, bud.</li>
<li>When you were little, you'd take any excuse to stay home from school. Hang nail? Can I stay home? Tiniest scratch? Can I stay home? Now you go to school no matter what, even on the days when I tell you can stay home if you want to. </li>
<li>You are great about being in charge and keeping an eye on your brother when Dad and I have to be somewhere and you two would rather not go.</li>
<li>Your fashion choices lean towards athletic gear, shirts with hoods, a leather jacket with a hood, and sneakers with just a pop of color.</li>
<li>You have muscles! That is still strange to me. </li>
<li>Your face has started morphing into a man's face. Also strange. But also kinda cool.</li>
<li>You haven't shown a lot of interest in driving yet and that is fine with me right now. </li>
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<ol>
<li>You are still growing but not as fast as your brother. Your feet have stopped though. </li>
<li>Your favorite lunch is still lunchmeat, pickles and craisins. Spaghetti is still your favorite dinner with mashed potatoes being a close second. And smoothies!</li>
<li>For your birthday celebration, you want to take everyone to the Skylon Tower for dinner. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. Maybe we should just ask how much it is to rent out the whole place!</li>
<li>When we ask you what you want to be when you grow up, you always say a cook or a farmer. But you don't actually want to ever help me cook or mess about in the garden. But you do love food and you do love restaurants. So maybe you need to be a restaurant critic. I think that might be the perfect job for you!</li>
<li>Dad and Uncle Hugh took you to the car show last weekend. You enjoyed sitting in the race car but meeting Wonder Woman was better.</li>
<li>You still wear a hat each and every day and right now you are not happy that I haven't managed to fix the ribbon on your top hat. You have now added sunglasses worn over your prescription glasses. </li>
<li>Your remaining fashion choices depend on the weather. Hawaiian shirts in the summer, tuxedo vest and bow tie for formal occasions and fun tshirts with characters the rest of the time. When it is cold outside you prefer the puffy coat you stole from Mark to the big parka.</li>
<li>You have appropriated Dad's chromebook and now prefer that to the ipads for the moment.</li>
<li>But I am not allowed to use any of the ipads even though you are not using them. You literally take them away from me and put them back on the shelf.</li>
<li>You love going to a show whether it is the movies or something at Shea's. You really enjoyed the Nutcracker and Lion King this year. </li>
<li>When it is time to shave you tell us to leave the mustache alone! </li>
<li>You started high school this year and have settled in well. The 7 a.m. bus was an adjustment though.</li>
<li>You are still the first one up in the morning.</li>
<li>You still swim and dance and now are enjoying bowling a lot more. You got a ball, shoes and bag for Christmas. You love wearing the team shirt. </li>
<li>You love to paint and draw. We've asked that art be one of your electives next year. </li>
<li>You like to tell me you are homesick and pretend cry. Then you say "already home!" and laugh and laugh. Silly.</li>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-37550151975656569882018-01-07T13:57:00.003-05:002018-01-07T13:57:49.725-05:002017's Best BooksThis year I read 66 books or 19,813 pages. Yay! I was also part of 3 book clubs, so that led me to read a few things I wouldn't have normally but mostly it was nice just to have more local people to hang out with. Sometimes we even talked about the books ;-D There were a few clunkers (aren't there always?) but most of them were enjoyable. Here are the ones I loved best this year and that have earned a place on my "always recommend" list.<br />
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<ul>
<li><u>The Complete Works of Jane Austen</u>. I was pretty sure I'd read them all over the years, but it was possible that I'd just gotten tangled up in movie adaptations (hello, Colin Firth!). So this year I decided to revisit all of her work. I found a great audio book of Mansfield Park read by Juliet Stevenson (herself having acted in some of those movie adaptations) and to my delight she had read all the others as well. Having the right reader makes all the difference to a good audio book! Feeling the need to take a break from the constant news this year, I turned to audio books to save my sanity and that made life so much more enjoyable. As I have found when I read all of a series again in one go, reading all of Austen's work in succession allowed me to pick up on little subtleties and similarities I missed the first time (all those men with "W" names for instance). It also allowed me to see the growth of Austen as a writer. I still can't pick a favorite, but <u>Persuasion</u> has moved up the list and <u>Emma</u> has moved down. I know a lot of people didn't love <u>Lady Susan</u> (the film version is called Love and Friendship), finding it too mean-spirited, but I thought it was hilarious. I'd like to think this was a more accurate depiction of Jane's inner monologues as she observed the world around her. </li>
<li><u>The Boys in the Boat</u> by Daniel James Brown. I found this book when there was a lot of press about it being one of the books that entire communities were reading together. It's the story of the 1936 U.S. Olympic Rowing Team and how they won gold against all odds. But it goes into the history of rowing, the very difficult lives of the boys who grew up in the Depression and fought for everything they got and how rowing helped shape them. Honestly, this is not the kind of book I normally read, preferring fiction. But I ADORED this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I'll admit I read the last chapters more than twice. I also found the old newsreel footage on Youtube to see how it really happened. It gave me some insight, too, to the era that my parents grew up in. While they would always tell us stories about making do and hardships, for some reason this book really brought all that home and showed how their generation got their resiliency and their can-do attitude that as time passed served the world well in WWII. I also got D. to read it and he loved it as well.</li>
<li><u>The Art of Hearing Heartbeats </u>by Jan-Philipp Sendker. The story opens with Julia, arriving in Burma to search for her missing father. The only clue she has is a love letter he wrote many years ago to a woman neither she nor her mother have ever heard of. What she finds is yes, a love story and a mystery solved, but also a story of resilience, dedication and miracles. The language in this book is so lyrical, so unbearably beautiful, I dare you not to be drawn in</li>
<li><u>Beartown</u> by Frederik Backman. I've been a big fan of Backman's work ever since <u>A Man Called Ove</u> made the list last year. This book isn't as quirky as his others, though there are some quirky characters. It takes on much more serious themes that ended up being very timely for what is going on in the world right now. It's about communities, how they're formed or not formed, how they stand together or not, and how they heal or not when tragedy strikes. It's about the dangers of putting all your hopes and dreams into one thing and one thing only. Faced with choices, both big and small, each character in this book slowly reveals who they are and what they stand for. It's also just as much about place as it is people, the location is just as important a character as the others. I also think he's quite good in depicting relationships, all those little nuances and actions that started out as nothing but added up over the years become important to a couple, a group of friends, a mentor and protegee. In typical Backman style, the direction you think the book is going in isn't necessarily where you end up, which is one of the reasons why I love his work. </li>
</ul>
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Happy reading! If you read any of these, let me know what you think and, as always, I'd love to hear what made your list of favorites this year.</div>
BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-86349964947876085652017-02-13T19:49:00.000-05:002017-02-13T19:50:18.102-05:00Fifteen Things About You at Age 15<br />
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<ol>
<li>You still love animation and are doing some yourself. Way cool.</li>
<li>When you're not doing that, you're working out - calesthenics, weights, working a heavy bag, jumping rope.</li>
<li>When you're not doing that, you're batch cooking healthy meals for yourself. Chicken, veggies, quinoa, lots of good stuff. I may delegate the cooking to you from now on!</li>
<li>All that healthy food and exercise has had an effect on your overall health. Normally by this time in the winter you have missed about 10 days of school. This year? Not a sniffle. (knocking on wood though just in case)</li>
<li>You are still a voracious reader, but dislike the dystopian stuff that is everywhere these days.</li>
<li>High school was a bit of a shaky start - all that freedom! You had a few "not working to potential" issues, but got that under control and still made the Honor Roll.</li>
<li>Global history is your favorite subject at the moment, followed by Digital Media.</li>
<li>Most of the time you pitch in on chores without having to be asked, which we appreciate.</li>
<li>You sing a lot. </li>
<li>You have the <i>best</i> laugh. </li>
<li>Because of the early high school schedule, you have turned your natural night owl tendencies around and most nights you are in bed and out cold by 8:30 p.m.</li>
<li>You had a great travelling summer - Iceland, back to Hoonah to see old friends, and visiting family. </li>
<li>You still like hooded shirts, the colors black, grey & burgundy, and any clothing that is soft.</li>
<li>You are now taller than Mom <i>and</i> Dad. We find that very disconcerting. </li>
<li>Pokemon Go!</li>
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<ol>
<li>You still love anything and everything Disney.</li>
<li>You swim at least twice a week and are adding another stroke to your repetoire - the crawl.</li>
<li>In bowling you can throw the ball down the lane most of the time.</li>
<li>You love to go out to a restaurant. You would eat out every day if you could!</li>
<li>You really enjoyed Technology this year and built a portable speaker. </li>
<li>You have grown a lot this year too. You can look Mom in the eye now.</li>
<li>You recently got a winter coat with fur trim on the hood, which you think is hilarious for some reason. You like to put up the hood and peer out and say "meow." LOL</li>
<li>You love to help grocery shop. At BJ's you scan the items at the self-checkout and load up the items into the cart. At Wegman's you know exactly what we need in each aisle and are starting to order at the deli. The smoothie at the end is the best part!</li>
<li>You are running lots of errands at school without supervision.</li>
<li>You have developed a fondness for 80's disco music and like to sing and dance along. </li>
<li>If you could go to Cradle Beach every week, you would. And go to NJ on the way back. On a plane.</li>
<li>You are still an incorrigible flirt.</li>
<li>You love art of all kinds - painting, coloring, clay. </li>
<li>Lollipops!</li>
