Highlights 2010

As this year comes to an end I can't help but reflect on where we've been, what I learned and with a hopeful heart look forward to a bright new year for my family and all that read my blog.

1. This year I became very intimate with issues of my heart and the cardiology dept.

2. We struggled for a diagnosis for what was making my youngest daughter so ill. We were so blessed by the kindness of the staff at Children's Hospital and after many different "wrong" diagnosis we found out was was wrong and have been able to help her.

3. I watched a beautiful woman that I love find out that she had cancer and by the Grace of God witnessed a miracle of remission. Her strength, beauty and faith was an inspiration to us all.

4. My husband underwent a surgery on his back that kept us in the hospital the week of Christmas but we too had a blessing getting to come home on Christmas Eve. He is recovering well.

5. After 10 years in the making we took our twins on their twin trips. We visited London England and Savannah Georgia and loved seeing the history we studied come to life.

6. Our family got a little bigger with the addition of Dolce and DaVinci our twin Havanese puppies.

7. We put on a beautiful wedding for our daughter Brittany who was married on December 14th to a wonderful guy we just love.

8. We were able to spend time with our family in Michigan.

9. We celebrated Oregon's HUGE amazing football season

10. At the end of the year, we looked around and saw the people we love the most and love us back are the ones that humble us and make me feel so very blessed to have in our lives. Life is all about choices we each make one at a time that add up to the life that we live. Thank you for reading my blog and sharing in my life.

A New Year's toast to you: May you all have a New Year full of new beginnings, new windows of hope and love that fills your heart. Cheers!

Food Network is MIA

Today was like any other typical Sunday in my house, after I wake up I turn on the Food Network channel to listen to while I'm getting ready for church. However, today the Food network channel was MIA! Come to find out they're in a brew haha with ATT U-verse and a few other cable companies about $$. Sounds a bit like Enron to me. Scripps the company that controls Food network and HGTV along with a few other channels are battling over what else...money! Meanwhile it feels like a strike walk out with out any per diam replacement. This is the holiday season and last I checked this country is in the middle of a very bad economy. This has greed written all over it. I just want my comfort channel back! Cooking is like therapy for me. It's calming, creative and I'm always inspired by my favorite chefs. I hope they figure this out soon. Comcast is calling my name! If you would like to voice your opinion about this visit http://www.att.com/Common/iptv/files/dkpages/dk_fighting4you.html.

Operation Christmas Child

The girls and I spent the evening shopping, wrapping and filling our shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. The twins each selected a girl between the age of 5 to 9 years old. They carefully went through the store imagining what the little girl would feel like when she opened her box filled with Christmas treasures for her own and we talked about how God uses some people to help other people. They each shared their pride for being able to make this small effort and realizing what a huge impact it would make on Christmas morning. I couldn't help but feel happy that my girls understand that you don't have to be a grown up to extend help to others. If you would like to fill a shoebox go to http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ for more information.

Mother of the Bride

My life has been pretty busy with my first born daughter; soon to be a Bride in December. We are well underway with all the wedding details although there is still so much more to do. My daughter has asked me to be her Maid of Honor which of course made me tear up but has put a whole new perspective on what to wear. I want her day to be the best day of her life. The theme is old Hollywood Glamour, think Frank Sinatra and 1940's. She and I are very close and have been all her life. She is the first reason I learned what unconditional love is. She has a heart full of love and sees life with eyes of hope and wisdom. My husband is her Step Father and he's been in her life since she was 12 years old (she is now 24). He loves her as his own. She knows he would do anything for her and has come through for her so many times. Step families don't need to be hostile, it's the parents that lead the way down that path. I feel very blessed that I made the right choices in her life so that she could know the joy of having an additional parent love her. I love that girl soooo much!

The Case of The Missing Tomatoes

It's 5:30 on Sunday night and I'm looking forward to the amazing fresh vegetables that I purchased from the farmer's market yesterday. I washed the yellow carrots and green onions and sprinkled my fresh greens all over my platter. I took the pistachios out of the freezer (yes I store them in the freezer, they stay fresh longer) and I chopped up my granny smith apples when I realized I can't find the multi colored grape tomatoes I bought yesterday. I asked my husband to go out to my car to check the back seat, the trunk and even the floor mats under the front seat. No sign of them anywhere! I know my vegetable challenged twins didn't suddenly get the hankering to eat a handful of bite size tomatoes. I'm baffled! Really? Did I leave them at the berry stand when I whipped out my cash to pay for the basket of strawberries that looked like I just wanted to stand there and eat them and forget the dessert I had in mind for later. Seriously, where are my tomatoes? I handed them to the farmer, I watched her put them in the bag with my other items and I walked on my way. It's a mystery! My week was a little chaotic. We were in Toronto for 5 days for a conference I needed to attend and I managed to get in a few days of exploring with my family. Niagara Falls is amazing! What an experience that was going on this little boat right up to the edge of the bottom of the Falls. So fun! Also to speak to my distracted mind, my older daughter is getting married in December and I'm in full swing with wedding plans. Not to mention I have an employee out for a month and covering for her. So it could be possible that those lovely organic farmer's market tomatoes went home with someone else. I imagine they were delicious.

Puppy Love

Dolce and DaVinci are 3 months old now and are just as cute as ever! Although I'm not a fan of the puppy poo and clean up duty I think they are making improvements in that department. My husband is thrilled to have boys and gets up in the early morning hours to take them outside and he will sit there and play with them before having to head off to work. Their little personalities are so sweet. They run and pounce on each other, drag toys off to their little beds and think I'm the food lady because I feed them and give them treats. Today we decided to get them collars and leashes and the little girls can't wait until they can take them out for a walk. They get their 3rd set of shots on Tuesday. It's hard to imagine that just over a month ago they weren't even in our lives. It feels like our little family has gotten a whole lot bigger!

Cheering Up With Ice Cream Cupcakes

Today was one of those days. Long day at work for me and a challenging problem for one of the twins and her friend. Seemed like it was a good time to make some Ice Cream Cupcakes. Things seem better when you mix batter, bake and frost all the while talking through the problem. My little girls are growing up and starting to understand that not all families stay together but it's our job to love and support them anyway we can when they are our friends. Through the second round of frosting the cupcakes my youngest daughter said, "I'm glad we do things together with our family, we eat together, we hangout together, we support each other even when it's hard to because sometimes we fight about stuff but we always talk about it." She continued, "Mom, this is turning out to be the best day ever!"

