Big Bro & the Twin Towers

By the time you're reading this blog it will be September 11, 2014. 13 years after the World Trade Center was demolished in a terrorist attack on the United States.

I remember September 11, 2001 well. I was at home at my mom's house. I was working and waiting to depart for my study abroad trip to Ireland just one week later.

I was still in bed when she came upstairs looking shaken and told me to come watch the TV with her. I saw on TV when the first tower collapsed and then the second one.

It was like a bad dream. Totally surreal. My uncle and cousin were living in New York City at the time but we couldn't get through on the phone lines to hear any news of how they were doing. We found out later though they were thankfully okay.

Later that day I went to work my shift at the local grocery store. All the staff was shocked, and the customers too. It was weird that everyone was going about their business even though everything for our country and world had just changed.

A silver lining occurred though, as I was bagging groceries I looked up and saw a friend and I hadn't seen for two years. It was Des, from Ireland of all places. He had been trying to cross the Canadian border and couldn't get through since it was shut down. So he stayed with me and my family instead.

I remember returning to my college campus a few days later. I didn't go to Ireland for study abroad. My mom wouldn't have it. I wasn't totally sure I wanted to be so far from home with all the political uncertainty either. I remember there were yellow ribbons everywhere. I found myself hating those yellow ribbons. I just wished I could wake up from this bad dream. Or at least fast-forward to a time when the world was less distressed. 

*****

Just a couple weeks ago the kids and I were looking for things to watch on Netflix. I came across a series of shorts called Scholastic: Tall Tales. It has 4 animated books, one of which is the story "The Man Who Walked Between The Towers." It is the true story of Philippe Petit who, in 1974, pulled off a daring stunt and walked on a wire between the Twin Towers for over one hour. 

At the end of the story it explains that even though the towers are not there anymore, they are still there in memory. 

Of course Big Bro then asked, "why are the towers not there anymore?" I just wished I had read the story description better beforehand.

"Because some bad guys knocked them down." was my only answer. I want to protect him from the adult ailments of war and terrorism.

I love the innocence of children. In their world war does not exist. In their view human suffering doesn't go beyond not getting exactly what you want the precise moment you want it. I want to hold on to that childhood innocence as long as we can.

In the meantime I will work and pray for a more peaceful world.

Not Truly Ready for Fall

This week feels like fall. The temperatures are a bit cooler and the crickets are chirping louder lately. Some of our maple tree leaves are turning orange but they always turn early.

It was a tough day with the kids. So I was constantly looking for something to keep them occupied. I get tired of playing "you be a person and I'm a kitty/doggie."

I had a bag of apples that needed to be used up so the perfect project was to make an apple crisp. I intended to have the kids help me peel and cut the apples using our apple peeler-corer-slicer. It looks like this:

The kids have had a lot of fun with in the past. However it wasn't working right so I had to abandon it much to Big Bro's chagrin. I started peeling apples with a knife while explaining that he's too little to use knives. He told him he should go play until I'm ready to start mixing things.

(Photo by Big Bro with lots of filtering because the original was so dark)

As he often does in his four-year-old way, he persisted that he really, really, really wanted to help. After a couple minutes my smart mom hat came on and I realized the apples are soft enough that they could be cut with a butter knife. So I peeled pieces of apple and gave them to him to cut into chunks.

He loved it. He was really good at cutting the right size chunks and was very exacting in his approach.

Lil Sis got in on the action by pouring in the sugar, then she and Big Bro stirred the apples, cinnamon, and sugar together.

I made the crumble and let them help put the last bits of it on top of the apples in the pan. They enjoyed taste testing it too.

I'm not convinced that I'm really ready for fall and cold weather, but it was a great project to pass the afternoon, and the apple crisp tasted delicious.

The Disappearance of BIG Pepper

This spring I wrote about how Lil Sis' best snuggly friend "Baby Pepper" disappeared. She was later found in our house.

But did you know that last summer Big Pepper also disappeared?

It was early summer. The kids and I were expecting my husband home within an hour or so. Suddenly I noticed that Pepper was not hanging around with us in the backyard as usual.

Pepper has nearly 5 acres of land to roam so I wasn't very concerned. I whistled for her and shouted her name while clapping my hands. Normally this brings her running, but that time: nothing.

I called Grandpa on the phone and asked if he would help with the search. Still nothing.