<li>You like solid color long-sleeve shirts like the Wiggles wear, anything brightly colored and of course many hats. </li>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-38905280372649172512017-01-07T14:26:00.003-05:002017-01-07T14:28:04.881-05:00Books of 2016<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I read 32 books this year. Not quite the 52 I always set for a goal, but I'm ok with it. I added needlework back into my goal list last year and while I didn't complete a lot of those items this year, I'm happy with what I was able to accomplish. My work hours increased in September so that was a bit of an adjustment. I also added a more regular schedule of self-care into my life year and that has been far more important to keeping me on track and helping me maintain balance. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br />
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<div style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; right: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not too many books got a five-star rating and inclusion onto The List this year, but these did:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<ol><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<li><b><u>Homegoing by<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"> </span></u></b><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a class="authorName" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14493315.Yaa_Gyasi" itemprop="url" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19.8px;">Yaa Gyasi</a>.</u></b> This book stayed with me for a long time. It's the story of two half-sisters in Africa several hundred years ago. One is in the ruling class and eventually married to a British slaver, while the other is from another tribe and sold into slavery and transported to the New World. The book follows the succeeding generations of the family and how their lives progress to the present day. It is a page-turner and really makes you think about race, race relations, slavery and how families work to integrate all the pieces of their history.</span></li>
<li><b><u>A Man Called Ove by<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"> </span></u></b><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="font-family: inherit;"><span itemprop="name" style="line-height: 19.8px;"><a class="authorName" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6485178.Fredrik_Backman" itemprop="url" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19.8px;"><b>Fredrik Backman</b></a><span style="color: #181818;"><b><u>.</u></b> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I really cannot say enough about this book. It was so wonderful that I immediately went out and bought everything else Fredrik Backman has ever written. I don't do that too often. Ove is a curmudgeon in every sense of the world. A grumpy old man, he has Rules and gets annoyed at the world when they don't follow them. When a young family moves in next door, his world is turned upside down. There are a few surprises here, but you will find yourself laughing and crying and cheering as you read. And then you'll go want to find the curmudgeon in your life and give them a hug. </span></li>
<li><b><u>My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman</u></b>. I told you I went and bought everything Fredrik Backman ever wrote :-D This one was wonderful as well, and there were enough twists and turns and "oh! that's what really happeneds!" to keep you turning pages and glued to the story until the last page. This one is about Elsa, who is aged 7 and a little different from everyone else. Her grandmother has always told her fabulous about a mythical land where everyone is different and no one needs to be normal. When her grandmother dies, she leaves Elsa a Quest in the form of letters that must be delivered to various people she feels the need to apologize to. And as Elsa meets them all she begins to wonder - .could the Kingdom of Miamas and the people who lived in her grandmother's fairy tales be real? </li>
<li><b><u>Come Rain or Come Shine by<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><a class="authorName" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/40552.Jan_Karon" itemprop="url" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19.8px;">Jan Karo</a>n. </span></u></b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anybody who has ever visited the town of Mitford will fall in love with it all over again in this new book in the series. Dooley Kavanagh and Lace Harper are all grown up and planning their wedding. And in true Mitford style, the whole town gets involved whether Dooley and Lace want them to or not, mishaps happen and grace overcomes all. </span></li>
<li><b><u>My Mrs. Brown by<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"> </span></u></b><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a class="authorName" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1073272.William_Norwich" itemprop="url" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19.8px;">William Norwich</a>.</u></b> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This book was so sweet! Emilia Brown is a woman of a certain age. She has lived her life in the background, always quiet and no frills and probably overlooked by most. But in her heart she has dreams. Dreams which suddenly seem to be embodied by an Oscar de la Renta sheath and jacket and somehow she must make them her own. And braving the trip to New York all alone to get it becomes necessary as well. Sometimes a dress isn’t just a dress.</span></li>
</span></ol>
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</span>BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-57872075845133759772016-02-15T12:00:00.000-05:002016-02-15T12:00:11.322-05:0014 Things About You at Age 14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<ol>
<li>Suddenly your hair got all wavy!</li>
<li>You like steampunk fashion and asked for a waistcoat for Christmas.</li>
<li>You joined the Debate Club at school. So far, though, every position you've gotten is one you don't agree with. Which I guess is the whole point of debate.... You grudgingly let Dad come see the last competition.</li>
<li>You make a fruit & veggie smoothie almost every night.</li>
<li>You will now eat salad. </li>
<li>And you discovered coffee! (decaf for the moment)</li>
<li>You took up painting this summer and really enjoyed it. Especially painting in the open air in the park.</li>
<li>Your sneakers are size 13!</li>
<li>You would like to do medieval re-enactment.</li>
<li>You are finally old enough to do blacksmithing. You have been wanting to do this for about 5 years.</li>
<li>I hear you singing when you think no one is nearby.</li>
<li>You grew an incredible 10 inches this year! You are taller than me now and not too much longer before you catch up to Dad</li>
<li>Deciding on which high school to go to was tough but you made a good choice. </li>
<li>Your last report card had three 100% marks.</li>
</ol>
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<ol>
<li>You do not like your sideburns at all. Dad has to trim them a few times a week.</li>
<li>The mustache and little whiskers don't bother you as yet.</li>
<li>You regularly call us into the other room to watch something with you. And then after about 1 minute you tell us to go away. </li>
<li>You are swimming backstroke now and getting the hang of it.</li>
<li>I put a "favorite characters" folder on your speech app and now that is all you want to talk about. We had to hide it at school so you would concentrate on your work.</li>
<li>You are sleeping later in the morning. Not as late as your brother, but late for you. 8:00! whoo!</li>
<li>Now you are on a bowling team with Special Olympics. </li>
<li>You grew about 5 inches this year.</li>
<li>Your shoes are size 7.5, finally in a men's size. You like to step on the back of them and wear them that way. Maybe I should just buy you clogs.</li>
<li>You are still a flirt.</li>
<li>You really like vegetables now. Especially asparagus.</li>
<li>Your teacher reports that when you hang up your things in your locker, you put your hat on the shelf, your coat on one hook, your scarf on the 2nd hook and a glove each on hooks 3 & 4. LOL! I am going to ask her to take a photo before winter is over.</li>
<li>You are warming up a bit more to the idea of a pet. A rabbit is the only animal that doesn't get an outright no. </li>
<li> Your last report card had two 100% marks.</li>
</ol>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-59026090628540249162016-01-10T12:48:00.000-05:002016-01-10T12:48:06.315-05:00Best books of 2015<span style="font-family: inherit;">I read 37 books this year. That's the lowest number since I started keeping track in 2011, but that's ok. I added needlework back into my goal list and was dividing my time between those two things. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">If a book doesn't really grab me within the first 100 or so pages, I don't force myself to finish it. Reading is my stress relief and if I'm not enjoying it, then out it goes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So without further ado, these are the books that got 5 stars from me this year (in no particular order):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows</u> by Diana Gabaldon</b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. This is available as an eBook only and it took me quite some time to find it. This little novella tells the story of what really happened to Roger MacKenzie Wakefield's parents and how he was orphaned during the Blitz. </span></li>
<li><u style="font-family: inherit;"><b>T</b></u><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>he Space Between: An Outlander Novella </u>by Diana Gabaldon</b>.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Also an eBook only edition, this novella tells the story of Joan MacKimmie, one of Jamie's adopted daughters, who makes her way to Paris to enter a convent. She is helped on her journey by Michael Murray, Jamie's nephew. One of Claire's old enemies learns of the connection and things get complicated. With both of these ebooks, I love how Diana Gabaldon fills in little bits and pieces of all the characters in the Outlander universe. Michael, Joan, Dolly & Roger Sr. are very minor characters in the other books but now here they are full-fledged and we come to care about them just as much as all the others. It also makes it easier to wait the 3 or 4 years it takes her to write the next big book.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><u>A Memory of Violets </u>by Hazel Gaynor</b>. Mr. Shaw's Home for Watercress and Flower Girls is a home and refuge for London's flower girls, many of them orphaned and crippled. (think Eliza Doolittle in much poorer circumstances) In 1912, Tilly Harper leaves her home in the Lake District to become an assistant housemother. Soon after she arrives she finds a diary in her room written by an orphan named Florrie, who dies searching for her lost sister Rosie. Tilly sets out to discover what happened to Rosie, while getting to know and caring for her new charges. Through her journey she finds a new life for herself. I loved this book. There was a lot of historical research done and it led me to learn more about the flower girls. