Ben was missing a pair of jeans this week. A hunt through drawers and the laundry basket came up empty. Then Ben had the brilliant idea that they might have been misplaced with someone else’s stash. And there they were hanging up in my row of jeans. Brian put away the laundry this weekend, and judging by the length of the jeans (definitely not the width!), deemed them to be mine. His t-shirts are already bigger than mine. And I don’t need to lean over to hug him anymore. *sigh* It would be a lot harder if he wasn’t doing such a spectacular job at this growing up thing.
The catchup hangup October 24, 2007
This post. This is why I haven’t blogged in a while. The maybe-I-should-just-scrap-it moment, because writing that first post after being away forever is a black cloud for me. But right now I’m in a phase of trying to get rid of the things hanging over my head, and since I do like having a place to post what’s going on in our lives, I’m just going to dive back in.
So what made it such a long time since I posted? September is always a busy month, but this year August got jealous and took cuts. In that 2-month span:
- We took a fam
ily vacation in New Mexico. This Grand Hyatt resort where we stayed is located on an Indian
reservation and was one of the most relaxing places I’ve ever experienced – with some incredibly, deliciously clean air. - I went through a big transition with my job, complete with a more intense pace, move to a new location and an accompanying real commute. Audiobooks are my new travel companion!
- Brian went through an even bigger change, leaving his job of seven years to pursue an exciting new opportunity.
- Ben started middle school, which begins in 6th grade here. He’s adjusting to the new responsibilities so well that he makes it look easy, and I have to keep reminding myself that it really is a big deal. He’s loving pre-AP math, and orchestra class where he’s learning the violin.
- Correspondingly, I have come to the end of being able to help my son with his math homework. I want to make excuses about new math and the very specific teaching methods they use, but let’s be real. I stink at math. And I’m glad he doesn’t!
- The breakdown of our old oven gave me an excellent excuse for needing a fancy new one (by our standards). I still purr when I use it and can’t wait to cook Thanksgiving dinner with it (hello warming drawer!).
- We celebrated birthdays for my two favorite people in the world and had great fun with both. And then my son hits me with,”Mom, just 364 days til I’m a teenager!”
- I have rediscovered my love for juvenile/young adult fiction and jumped in with both feet. I find I’m reading more than ever now because it’s pure enjoyment. Books were my refuge when I was growing up and getting back to this kind of reading warms my soul.
- I finally finished the gargantuan project of reupholstering our dining room chairs, not a fun process at all. Pleased with the results though!
- During all this, we fit in the required errands, cooking and cleaning necessary to keep any family fed and clean enough to avoid hygiene mishaps.
ily vacation in New Mexico. This 
And now we’re in Sweet October. It’s hard to beat this month for us! The weather is starting to turn chilly and that change itself lends a certain anticipation and sense of possibility to the air. My hands starting itching to make and do things, and I take the opportunity wherever I can – cooking dinners and desserts, tackling home projects and embarking on new craft projects (or at least planning them 
. We’ve had the time to linger over meals longer, enjoy some family movies, catch up on correspondence and just generally have time that is not crammed full.
There, the catchup post is done. One less black cloud over my head (October is good for that too) and no more obstacles to posting my bits and pieces whenever I fancy. Be back soon!
In Boulder July 17, 2007
To celebrate our 15th anniversary, Brian planned a getaway to Boulder for just the two of us. On the drive here, we spent the first six hours meandering through all kinds of conversational ground – the kind of leisurely dialogue that can occur only when there are no dinners to be made, bathrooms to clean, work email to return, or clocks quietly admonishing us for straying far past a reasonable bedtime. One of the most fun discussions was hearing all of the places he considered for this trip – beaches, cities and various destinations near and far. Well, my man knows me well and found not only the perfect city, but dream accomodations as well. We’re into our second full day here and I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be. Boulder is like an Austin in the mountains, though much smaller (only 100,000 vs. Austin’s 700,000). Our Inn is within walking distance of incredible restaurants and Pearl Street Mall and we’ve already explored the area on foot for hours at a time. Here’s a look at our visit so far:
- We took a 3.5 mile hike this morning that included a trail to the Royal Arch, part of the Flatirons. It completely wore us out, but there’s nothing like hiking to fully engage both your body and your mind – the mental game of getting to the top, thousands of micro-decisions of where the next safe footing is, the amazing scenery at every turn, and the sweaty, dirty, full-body exertion of scaling 1,600 feet.
