Egg Roulette

We had the MOST fun playing egg roulette the other night. You got asked a question by the player to your left. If you got it right, you were safe. If you got it wrong, you had to take an egg from a bowl and smash it against your forehead. Let's just say, you were HOPING that you selected a hard boiled one. If not, you were a serious egg head.

Tate's Soccer Banquet

Dual Turkeys

Don't get me started. But let me just say- you CAN roast two turkeys in the oven at the same time. Very strategically.

The Mets

Kevin got to go to a Mets game in Brooklyn the other night. He was sitting 4 rows back! You could even see him on t.v.

Tater Tots

Marisa couldn't stop singing a little song that she made up about tater tots. It made me laugh, actually. Well then that got her going! I never heard the end of it until DAD came to the rescue and brought home tater tots for the girl.

Photo from Nov 2014 Photo Stream

Tate's first suit.

NYC

We took a day in Manhattan. Mostly hung around Chinatown and Little Italy. Went to our favorite spice store, Kalustyan's and had the best meal EVER. This is Grand Central Station. It had been a long time, but the kids still remembered it.

My Dream Bedroom

Concoctions

Marisa has been having friends over and making special "concoctions" in the kitchen. Oh, the joy.

Apple Picking

So you say you have a day off of school in the fall? What's that? You want to go apple picking? Okay! Happy to oblige!

Allergy Testing

Yep. He's still allergic to every nut under the sun.

Halloween 2014

Garett- Smartie Pants Marissa- Mavis from Hotel Transylvania Tate- Tate

Hiking

Our new favorite place. Ken Lockwood Gorge and the Columbia Trail. Beautiful waterfall. Great places to rock climb. Sunday afternoons are the best!

Homecoming Darling

By contrast, this is what my daughter was doing during homecoming pictures. There are literally one billion girls dressed as glamorously as humanly possible and we turn around and Little Miss and her friend have locked themselves in a dog cage with snacks. Oh why oh why can't she remain 11?

Homecoming 2014

Tate's First Homecoming! Can you believe this picture? Tate went stag with a group of guys. Wow!

Redecorating

Dad sent me the most enormous two boxes of my life filled with new sheets, a billion soft and fluffy towels, a new quilt and pillows and even a picture for the wall. A subtle hint that my guest room needed a makeover? Fine. By. Me. Best surprise package I ever got in the mail!

Hawaiian Day

Marisa and I got to participate in a Hawaiian Day at church for all the girls her age. It was so fun! She painted my nails, we made paper flowers and learned fun Island games.

More Soccer Shots

So proud of my boy for going out for soccer and playing hard!

Cider Toast

We had the great honor of hosting Frank and Linda for a visit. Though they had a "bumpy" road getting here (their car was totaled in a car crash 5 minutes from arriving here on their drive from Kentucky!), we had a wonderful visit and are so grateful to have them in our lives.

Paying it Forward

I made Marissa breakfast. I packed her lunch. I took her to the bus stop.  I did her laundry.  I picked her up from school.  I helped her with homework.  I took her to a lesson.  I shopped for her school Christmas present/donation while I waited for her to finish her lesson.  I brought her home and made her dinner.  I listened to her flute practice.  I sat with her while she watched a total pre-teen girl t.v. show.

While we were sitting there she rubbed my head (I had a head-ache).  It felt nice and I said thank you.  She said,  "That's okay.  I'm just paying it forward."

:)

I didn't have the heart to tell her she was really paying it backward.

Pushing My Thinking

I was driving Marissa home from school yesterday and I asked her how her day was.  She said I had to tell her all about my day first.  I obliged.  Then I asked her about her day.  She said that I had not told her enough about my day.  So I told her some more.  I asked her again about her day and she said she wouldn't discuss it until we were done with mine.  I finally asked why she kept on about my day- she said she was wanting to "push my thinking on the matter".  I guess this is what was taught in school yesterday!  

Architect Aspirations

Marissa was telling me the other day how she wanted to be an architect.  She said, "I would like to travel around the world, meet new people, discover things, dig in the dirt to find old things...."  I said, "Do you mean you'd like to be an archaeologist?"  :)

G's First Dance

Garett had his first middle school dance.

Obsession

I'm sort of obsessed with window boxes and front stoops lately. Everyone seems to really go all out.

Family Photo

It only took like 5 million tries, but we finally got a family photo!

Ken Lockwood Gorge

We've discovered the most enchanting place to walk. Words cannot describe how beautiful it is. You walk along a branch of the Raritan River with beautiful rushing water on one side and lush trees on the other. It is just a 10 minute walk from our house and we've been walking every week-end here. Absolutely amazing.

Mountainville Restaurant

You drive way out into the country and then come to a crossroad. And Wa-lah. The neatest little restaurant sits waiting to serve you the most delicious meal. Great date night.

Clinton, New Jersey