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #fffcf5; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: #0d0b0a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For instance, when the fashion for fresh flowers waned, many of the girls got training to make flowers from silk and feathers for the millinery trade. Queen Alexandra arranged a "rose day" where people made charitable contributions through the purchase of silk roses to help fund rehabilitation programs for the flower girls and ensure they had a place to live.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.35s ease-out; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><u>The Secret Place</u> by Tana French</b></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.35s ease-out; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>.</b> French's novels are the only detective/crime/suspense ones I read. I'm normally very susceptible to scary stuff and don't read or watch anything that will give me nightmares. But French's writing is so good and her characters so multi-dimensional that I'm willing to risk it. A popular boy was murdered on the grounds of a girls' boarding school a year ago and the case remains unsolved. The school has an anonymous gossip bulletin board (the headmistress's answer to social media) and 16-year-old Holly Mackey arrives at the Dublin murder squad with a postcard of the dead boy's picture with the caption "I know who killed him" that she had found on the board earlier in the week. </span><span style="background-color: #fffcf5; color: #0d0b0a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Detective Stephen Moran has been waiting for his chance to join Dublin’s Murder Squad and gets his chance, if his new partner Antoinette Conway doesn't throw him out on his ass first. They delve into the confusing and tangled world of teenaged girls and their relationships, the use of social media and how nothing is how it looks at first glance or even second and third. I didn't love this one as much as some of the earlier novels, it felt like it was trying too hard to come up with that final twist that leaves you gasping with surprise (I feel the same with Jodi Piccoullt's latest efforts), but it was still a good read and just scary enough that I was on the edge of my seat.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.35s ease-out; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; transition: color 0.35s ease-out;"><u>Etta and Otto and Russell and James</u></span> by Emma Hooper</b>. I'll get it out of the way right now. This is now on my top books of all time list. If you read nothing else this year, go get this book. Like M. L. Stedman (<u>The Light Between Oceans,</u> also on my top list), Hooper is able to convey entire histories in only one or two sentences. Eighty-three year old Etta wakes up one morning realizing she has never seen the ocean. So she leaves a note on the table for her husband Otto and sets off on foot from their Saskatchewan farm, heading east. Otto understands Etta's need and doesn't follow. Russell grew up with Otto and he has loved Etta from afar for most of their lives. So in his one and only act of defiance in his whole life, he follows and tries to find Etta. As for James, I'll let you find out for yourself who he is. This book blurs the lines between memory, illusion and reality as well as youth and old age. Is our reality our physical body or our memory and does anyone else have a say in it? It explores our human need for reinvention and connection in ways that stayed with me long after I finished reading. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.35s ease-out; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; transition: color 0.35s ease-out;"><u>One Plus One</u></span> by JoJo Moyes.</b> Moyes is one of those authors where you read one of her books and instantly go to the library or the bookstore and get every single thing they have written. Jess is a single mom with problems. Beyond the obvious financial ones, her teenage son is getting bullied. Her math-whiz daughter has a chance to compete in an olympiad event that they can't afford to go to. Ed is a tech millionaire with problems of his own. But helping Jess is the one unselfish thing he has done in maybe ever. And he's not really sure why he's doing it! But try as he might (and boy does he try) he can't really make himself stop. </span><span style="background-color: #fffcf5; color: #0d0b0a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">I love how Moyes pairs these unlikely people together and suddenly you can't imagine them with anyone else. This book had me laughing out loud, crying, cheering. Definitely a fun read. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><u>The Signature of All Things</u> by Elizabeth Gilbert.</b> I had only read Gilberts memoirs (Eat, Pray, Love, etc.) and didn't really know she wrote novels as well. This book follows Alma Whittaker's life. Born in 1800 to a botanical explorer, she grows up in a wealthy family where intellectual pursuits are prized above all else. Her intense study of mosses bring her closer to the realities of evolution, but as a woman scientists are unlikely to take her work seriously. Late in life she falls in love with Ambrose, a Utopian artist, whose ideas are in direct opposite of her own. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #fffcf5; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: #0d0b0a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The novel ranges across the world - Peru, Amsterdam, Tahiti - and across ideas and the evolution of what we know about the world. Definitely a page turner.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; transition: color 0.35s ease-out;"><u>Neverwhere</u> (Author's Preferred Text</span>) by Neil Gaiman.</b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I've tried to read a few of Gaiman's books before but never finished one because frankly, they were too weird. Alternate realities are cool but sometimes they were just so way out there I couldn't find anything to grasp onto in order to make sense of the story. This book is a bit hard to describe, but it's the story of ordinary Londoner Richard Mayhew and his unlikely journey into the world of London Below to help the Lady Door save it from destruction. Maybe I just liked it because it was set in </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">London. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Shepherds Abiding</u> by Jan Karon</b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Any visit to Mitford is a good one and I loved this Christmas tale of Father Tim's gift and all the residents of Mitford and their holiday doings I have a tradition of reading at least one Christmas book during the season and I'm glad I found this one. I mistakenly reserved the audio version rather than the book. I don't normally listen to audio books because I find myself getting distracted and having to rewind constantly. But for some reason I didn't have that issue with this and I really enjoyed it. I drove around town, grinning like a fool the entire time I listened. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>All the Light We Cannot See</u> by Anthony Doerr</b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. There seem to be a lot of WWII-era books on the shelves these days. Whether that is because of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the current political climate or perhaps just the perspective that time brings, I don't know. Usually when there seems to be a "theme" like this I tend to steer clear, they all seem to repeat themselves and it seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon of whatever seems to be making money in the moment (see: teenage distopian novels). This book, however, got such great reviews I decided to check it out. It combines two things I love, well-researched historical fiction and the perspectives of two different people living in the same time but worlds apart. Marie-Laure goes blind at the age of 6. Her father, who is Master of the Locks at the Museum of Natural History, builds her a scale model of their Paris neighborhood so she can memorize it and therefore find her way around by herself. Then comes the German occupation and they are forced to flee to a relative in Saint-Malo, on the coast of Brittany. Werner grows up an orphan in a mine-town in Northern Germany, where he discovers an old radio scavenging with his sister Jutta. His interest in radios and ability to fix them wins him a place at an elite military academy just as the Third Reich is coming to power. As they grow up and their paths grow inexorably closer, the anticipation of their meeting keeps you turning the pages. At its heart this novel is about the good in the world and all the ways people can be and are good to each other. Something we all need to remember no matter the times we live in.</span></li>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-63277335992540657352015-12-18T18:40:00.003-05:002015-12-18T18:40:58.647-05:00Holiday Decorating Realities<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;">#1: Start in one room, realize that as long as you're moving furniture, etc. you should deep clean. Tell yourself (again) that you will do this on a more regular basis. (sorry Mom!)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;">#2: Move all the crap from each room as you decorate. Pretty soon I will get to the other end of the house and all of this will have to be dealt with!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;">#3: It is a Universal Law that you will marry a person of the opposite Tree Light Color Persuasion.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">#4: It is also a Universal Law that you will marry someone of the opposite Tree Light Application Method persuasion. See also: To Tinsel or Not? Also: Angel or Star?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"> #5: You (again) remember that you should have gotten the amaryllis bulbs and planted them in your decorative holiday pots around Halloween. As it stands now (and forever it seems) when Christmas comes around you will have ratty looking bulbs sitting in a pot of bare dirt instead of glorious blooms of red and white and pink and candy striped.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;">#6: </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Where are all the $*(*@ green extension cords?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">#7: It's just not Christmas until the Advent Wreath catches fire.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">#8: It is probable, but not possible, that in an alternate universe there are, actually, enough Christmas mugs. But here in this house, no, no there can not, and never will there be, enough Christmas mugs.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">#9: The emergence of the Santa Cookie Plate brings great joy. But you cannot eat off it (no, not even cookies, all you weisenheimers. You know who you are.). Because it is, you know, reserved.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">#10: Be Honest. Those little foil wrapped Santas and ornaments, marshmallow snowmen, ribbon candy, etc. are not going to make it until tomorrow.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">#11: Who knew fake trees shed just as much as real ones? Especially when you store them shoved in a closet that is too small for it.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;">#12: The dream of Christmas quilts got as far as buying fabric. Which if I could find again I probably wouldn't like now. Oh wait, I did manage to make pillowcases for two of the four beds. Where are those?</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;">#13: The snowman teapot holds a mouthful of tea and the cookies go stale if you put them in the snowy cottage cookie jar, but they are just so DANG cute!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;">#14: Our gingerbread houses will never look like the magazine ones. Instead of feeling bad about it, we make up silly scenarios about why it looks like it does: "starving reindeer herd" "avalanche!" "abominable snowman tripped"</span></span>BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-38597958525288667662015-07-21T21:05:00.000-04:002015-07-22T07:31:39.957-04:00What Defines UsI once had someone ask me if we didn't, perhaps, identify <i>too much</i> as the family of a child with special needs? I remember feeling bewildered. I didn't answer. How <i>could</i> I answer? How was I <i>supposed</i> to answer? I wondered what our life looked like from the outside. However that was, it probably didn't accurately reflect our reality anyway. There's a reason parents of kids with special needs tend to hang out together. Nobody needs to explain anything. How could we <i>not</i> identify ourselves as the family of a child with special needs? How on earth would it be possible to do less of it?<br />