We Will Never Forget

I remember very well exactly where I was and I what I was doing on that horrific day of 9-11-2001. Our twins were 13 months old and I had been up all night with both of them. My husband was out of town across the country on business. I turned on the morning news and there it was the beautiful skyline of NYC, the city that held my heart. One tower was spewing smoke and in horror I wasn't prepared for the what came next as I witnessed the next plane crash into the second tower. I tried to scream but the mommy in me wouldn't let out a sound because the twins were sleeping. Tears streamed down my face as I became glued to the face of the television, standing there frozen. I needed to find my husband and prayed he was not on an airplane. He like many others were turned away at the airport in Ohio so he rented a car and drove across the country until he made it home the next day. As more and more details unfolded on that devastating day we learned that one of our fellow twin mommies in our club lost her husband on Flight 93, Tom Burnett. I remember going to church to pray and there was standing room only as the community poured into churches everywhere united together to seek the grace of God to comfort, protect, guide and heal our nation and our hearts. As the Pastor told us to take the hand of the person next to us, I glanced up to see who's hand I was holding, it was Brent Jones the former San Francisco 49er Football Player. Words could not express what I felt as I listened to words of the Pastor pray for our country and for the families that had lost their loved ones.

Even in the midst of darkness you can see love. We had many hero's that day that saved the lives of so many others. We rallied as a nation to stand next to each other and help our neighbors. We will not forget.

Labor Day Weekend

Three day weekend with absolutely no travel plans equals time to relax, unwind, play with puppies and eat good food. My free time turned into purging closets and boxes in our garage for donation to Shepherd's Gate http://shepherdsgate.org/. My oldest daughter came over and moved more of her furniture she had in our garage over to her house (yes, this made me sad, even though she's been gone for a while). It was great to see her and I really just wanted to hang out with her but off she went to organize her own house. However, her Fiance stayed for a long time chatting sports with my husband which made him very happy. Saturday night was date night and we went to one of my favorite restaurants called The Peasant and the Pear http://www.thepeasantandthepear.com/. Seriously AMAZING food! The Chef/Owner Rodney Worth is not only talented, he is quite charming and treats customers as if they were his guests. For the opinionated foodie that I am, I must say this restaurant does not disappoint, this was my 3rd visit in one week! I want to eat my way through the entire menu and I only have until October 1st to do it at which time Rodney tells me they are changing their menu to incorporate the splendor of fresh Fall produce and vegetables into their new menu. I love that they promote local farmers and even give them a shout out on their menu. We sat outside on the patio, drank a Pear Martini that should win some kind of mixology award and listened to a very talented musician named Chris Estes who sang and played the guitar. That boy is talented!!!

Sunday was Church followed with a nice evening with friends and a sleepover at our house. Monday, Labor Day a celebration of America's workforce, made me think of all the jobs I've had since I started working at age 14 and how each one of those experiences taught me something valuable. I'm grateful that today I get to work in a job that I love and with people that help make a difference.

Twin A's New Room

My inspiration for Twin A's new room design came from this beautiful vintage black and crystal chandelier as well as a memory from a Paris Boutique we visited a few years back. While I sketched, my husband taped off the walls and together we executed the transformation with great "ardeur." Armed with black, white and pink paint we rolled out the room in one day. The touch up was another story, the wall was already textured and that made the black paint bleed through our tape, not good. Today after church, we spent the afternoon covering up our mistakes. Not bad though. She loves it. It's tres beau!

Puppy Chronicles

The newest members of our family, Dolce & DaVinci are the cutest little bundles of love. They are brothers and look like twins. We can only tell them a part by the bottom of their front paws. They hop around like rabbits when we take them outside. It's hysterical to watch. They think they are fierce when they play around with each other, this is funny because they only weigh 3 lbs. 13 oz. right now. Their little voices start to get loud with growling sounds and my husband assures me they are not hurting each other. He reminds me I would never have made it with a house full of boys and it's a good thing we had girls. We are now realizing where the term "puppy dog eyes" come from. We are all suckers for it and scoop them up to give them love.

It's not all a bed of roses though, they seem to be having a digestive problem and after a visit to the vet we are now giving them medicine to stop the diarrhea and prophylactically treat for worms while we wait to see the results of the samples we submitted. DaVinci has decided that the duck B gave the twins is his favorite chew toy. Dolce loves his blankey. So stinkin cute, literally!

First Day of School, 5th Grade

This morning came very early. The girls set their alarm to wake up with plenty of time to take care of the newest addition to our family, (2 chocolate Havanese puppies 9 weeks old) before heading off to school. They took them outside to do their business and fed them while they went upstairs to get ready for school and I made breakfast. We wanted to arrive at school early enough to take pictures with friends and chat with people we hadn't seen all summer; traffic didn't quite agree with our agenda. We made it to the parking lot and felt lucky we had a place to park, as parents and students were flooding into the campus. Carrying in the requested lot of school supplies, we made it to the quad in plenty of time for photos. It was great seeing their little faces light up with enthusiasm to start school again. As for me, I was left with beloved free time as I took the day off work. Ahhh the thrill of what shall I do? Turns out nothing exciting, but still it was bliss. Later, I picked them up and it was non stop talking about how much they liked their teachers, how great it was to see their friends and how they already had homework. I think it's going to be a great year!

Jet Skiing in Kaanapali

Jet Skiing in Kaanapali with our girls was awesome! We drove up to Kaanapali and parked at Hanakao’o Beach Park (aka: Canoe Beach). After walking past the canoes parked on the beach, we found the red umbrella and red cooler in the sand labeled Pacific Jet Sports. The very nice girl that checked us in looked about 16 and the guy that drove the motorized raft out to the dock wasn’t much older than that. Twin b thought he had a great job shuttling customers back and forth all day and asked if she could do that job when she was in college. My response knowing full well this too shall pass, “maybe for a summer job.” We climbed into the raft and thank God I knew what to expect because there were no instructions as to what the little girls should do once aboard the raft; clearly this guy had a schedule to keep. In the blink of an eye and as if I was on automatic pilot; I quickly positioned the twins sitting down twisted forward with their hands gripping the rope in front of them. The young man gunned the motor and up went the front of the raft over a wave and over the edge would have gone my daughter, had my arm not been around the small of her back gripping the rope myself.
Once at the dock we put on our mandatory life jackets and proceeded to become educated on the do’s and don’ts of safe jet skiing. The girls listened intently and after the exchange of who gets to go with Mom /who gets to go with Dad, we concluded we would switch passengers at the 30 minute mark.
We had so much fun! The hour went by so fast and although we lost a pair of sunglasses (my husband’s) we did manage to rescue my hat.
We finished up the day having a picnic at Hanakao’o Beach and watched 3 Sea Turtles near the shore.

Crisp Watermelon Summer Salad

90 degrees outside, tropical breeze and the barbeque is ready for grilling! Here is an easy accompaniment to serve with the all American family standard…..grilled hamburgers.

