Senior Prom-o-Magic

Of Course, You Planned the Dress to Coordinate with the Yellow Roses... Looks like you all are ready for a lovely fun evening...

Ever Had THIS Feeling?!!

"Mom! Will You Be My Prom Buddy?"

So, recently, our baby girl (almost 17) asked me if I would be willing to hang out with her while she did all of the "prep work" to assist her in attending her first senior prom. Even though she is a junior, this is the first dance occasion where she is not attending her own prom... because it is on the same night as that of the BF... Since he IS a senior, she graciously agreed to attend his... with his friends and their dates and GF's. Not a problem for an outgoing "nobody is a stranger" kind of young lady... However, this meant that  she would be without "the usual suspects" (her girlfriends)... all of whom always get ready together... and so, she needed a "Prom Buddy." I was happy to "fill the void." My PB Mission: Assistance with... the Dress, the Shoes, the Hair, the Make-Up, the Jewelry, the Mani, the Pedi, the Prep for the "After Prom" Event, the Flower for the BF, the Final Funds (from her dad) and... oops... MY CAMERA... (again!) It has been weeks of intermittent "prep work," culminating in a marathon today... This afternoon, her dad and I admired our little lemon chiffoned, silver heeled, freshly coiffed, MAC'ed  5'10" chicky and her equally fine looking (and taller!) BF embrace, say their goodbyes and begin their evening... We just smiled back at them, held hands... and remembered... when we felt all of  those "Prom" feelings... Now, I reflect on the fact that I enjoyed being the "Prom Buddy" about as much as I enjoyed my own proms... differently, but just as deeply... Besides that... we remembered that WE don't have to go out and dance 'til dawn! As it is... I think both of us are exhausted!! 

Swine Flu Updates Directly from the CDC and Department of Human Services

Puppies for Easter!!

Nothing speaks for Spring like the frisky noises from... no, not bunnies.... But PUPPIES!!

In honor of the celebrations of Easter and Passover and Springtime... here is the preview of the new Presidential Puppy.... "Bo," bought by Senator Ted Kennedy for the First Family. Please note that he is dressed accordingly!!

Have a Springtime Chuckle!

SuperGirls!!! Fly Away!!! Summer 2006

What a great time these two teens had, flying across their room and making all sort of RACKET!!

I Am Just Toooo Cooool for You.....

Well.... It just always starts out like this... Two boys jockeying to see who is going to be the hold out for the big HUG! On the right, we have one standard 10 year old... on the left, a wily, savvy 18 month old... Who will win this dual of WILLS??? Let's watch and see who prevails.....

Friends... I Just Love Hamsters Doing the Hula Hoop!

Well... what else is there to say? Better to have your hamster doing the hula than running around in those wheels in your head!! My hamster wears a pink tutu... and there is no end to the relaxation this visual can bring you. Ahhhh..... Relaaaaxxxxx.... That's rightttt... Now, take a breath........ and... again...... See? ...... Start  to feel the shoulders relaxxxx.... Ahhhh.....

Facing That False Pride Obstacle ... Go, Dude!!

Wow!! What might happen if you actually go to the tutorial center on your college campus, ask for help in figuring out how you can break out of the "solid B" grade on your English essays... You know you can write... we know you can write... you love to write... so, what is the hold up?

Ohhhh, that's right... There is that little teeny thing called "false pride." It doesn't sound pretty; but, there it is....

So, you grew up through that FP phase! Congratulations! 

We are so proud of you!! Your challenge was right there in front of you, you met it straight on, and you triumphed... We don't focus on the grade, as you have heard before (!) but only to the extent that you did your personal best... You did that personal best, with your meeting your challenge, overcoming your obstacle and being blessed with an "A+" on top of all that... Okay, so go and snowboard at Vail all day, today... and all weekend!!xo

Post Holiday Season Reflections...

What an amazing dozen of weeks it has been... The great moments included health, contentment among many, gratitude for our blessings and thankfulness for our family and friends...

Gladly, children were home, there were great connections with extended family members and reconciliations among many...

College people appreciate returning home, where the door is always open, and a safe harbor awaits.... Not to mention great food, treats, constant entertainment and other high school people competing for the best bathroom!! Thankfulness surrounds this season, full of reflection and hoping for peace and stability in the new year...

Buff Family Weekend 2008

We Are Deeply Thankful for our Family Weekend...