- Wandering down Pearl Street in the evening is a little like being in the parking lot of a Dead concert (street performers, the smell of incense, colorful clothing) only with really great shops and food, along with a healthy dose of suburbanites sprinkled in.
- There are hardly any overweight people in Boulder. This is one bike and pedestrian friendly town!
- I’ve never seen so many Subarus.
- Too. Much. Good. Food. Really, really wonderful restaurants and not enough meals (or room in my jeans) to enjoy them all. Best meal so far was last night when I had a Mexican coffee-rubbed petite beef tenderloin and Brian had organic chicken with purple potato gnocchi.
- I think I’ve had about three naps so far.
- We walked a few blocks this evening to check out the Mork and Mindy house. It’s lovely, but I barely remember it from the show. Now the rainbow suspenders I used to wear as a 10-year-old are a different matter…
- The mountains continue to take my breath away. I love their quiet reminder of what a gorgeous country we live in.
Mountains, great food, plentiful rest and relaxation, all with the man of my dreams. What more can I say?
Scattered showers and thoughts July 3, 2007
- You know it’s a soggy summer in Texas when you use the umbrella stashed in your backseat more than the sunshield.
- This is the new time-sucker in my life. Way too many cute things out there!
- Yesterday Ben and I were taking a walk and passed by the middle school he’ll attend in the fall. The side of the building was wet in places, with some bricks dark and damp and others already dry. Ben’s comment: “It looks pixelated.” Perhaps a bit too much digital influence in that boy’s life. If he starts communicating in 0s and 1s were in big trouble!
- Just read my first ever Nancy Drew book, courtesy of a good friend who knows my love of juvenile fiction. Such a fun summer escape! I read lots of series as a kid (Trixie Belden, Bobbsey Twins, Cherry Ames, Sweet Valley High…) but somehow avoided the popular Ms. Drew. I tried to share it with Ben and read it to him, but he resisted – apparently past the limit for an almost-twelve boy. After expressing my interest in the upcoming movie (I know, I know, it’s supposed to be bad – everyone needs guilty pleasures) to him, he only conceded to watching it as a rental.
- We just rented A Bridge to Terabithia and watched it as a family. Wonderful movie, but I bawled like a baby – multiple tissues.
- After a trip to IKEA for some furniture and another store for a sleeper couch, we’re almost finished transforming Ben’s old room to the game room and our old guest room to his room. He kept very busy a few weeks ago making some coasters like these for his new digs – perfect boy craft! Now we just need to think of something clever for the big blank walls in both rooms.
- How many times do you think Will Smith’s kids are going to quote his lyrics from “Parents Just Don’t Understand” to him?
The last day May 24, 2007
Today is Ben’s last day of elementary school. It’s become a tradition for me to take the first and last day of school off and spend the morning at Starbucks, journaling my perspectives of the moment, looking back on the school year, forward to the summer ahead, always with a grateful heart. These snapshots in time form a powerful portrait when I view them all at once.
But since today started off with a 5th grade awards ceremony at 8:30 am, and I’ll soon be heading off for Ben’s last day of school party, I’m enjoying an iced coffee in the peace of our study instead.
We watched eagerly as Ben’s school was first built; an easy task since it’s at the end of our street. When I check the mailbox on days I work at home, I can hear the laughter of children from the playground. Ben has that sense of 5th grade ownership when he walks the hallways of his school, the confidence of someone who is known and loved on familiar territory. I’m incredibly thankful to be able to send him off to someplace safe each day where he can freely learn and explore.