Now I was getting worried and decided the next step was to drive around looking. I left the kids with Grandpa so I could find my dog. As I opened the driver door of my van I looked in the backseat and there she was. Pepper. She had been lying on the back third row bench seat the whole time. She wagged her tail and was so happy to see me. 

Turns out, when the kids and I got home that afternoon I inadvertently left one of the sliding van doors open. At some point Pepper climbed into the van and made herself comfy in the third row. Then, a couple hours later Grandma came to visit and closed the van door. She didn't tell me that she saw the door open or that she closed it. Pepper being the docile dog that she is didn't even think to bark when I was calling for her. I just thank the universe that it was not a hot day!

From that day on I made a conscious effort to close the van doors immediately or check the backseat for Pepper before closing the doors.

So tonight, more than a year later, suddenly my husband asked "Where's Pepper? She wasn't hanging out with us in the backyard like usual."

"You're right. Oh no." I answered and proceeded to go outside to call and whistle and stomp and clap for her. A minute later I realized, the van is in the garage. The doors had been left open for a while before I closed them. I had better go check.

There she was again. Lying in the third row. Wagging her tail and happy to see me. Thank goodness it was not a hot day and thank goodness the van was in the garage instead of full sun.

She came inside for dinner and a drink and is now sleeping peacefully on our couch.

I've got to be extra vigilant about the van doors again.

Pepper in one of her favorite spots

Kratt No More

"He's not wearing his Wild Kratts today!?" 

This is a statement I have been hearing often from friends and family.

It's true, and let me assure you it is not by choice. After nearly 6 months of wearing the same two shirts and two shorts every day (and even wearing them both at the same time  in a few silly moments), Big Bro has officially worn out both his Wild Kratt shorts. 

Exhibit 1:

Exhibit 2:

His green Wild Kratts shirt even has a tiny hole in the front as well. You can see my fingertip through it below.

Exhibit 3:

Only his blue shirt has remained unscathed.

Exhibit 4:

Pre-school has started up again so the agreement is he can wear his hole-y pants at home but not to school. He has reluctantly agreed. I even offered that he can wear his Wild Kratt shirt and different pants. His reply? 

"That would be silly."

Too bad no one is selling cargo shorts in fall.

And by the way, as soon as he gets home he changes back into his hole-y cargo shorts (exhibit 2 only) and Wild Kratts shirt.

Back to school blues

I've got a case of the blues today, but it's not the kind you might expect. I know so many kindergartners this year. It seems like half of the kids that we socialize with are starting kindergarten this year!

Today is the first official day of school and while their parents are posting cute photos of them getting on the bus or walking into school, my kids are home screaming their heads off. The first major tantrum was due to a fight over sharing their grandmother's iPad.

I got them to calm down from that tantrum by going outside for a while. Then we came back inside for lunch. While they were happily eating I thought to myself I will just sneak out quickly and put the trash into the bin.

I did, and all was well. 

Then I decided to take a second load of recycling out. But this time when I got back I heard lots of raucous noise and saw the kids flinging noodles and spitting their milk and water at each other.

I swooped in and grabbed their cups and ushered them to the sink, "No, you do not spit your drinks at each other." I declared trying to be calm but firm.

Lil Sis recovered quickly with a pout and an "I'm sorry" and then went to the playroom to play. Big Bro was a different story. He howled and cried and said "no I want my cuuuup!" A huge, lengthy tantrum ensued.

Last Wednesday when all the FB posts were about kindergarten orientation my kids also decided it was the perfect day to have lots of tantrums.

So as my friends lament about how their kindergarteners are reaching the beginning of independence, and wondering where did the time go? I look at those pictures with a sigh and wish that my kids were going to school too. 

The time with our children is short when you look back on it. When you are in the thick of the 0 to 5 years and marinating in tantrums, it can seem like the school years will never arrive. 

"It goes so fast!  Enjoy it while you can!" 

"Be careful what you wish for, your time will come soon!"

That's what some parents will think as they read this. Heck, it's what parents have told me and every other parent alive.

And I know....

Next year Big Bro will start kindergarten, and Lil Sis will start preschool. Part of me is hugely grateful for all these kindergartners going ahead of Big Bro. In the midst of my daily frustrations those families are reminding me to slow down and enjoy this last year when both my kids are home.