<br />
We try very, very hard to do things with M. on his own and encourage his own interests. Sometimes our efforts are more successful than others. We don't expect him to be responsible for his brother too much in the short term, and while we hope he will want to in the long term, that's not something we dictate to him. (Though I will freely admit that any significant other he brings home will be scrutinized, especially how they interact with P.) But doesn't his brother's existence, his very twin-hood, define M. to a certain extent? In the same way that my having nine siblings defines me and my husband's strong Italian heritage defines him, the way we grow up shapes the people we are. To what extent do we define ourselves and to what extent is that definition thrust upon us, either by circumstance or accident or luck?<br />
<br />
P. has spent the last 10 days at a local camp that serves children with special needs and those who are economically disadvantaged. Amazingly, this is his 5th year attending. That's hard to believe when I think of how we chickened out and decided not to send him at the eleventh hour the first year he was eligible to go. We only agreed to let him go the following year because our amazing friend K. volunteered for the week and was able to send us daily reports. I remember being amazed at the "veteran" parents who threw a sheet on the bed, kissed their kid on the cheek and left. They just... left. We stayed far longer than we should have that first drop-off and M. begged to stay because "who will take care of P?" For that entire week we didn't dare move very far from the phone in case he was miserable and needed to be picked up right away. We talked about him constantly. The second, third and fourth years he attended, P. jumped out of the car when we got to camp. We felt more comfortable leaving him, though we still cried on the way home. Still, we ventured farther afield with M. and were able to stop worrying for longer and longer periods of time.<br />
<br />
This year P. was excited to go, he started bouncing in his seat when he recognized the road. But he didn't leap out of the car. He treated it more like home. He waved hello to everyone, strolled into his cabin and picked out his bed (top bunk, of course). After we put the sheet on his mattress, he shooed us away. He climbed up and set it all up himself -- pillows and blanket and Barney and Blue and Woody and Buzz and water cup just the way and where he wanted them. When it was time for us to go, he didn't cling even a little bit. I was happy about it in the moment. "Look how mature he's getting!" We were different as well. We knew he was in good hands and that he would have a lot of fun. We chatted to the counselors we knew. But instead of instructions about P. we asked how their year had gone and what were they doing now? The walk to the car was easier and we didn't cry. M. had a camp the same day and we had to get him where he needed to be on time. We couldn't dally. It seemed we had matured as well. We had become the parents I marveled at the first year. We just... left.<br />
<br />
Without having to get up for summer school, we all indulged our night owl tendencies and slept in later. It was very quiet. I felt more successful in my attempts to meditate. We spent all day gardening or at museums or fossil hunting or visiting Toronto. We even saw a movie that wasn't animated. We ate out at restaurants without caring whether pasta was on the menu. We shopped for furniture without worrying about whose patience was waning. There were no complicated vitamin regimes to prepare (and consequently, none of us took our vitamins either). My husband and I each went to events without in-depth discussions of schedules. We didn't think about therapies. I went to work and didn't panic about being home in time for the bus.. No one's bowels were the topic of conversation. No one needed their meat cut or help getting their teeth brushed. I didn't have to translate anyone's communications. I almost never had to look at someone's clothes before they left the house to make sure everything was on right. We were able to take long showers without making sure someone else was watching to be sure P. didn't wander outside in his underwear or decide to sit in the hot car or eat the entire contents of the cold cut drawer or try to turn on the stove or drape the waiting laundry over the furnace and hot water heater. <br />
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That's not to say we didn't miss him. Of course we did! When it rained, we worried he wouldn't be able to swim. And when it was sunny, we worried he was giving the counselors a hard time getting out of the pool. We hadn't sent as much food with him this year, was he eating most of what they served? In the past he has gone to the Christmas in July session -- was he wondering where the tree and the decorations were? Perhaps there was a theme for this session that we should have known about and talked up. I noticed that M. was sleeping in his brother's bed. He didn't want to do some of the things we suggested because he wanted P. to do them too. He invented a new game that he couldn't wait to show his brother how to play. The large hole in the day was more than just P.'s absence. I found myself constantly analyzing thoughts and emotions. What exactly was different this time? And <i>why</i> was it different?<br />
<br />
And then as we were in the kitchen last night, making P.'s favorite pasta salad for his welcome home meal and talking about what time we had to leave this morning, my husband hit the nail on the head. "This week has been too easy. It feels wrong somehow." With just M. to worry about, everything <i>was</i> easy. Had we been experiencing life as a "typical" family? Is this what family life feels like for most people? That's not good or bad, just something we have never experienced. It felt like we were coasting through life. If we had this existence all the time, we might forget to be grateful. We might forget to strive for someone other than ourselves. We might forget to be cheerleaders. We might forget to be who we are.<br />
<br />
As I am typing this, the television is blaring, and the rhythm of lots of little figures being dumped out of their bucket and put back in resounds through the house. I've had to negotiate snacks and supervise wiping and cut up meat. At least ten times, I have said "Leave your brother alone!" I've packed the backpack for school tomorrow and made sure the speech device is charged and that we have lunch supplies ready. I have washed all the bedding so that Barney and Blue and Buzz and Woody can go back to their normal places. The vitamins are laid out. Everyone is where they should be and everything is once again as it should be in our world. And to my mixed feelings of gladness and regret, P. has signed "more" and said "more camp" and "go camp" several times since we arrived home. He is trying to get used to the normal routine again too.<br />
<br />
This year, camp gave us a taste of what life might be like when M. and P. don't need us on a daily basis. Children grow up and move on and parents learn to redefine themselves in the wake of those milestones. We expect our typical children to do that. We're proud of them when they do. But our children with special needs? We set up trusts and we arrange for guardianship and we put them on a waiting list for an independent living situation when they're 11 because those lists are so very long. We never talk about our fears that it might never happen. And maybe if we're totally honest, we're equally afraid that it will. And yet our children mature and grow just as others do. They become more independent in their own ways and eventually they begin to build a life away from us, even if only an internal one. Even if it is inch by inch over a long period of time. Sometimes it begins with the return to a place they feel at home in, with people they feel safe with. And we have to let them do it. Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hardest on us. <br />
<br />
I am the parent of a child with special needs. That role <i>does</i> define me. I am the parent of a typical child. I am the parent of twins. Those roles define me as well. But now, maybe, as time goes on... I see that other things, some long-forgotten, and some new, can define me as well. And I will need to sit in the noise with these thoughts until I become used to them.<br />
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<br />BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-75133524680981401612015-07-10T21:13:00.003-04:002015-07-11T07:00:50.192-04:00Dear Menopause<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are through! Through, I tell you!<br />
<br />
We've known each other, what? 8 years now? I admit, I wasn't on board with our relationship in the beginning. You pursued me more than I thought seemly. But you wore me down and it was just easier to give in. Fine, I said, we can hang out sometimes, just don't crowd me, give me my space. Then just when I was getting used to having you around, you went off on this massive game of hide-and-seek and disappeared for 11 months. Then you came back all raging and crazy and acted like it was MY fault because I told you to get lost just that one time. I still haven't really forgiven you for that. <br />
<br />