Crisp Watermelon Summer Salad
Cube up one small seedless Watermelon, toss with mixed greens, chopped scallions, halved yellow and red grape tomatoes.
Vinaigrette: 2tbsp. Champagne Vinegar, 1 tbsp. soy sauce, ½ tsp sugar, 1 tbsp.EVOO, salt, pepper, small pinch of dried crushed red pepper and 2 cubes of watermelon crushed into vinaigrette, mix well, drizzle over salad.
Enjoy~

Lanai Weekend

The island of Lanai has been our favorite “go to” weekend escape for many years. With a population of only 3000 people this small island offers a tranquil environment with all our favorite things: golf, beach, food and spa. There are 2 main hotels on the island, both are Four Seasons contracted properties, one by the water “Manele Bay Hotel” and the other up country “The Lodge at Koele.” There are no traffic lights on this island and most people live right in town called Lanai City near The Lodge at Koele. For a fee, there is a transportation shuttle between hotels with one stop in Lanai City which showcases a small, quaint B & B style hotel and wonderful restaurant now called Lanai City Grille. This restaurant has a long history and use to be called Henry Clay’s Rotisserie (amazing chef who moved on to Arizona). The restaurant received a face lift a few years ago and now resembles something you would find in the Napa Valley. Our meal did not disappoint! If you visit, try the catch of the day, Pecan Crusted Ono. Amazing!
Lanai has a small airport but we always take the ferry over from Maui. It’s a beautiful ride over with views of 5 islands, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kaho'olawe and on a really clear day you can see part of the big island. On most trips over to Lanai, dolphins will chase the boat as you near Lanai Harbor.
The golf course at Manele named "The Challenge at Manele Bay was designed by Jack Nicklaus, a dramatic, unspoiled natural terrain with stunning backdrops from every hole. This is our favorite course.
"The Experience at Koele" was designed by Greg Norman and offers stunning views of mountains, lush greens and the ocean in the distance. The course begins on a plateau nearly 2,000 feet above sea level with views of Maui and Molokai across the ocean channel.
Koele also has an 18 hole miniature golf course played on real grass, which the girls love.
Although we like to stay at Manele Bay both properties allow you to use the services at each hotel.
Hulopoe Bay is the beach at Manele . It is a protected marine preserve and on most days you will find 30 plus dolphins playing in the bay.
This trip we taught the girls how to play shuffle board in the game room. It was a nail biter championship tournament with the parents winning! Crazy Eights is also a favorite card game we play after dinner and this year we played for the blue dolphin Twin A made out of fusing beads at Kids For All Seasons, a fun organized activity time offered by the hotel so mom and dad can golf.
Our weekend away was perfect and felt very far away from tests and sickness. There was a moment on the beach where the girls were playing in the surf out in front of us, the beach serene like a post card and I couldn’t help but feel blessed for how far we’ve come. My heart felt full.

Make a Difference, Teach a Difference

To make a difference you have to teach a difference. That said I strongly believe in teaching my kids the cause and effect of helping others. Each summer the girls work hard organizing our recycles and when the car can’t possible hold anymore garbage bags full of cans and bottles we head off to the Recycle location where the twins turn in their items for cash. They empty the garbage bags into cage like barrels and then drag it over to be weighed where they receive their little piece of paper for payout. After they wait in line to get their cash we set off to Safeway where they proudly push their own cart up and down the isles searching for food deals like buy one get one free or 10 items for $10. They calculate how much they’ve spent as they go along and sometimes put things back in order to get a better deal on something else. They talk about what the family who will be receiving the items might think of their culinary choices. Twin B says things like “protein is important” and Twin A comments on wanting to give them treats. The choices are all theirs and they patiently wait in line to pay with their own money. Once the food has been purchased we make our donation to Maui’s Food Bank where over 5000 children go hungry on a daily basis. A far cry from the 5star hotels lined up in Wailea where the charge for a hamburger is $16.50. Although I could write a check to the organization and hand it to them to donate, I want my kids to know that even a child can do something to earn money, do the work, have a plan, and contribute to helping others in need. I want them to experience that feeling. I’ve been doing this with them for 5 years now. Each year they look forward to it and each year they take more ownership of the process.

This year we’ve added to our philanthropic projects. We stumbled upon the Keiki Cupboard a non-profit organization dedicated to providing essentials to Maui's school children. Their goal is to have a cupboard at every Maui school, which will contain necessary supplies for children who are unable to afford these items. Teachers, counselors and school administrators will have the opportunity to supply these children with basic needs without the delay of the usual "red-tape" of government programs. We all got involved with this one, even my husband was in on the hunt for great deals and handpicked the backpacks himself. After 2 stores and loads of bags to the car we delivered our supplies to the twins old school. The ladies in the office remembered us and were so happy to receive our contribution. If you would like to help this great organization that goes directly to children from Kindergarten through 5th grade, visit www.keikicupboard.com.

Hana Rainforest

Yesterday, we had what seemed to be a full moon. One of our twins heard that a full moon will bring jelly fish closer to the shore where she spends most of her day riding her boogie board. She pleaded with us not to go to the beach. My husband googled the full moon jelly fish subject and showed her that the increased risk doesn't happen until about 10 days after a full moon. Our attempts to convince her failed. Insert plan B....Our impromptu day of adventure to Hana. I like days like this because we have no plan. We just go and see what the day brings. After packing food and water (a must when driving to Hana) we were off. Our first stop, Twin Falls at mile marker 2 seemed only appropriate since we had twins in the car. The hike was more then I bargained for in flip flops and farther then I was up for but I made it. We took it slow and stopped to take photos of amazing wild flowers and plants that looked like they were on steroids. The farm stand was adorable and we met a guy named Mana, whose job was to hack open coconuts for customers using a machete. These were young coconuts which contain coconut water that is high in potassium and great for re hydrating. The coconut meat is near the bottom so all you need is a straw and a spoon.

Next stop wouldn't be until mile marker 32 which doesn't seem to far away however it took about 2 hours due to the hundreds of narrow, one lane, winding turns that pass breathtaking views of the ocean and waterfalls. The girls chose this next stop because of a snippet they read in the Maui Drive Guide about a legend of a princess. (note to editor: I'm thinking there should have been a disclosure about the topic content). As we arrive at our next stop we find ample parking and follow the signs to the lava tubes and blow hole area. Pretty amazing that you can just walk right out there on the hardened lava flow at the ocean's edge. Next we pasted an ancient cemetery and then found the sign about the princess. Apparently she was trying to hide from her cruel husband the chief when he discovered her hiding in a lava cave at this spot. He killed her. You can imagine the flood of questions that poured out of our kids mouths faster then I could answer them.
It was starting to get late and we needed to start driving back. We ran out of time to stop at seven sacred pools (our favorite spot to visit in Hana ). This time we would have to wave as we drove by. We were making good time (going around the back side of the island) until we literally were stopped in the road by these very pretty horses that were taking a walk by themselves down the middle of the road. Looks like they had an unplanned adventure day like us.