That particular location used to be in our home; within  our neighborhood, our community, our soccer fields, our family and our friends.... Now, our togetherness "lives" that reality in a new place: (GO, BUFFS!)

What a great time to be together, although it does not replace the nightly dinner together at the table, with the candles and music at play... We miss those discussions about politics & history & the gold standard & Socrates & the Sharks, the Earthquakes & the 49'ers. Now, we enjoy discussions about other things: Dad loves talking about math &  other girlie-girl topics, as you can imagine!

We hope you continue having a great time, actually studying a bit, making friends from all over the land, and running your 8 miles a day... Please eat more protein and we'll see you soon.. xoxo

A Moment of Reflection and Gratitude

I received two wonderful gifts this last week: 

Gift #1: One marathon telephone call from Mr. College Freshman, responding to our simple text message: "Did you get the tickets?" (That took me a pathetic 16 minutes to type a text!) He was out running his 7-8 miles per day (News to us: Is he still in training?) and he wanted to chat... A few minutes with me, 15 minutes with his dad, and then the phone came back to me and we talked for 2 hours... I think I said 26 words... He talked about many things, most of which are "classified." At the very end of this call, Mr. Cool said "I want you to know that I couldn't really call and talk to you guys until I knew I was settled in here... not because I forgot about you... I love you guys..." Pinch me.

Gift #2: One email from a consistently-in-contact childhood friend... We met when I was 12 and living in upstate New York. We were part of group of pranksters who staged huge snowball fights, rode toboggans (standing up!) and played relentless games of Monopoly on snow days... We thought we were hilarious when we (while cleaning the church) answered the church's phone by saying "XYZ Church, God speaking." These guys taught me how to jump off the traditional "cliff" into Nyack Lake, how to flip baseball cards and how to "throw (news)papers."

My friend's family was like a "second family" to me. He and I have always chatted about twice a year. His parents visit my family whenever they are in town, and he stays with us for a few days, every couple of years. He wrote to say that  he was reflecting on his life, back to "all of the great moments we all had shared" when he was visiting out here. 

When I started to read this, I froze, wondering if he was ill. (He was not.) He recalled many of our wonderful schemes and adventures over these many years... and I smiled and reflected, too... Then, he just thanked me for my friendship, that we were always welcoming to him and our inviting him on all of these various outings over these last 30 years... I read these amazingly kind words and cried. Pinch me twice.

A Time for Letting Go...

So... some of us are off to college! Some of us hung out at "Bed Bath and Beyond and Best Buy (did you know they merged?)" Some of us zipped through the high desert of Wyoming while others rattled  around in "Old Paint!" There were a lot of high points in our adventure: too many to count... But, there was a great moment where the driver next to us cruised right through an EXTREMELY red light... and there were two motorcycle cops at the intersection, watching her scuttle right through. It was awesome!! Haven't you ever watched that happen and thought "Where is a cop when you need them?" Me, too! So, it was so rewarding watching them turn on their lights and chase after her! I don't wish misery on anyone, but this was just too much to take. I thought they could have driven faster ("Blue Buick Eludes Cops in High Speed Chase through College Town!") but, it was still a great moment! Great people, fine ribs, beautiful campus, perfect weather, nice dorm, used textbooks, fun with a son... and time to say goodbye and we'll see you at Family Weekend. Of course, we love our new black and gold flip flops!

I Miss My Brudder!!

Hi Mattie...

It's your Hilly...

xoxo

Congratulations to Wildcat Matt!

Such an exciting time! Here is the smile of an adventurer!! His baby sister is back in D.C. for 2 weeks at a national leadership conference... meeting other teens from all over the US and Europe, working very hard, having a blast and thriving... ("Mom, the Solicitor General spoke about...")

She and her brother have already started to "VideoChat" while she's  been away... ("Mom! We're encrypted!")At home, we are getting down to the wire, preparing to take our "Baby Boy" to college... The other morning, I suggested that we go buy new sheets for his dorm room. He looked surprised and asked "Don't they have sheets, there?" 

I tried hard not to laugh (with mediocre success) and said no. He asked "Well, do they have beds?" I said yes; they are extra long, though... "Well, then I want to take my pillows, definitely..." said the 6'1.5" Freshman... and still growing... You may have your pillows... Absolutely... And anything else you need... Anytime... Signed (with love), xoxooo

Your Parents 

(who are thrilled for you and wistful and missing you, already, silently!)