Yes, there have been tears and bitchy fights and some anger management issues. It totally was too your fault. It was! Let's not have that argument again, ok? Ok. Overall, I've tried to maintain a relatively cordial relationship and just kind of try to live in a peaceful coexistence with you. Which has not been easy with the crap you have pulled. Oh, really? You are soooo not the innocent party here. I'm not getting drawn in to your drama anymore. I'm just trying to deflect all your negative energy and move on with my life over here. Those hot flashes that have gone on for way longer than you promised? I like not having to carry a sweater everywhere. The newly sparse eyebrows? Not having to tweeze everyday gives me 10 more minutes of free time. Then you hit me with the chin and neck hairs. Ok, I can deal, the Tweezermans are still in the top drawer. The never-shrinking muffin top? Empire tops are all in style now. Just yesterday there was a really good sale. Then there's the freakiness of my neck, what about that, huh? Nora Ephron tried to warn me about you. But did I listen? And the saggy upper eyelids? I can live with those, my glasses hide the worst of it. The crepey skin on my hands? You're not my only friend. Moisturizer likes me too, you know. How about the grey hairs that are totally a different texture than the rest of the hair on my head? I rock the short hair. The forgetfulness? Why do you think they invented post-it notes, huh? The sleepiness? Well, I've always liked sleeping. Sleeping is one of my talents! Forgot about that, didn't you? Proof that you don't really listen when I talk. So, you counter with insomnia? There's... I... Just... You are <i>SUCH</i> a bitch! Yeah, don't act like some of this has nothing to do with you. It does. Who let Aging in? You two are like bosom buddies. I told you no sleepovers, didn't I? If anyone's gonna sleep around here, sweetie, it's gonna be me. But no. You had to have a buddy. I go away for a weekend and you have a party and now we're all sharing closets. Own that one, honey.<br />
<br />
But this latest stunt? You have gone too far this time. I am done. Done. I mean it this time. Pack your bags and be gone by morning. Nose hairs. There's the line. I am drawing the line. Right there. I AM DRAWING THE LINE, DO YOU HEAR?<br />
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Love, Me.BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-36602631599130945222015-02-15T14:10:00.001-05:002015-02-15T14:10:13.774-05:0013 Things About You at Age ThirteenTeenagers! Yikes!<br />
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<ol>
<li> You got Warhammer for Christmas and are enjoying the process of putting together your army. You are thinking about paint colors and figuring out the rules of the game.</li>
<li>Your favorite meal right now is fake chicken. You're still not crazy about vegetables.</li>
<li>You are very interested in healthy eating and I often find you replacing things in the grocery cart (and we eat pretty healthy already!)</li>
<li>You like to try unusual drinks, like Birch Water (sap from birch trees) or things with vinegar in them.</li>
<li>You still love archery.</li>
<li>The family near-sightedness has appeared. Your glasses will be ready this week.</li>
<li>You want to be in charge of the garden this year. Maybe that way it will actually happen.</li>
<li>You like your hair a little bit longer.</li>
<li>Your favorite shirts are the ones with the hoods.</li>
<li>Your favorite movies right now are The Hobbit (all of them) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.</li>
<li>You love to sneak up on us ninja style.</li>
<li>You are still a night owl.</li>
<li>We like to watch baking shows together. The current favorite is the Great British Baking Show.</li>
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<ol>
<li>Swimming is still your best thing.</li>
<li>Your favorite Christmas gift was Wiggles DVDs.</li>
<li>You are a pro at using the iPad.</li>
<li>Spaghetti or any kind of pasta is still your favorite meal.</li>
<li>Your favorite shirts are the ones with stripes.</li>
<li>You like your hair a little bit shorter.</li>
<li>You love to set the table and you like it when we have dinner by candlelight.</li>
<li>Every morning I scrub your face and then realize your face is not dirty, you have the start of a mustache. Eek!</li>
<li>You are still a lark.</li>
<li>You like to go grocery shopping, especially at BJ's. </li>
<li>You still love hats and wear one every day. The current favorite is a black top hat. But I think this plaid one you got for your birthday might replace it.</li>
<li>The physical therapist at school says you <i>love</i> the exercise bike and the treadmill. She has to make you get off! We were very surprised to hear this.</li>
<li>You love to take photos. Of what you are watching on television, of things in the refrigerator, of us, sometimes even yourself in the mirror. And you take a lot of them, you can fill up a memory card in a few minutes. I keep the really good ones.</li>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-23449945361116388422015-02-15T13:21:00.000-05:002015-02-15T13:21:21.890-05:00Owl Always Love YouProgress on the needlework goals! This little bellpull is for sweet baby D. She's almost 4 months old so I think it totally counts as a new baby present. Her room is all woodland animals so these sweet owls really jumped out at me. And her mom said it arrived in the mail so now it's safe to show a photo :-D Whoooo else may be getting a stitched gift this year? Wait and see!<br />
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-65390424356290164282015-01-09T10:54:00.000-05:002015-01-09T10:54:02.368-05:00A Series of Haikus Celebrating Winter<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Today is our first real snow day:-D</div>
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whisper in the dark<br />snuggle down in soft blankets<br />yay no school today</div>
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hate this itchy hat<br />and these gloves are too awful<br />Mom do I have to</div>
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cold air fills my lungs<br />makes my cheeks red and my nose run<br />sun fools me, not warm</div>
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my shovel lifting<br />sparkly frozen arcs of ice<br />pavement hides below</div>
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back into the warmth<br />smell of bacon makes me happy<br />now for the fun part</div>
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cousins will come<br />to build a massive snowman<br />or maybe a fort</div>
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snowball fight breaks out<br />oh! icy cold down my neck<br />that's not very nice</div>
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hot cocoa after<br />with the big marshmallows please<br />and whipped cream too?</div>
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socks and snowpants in<br />the dryer tumbling round get<br />ready for round two</div>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-74917361963491117142014-12-31T17:19:00.003-05:002014-12-31T17:19:27.686-05:00Best Books of 2014The book count for this year was 45. Less than my goal of 52, but I'm ok with it. Because a) most of the 45 I really enjoyed and b) I decided to add needlework back into my life just as I did with books a few years ago and I actually did stitch a few things. So yay me again! I reread the entire Outlander series (which includes reading Book #8 twice, once when it first came out and then again at the end of the reread) to console myself for not having cable and seeing the physical manifestation of Book #1 onto the screen. I still haven't decided whether cable is worth it, because DVDs have to be coming at some point, right? And the books are <i>always</i> better, right? Anyway.<br />
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These are the books that got 5 stars from me in 2014.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Journey by Aaron Becker. I loved the illustrations in this children's book and the clever girl who uses her imagination and determination to create her own destiny and find friendship along the way.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. This book stayed with me for a long time. Lou Clark likes knowing what comes next. She leads a relatively unexciting, safe life and she likes that just fine. Will Traynor used to live an exciting, dangerous life and he liked that just fine. He doesn't like the life he leads now as a quadriplegic. When Lou takes a job as Will's caregiver, both their lives are turned upside down. They push each other forward in unexpected ways. This book got me thinking a lot about the boxes we put ourselves -- and others -- in. Can we grow out of our boxes? Do we want to? What happens when we want to stay in our box and someone else wants us to come out? </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. It would be fun if there really was a bookstore like Mr. Penumbra's. Clay Jannon takes a job working the night shift at the bookstore after having been laid off from his web-design job. The comings and goings of a lot of strange customers who never actually buy anything convinces Clay that there's got to be something else going on besides books. And there is. What follows is an adventure that is a lot of fun. I loved the mystery and trying to figure it all out.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. I loved this modern-day fairy tale. Because I've lived in Alaska I understood both the loneliness the main characters feel and the exhilaration of living in such a wondrous place. Jack and Mabel are homesteaders in 1920. They are losing their way, both from the burden of trying to eke out a living in a harsh environment and from the sadness of not having children of their own. In a moment of fun, they build a child out of snow. The next morning they see a little girl running through the trees. Faina hunts with a red fox at her side and seems to be part of the landscape. Somehow she survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. Is she real or a figment of their imagination?</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Little Bee by Chris Cleve. Another book that stayed with me long after I finished it. Little Bee is a Nigerian orphan whose fate is inexplicably tied to a well-off British couple, both journalists. From Little Bee's perspective, our world is confusing and inexplicable just as hers is for Sarah, Andrew and their son Charlie. And yet somehow they form a bond that is stronger than they expected. I can't tell too much without giving it all away and the beauty of this book is its ability to surprise and yes, shock you. It makes you think. About your place in the world and who decides who gets what place and what advantage? What is our obligation to others in the global community? What is our obligation to ourselves and our families? What makes a family? </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon. My overwhelming feeling on finishing this book was "oh good, the story is not over yet!" Even though it takes Gabaldon upwards of four years to write the next installment of Jamie & Claire Fraser's saga, I will wait patiently. And if that patience wears thin, I will just go back to the beginning and enjoy the eight books there are so far again. This book finds Jamie & Claire embroiled in the start of the American Revolution and all the attendant troubles that brings. But at least they can take comfort that their daughter Brianna and her family are safe in 20th century Scotland. In reality, young Jemmy has been kidnapped and while Brianna searches for him in the present, Roger has gone back through the stones searching for him in the past. And in true Gabaldon style, the ending only leaves you wanting more. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Sea House by Elizabeth Gifford. Books that tell parallel stories from two time periods are among my favorites. In 1860, Alexander Ferguson takes a post as the vicar of a parish on the remote Scottish island of Harris. He is an amateur evolutionary scientist and hopes to uncover the truth about the local tales of selkies (merdmaids or seal people). In present day, Ruth and Michael buy a dilapidated home on the island and begin to renovate it with hopes of starting their own family soon. The discovery of the bones of a tiny child buried underneath the house raise all kinds of questions. The child's legs are fused together. Is it a mermaid? To move forward, Ruth must find the truth about the past and in so doing deals with her own past as well. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay. Samantha Moore relates to literary characters more than those in her life. When it is hard to make conversation, she quotes her beloved Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte heroines. When an anonymous benefactor calling himself "Mr. Knightly" offers to put Sam through the prestigious Medill School of Journalism, she is afraid to accept and more afraid not to accept. There is only one condition: Sam must write frequent letters to her benefactor. At first the letters are short and to the point, but as time goes on Sam finds Mr. Knightly's anonymity allows her to share more personal information, which in turn gives her the courage to open up in real life. The letters allow her to come to terms with her past and move forward into the future. But how will she cope without letters to Mr. Knightly once she graduates from her program? </li>