Tuscan Evening

Today my husband and I kept talking about our time in Italy which led me longing to return. Not possible right now, so I implemented plan B, bring a little Tuscan love to our evening. The girls love this and it's always a big hit with my husband.

Tuscan Lemon Chicken: Mix in a medium bowl, zest of one lemon, use all juice of the lemon, 4 garlic cloves chopped, 1/4 c. EVOO, S & P, italian seasonings fresh is better but you can use dried McCormick's Italian Seasoning combination rosemary, thyme......, sage, oregano, basil and marjoram. Pour into a large zip lock baggie, add 4 chicken breasts that you have washed, dried and rubbed with s & p, massage around in baggie to coat, place in refridgerator and marinate at least one hour. I leave mine in all day while at beach. Grill it on bbq when ready for dinner.

I pair this dish with Grilled Panzanella Salad: Julienne slice day old bread, I use baguette, brush both sides with evoo, grill on bbq with red, yellow bell peppers halved and red onions sliced. Next, cube up a large red and yellow tomato, rough chop an english cucumber ( I spoon out the seeds), rough chop 10 fresh basil leaves, 3 tbsp. Capers, s & p. Make the vinegerette to toss this all together: chop 1 garlic clove, 1/2 tsp dijon mustard, 2 tbsp champayne vinegar, 1/4 c evoo, s & p. whisk it all together in large glass bowl. Note: lightly drizzle olive oil on bread prior to tossing with vinegerette.

This meal is nice with a Sangiovese wine. Cheers!

Pool Etiquette

What happened to good old fashion pool manners? We’ve just returned from a world renowned 5 star hotel famous for their spa and pools which feature fun water slides. The over priced per night charge seems contraindicated with the reality of craziness that entails around the pool areas. First you have to get up at the crack of dawn to secure a lounge chair anywhere near a pool. That being said, my husband acting like a Dad on a mission, raced down to the pools to secure our position.

After breakfast on our balcony overlooking gorgeous gardens, we headed down to the pool desk to obtain our magic wrist band, color of the day, Ocean Blue. Without this magic wristband, the pool police will not let you on the slides or into the pools. Pretty sure the hotel was at maximum capacity because there were people everywhere, pods of them, entire groups traveling in packs, moving about the hot flagstone in slow clogging up traffic momentum. With our feet burning we carefully tried to step in water drip spots from their swimsuits so as not to literally scream out loud, "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Oh ya…."PLEASE get out of the way". Wanting to demonstrate proper pool manners to my kids, this little out burst just resonated silently in my head.

The noise, the lines, the snot dripping out of noses both young and old and really trying to tell myself that kid did not just get out of the water and pee into the pool, I wasn’t going to let that ruin our 24 hour experience. The contract should read: Parents please watch your children in and around the pools or leave. The pools are shallow, no jumping or diving, clearly this didn’t matter and astonishingly none of their parents cared. I was sitting on the edge of the pool in front of my lounge chair reading a book with my feet in the water, this little boy maybe 7, decides that I am in his path and proceeds to step over my lap dripping wet onto my book like I wasn’t even there.

Now granted all my complaining aside, this is why they have an adult only pool but oh ya, I HAD MY KIDS! What’s wrong with the 30 other yards of pool space you could have easily entered the pool? Our girls were oblivious to any of this and the day was marked as a great success.

Double Digit Birthday

I’m well under way with the covert birthday plans. My closet has been taken over by glitter, banners, stickers, ribbons and endless pink tulle, the paraphernalia is everywhere. I've been working on this giant poster size birthday card for hours. The twins are turning 10 in a few days and little do they know, their covert mom (hiding in my closet) has been working hard on making some special surprises to celebrate their happy day.

I’ve gathered birthday messages from friends back home and transferred them on to the giant card. This celebration will have a few layers. We’ll start the day before with our traditional homemade birthday dinner (they want my famous Shrimp Scampi) along with their homemade birthday cake.

After they go to bed I will decorate the house with all this endless pink and then head off to their favorite hotel for a fun afternoon in the pools. Little do they know, two of their friends from school are also on the island and will be joining us at the hotel. I shutter to think how loud their screams will be when they see each other. Still need to decorate their birthday t-shirts, even Dad will be wearing a pink shirt.

1 -2 - 3 - Strikes Your Out

Last night was a blast! We went to see Maui’s professional baseball team "Na Koa Ikaika", play against an Arizona team. My friend’s son, Donald, is one the pitchers and he pitched a shut out game the night before so he got to sit in the stands with us as he was charting pitches. Twin A was in all her glory getting the VIP treatment from Donald. He let her use the radar gun to track the speed of each pitch. He then gave the girls each a baseball which they quickly asked him to autograph. The girls were doing cheers in the stands and at almost 10 years old, were still fascinated by the mascot in a stuffed warrior suit. My husband was thrilled to have a guy to talk to about stats of the game. He had memorized Donald’s stats prior to leaving the house. We won the game 9-8. This professional baseball team just won the status of champions at the half way mark for the season.

Hot Water

A nice hot bath is soothing, relaxing, and leaves you feeling better after you leave it or alternatively it can burn you leaving a bad scar with a story to tell. Hot water is also a beautiful thing when added to cocoa mix, it has a wonderful aroma, it warms you up on a cold day and is really good when shared with a close friend. However, you need a spoon to carefully stir the mix or you end up with a big hot mess.
We all have the option to determine who we’ll be when met with hot water. Will you stir up a gossip conversation, engage in talking behind someone else’s back, be a story topper or listen and redirect the conversation to a better place. Nothing good ever comes out of gossip, not even for the instigator.
Teaching this life lesson to my girls over the years is repetitive but the message is still the same it does not age with time.
As a mom raising girls I know the real lesson is to teach them to recognize situations of hot water and for them to decide who they are going to be when they’re faced with hot water.
I know from personal experience that it feels so much better to not engage in hurtful conversations but if you find that you have……apologize. Nobody’s perfect, we all make mistakes. Ask yourself, what is your motivation with your apology? Only you can decide if you are sincere with an apology.
Gossip girls are no better then a school yard bully and sadly they grow up to take their gossipy lifestyle into their grown up lives affecting and hurting so many people.
It’s really that simple. It’s a choice. Who do you want to be when faced with hot water?