The last moment of the last day will feature the 5th grade parade, where everyone in the school lines the hallways and cheers the students who will be moving on to middle school next year. I’ve watched this procession for 5 years in a row, and I know that when time comes today I’ll be be found with tears in my eyes, a proud smile on my face, and profound gratitude in my heart because I get to enjoy moments like this in the life of one outstanding boy.
Food Talk: Paninis at Home May 23, 2007
This may be an old trick for some of you, but it had never occurred to me before that I could actually make my own panini sandwiches on our George Foreman grill. We ate at one of my favorite shi-shi lunch places the other day and I saw a brie, spinach, proscuitto and pear panini on the menu. I ended up opting for something else (which I enjoyed), but felt a pang of regret the next day for not trying something that sounded so delicious. And then I saw the brie in my fridge and the gears started turning. So eventually, I finally got to try my hand at homemade paninis and they were fantastic! I used some leftover thinly sliced grilled chicken, brie, and light smears of apricot jelly and dijon mustard on soft wheat french bread. I buttered the outsides, put them on the grill, closed the lid and cooked them for about 5-7 minutes, turning once. I served them alongside a leafy salad with apple, dried cranberries and sugared pecans. It was a great weeknight dinner with a definite bonus – easy to make a grilled cheese for Ben at the same time!
Easy Target May 23, 2007
I’m a sucker for clever marketing, and if you can make me laugh, all the better. Ben and Jerry seem to have zeroed in on some demographic target that definitely includes me. As if Vermonty Python wasn’t enough, they took it to the next level with the most recent flavor I saw: Marsha! Marsha! Marshmallow! Cracked me up.
When Praise Backfires May 2, 2007
What if you could change the chemistry of your child’s brain based on the way you praise him or her? And what if it could actually do harm? It happens, and if you’re anything like we were, it’s happening in your home. Brian read a short piece in the Wall Street Journal a month or two ago that made us re-think the way we give Ben praise. And then his teacher sent home a more in-depth article on the subject that really opened my eyes. It’s long, but well worth the time. Not only is it a fascinating look at our human brain, but it could shape your child’s future.
His Mix Tapes a Masterpiece April 24, 2007
“When all words fail she
Speaks
Her mix tapes a masterpiece”
-Kate by Ben Folds Five
When I was seventeen, my boyfriend rescued me from pop-song purgatory. Without him my musical tastes might be limited to the latest fodder from American Idol. When I told him that I didn’t like The Who, his response was something along the lines of, “I’ll fix that.” And he did. In 1987, we’d hang out in his room for hours, him playing samples of a particular artist’s or group’s library – usually on vinyl. Then, a few days later, he’d present me with a mix tape, full of the songs I had indicated an interested in. We cycled through The Who, Elvis Costello, Buddy Holly, and more. And as young girls are apt to do, I began to adopt the musical interests of my boyfriend. Every time I found myself in my green 1978 Mustang (not one of the cooler years for the car!), I popped in those tapes. I acquired a preference for Elvis Costello (what an agile wordsmith!), internalized Who lyrics (what 17-year-old couldn’t relate to the anger and angst?), and bopped around town to Buddy Holly (which my mother enjoyed). The tapes broadened from one-artist collections to wide-ranging compilations. To this day, when I listen to one of those songs, I still expect to hear the one that followed it – Rave On by Buddy Holly should come after The Sweetest Thing by U2.
As I got to know Brian’s tunes, I got to know him. Music seems to be more a part of him than other people – in it he finds energy, inspiration, refuge, happiness, peace. I guess you could say it’s like a friend to him. And I like being in on that friendship, that secret door to his soul.
So, this morning when I found a CD labeled April Mix waiting for me in my car, I squealed with delight. Because all at once it meant that he was thinking of me and sharing a part of him. I smiled the entire way to work, and couldn’t wait to get back into my car on the way home, eager to hear the next selection. And I imagine that after time, I’ll expect to hear Heavenly Day by Patty Griffin followed by Good Things by the BoDeans, followed by Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves…