</ul>
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New goal for 2015? To read the Book Club books in the month we're supposed to :-D</div>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-6938476448961319512014-03-17T00:30:00.002-04:002014-03-17T00:30:22.156-04:0012 Things About You at Age TwelveI know I say it every year, but 12? How did that happen?<br />
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<ol>
<li>You started taking archery lessons and you really really really like it. The instructor really makes it fun by attaching things to the targets - dollar bills, balloons, turkeys at Thanksgiving, and everyone's favorite, apples. </li>
<li>It cracks me up that you walk around with a sword down the back of your shirt. And there is another one by your bed. Because as everyone knows, ork attacks, ninja surprises, and dragon raids could happen at any moment.</li>
<li>When you get sick, even if it is a relatively minor illness, it hits you hard and it takes a long time for you to recover. You do not like taking medicine. You have to be cajoled and have a glass of water to hand and I keep having to tell you to take all of it. I hate it when you're sick.</li>
<li>You like to watch cooking shows and you're interested in how ingredients go together and want to make up your own recipes. You thought Home & Careers would be boring this year but you are having a lot of fun in that class cooking and learning to use the sewing machine. You made a fabulous pillow.</li>
<li>You've got a knack for languages. You wish school offered Norwegian, but had to settle for Spanish, which you are picking up fast. We also have a calendar with a phrase in Latin for each day, which I put in your lunch box.</li>
<li>You spend a lot of time on the computer. Minecraft and other games, yes. But you watch YouTube videos on how to construct things and music videos and movies too.</li>
<li>You are interested in blacksmithing and wood carving and sword kata don't understand at all why all the lessons we have been able to find (if we can find them) state that you must be 14 or 18. You feel you are totally capable of it and think all this liability/insurance/maturity argument is hooey.</li>
<li>You came home one day and said you tried out for All County Chorus. 4000 kids try out! You won a spot representing your school and will perform at the symphony hall in March. We're all pretty excited and proud of you! You are not even complaining (much) about getting up early for extra rehearsals.</li>
<li>You are campaigning for a hedgehog. They are only $200. They are so cute! You can teach them to do tricks! And they are so cute! They are not expensive to take care of! And they are so cute! They eat cat food! And they are so cute!</li>
<li>You are interested in architecture too. You draw a lot of buildings and think about how they should be designed to be energy efficient. You came up with a circular garage which is brilliant and I think we need to build right now.</li>
<li>You have discovered Pinterest and are pinning and sending me pictures of dragons, gardens, cakes and things you'd like for your room.</li>
<li>You have a renewed interest in your Magic cards.</li>
</ol>
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<li>You have been trying a lot of new foods lately. Tacos, gummy lifesavers, cookies, asparagus, green beans... You don't like all of them, but at least you are willing to give it a try.</li>
<li>You still love hats! Your current favorite is a top hat with a plaid ribbon and some felt holly that N gave you for Christmas.</li>
<li>Continuing in the opposite-of-your-brother vein, you almost never get sick. But when you tell me something hurts, like an ear, then I know it <i>really</i> hurts. You've probably had antibiotics 3 or 4 times in your life, and that's including your heart surgery. You're usually back to your old self in 24 hours, 48 at the most. You used the iPad to tell the doctor "I'm grumpy! My ear hurts! Give me medicine!" You don't complain about taking medicine, you just do it.</li>
<li>Since bunnies came to live in our yard last summer, you are all about the bunnies. You look for their tracks in the snow, you want to leave carrots in the yard and you are always pretending to be a bunny and hopping around.</li>
<li>You are doing a really great job brushing your teeth and getting dressed by yourself. I might have to adjust your socks a bit and occasionally something is backwards, but in the mornings you get ready for school on your own and in the evenings you get ready for bed on your own.</li>
<li>You like to take pictures. Lots of pictures. Last time I synced the iPad it had 20,000 pictures on it. (yes, you read that right). You use your camera, my camera, the iPad, your brother's iPod, my phone, if it takes pictures you are using it. Mostly they are pictures of your friends on the tv - the Wiggles, Dorothy and everyone in Oz, Snoopy, etc. But you also take these still lifes - the shelves in the refrigerator, the bathroom counter, the coffee cups on the table, the clothes in the hamper, the contents of your backpack, the insides of a drawer. And sometimes I find one of your brother (see above) or Daddy or me that I didn't even know you took. I love these little insights into what is important to you and unusual snapshots of our daily life.</li>
<li>You are very happy when K comes back to Buffalo to visit and you grudgingly accept that baby she keeps bringing with her. You are equally happy that J is back in town and comes to spend time with you. You were a little bit mean to him at first until you realized he was staying.</li>
<li>This winter you have actually wanted to go out to play in the snow! You put on snowpants and boots and gloves and a winter hat and a scarf and you actually yelled at the other kids to hurry up and come on! </li>
<li>It takes you an hour to eat a bowl of soup because you don't really scoop enough onto your spoon. But if you're happy to sit there for that long, who am I to argue? You even used chopsticks to eat the noodles after watching your brother do it. You got some too!</li>
<li>Swimming is still your best thing! Coach Snoopy is really proud of your progress! You are participating in your first swim meet in March.</li>
<li>You love the iPad and the fact that you can carry it around with you. You can swipe with the best of them and watching Netflix from any room in the house is the coolest thing ever.</li>
<li>I love that when you are eating spaghetti or something you really like, you close your eyes and smile beatifically.</li>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-43433562839892182132014-02-06T23:31:00.002-05:002014-02-07T07:50:02.965-05:00How to Navigate the First Circle of HellAlso known as Middle School Pickup<br />
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<ul>
<li>Dismissal is at 3:35, but do not make the mistake of thinking you can pull up to the school at 3:35. No, no, no, no, no, my newbie friend. Therein lies folly and the interminable waiting through 6 cycles of traffic light just to be allowed into the school driveway.</li>
<li>An acceptable time to arrive is between 3:05 and 3:15. And even then the Prime Parking Spots will be gone.</li>
<li>The two Primest of the Prime Parking Spots are the two adjacent to the exit doors, one at each side. Parking in either of these spots will allow your child to enter your car immediately and allow you a quick and secure getaway. Securing these spots most likely involves bribery. At the very least you probably have to arrive at drop-off in the a.m. armed with a cooler of food, a gas can, lots of reading material, car charges for multiple electronic devices and an empty bottle to pee in.</li>
<li>Always, and this cannot be emphasized enough, always always back into the parking space so you can face the exit doors. This will allow you to see your child as they emerge and gun your car into action. If you are not a good backer-upper, then you must practice up and down your driveway until you become proficient.</li>
<li>The next level of Prime Parking Spots is the outer perimeter. If you are on the far side, you can still see your child emerge and pull into the traffic loop with Relative Ease. Relative Ease in this case is playing hardball chicken with the cars already in the traffic loop, while simultaneously making Severe Hand Motions to your child to STAY WHERE YOU ARE UNTIL I PULL UP. NO, SERIOUSLY. I MEAN IT. STAY WHERE YOU ARE. AND ZIP UP THAT COAT MISTER, YOU WERE HOME SICK FOR FOUR DAYS LAST WEEK.</li>
<li>If you must be in the Inner Perimeter of Parking Spot, try at all costs to be in the Front Row. You will have to play hardball chicken 3 times. Twice on foot when you leave your car to gather your child up and again as you cross the traffic lane to escort them back safely into your car. Do not rely on the staff there to help you negotiate this. They have been at this for many years and they want to live another day. Make Eye Contact. People have a harder time running you over if they have looked you in the eye and you are clinging to a child. But it is a fine line. Dawdle and All Bets are Off. You will have to play hardball chicken again when you attempt to pull out into the traffic loop, but you are facing the right way and you have a large amount of steel and airbags to protect you.</li>
<li>If you are in the Second Row of the Inner Perimeter, you will have to do all of the above, except you will be trapped when you get back into your vehicle. Do not attempt to back out of the space. That way also lies folly, my friend. No one will leave you room to back out. They have to Get Their Kid. You will have to wait until the person in front of you, or possibly the persons adjacent to them, if you have a small car and can maneuver on two wheels, to pull out first so you can take their place in the Front Row.</li>
