This summer I just got in my head that I wanted my kids to see my childhood world, swim in my parents’ pool and visit the places I went when I was growing up, so I organized a pilgrimage to North Florida after a three and a half year absence. When you live far away from where you grew up and the plane fares are astronomically expensive and your parents are mobile and able to come to you, it's easy not to go home. Plus, Florida in August? Not for the faint of heart. And being home is kind of like … [Read more...] about back from tally
family life
three things about marriage
As we’re celebrating our ten-year wedding anniversary this week, I’ve been thinking a lot about marriage (or any committed long term relationship) and what makes it work. I’m in the camp that marriage is work. When Ben Affleck was giving his acceptance speech at the Oscars and thanked his wife for "working on their marriage..it is work but it's the best kind of work," I wanted to stand up and cheer while everyone else seemed a little bit embarrassed for him. As I see it, work isn’t bad. It’s … [Read more...] about three things about marriage
ten years
This Friday, it will be ten years since Kevin and I were married. I want to say something poignant about life and love and the passage of time, but all I keep thinking is ten years? How the heck did that happen? Because nothing has changed, and everything has changed. There really isn’t any other way to describe it. So we just keep on keeping on. Spanning time. I think my mother-in-law said it best when talking about her own 44 year marriage, “We’ve been lucky in that we’ve grown toward each … [Read more...] about ten years
three things about vacation
If you’ve spent any time with me in the last year, you’ve probably heard me talk about the virtues of vacation vs. travel. About a year ago, I was reading a travel magazine and the editor wrote an article about his family vacation. Now you’re probably thinking that the editor of a premier travel magazine could vacation just about anywhere in the world – a castle on the coast of Portugal turned into a agri-resort where you can make your own artisinal cheese or a surf camp in Nicaragua where you … [Read more...] about three things about vacation
reality check
I'm coming to terms with the fact that summer is seriously cutting into my ability to blog on a consistent basis. When I'm not playing Battleship, I'm packing snacks for the pool and when the sun goes down I'm assembling IKEA furniture and unpacking and organizing our house and taking a yoga class here and there. I thought that I would be able to adjust my schedule. I'll get up early to blog! But I haven't been sleeping well and can't seem to drag my butt out of bed before the boys. I'll stay … [Read more...] about reality check
three things about boys
There are some universal truths. Gravity. It won't heal if you pick at it. The first cup of coffee and the first glass of wine always taste the best. You can try to fight them. Push against them. But it doesn't really get you anywhere. Right now, I am living in the world of boys. This summer I'm spending all day every day with a six year old boy and a seven year old boy. We've lived in our new home almost two weeks, and we've already met at least nine boys in the six to ten age range on our … [Read more...] about three things about boys
settling in
Now that the moving drama is over and a week in the past (although the imaginary telling off of the moving company where they finally admit how they wronged us is still being looped in my head), I am happy to say that we are settling in quite nicely. Although it does feel like we’re on vacation in a rental house somewhere except that Kevin has to go to work. Which I guess is exactly what is going on. The kids are on vacation, we live in a rental house, and Kevin goes to work. And the place … [Read more...] about settling in
it’s here, it’s finally here
Summer. The move. It's all happening. I think it’s time to put the blog on a very short pause while we make this move happen. I thought that I would be able to keep it going but it seems that I am having a hard time stringing any coherent thoughts together. The movers come on Friday and while I don’t feel stressed on a minute-to-minute basis my sleep hasn’t been good and my stomach is starting to revolt so something is going on. Maybe it’s just too hot to be stressed. Nothing like some … [Read more...] about it’s here, it’s finally here