Flipper & Friends

Today we had a fun adventure with wild dolphins. From the boat we could see a group of 30 dolphins. They were jumping up out of the water, chasing the wake of the boat and one dolphin laid on his back like a sea otter and flapped his tail for several minutes. The girls were so excited to see dolphins in the ocean and not at a Sea Park. They were very playful and entertaining to watch. The weather was spectacular. Snorkeling at the reef was awesome! Twin A and I floated around following a rainbow fish for quite a while. Twin b had an allergic reaction to the wet suit, apparently it has latex in it. Thank goodness I had Benedryl on the boat and that helped. We finished the day with rootbeer shaved ice. Yummy~

Puppy Love

Our twins are turning 10 this month. They have been begging for a dog for years. I grew up with dogs, horses, rabbits, cows, sheep and even a cat for a while, so I know how much love animals can bring you but I also know how much work they can be. Realizing this, we've decided as parents, that the girls show determination for learning how to take care of a puppy and their apparent appeal for a new member of the family has convinced us they are ready for the responsibility.
That said, we began our search a few weeks ago and came across a darling little puppy named Twix. Just the kind of puppy we need for our situation with asthma and allergies. This morning the breeder emailed me and said Twix had died. They rushed him to the vet where he was pronounced dead, no heartbeat. The mama dog probably accidently stepped on him. He was only a couple weeks old and although we had never met him in person we already loved him through his photos.
As the tears rolled down my face reading the email I knew we had entered the real reason why I never wanted to get a dog. Now I had to tell the girls the little bundle of love had died and would not be coming to live with us. Ugh...we only have our toes in this water just an inch and WHAM sucked into the reality of life with a dog and we don't even have one yet.

Makena

This morning we packed a picnic lunch and headed out to meet our friends for a day in Makena. Although I've been at these beaches so many times to count (and every time was great), today was ideal! The weather was perfect, visibility clear and the company was exceptional. The kids hadn't seen each other since school got out, and were over the moon to see friends from home. They built a sand house, played in the surf and searched for coral.

Parents got to catch up and visit with our toes in the sand, which felt like silk today. "What is it about Hawaii," she said, "that makes it so easy to completely relax?" My response as if it were a reflex, "the smell in the air, the vitamin D from the sun, the feel of the sand and the relaxing warm water." Doing absolutely nothing has its rewards. Reducing stress plan is working. Great day!

4th of July

We started our 4th of July at Church. Some parents of young soldiers (18-22yrs old) shared stories about their sons, there wasn't a dry eye in the church. I can't imagine the amount of sadness these parents feel not knowing where their sons are or if they died today or when they will be together again. It's important to me for my kids to know that there is something we can do to show that we are grateful for their service to our country. Through the years we've done different projects of sending things to soldiers but today we signed up for Military Hope Care Packages (organized by these parents). The girls will shop for the supplies to send to these boys and to other soldiers that do not receive anything from home. They will also include postcards and letters.

After hearing today's message at church, "the real price of freedom was paid by Jesus," (Amen to that!), we spent the rest of the day at a beautiful beach. The girls played in the sand and I read my book while my husband took a nap in the warm sun.

Later we grabbed some dinner and headed into Lahaina to watch the fireworks show. Front Street was closed and filled with people coming together to share in this traditional celebration. The show did not disappoint.

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

I love you

The thing I loved most about today….exploring the coast in Makena for our traditional search of “I love you” coral.

Operation recondition mom’s heart (literally) is in effect. Day 1, flew to Maui via first class, United upgraded us for free. What a treat!
Day 2, L got sick again, woke up vomiting. Rested most of the day then went for a drive down to Makena just to see and hear the ocean. Simple, quiet and calm, just what I need.

The recommended plan from my doctor is to recondition my heart and lungs and try to remove stress from my life as much as possible. That means an all encompassing goal to improve mind, body and spirit. No place like Maui for that to occur. I have chosen to take on this assignment and forgo any further tests for now.

This tradition reminds me that love isn’t perfect it’s forgiving and it comes through in the easiest of times and hardest of times, you just have to look for it, be reminded of it and know that it is beautiful when it’s created by the people you love. Love stories don't always look the same and the one you create with your family is the only one that really counts.

Impromptu Serenade

Last night we took our youngest to see an Allergist Specialist that we were referred to by Children's Hospital so I didn't mind driving to this nearby city. After conducting a test on our daughter the physician determined that although the skin test shows no allergy to this particular protein she is most likely allergic to it and is now referring us to Stanford for a second opinion on the results we received from the biopsies. Ugh!!! No conclusive results, lots of tests and still no definitive answers is frustrating to us and her.

After this disappointing appointment we decided to explore the town and take our minds off of the stress we all have been feeling for months, so we found an outside square that had a live concert going on. We were all hungry and decided to get some dinner. Apparently the place we walked into was a restaurant by day and a bar/club by late night but we didn't figure this out until after we had ordered. We enjoyed our dinner and as we reached for the bill the oddest sound of singing penetrated our ear drums. It was Karaoke night!

Twin A loved the idea of this and quickly asked if she could get up and sing a song. At this point there were only about a dozen people in this restaurant/club so we decide to let her try it. She sang off key with a giant smile and feeling quite proud of herself, her song choice, Carrie Underwood's Jesus take the wheel. Well of course twin B wanted to try it too. She sang another Carrie Underwood song off key with a deer in the headlights kind of look. The small but growing audience clapped and cheered for the munchkins.

I'm thinking can we go now? No....because my darling husband decides he is going to get up there and sing to me a song that he has always sang to me throughout the years albeit alone in our room. I'm thinking he would sing a country tune from John Michael Montgomery. The lights go down, he takes the microphone on the stage and within the first few bars of music (think Name That Tune) my heart skips a beat and I realize he is singing me his serenade live in front of this room full of strangers, the song from My Fair Lady, On the Street Where You Live.

After he got off the stage with twins clapping and cheering for him, he walked over to me and gave me a kiss and said, "I love you." Then this woman from the audience came over and hugged me as if she knew me and said, "that was the sweetest thing, you are a lucky woman." I would have to agree.

Growing Pains (Mom & Dad's)

The twins went off to sleep away summer camp last week and while I thought they were still too young for this type of camp we let them convince us they should go and I'm so glad we did. Many girls from their school were planning on attending the camp during the same time and I found comfort in knowing that little fact. We arrived up at camp early not really knowing what to expect. The counselors were ready to help with check in and I needed to talk to the camp nurse about twin B. She was feeling good and the biopsies came back negative so we decided not to keep her home. The nurse was a student nurse with one semester left to graduate. She was young and resembled a Disney Princess determined to be of assistance to me with my "in case of" list.

We wandered over to the cabin that the girls were assigned to. Twin A got her bottom bunk while twin B would be sleeping on a roll away cot in the middle of the room (she didn't seem at all phased by this). We unpacked their duffel's to their appointed area and set off to take some photos. Twin A was ready for us to leave while I was having flashbacks to the first day of Kindergarten and how she couldn't get rid of us fast enough. I wanted to stay and walk around, really I wanted to check in and participate as a camp counselor. I could have a cool name like, Chowder. The counselors all had made up weird names, like Havanna, Somoa and Shark. This however was not in the plan. Goodbye Parents!!!!