<li>Slightly preferable (or not) to the Second Row of the Inner Perimeter is the endless circling around the traffic loop until your child appears (where are they, dammit!?). You do not have to leave your car but you have to play hardball chicken every time you attempt to enter the far side of the loop again because you have Failed in Your Mission to Get Your Kid and all the other drivers pity you and call you a Loser from the safety of their cars.</li>
<li>At all times beware of the Rogues who ignore the line of traffic and make their own lane because they are Picking Up Their Kid and/or They Have Their Kid and Now They Have Somewhere To Be.</li>
<li>Trying to be kind and let someone in to the traffic loop is the right thing to do, but will generally earn you at least one WTF?! hand motion or a flashing of headlights or a not-so-subtle horn beep from one or more cars behind you. Sometimes all three. Because They Have to Get Their Kid and They Have Somewhere To Be.</li>
<li>You, yourself, will make at least one WTF?! hand motion during this whole process. Personally I let at least one car in and sometimes even school bus full of children with sane parents pull out into the main road from the other driveway. Because I am a Bitch That Way.</li>
<li>Do not attempt to park in the front lot and walk to the back door to pick up your child. Bad idea, my friend. You will have to navigate large areas of the parking lot Unprotected. Twice. Rogues get extra points for hitting you.</li>
<li>If you are fortunate, you only have to navigate this hell once a week. If you have to do it twice, you have no doubt fortifed yourself with chocolate and caffeine. If you find yourself doing this daily, then there is nothing I can do for you but keep you in my prayers. Perhaps you need to rethink your child's activity schedule. Soldier on, Brave One.</li>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-64906606076472857192014-01-04T00:26:00.005-05:002014-01-04T00:29:04.551-05:00Book Post 2013The book count for this year was 60. I started more than that, but have come to the realization that if a book doesn't grab me in the first 100 pages, it probably isn't going to and I've learned to let it go and move on to something else that I will enjoy. These are the books I really loved in 2013.<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Secret Santa</u> by Anne Osborn Poelman. I have a collection of Christmas books that I drag out every year and revisit. Short little stories that inspire and exemplify the spirit of the season. This is one of my favorites. It's 1933 and Tom von Sloten is 16 years old. His family of 7, like many others, is struggling to survive through the Depression. Tom works two jobs to help support the family and save a little bit for college. He comes on the idea of being Santa this year and overcomes his parents' objections. Will his savings be enough? What presents will be worthy enough? A tragedy strikes that throw his Christmas plans and possibly his future into disarray. But the kindness of his fellow man save the day. I love this story because it shows the true spirit of Christmas and that one perfect gift can be better than a whole pile of them. It showcases a time when families had it hard but everyone had to pull together and look out for each other. I should actually read this again before I start my Christmas shopping...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>T</u><u style="color: #0d0b0a; line-height: 1.2em;">he Light Between Oceans</u><span style="color: #0d0b0a; line-height: 1.2em;"> by M. L. Stedman. This book is hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking as well. Tom Sherbourne has survived WWI and returns to his native Australia to work as a lighthouse keeper on an isolated island half a day's journey from the coast. On his rare shore leave he meets Isabel, a woman who gives him reason to hope for happiness again. Years later, a boat is washed up on their remote island, carrying a dead man and a live baby. Tom, honest to a fault and meticulous with his record keeping, wants to report it right away. But Isabel, grieving over the recent stillbirth of their son as well as several previous miscarriages, has put the baby to her breast. Against Tom's better judgement, they keep the baby and name her Lucy. And on their next shore leave two years later, they discover who Lucy really is and the family that has always wondered what happened to her and grieved for her. What will they do? Can things ever be made right? The language is lyrical yet sparing. In just a few words Stedman gives you the measure of Tom and Isabel and you get them immediately. This is one of my favorite passages: "It occurs to him that there are different versions of himself to farewell -- the abandoned eight-year-old; the delusional soldier who hovered somewhere in hell; the lightkeeper who dared to leave his heart undefended. Like Russian dolls, these lives sit within him." This is M. L. Stedman's debut novel and I'll definitely be looking for the next one.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>The Last Runaway</u> by Tracy Chevalier. I have loved this author since I read her first book, <u>Girl With a Pearl Earring.</u> This latest book follows Honor Bright, a Quaker woman who emigrates to Ohio from her native England. Quilts figure prominently in the book, both as a reflection of society & women's work at the time as well as an insight into Honor's interior life. A family tragedy finds her in a very different place than she imagined when she left home, relying on strangers and struggling to find her way in a new and alien world. While Quakers are philosophically opposed to slavery, she has never seen a Negro, much less talked to one. Her new home seems to be full of contradictions. A new friend seems to be a conductor on the Underground Railway (though for safety such things are never acknowledged) but her brother is a slave hunter. Runaway slaves often lose their way near her husband's farm. Will she follow her conscience or obey her new family's edict that she stop aiding the runaways? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Illuminations a novel of Hildegard von Bingen</u> by Mary Sharratt. I first heard the music composed by St. Hildegard von Bingen 25 years ago and it brought me to tears. I wanted to know more about the woman who composed these songs of religious praise and light in the 12th century. Who was she? How did a woman in that time period not only compose music, write books about her heavenly visions and preach sermons and yet manage to escape condemnation as a heretic? Hildegard was a cloistered Benedictine nun, later an Abbess of her own religious order. She had visions since childhood which formed the basis of her first book <u>Scivias</u> (a second book was on medicinal plants and the healing arts of the time period). The monk Guibert of Gembloux Abby was sent to write her biography, <u>Vita Sanctae Hildegardis</u>, while she was in her 80's, presumably to get everything scribed correctly before she died. While I have read a few biographies of Hildegard, this novel brought some new facts to life. At the age of eight, Hildegard was given to the Abbey of Disibodenberg as an anchorite, a companion to Jutta of Sponheim, a noblewoman who wished to live the life of an ascetic. Anchorites were literally living corpses, bricked into the church walls and allowed to view the mass through a screen and receiving food and other necessities through a hatch. Jutta and Hildegard (and later two more anchorites) lived in two extremely narrow rooms and a narrow courtyard that received only a few hours of sunlight a day for over 30 years until Jutta's death. Imagining that life is painful and incomprehensible to our modern sensibilities. And yet from that life, emerged some of the most beautiful religious text and art of all time. Hildegard is a continuing inspiration and I continue to enjoy learning more about her life.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>The Ruins of Lace</u> by Iris Anthony. I love lace and have collected a bit and have even tried to make it. This story of France's obsession with Flemish lace in the 1600s, made me look at it differently. Because Flemish lace was forbidden in France at the time (in an effort to beef up their own lace industry), demand naturally went up. This book tells the story of lace from many perspectives: the smuggler, the lacemaker who must hide her failing eyesight or be thrown out on the street to face prostitution or death, and the noblewoman who cannot repay a debt. I really enjoyed this book and because of it I have looked at lace differently. Though I still want it :-D</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Mrs. Queen Takes the Train</u> by William Kuhn. If you know me, you know I am a royal watcher. So I always enjoy books about QEII or books about her imagined life. In this one, HM is feeling a little blue and so goes on an adventure by herself to visit HMS Britannia, now decommissioned and in drydock in Edinburgh. The resulting panic as the courtiers try to find her before anyone knows she's missing and the hilarious cases of mistaken identity (the cleaner come to do the washing up - Britannia is now rented out for posh parties or a homeless woman needing a ride) made for a great fun read.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>A Week in Winter</u> by Maeve Binchy. Binchy is one of a handful of writers that I will immediately and unreservedly read their latest novel. In this one, Chicky Starr returns from her prosperous (or so her family believes) life in America to her hometown of Stoneybridge and turns a decaying mansion into a restful B&B. Needless to say, everyone thinks she is nuts. Why would anyone want to vacation here? She is helped along by a ragtag band that starts out with not a lot in common and ends up as family. One of the reasons I love Binchy's books is that her voice is so authentically Irish, and if you have been there, you will immediately know what I mean. Her characters are so fully fleshed out, you feel you know them well and have had tea with them (and often wish you could!). She weaves seemingly unrelated stories and disparate people into a lovely whole.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>An Irish Country Wedding</u> by Patrick Taylor. Taylor is another Irish writer whose voice is singularly Irish, though quite different from Binchy's (Taylor is from Northern Ireland and his novels are set around Belfast). This book continues the saga of apprentice doctor Barry Laverty and his gruff boss Dr. Fingal O'Reilly. In this installment, Fingal is marrying his long-lost love Kitty O'Halleran and the eccentric residents of Ballybucklebo turn out in full force to wish them well. Great fun!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>The Shoemaker's Wife</u> by Adriana Trigiani. Trigiani has said this book is a homage to her immigrant grandparents and it reads so true that it must be based on their lives or those very like theirs. Enza and Ciro live in neighboring villages in the Italian Alps, but only meet briefly before Ciro is forced to emigrate to America. Enza's family faces their own tragedy and she too emigrates. They meet again by accident but World War I intervenes. While Ciro is at war, Enza begins a career as a seamstress for the Metropolitan Opera House. Will they be reunited or will other loves take precedence? </span>I cried my way through this book and believe me, that is high praise. </li>