But come next year, I think you might see me looking a little bit like this:

Photo from Glennon Melton's blog Momastery http://momastery.com/blog/2014/09/02/it-gets-better-2/

10 hours to myself a week? I look forward to it. But who's counting? ;-)

2 new ways to vacation

If you asked me what the most memorable thing about this summer was I would have to say all the trips that we went on. Not only did we travel to new places, but we also traveled in new ways.

The first trip was our seventh wedding anniversary trip to Ottawa, Ontario. I suppose the way we traveled wasn't really new. It was just my husband and I for three days and two nights of kid-less time. It was the first time that my husband and I have taken a night away from the kids together. Big Bro is 4 1/2 years old now so it was kind of a big deal!

We stayed at an independently run hotel near the Byward District. We walked all over the city without pushing the stroller, we ate at fancy restaurants and didn't have to ask for an order of buttered noodles, we took a tour of Parliament without whines about "I'm not having fun," we went on a sunset boat cruise without worrying about bedtimes and tired, cranky kids, we went to see a movie without a second thought about babysitters or G ratings.

We didn't get to sleep in like we hoped we would. It seems like we have forgotten how to do that! We did Skype home every day to check in with the kids and grandma and grandpa. We did shop for cute souvenirs to bring home to the kids. We did remember what it was like to be a couple and not just mommy and daddy. We did pledge that we should do this every year somehow.

And away we go!

The second was a trip to Story Land in New Hampshire. We went with two other families. Between us there were six adults and five children. Big Bro had another four-year-old boy to play and go on rides with, which he loved. We also had two 2-year-olds and a seven-year-old. Three members of another family rode in our van to New Hampshire. The kids entertained each other which made the three hour ride easier.

When we were at Story Land we had plenty of adults to help cover the rides and the kids. When I felt like going on another spinning ride with Big Bro would make me throw up, one of the other dads took both 4 year old boys on it for the second time. Meanwhile my husband was able to bring two-year-old Lil Sis to something that she wanted to see. Later that afternoon when Lil Sis fell asleep in the Ergo carrier, the other mom with a 2 year old chatted with me while the others went on another ride (it was not a ride for 2yos). How nice not to be alone with a sleeping baby strapped to my aching back while everyone else was off having fun.

I took the seven-year-old on a water ride that her parents had no interest in going on. Two other parents joined me with their son and mine so we were able to have a 1:1 adult:child ratio. The three remaining adults and two children could do whatever they wanted. Just think of all the disappointment-induced crankiness we were able to avoid! Plus there was always someone available to take family pictures for the others...even on rides. 

When we went out to eat at restaurants the kids once again helped entertain each other. We got to speak with other adults which was great. The shared experience made it feel more like vacation instead of work. We got to choose when to be together as three families and went to be alone as a nuclear family. It was a good balance.

We have done some great single family vacations with the kids, but this group family vacation was a nice change of pace. We will definitely have to do it again.

Desecration of a Classic

I am a Vermonter and take pride in all things Vermont. Ben and Jerry's ice cream is a quintessential and delicious Vermont invention. 

Despite being bought out by Unilever in 2000, I try to still think of Ben and Jerry's as a Vermont company. I try to remember its roots as a homemade ice cream shop that started in a gas station on the corner of College and St. Paul Street in downtown Burlington in 1978.

Though the company has tried to stay authentic despite its parent company, I think it has done so with mixed results. So when eating Ben and Jerry's flavors I tend to stick to a few classic favorites. Typically you will see enjoying Cherry Garcia, Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch, or Phish Food--a conglomeration of VT ice cream with a Vermont-hippie-jam-band.

Sadly, Heath Bar Crunch has recently fallen off my list. 

Turns out, in order to take a stand and be GMO-free, Ben and Jerry's has dropped Hershey's as its Heath Bar supplier. Heath Bar has been replaced by a toffee supplier that is GMO-free, and fair trade, so now the ice cream is called Toffee Bar Crunch.

I had some for the first time, and the new toffee is mushy and gritty. I miss the smooth candy crunch! At first I wanted to blame Ben and Jerry's thinking the change was due to corporate stinginess. But thanks to a quick google search I can place blame appropriately. So come on Hershey's Chocolate! Fix your supply chain and make your Heath Bars GMO-free so I can go back to enjoying Ben and Jerry's Heath Bar Crunch!

If not, please Ben and Jerry's, tell your toffee maker their recipe needs work. I want to support your desire to be fair trade and GMO-free but not like this. It's not worth the calories, so until something changes, no Heath Bar OR Toffee Bar Crunch for me.