Rob and I got home and the house was eerily quiet. We looked around and wondered is this what it's going to be like when they're gone? I reflected on that thought and immediately didn't like that and he being the great guy that he is, put his hands on my face and pulled me in for a kiss and said, "we will always be near them".

Each day I came home I couldn't check the mailbox fast enough. He had already checked, hoping for a letter from camp. I sent mine on Monday but apparently they didn't get them until Friday. Wednesday night we went out with 2 other sets of parents whose kids were at camp with ours. We laughed and drank good wine and had a great time.

Things changed on Thursday. I came home from work to find 3 letters (2 from twin B and 1 from twin A). Twin B was sad that they had not received any letters from home yet and all the other kids were getting mail with candy in it. By the end of letter #2, Rob and I felt so bad that we were trying to figure out how we could get a letter/candy up there before camp was over on Saturday. Late that same night, our answer would come. I received a call from Shark aka: camp nurse that twin B was having symptoms again. She gave her the medicine and told me not to drive up there yet, she would be keeping twin b in the Infirmary with her all night and would call me in the morning. Friday morning she called and said she was feeling better and not to come. Not more then 2 hours later I received another call, she was having more symptoms. I literally got there in one hour, shaving 30 minutes off the drive (there was no traffic but yes I was speeding). I arrived to camp looking for the Infirmary. Hmmm, this looked more like Hansel & Gretel's Cottage with drapery from Dorothy's dress from the Wizard of Oz. Twin b looked wiped out and pale but cozy in the little bed fit for the seven dwarf's. Shark had taken good care of her and now we were going home. Twin A would stay until Saturday and Rob would drive up to get her. I packed up all her things tossing everything into the duffel with no rhyme or reason, just wanted to get out of there and back home. My husband called and asked if we wanted to stop by his office on the way home, twin b was up for it and so we stopped. We had lunch and walked around, she was back to her old self. She really wanted to return to camp as that was the day they were doing something called the Squirrel Swing. We called the camp and they said bring her back. Really?? So one happy camper later, she was back at camp and I was driving home. We would return the next morning to retrieve both girls anyway. Twin b participated in all the events the rest of the day and had the time of her life however later that night, someone gave her sherbet, yes she got sick again and spent her last night back in the Infirmary with Shark.

That said, these little girls said it was the best experience they had ever had and that says a lot. Their friendships grew and new friends were made. When asked what they liked the most....they each said the one on one time with their counselors who really talked and listened to them about what they knew about God, their personal faith and the potential they have to share with others.

Anniversary Surprise

Saturday morning I woke up to a beautiful tray in my bed with coffee in a thermos and 2 dozen red and white roses with a handmade handwritten card that starts with "No one shall separate the hearts joined by God...a threefold cord is not quickly broken" Ecclesiastes 4:12 ....and then it turns into a beautiful love letter to me written by my husband. It was our 11 year wedding anniversary and plans to celebrate the day were moved to the back burner because of what's been going on this past week. We agreed days ago that we would celebrate when things settled down. We had a house full of guests, trying to decide if the girls would make it to camp and I still have more tests that need to be done at the hospital. The lack of hoopla made this gesture all the more sincere and meaningful to me. I can't believe it's been 11 years already. Marriage is a beautiful dance that has it's own rhythm. Sometimes toes are stepped on and sometimes it's pretty graceful and it always looks pretty when you were a nice dress, but what we have learned together is that ripped jeans and tee shirts, dancing barefoot in the kitchen is much more our style. I'm so glad my dance card is filled. I'll take a handwritten love letter over a store bought gift any day.

Children's Hospital

Today started like any other day; took girls to school but this time only one was getting out of the car as my littlest munchkin was having some procedures done at Children's Hospital. Although this is a place you never want to visit, let me just say, if you have to; it's the place you want to be.

Our daughter was treated like a dignitary from another country. The kindness and gentleness of the staff makes something so scary to a child seem like an enjoyable experience. I'm not kidding. First, the place is decorated like Disneyland from the walls, doors and decor to the brightly colored painted walls. We arrived on time but had to wait 2 hours for her procedure to begin. They went out of their way to make her feel like she was in a toy room when really we were in an exam prep room putting on tiger jammies. Two hours flew by and not one complaint from my sweet baby who from birth likes to know what is going on, routine and a plan. We were covered in prayer that's for sure!

We were able to walk her into the OR and I held her hands as she went off to sleep with the watermelon scented mask. Then they put in the IV and administered General Anesthesia. It was so hard to walk out of that room. I'm pretty good at staying strong on command but when the door shut behind me the tears poured down my face.

We went to the waiting room to wait, as I looked around at the other families I couldn't help but wonder what they were going through and why they were there. It's funny how we move by people all day long in our daily lives, people we don't know, but today was different, I stared across the room and prayed for that mother who was sitting there doing the same thing as I was...worrying about her baby.

We are home now and the patient is doing well. Her balloon bouquet and card from her class cheered her right up.

Pink Peonies

The Joy of Pink Peonies:
Each year usually June sometimes May, like our trip to France on Mother’s Day (yes Mother’s Day). I left my kids and selfishly took a trip alone with my husband during that week. Two years ago I took this photo walking through a local flower market in Nice, France on Mother's Day where my husband, realizing how much I missed my girls, bought me a beautiful bouquet of my favorite flowers, pink peonies. They remind me of my children. No two exactly the same, and each one so incredibly beautiful in their own way, from their personalities, character and spiritual gifts to the sound of their laughter. Each one God's magnificant creation and a blessing to me.

I look forward to finding these amazing flowers at my local store every year. I've learned over the years to grab the bunch that are small closed balls vs.the partially opened blooms. Why?? Because I know what will happen over the next few days and I don’t want to miss out on any of it (a parallel in my life right now). I carefully remove some leaves and cut back the stems, arranging them in a vase shaped like a watering can that’s painted like a postcard from France.
I carry them upstairs into our bedroom and place them on my night stand. Each day the buds open up a little more until the room is filled with this incredible fragrance and the magnificent beauty of these flowers. It’s amazing to me just how much joy these flowers bring me. I’m reminded that there is still more to come. Each day I look at them and think; wow! Gorgeous! Then the next day, they are even more spectacular! Really it’s odd, but never the less, this week it’s been a huge blessing to me.

This past week has been one of the worst weeks of my life and that says a lot!
After having an unplanned (well less then 24 hrs planned) Bilateral Heart Catheterization, Pulmonary Function Tests, Ct Scans and in and out of the hospital all week, I’m reminded of the littlest of things in life that matter the most and hold such important meaning to me.

