2.26.2010

2105 people entered.

6 people won.

i was 1 of them.

thanks ali!

love your blog.

love your giveaways.

2.25.2010

when was the last time your second

grade teacher showed up at your

basketball tournament?

colins smile was from ear to ear!

go lakers !
what a great season!
good bye basketball.
hello football.

2.25.2010

another update.

frosty had a rough night last night.

here he is as we left for school this morning.

the afternoon sun got the best of him.

here he is as i get ready to pick the boys up.
all thats left is his hat and nose.
front yards every where are littered with
coals of charcoal, colorful scarfs and carrot noses!

2.24.2010

chess club continues.

at z pizza.

right from school with our

chess board in hand.

best 5.95 snack -

2 slices of pizza & a soda with 2 straws.

we are regulars.

everyone watches.

everyone stops to share a chess story

or a chess memory

or a chess move.

its our standing date.

its our wednesday afternoon.

its our everyday memory.

for the record:

nathan vs. colin (nate won)

colin vs. mom (colin won)

2.24.2010

the day after.

this morning.

this afternoon.
what a difference a day makes.

2.23.2010

yesterday.

today.
everyday memory.

2.23.2010

snow in texas?

photoshop?

am i in buffalo?

all afternoon school activities are cancelled.

high school kids are being dismissed now.

this is big stuff here.

feels like a snow day.

i'm off to stock up on wood and hot chocolate.

i'm putting away the flip flops at the front door.

i'm off to find my scarf.

73 on sunday & hot.

32 today & snow.

winters in texas!

2.22.2010

weekend update.
dusted off the old fashioned scrabble board.

dusted off the flip-flops and dug out the shorts.

hit the courts, pluckers & nordstroms.

hit randells, church & the vacuum cleaner.

watched the olympics.

sat in the sun.

make an egg bake.

ate homemade peanut butter cookies.

sipped metropolitan at happy hour.

finished homework.

worked on the never ending laundry pile.

celebrated basketball wins.

ice cream sandwich celebrations.

arcade bowling games.

delicious buffalo style wings.

played outside, football & tag.

another wonderful weekend.

2.19.2010

take 1050 elementary students.

give them each a 36 inch piece of duct tape.

and watch them tape their gym teachers,

principal & vice principal to the wall.

it was all for a good cause.

it was all for the american heart association.

it was front page story in the newspaper.

just another everyday memory.

way to go teravista elementary.

2.17.2010

wednesday afternoon chess club

continues.

it would be so easy to come up with

an excuse.

it wouldbe so nice to just come home after

school.

but the boys love our special time.

and guess what -

so do i.

no phone. no tv.

no laundry. no homework.

just 32 pieces & 2 boys.

2.12.2010

happy 8th birthday colin !

i can't believe that you are turning eight today.

i can't believe how big you are getting.

i can't believe that you are in second grade.

i can't believe how funny you are.

it was just yesterday that you arrived.

it was just yesterday that i could see you

sitting in your car seat in the rear view mirror eatting

chocolate tibits from tim hortons.

it was just yesterday that you were watching max & ruby

on vcr tapes from the library.

it was just yesterday that you were getting on the

bus off to kindergarten for your first day of school.

it was just yesterday that you beat me at chess.

happy day dude.

enjoy.

2.12.2010

quote of the day.
colin came down to the breakfast table early this morning
to find it decorated with confetti and balloons hanging from the light.
upon seeing a ton of confetti scattered all over the table,
colin said "it looks like nan was here!"

2.9.2010

4 siblings & 1 celebration.

all together in the same city.

in the same kitchen at one time.

(sounds like a great theme for a movie.)

today was about living & celebrating.

today was about remembering & connecting.

today was about honoring grandma.

today was filled with an eulogy that was perfect.

God rest.

2.8.2010

favorites pictures from today:

famous quotes from today:
"i'm working out today"
"room service - i'd like to order a cup of coffee delivered to the blue room please."
"its a little cold down here in the morning."

-

a day filled with thoughts, memories & catching up.

a day filled with reflection, backwards & forwards.

a day filled with smiles, tears & laughs.

a long day.

a good day.

2.7.2010

i am on a plane.
heading home.
to celebrate 93 years of daily memories.
memories of cookie trays that were transformed
into a special dinning table.
tupperware toys that have lasted generations in the
same plastic loblaws plastic bag in the front hall closet.
tours of the violet plants, candy dishes always full & cereal in
a drawer.
a telephone with no buttons, a hand crank card shuffler &
a house with only one bathroom.
a writing instrument always were you needed it, the cap taped
in place to hold it.
reused twist-ties even had a home in an old plastic
toothpick holder taped inside a drawer.
every photo had a date handwritten on the back.
on saturdays, the kitchen was a bakery or a beauty shop -
depending on what time you stopped by.
saturday nights was the best night to sleep over because
there was saturday night bowling at klauder hall complete
with pop in a glass bottle & early morning mass followed
by homemade baked treats and sunday comics.
lots of walks.
around the garden.
around the block.
around the neighborhood.
lots of meals.
at the kitchen table -with a backyard view.
at the dining room table - always decorated with a tablecloth.
at the patio table - complete with walk-up window service.
for holidays.
for sunday dinners followed by 60 minutes.
for afternoon sandwiches.
home.
i'm heading home.
grandmas home.

2.6.2010

2 favorite photos from today.

basketball fun continues.

2.4.2010

{at grandmas house - july 2008}

a celebration of life today.

looking back with fond memories.

remembering funny stories.

reciting grandmas 'work week'.

garden stories and strolls.

multiple christmas cookies.

(carefully stored in the basement cupboard)

violets and the story behind each plant.

(yes, there was one from my wedding shower)

a never ending candy dish.

all my children - everyday - without a dvr or soap network.

(that in itself is amazing)

a woman who really did spring cleaning.

(had it scheduled & actually enjoyed it)

plastic bread bags -washed and reused - years before it was 'green'.

(a recycler before it was in vouge)

the grandma who keeps cereal in the drawer.

(thats how my boys knew which grandma we were off to visit)

a celebration of life today.

"the old grey mare ain't what she used to be."

2.2.2010

today.

take 1 nathan.

add 1 math challenge game.

mix in students from around the globe.

what do you get?

one happy smiling nathan.

had to pry him away to eat dinner.

thank you mrs. frick for always finding

wonderful learning opportunities for your students.
world math day here.

2.2.2010

to do today.
post office. grocery store. dry cleaners. library. cvs. hospital.
must do today.
starbucks & chess game.
nathan & colin decided not to join the spring session of chess club.
instead we started our own chess club.
after school.
every tuesday.
at starbucks.
with chocolate milk.
and brownies.
and tall skinny lattes.
and music.
game one: colin vs. mom {colin won}
game two: colin vs. nathan {colin won}
castling & en passant.
check & checkmate.
can't wait till next tuesday.
an everyday memory.
today.

2.1.2010

on the refridge.

get your february calendar here.

mark bill due dates.

note basketball practices.

return library books ontime.

fill in special birthdays.

jot down every meeting.

get organized now.

make those new years resolutions happen.

today.

now.