One is "Off to College" While Another is "Off to DC"

Frequently, very loving and attentive parents will ask me "This is our situation. What should we do?" I say "Congratulate yourselves that you are asking, at all! Now, I have some bad news: How in the heck should I know... We are all in this, together!" 

Routinely, I am quite candid about how scary "raising children" has been, even so far, for us... As a 12 year old, when I lived in upstate New York, my friends and I used to toboggan downhill, standing UP, at NIGHT! (I have witnesses who are willing to testify that I always went first!) 

But, that was NOTHING, compared to the terror and daunting nature of raising children, both toddlers and teens, in particular. I was working on a photo album today, for my college bound child... (He won't care, but if I don't do it, he will later say..."You didn't do that for ME!")... and he saw a picture of his father and I on the day we married...  He said (tactfully?) "Wow- look at that happy couple, with dark hair and big smiles... before children started beating you down..." His father and I looked at each other and cracked up! His dad said "We are not beaten. You flatter yourself." 

Another child (new driver's license/new used car/great sunglasses/braces-oops!) is preparing to go off to the East Coast for a leadership event in "Trial and Advocacy." We told her she may just seek to learn a few tips beyond the relentless use of "kissing up" and "wearing down." She is very loving, strong willed as he**, extremely thoughtful and detailed about showing it, while also caught up in her zest for adventure... We don't blame her... we give the permissions, hug her close and pray...

Both of these teenagers have told me, privately, ("You know, Mom...") this last week, the EXACT number of days (accurately, because I already counted, but I didn't tell them!) which they have together until they go their separate ways... and how many days they will be together before the "Off to College Odyssey" begins... That will be one day, later this month. Sometime along, I will tell them about their shared anticipatory loss of each other. We are so very 

fortunate... We  are the grateful embracers of the "Crazy Times."

Baby's Changes I Almost Forgot to Mention...

I almost forgot to mention that the little boy who was so worried in the last photo (post before last) smiled in this next one, which was taken a few seconds later, after he heard me say "Hey there, Zama Zama!"

Going off to college, with only a few weeks left. I put a bunch of freshly laundered bath towels in a bag for one of your "Off to College" boxes. I folded them, like I always do, placed them gently into the clean storage bag, and cried... I guess I'll have to break down the boxes in the side yard ;-) and do something interesting with all of the soccer balls and various pieces of this and that... Even though you are 6'1" and 170 lbs, I still see this little guy... Thankfully, you never read this, much less know about this blog, so I can say to others that we really can miss them, terribly, all along the way... even when they are driving us OOOM's!!

In Honor of the British Open's Final Round Today!

Wellllllll... Now that we had a chance to play a wee bit of golf... guess who smacked a golf ball into a tree, which ricocheted off multiple branches within ONE tree and landed here... Of course, we left a note with our name and number and then stopped by, later, so we could  actually meet the owners of the windshield... They could not have been more gracious.... Have you ever met anyone who actually did this? Neither had we! Now, THAT makes for an expensive afternoon... I love playing golf with my husband and making new friends with others, including a few trees ;-))

Apple iPhone 3G Launch Reminds Me...

Well, some teens say "I think adults don't like us," or "Why don't the checkers help us?" "Are we INVISIBLE?!!"

After experiencing numerous encounters (for positive reasons) with Apple Stores, both of my teens and many teens connected with peers, girlfriends, clients, neighbors, other pals...  have united in a cry: "We are visible here!"

Starting out as an unhappy infant... ("I don't like this angle!")...

Becoming a happy teen customer... (check out the next blog!)...

Ya just gotta wonder!

What A Flying Hard Head!

 

So, the saying goes, "It's your 18th Birthday... You're a Legal Adult..." 

What a bunch of noise is that! Actually, it is more like: 

"You're 18. Congratulations. You have just been plunged into a legal abyss: you are not financially able to take care of yourself, your judgment is controlled by good logic, interrupted by whim, and you have all of the duties and obligations of an adult..."

Wow..." Ever heard of a "Legal Fiction?" Here is one: based on political decisions made during the Vietnam War... 

Moral of the Story? Stay in School, Slow and Steady Wins the Race, Launch Deliberately and Avoid having to make apologies later... ;-)) I wish I was as smart today as when I turned 18, because, when I was 18, I knew everything.... no, really.... I did.... oh, yes, I did...... ;-)