First....right after God, family is the most important thing in my life, and although some people choose to not see it that way, I always will. And ps…just because you may not be blood related; family can also be those you choose to adopt as family, for this little fact, I am grateful. The night I found out I was going in the hospital the next day, I drove straight to my self-adopted Mom’s house and climbed into her bed with her and felt the love of her arms around me telling me it was going to be okay, seems small but it was huge to me.

Second… friends are a gift in my life that humble me with their sincerity and support. My friends that have come and gone in my life are dearly missed and oh how I wished they were still around this past week more then ever. They will always be in my heart even though there is a hole in it, literally.

Third....things could be worse. My flowers are a reminder of simplicity, authenticity, joy and hope. I know every year in some field they will bloom again and find their way to my local store and into my life.

4th Grade Overnight Campout

One of the highlights of 4th grade is learning what life was like in California during the gold rush days. So each year the 4th grade classes get to live like, eat like, and pan for gold in the river just like the gold miners did in 1849. The camp is run by dedicated young adults that dress up and play the parts of a miner's family. They stay in character the entire time. Parents are asked to attend this trip for supervision and help with participating events. I was not breathing very good after having some tests done so my husband took the twins and off they went in a caravan of cars up to the gold rush city near Placerville. They pitched a tent and began their exploration of an old working mine.

After work I decided that I would go home get my blanket and pillow and drive up to the camp. In my hasty decision I forgot to bring a charger for my phone. The directions I had were sketchy at best (no exact address) doesn't quite make the navigation system work very well. I had been there 14 years ago with my older daughter so I thought if I could get there before dark I could figure it out. Let's just say that plan didn't work out so well and there I was in the dark traveling on a 2 lane small winding road heading deeper into a wooded forest. My cell phone was flashing low battery and Robert was not answering his phone (they discouraged parents from using their phones as they didn't have them in 1849).

Rob saw that he had a missed call so he called me back, thank God! I had already turned around and was heading back towards the freeway. He was able to connect me to a young woman speaking with a manufactured southern drawl every few words. She told me to turn back around and continue farther on that road until I crossed a river and passed a stone and look for an unmarked dirt road/driveway. Trusting that God really had his hand on this adventure I made my way there. The kids were gathered around the campfire listening to a miner's story.

After the story we walked back to what looked like a compound tent city (everyone brought their own tents) and settled in for the night. I slept on a rock the whole night and wished I had an air mattress but oh well....I was right where I wanted to be with my husband and kids sharing a wonderful history adventure together.

The next day we made candles, churned cream into butter, pounded wheat in the rocks and then made it into dough for cooking. The kids also learned how to use a well to get water. For fun the kids learned how to square dance while someone played a fiddle. They also had a tug-of-war rope contest, parents vs. kids. Kids won! What a great way to live and learn history.

Pressing On

So glad April is behind us. Although Spring vacation was amazing, we had a wonderful time exploring England's countryside, the city of London and I did co-write a book with my youngest daughter about our travels there, but the return home and reality that we were about to face derailed me.

A dear friend aka self-adopted mom, was diagnosed out of the blue with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. She is a healthy active wife, mother, grandmother and business owner, no one saw this coming. Even with my medical background, sitting in the consultation, it was as if we were hearing a foreign language. How could this be? The elephant was now in the room. She would need to begin Chemotherapy the following week.

I have never been this close to someone having this type of diagnosis. I felt helpless and scared. Prior to checking into the hospital for her induction treatment, about 20 of us gathered around her in her home, held hands and participated in an Anointing Prayer. As I prayed and cried I still felt that ever present question why??? Why her? Why can't this horrible disease go to criminals and drug dealers? Why does it have to happen to her? My only answer is that it's in God's hands. He is still God and He will still be with us as we walk through this darkness.

My faith is not negotiable, it is real and I have seen and experienced the power of prayer. This would be no different. So as we dried our eyes, we pressed on to the next step. More Bone Marrow Tests, P.I.C.C. line, Chemotherapy and blood draws. With her husband never leaving her side, I witnessed the beauty of a 43 year marriage transition into the part of wedding vows, "in sickness and in health." The love between them in that room could have lit up a mountain side. I spent many hours at the hospital keeping my game face on, then I would leave and walk to my car and sit in the parking lot immobilized with tears pouring down my face.

I decorated her room at the hospital with "girly style" and the cards poured in. The nurses often said that she was ahead of the game because of how much love was in that room, on the walls and through the computer (webcam). I felt so bad for the people who have to go through this alone. The prayers continued and blessings in the midst of this darkness were becoming apparent. After 2 weeks of treatment and being told this first round would keep her in the hospital for one month, they were letting her go home 2 days before Mother's Day. Praise God! For you see, her daughter had given birth to another grandson last week and she longed to be with her.

Prayer is powerful and although it didn't remove the diagnosis it did provide a miracle. The doctors came in and said she could go home, that her cell counts were good and that she could continue with out-patient treatment. We'll take that!!

A Letter Home

Easter Sunday was so special at Thornbury Castle in England. What a beautiful castle, over 500 years old. As we entered the long driveway past the vineyards, we approached the inside wall where we dropped the car in the quad. We were then greeted by Jonathon, a lovely English gentleman who processed our arrival with gracious appeal. It was as if we were transported in time.

He led us up a narrow winding stone staircase and into our beautiful "Bed Chambers." The room had a 4-poster bed dressed in thick fabrics cascading down each post. The bed faced directly upon a 5 ft. open fireplace framed with fleur de les candlesticks & angels. The fire was blazing warming our room. The 10x14 ft. wall tapestry dated back hundreds of years as this castle was over 500 years old and previously occupied by Henry VIII.

There were two picture windows that let in the morning sun outlined in heavy fabric. Each wall was made out of stones set in a melodic unmatched rhythm. The artwork adorning the walls appears to be that of a palace in Venice and a famous painter. The farthest wall is heavily dressed in dark wainscot adorned with two candelabras.

The bathroom is beautiful with modern day conveniences, limestone heated floor, marble sink encased in dark wood pillars descending down to the floor. The shower wall has stone tiles like that of a piazza in Rome. The entire shower is framed in dark wood as if it were a picture frame. Our "Bed Chambers" couldn't have been more lovely and well exceeded any expectations we may have had.

We dressed for a formal dinner that began in the Library with drinks. This room itself boasted artwork that took my breath away. The girls ordered Shirley Temples and Rob and I celebrated with a bottle of Champagne. We were then escorted to our intimate formal dining room where we were dazzled by this five star chef's creations. Rob had Venison and I had Salmon. Fresh does not begin to do justice to the taste of these dishes. The presentation of the dishes were pure perfection. I only wish I had the courage to snap a photo of his workmanship, but proper manners deemed my wishes mute (although I did take a few at Brunch the next day). The twins behaved like little princesses and enjoyed their meals.