<li><u>The Dark is Rising Sequence</u> by Susan Cooper. A friend lent us this series thinking my son would enjoy it. Guess who got sucked in and guess who never turned a page? Will Stanton discovers that he is immortal on his 11th birthday. He is the last of the Old Ones and must go on a quest to collect six signs of The Light in order to help the other immortals push back the Dark, which is once again making a bid to take over the world and turn mankind to its will. In the other books he is helped in his quest by the three Drew children, their great-uncle Lyon Merriman (himself an Old One), and a Welsh boy named Bran. This series weaves together Arthurian legends, myths and other stories we all know in a fresh way. Personally, I couldn't help but also find some parallels to Highlander and Harry Potter. I really enjoyed this series of 5 books and I think a lot of kids would like it too. I'm still hoping to convince my son to read them.</li>
<li><u>Wedding Night</u> by Sophie Kinsella. Sophie Kinsella is an author who can always be counted on for a fun, lively read. In this one, heroine Lottie is tired of waiting for her boyfriend to propose. When old flame Ben reappears and reminds her of their pact to marry each other if they find themselves still single at age 30, she goes for it. They'll have a quick wedding and then honeymoon on the Greek island where they met. But friends and family don't love the idea and try to intervene. Will the wedding happen or not? </li>
<li><u>The Guardians Series</u> by William Joyce. Last year's movie "Rise of the Guardians" caused us to seek out this book series that gives the backstories of childhood icons the Man in the Moon, the Sandman, Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Mother Goose, Jack Frost and the Bogeyman. I have true admiration for authors who can take well-known stories and figures and turn them on their heads and somehow make them seem new again. Joyce's whimsical artwork is a beautiful complement to the stories as well.</li>
<li><u>A Little House Christmas Treasury</u> by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Coming full circle back to Christmas, this collection of Christmas vignettes from multiple "Little House" books takes me right back to childhood. The Little House books were the first series I ever read (the B is for Betsy books were the second). Wilder had such a gift for portraying childhood in that time and place and making it real to her readers. You feel Laura & Mary's excitement over a tin cup and a cake made with white sugar and it makes you long for a simpler time and a family-centered holiday. </li>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3540610537692719373.post-68507359395444882092013-09-15T11:50:00.001-04:002013-09-15T11:53:00.269-04:00I'm Celebrating My Birthday a Little Differently This YearInspired by Robin over at <a href="http://www.thebdayproject.com/index.html">The Birthday Project</a> I decided to celebrate being on this earth for half a century (how can something sound awful <i>and</i> good all at the same time!?) by doing One Random Act of Kindness for every year of my life. Ok, so maybe they're not all totally random since some necessitated advance planning, but I also kept my eyes open to moments of serendipity. I also didn't do all of them on my actual birthday, but spread them out through almost two weeks. I also enlisted the help of D and the boys. Here's what I did:<br />
<ol>
<li>Let cars into traffic.</li>
<li>Let people cross the parking lot/road. </li>
<li>Held the door open for several people (these first three feel like cheating, I do those every day)</li>
<li>Gave a gift card to a family shopping for school supplies at Walmart</li>
<li>Contributed to the impromptu dinner we all brought over to Grandma's and</li>
<li>Carried her laundry upstairs for her</li>
<li>Put out muffins, donuts & bagels out at the bus stop for the neighbors to enjoy while we waited for the school buses on the first day of school.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>Hey, the bus drivers have probably been up since 5 a.m. and it's their first day too. They could probably use a muffin or a bagel right about now.</li>
<li>Decided to invite the neighbors from the bus stop down the street to have some breakfast too! </li>
<li>The three-year old 2 doors down <i>really</i> liked the blueberry muffins so we sent him home with what was left. (wow, see how that happens, one kind thing multiplies practically on its own!)</li>
<li>Left some quarters in the laundromat for people to find.</li>
<li>Paid for the car behind me at Tim Horton's.</li>
<li>Treated P's class to ice cream (my original plan was to bring the teacher & aides lunch but they requested this instead so everyone could join in and it was fun to meet P's new classmates).</li>
<li>Put a surprise donut in M's lunch.</li>
<li>Took flowers to the assisted living facility down the street and asked the receptionist to give them to a resident who didn't have any family nearby. ("You want to what? Why?" The receptionist was shocked and called everyone out of the office to gawk at me. LOL "But who should we say they are from?" Just from someone who loves them)</li>
<li>My neighbor hurt her back so I called her from the grocery store to see if she needed anything.</li>
<li>While I was there I decided to cook dinner for her family so she wouldn't have to be on her feet any longer than necessary.</li>
<li>Paid for a different car behind us at Tim Horton's. (Honestly we are there so much I could probably very easily do this 50 times. LOL)</li>
<li>The town is mandating that all the broken sidewalk on our street has to be fixed. After talking to the contractor we decided to replace the whole sidewalk in front of our house rather than just the 4 blocks that are damaged. Technically the one at the end is on the neighbor's property but we're replacing that one too. (This is kind of an unofficial rule in the neighborhood. Our neighbor on the other side replaced "our" block when he redid his sidewalk. But there are probably an equal number of people who don't do it)</li>
<li>Delivered a box of chocolates to the NICU at the local hospital. <b>This one was really important to me</b> since there was no NICU when I was born and the hospital I was born in closed long ago. I remember going to visit the nurses there when I was 4 or 5 but I didn't really appreciate why we were there. I would give each and every one of them a big hug today if I could find them. (The unit secretary looked at the boys and asked "Which one of you was here?" Not them. Me. Well, not me. None of us actually. She looked puzzled at first, but seemed appreciative once I told her the story)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>Sent a card to a friend who is battling cancer. (I wish we lived closer so I could help more.)</li>
<li>Got my neighbor's kids off the school bus and watched them while she was at the doctor.</li>
<li>Put money in the collection jar for the local food bank.</li>
<li>Donated a big box of books and DVDs to the local library.</li>
<li>Left $5 with the circulation desk librarian and asked that they use it to pay the fines the next person who owed them. ("These aren't your overdue fees? Who are they for? You don't know? Some person you don't know? Wait a minute...")</li>
<li>Wrote a note to a co-worker telling her how much I admire her (she sent me a very sweet text thanking me).</li>
<li>I work for a non-profit that is heavily dependent on volunteers. Tonight is new volunteer orientation so I left some treats for them while they fill out paperwork.</li>
<li>Due to a Phineas & Ferb episode, M. has been wanting to try a croissant. Saw some at the store today so got him a chocolate one. He pronounced it very good.</li>
<li>Got D. the expensive chocolate bars, the ones he doesn't buy for himself.</li>
<li>Did not freak out when neighbor kid put her foot in the new concrete. (I think that counts don't you?) No damage, it had dried juuuuuust enough.</li>
<li>Donated some books on Down syndrome to the local Parent Network library.</li>
<li>Made a donation to the United Way.</li>
<li>Made pasta salad for P and let him take it to school for lunch.</li>
<li>Found out it was National Chocolate Milkshake Day, so threw the kids in the car to get some. ("Mom, are there more National Days like this? How do we find out what they are? LOL)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAbuHH9wauLpUqtmc2QqvljomGmjlefu2CstOR2AKMRzh2q8FUue2QE3jdkoDtYCeEO-W5kL0FWSQKYELTJB4EG4cBugF2LJihb_msdo-Je4WCA4o_B8qfquvhgQWb3PrbOQYe_a3KjM/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAbuHH9wauLpUqtmc2QqvljomGmjlefu2CstOR2AKMRzh2q8FUue2QE3jdkoDtYCeEO-W5kL0FWSQKYELTJB4EG4cBugF2LJihb_msdo-Je4WCA4o_B8qfquvhgQWb3PrbOQYe_a3KjM/s320/024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Gave up a chair for someone who needed it.</li>
<li>Let a large family go ahead of us in line to visit the tall ships.</li>
<li>Made a donation to a charitable organization with a booth at the Canal.</li>
<li>Tipped generously when we got lunch at the food trucks.</li>
<li>Went to four Tim Horton's until we found one that had mac & cheese, which P <i>really</i> wanted.</li>
<li>Gave our phone numbers to a family member of a friend who's travelling through our area, in case they have a breakdown or get lost or need advice on where to stay, etc.</li>
<li>Put some quarters in the candy machines at the mall.</li>
<li>Paid for the car behind us in the toll lane, even though we have EZ Pass.</li>
<li>Returned grocery carts in the parking lot.</li>
<li>"Rounded up" our bill at the grocery store to donate to the Food Bank.</li>
<li>Instead of the usual love notes I put in their lunch boxes, I drew cartoons and made up riddles (not very good ones, but hey, it was early in the morning!)</li>
<li>Let homework go until Sunday night (definitely not the usual routine!)</li>
<li>Got a whole pile of ironing done in anticipation of upcoming business trips, rather than do it last minute like usual.</li>
<li>Had a family movie night on a weeknight instead of a weekend.</li>
<li>Brought in the garbage cans and</li>
<li>Unloaded the dishwasher (two of the boys' chores).</li>
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In reflection, I think this was a really good thing and I'm going to continue doing intentional random acts of kindness, not just on my birthday, but all the time. I was in an exceptionally good mood the whole time I was doing this. I also noticed that I was able to let go of a lot of little things that I would normally let irritate me. The boys and D. definitely benefitted as well, not just as beneficiaries of a lot of the kindnesses, but I noticed them going out of their way to do nice things as well, like bringing gatorade to the guys who poured our sidewalk and helping a friend at the bus stop. I want to give the kids an awareness that there are little things they can do to make the world a better place and that they should just do them as they see a need or as they think of it. I hope that message sank in and I'll keep leading my example.</div>
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I also noticed that almost half of these have to do with food. Hmmmm.... might have to work on that a little bit...</div>
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BethBGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12353601159806913449noreply@blogger.com1