Easter Sunday we attended church services at the Parish church on the grounds of the castle. It was The Church of England's, St. Mary's, also over 500 years old. The Vicar invited our girls to carry in candles during the procession. The Service was beautiful and gave glory to God as we celebrated Christ's Resurrection. Afterwards there was an Easter Egg Hunt in the gardens surrounding the church, Cadbury Eggs. This trip will forever be etched on all our hearts and this experience marked as one of our favorite memories.

Coach Dad

Indoor soccer has finally come to an end. Coach Rob aka: hubby, did a great job with the girls. Our team really gelled nicely together and although we didn't make it to the playoffs this time, our team learned valuable sportsmanship skills and attitudes. I was very proud of the littles especially when faced with "mean words" from opponents after loosing a game or missing a goal.

As a parent for the last 23 years and counting, I'm still baffled by mean girls...really what's the point in being mean? Where are their parents? My kids aren't perfect by any means but they definitely know the difference between right and wrong and how to say "I'm sorry." The Strikers won their last game and went out with a big smile. Reading the emails my husband received from our team member's parents, I couldn't have felt more proud of him. I'm so glad I'm married to a guy who loves spending time in a child's world. He's pretty great!

Just Gotta Laugh

Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself. In true Sunday tradition, I cooked a big family dinner. I marinated beautiful chicken breasts in orange zest, citrus,thyme, onions, herbs, you get the idea, it was a beautiful site and smelled amazing. I put it in my 425 degree oven and went back upstairs. Soon after my husband says, "something smells like oven cleaner", (not something you want to hear while you are cooking a yummy family favorite). I'm usually the nose in the family and as I didn't smell anything but the aroma of thyme, I assured him he was wrong. Five minutes before the timer went off I looked in on my plump chicken breasts only to find that I had left the plastic wrap on top of the dish and it was melting away like cotton candy that gets wet. Ugh! Luckily I was able to pull it back and save my chicken but I'm sure my darling husband will not let me live this one down. Technically I claim "my not thinking clearly" on the meds I've been taking while I've been sick. lol

Linbar the Lucky Leprechaun

Three days left until the mayhem begins. What will that crazy little leprechaun do this year? Although Linbar lives in our home all year (he was made for me by a darling little grandma in a nursing home) he springs to life at midnight on St. Patrick's Day Eve causing all kinds of craziness in our house.

Every year the girls try to catch him. First it was my oldest daughter (now 23) making traps out of beautifully decorated shoe boxes adorned with shiny gold glitter, then it was my step-daughter (now 17) making the traps and for several years now the sole task of trapping our mischieviess leprechaun has fallen on the shoulders of twin A & B.

The traps have progressively become more elaborate over the years with baubles and trinkets and even jewelry being used to lure him inside (leprechauns love shiny things) but to no luck on our part, he escapes us every time leaving behind glittery remnants and notes throughout the house that he had been there and foiled our plans yet again. Shoes in the fridge, shoelaces turned green, Cheerios in the Fruit Loop box, milk turned green, school backpacks missing and a treasure hunt to find them, messages written on the bathroom mirror and car windows. He is one tough leprechaun to catch! The rest of the year we just look at him and shake our heads as he sits there with a big fat grin on his face! I wonder what he'll do this year?

Soggy Shoes and Sour Patch Kid

One small but fun benefit from private school is enjoying random days off from school when the rest of the community is at school. So on this very rainy wet day off, I thought it would be a great idea to go see Alice in Wonderland and let the twins bring a friend from school. To pull off this great plan (the 12:20 Matinee show) I needed help from the husband because I had to keep my early morning hair color appointment (standing 3 week schedule with Greta to keep the dark brown weeds aka: roots at bay. This is what twin b has called them since she was 4). Upon leaving the house the sun was shining and the sky was blue, leading me to believe this was going to be a beautiful day. I donned my favorite worn only on sunny days, brown suede maryjane flats adorned with 3 large rhinestone jewels, my ripped up jeans and a t-shirt and was out the door and on time for my appointment. Husband would pick up the friend and meet me at the theatre.

Greta was in swift form this morning and had her own plan to "adjust" my hair color, ok no problem as long as I'm out of here on time, I'm easy. She did her magic and transformed my unruley hair into smooth soft tresses like only she can do. This process takes forever which is why my favorite "go to look" is a ponytail and I 'm good to go. However, when Greta does my hair, that is a whole other thing. I want to milk the perfect look for as long as I possibly can. The weather had it's own plan.....RAIN! I have no hat, no coat, no umbrella. Have you ever seen the movie The Gremlins? Well, that's what happens to my hair when it gets wet. Not good.

For a girl who loves the rain but hates wasting money I decided to be MacGuyvor. I took a plastic bag cut it open a bit and placed it on my head. I looked like I was wearing a dunce cap. But so worth it! I made it to the car where my umbrella was waiting for me. My shoes however could not withstand the puddles, the leather soles soaking up the water like a dry sponge, the suede shrinking up like a flattened pancake. Ugh! I drove to the theatre with the floorboard heater blasting in a futile attempt to save my shoes.

Upon arriving at the movie theatre, the girls exercised their ever growing independent muscles and sat 2 rows ahead of us, they had never done this before, but since we were the only people in the theatre with the exception of 2 others, I thought this was ok. With their friend sandwiched inbetween them like an oreo cookie, we could hear them laughing, whispering and sharing popcorn. The movie was good although my husband thought it was a bit too long and looked like he could doze off. Johnny Depp's makeup was incredible!

Thinking I had carried off a successful outing, not withstanding soggy shoes, I suggested to my husband that we go get a late lunch after we dropped off their guest . How could I have known that my suggestion was going to result in mayhem and sad feelings. I suggested that twin B come with me to wait at the restaurant and twin A go with my husband to take their friend home. You would have thought I lost her blankey. Long long face and deffining silence. What had I done? After sitting in the car with twin B and talking about this she explained to me that the "play date" isn't over until you drop off the friend. She said, "you still get to talk in the car until you get to her house" . Wow!! I missed that one. I explained my sadness that I didn't mean to cut off her time and only give it to her twin (built in competition in twin world) and that I didn't care for her "unappreciative" attitude. She explained she was thankful for the movie and taking a friend but still sadness prevailed all through lunch from her.

So soggy shoes and sour attitude, not quite how I planned our rainy no school day but there it is. 23 years of parenting now and I'm still learning. That's the great thing about parenting you get to try again tomorrow. At the end of the day I'm glad my girls know that sharing how you feel is very important to finding solutions for the future and to feeling understood. Sometimes I forget what it's like to be in the 4th grade.