July 13 is Bella's birthday - and it is also the halfway point for summer. 6 weeks left - thats it! How can that be? Feels like summer just started.
For me, summer starts on Eli's birthday - June 18. School lets out, summer camps start, work goes into a slightly more relaxed mode....no meetings or emails after 2pm on Friday's during the summer.....and weekends are spent with family, friends and neighbors at the beach or local pool club.
This summer Eli went to sleep away camp for the first time. He left shortly after his birthday - waiving good-bye at the bus with his headphones on listening to some Hot Chelle Rae or Flo Rida song while we stood by and watched a bus drive away with my son smiling in the back seat. Me, I was crying tears of joy and sadness - I knew that life in our house would be a little calmer with one less kid at home.
Sleep away camp leads to new habits that I cant seem to shake. Every night between 9 and Midnight I wait impatiently for the camp to load up the pictures from the day - just to get a glimpse of Eli. Is he having fun? Is he smiling? What activity did he have today? What is he wearing? Inevitably, we find him in a picture wearing one of 4 shirts - his Phillies, Eagles or Flyers shirt or his camp basketball tank and some crazy, ugly lacrosse shorts that every kid is wearing.
For me, I walk past the door to Eli's room every day - sometimes 10x per day - and it reminds me that he is not home. How did my parents do it?
Bella is having a great summer - she gets to choose every TV show. She gets to ride any bike she wants and she chooses the family night movies or games every time. She gets ice cream almost every night and she chooses the books we read at bedtime. Life is good for Bella this summer!
The half way point.....and I have so much ahead of me over the next 6 weeks. Where did the summer go?
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Fear - Thunder and Lightening
Thunder and Lightening
Growing up, I loved Thunder and Lightening. The sky was bright and lit up every few seconds and we would count the seconds between loud thunderous claps to see if the storm was moving away yet. We would sit at the window watching.
My kids love thunderstorms too - but only when it is during the day. At night - that's another story! Thunderstorms at night lead to fears that I can not control for my daughter. Several years ago, the lights went out when we had thunderstorms because of a short in an electrical fuse box/wire near my community. Once, I was not sitting next to Bella when the lights went out and she was so scared that she shook uncontrollably until the lights returned and the storm passed. Flash lights helped but did not solve the problem. Since then, this fear has consumed her.
Last night, moments after I put Bella to sleep the sky opened up and a loud thunder and lightening storm lit up the sky for an hour. After 45 minutes of uncontrollable shaking and crying, Bella finally threw up her dinner - and started to calm down enough to lie down and try to relax. If it were up to her, she would crawl back inside my belly whenever there is a nighttime thunderstorm. Her fear is so powerful, it becomes all consuming. She can't think of anything else - expecting the lights to go out at every moment! We have not had a black out from a thunderstorm in over 2 years but the fear remains.
I understand her fear - in fact, I know it all too well. Only my fear is of roller coasters. The feeling of the car going up the hill is relatively easy but the moment the car goes over the top is so frightening to me that I am paralyzed with emotion and fear. My stomach lands in my throat, my body covers in goose bumps and mentally, I become in-stable. So instead, I sit on a bench watching my kids go on roller coasters every time we go to a theme park wondering how it is that I can not get over this fear. By the way, its the same for diving. The idea of entering a pool head first is impossible for me - Feet first is all I can do....although I will note, I can swim (and well for that matter) but diving - NEVER.
What are you afraid of?
Growing up, I loved Thunder and Lightening. The sky was bright and lit up every few seconds and we would count the seconds between loud thunderous claps to see if the storm was moving away yet. We would sit at the window watching.
My kids love thunderstorms too - but only when it is during the day. At night - that's another story! Thunderstorms at night lead to fears that I can not control for my daughter. Several years ago, the lights went out when we had thunderstorms because of a short in an electrical fuse box/wire near my community. Once, I was not sitting next to Bella when the lights went out and she was so scared that she shook uncontrollably until the lights returned and the storm passed. Flash lights helped but did not solve the problem. Since then, this fear has consumed her.
Last night, moments after I put Bella to sleep the sky opened up and a loud thunder and lightening storm lit up the sky for an hour. After 45 minutes of uncontrollable shaking and crying, Bella finally threw up her dinner - and started to calm down enough to lie down and try to relax. If it were up to her, she would crawl back inside my belly whenever there is a nighttime thunderstorm. Her fear is so powerful, it becomes all consuming. She can't think of anything else - expecting the lights to go out at every moment! We have not had a black out from a thunderstorm in over 2 years but the fear remains.
I understand her fear - in fact, I know it all too well. Only my fear is of roller coasters. The feeling of the car going up the hill is relatively easy but the moment the car goes over the top is so frightening to me that I am paralyzed with emotion and fear. My stomach lands in my throat, my body covers in goose bumps and mentally, I become in-stable. So instead, I sit on a bench watching my kids go on roller coasters every time we go to a theme park wondering how it is that I can not get over this fear. By the way, its the same for diving. The idea of entering a pool head first is impossible for me - Feet first is all I can do....although I will note, I can swim (and well for that matter) but diving - NEVER.
What are you afraid of?
Friday, July 13, 2012
Sleep Away Camp
Sleep Away Camp
I grew up on Long Island and it was part of my childhood culture to go to sleep away camp programs for the summer. Back then it was for 8 weeks - YES, 8 full weeks!
Our parents would pack up a hard sided trunk with clothes, a sheet and blanket and some writing material for letters home. The bus to camp not only transported the children, but our trunks too.
We would spend every day having fun - activity to activity - with morning line up, sing and evening activity to end the day. We had snack (ICE CREAM!!!) and 3 meals served family style at our table. We sang lunchroom songs and made dedications to the boys we liked. We raided the boys bunks all the time - and they raided ours.
We made friends, played jacks and in general learned to live in a community of children, young adults and FUN was the name of the game all day, every day.
Our parents heard from us via letters we wrote home and a few precious phone calls. But otherwise, camp was a mystery to our parents. They trusted the counselors and owners to call home and advise if things were going wrong - and if there was no call - assume everything was allright.
For the first time, I sent my son Eli off to sleep away camp for the summer. He is having the time of his life. How do I know. I spend every night from 9 until about 11pm waiting for the pictures of the day to be loaded to the camp website.
We hit that refresh button about 200 times in those 2 hours waiting for the next picture to load so we can get a view into the life that our children are living every day - all day - while at camp. We see kids playing sports, doing arts and crafts, flying high on the trapeez in the circus area, riding go carts, swimming in the pool and the lake, and hanging out - with smiles on their faces - as they go from activity to activity throughout the day.
I offered Eli $5 for every picture he was in with 2 thumbs up -and in the first 2 weeks, we found 16 photos. 16 precious acknowledgements that he was thinking of me, doing what I told him, and racking up enough money so that when camp ends, he can get an XBox 360. We put an end to that bribe the other day. $90 is enough.....
We visited him for a day - on the premice of a Rookie Day for Bella - and got to spend a few precious hours with him as he helped a potential future camper enjoy the day - and learn about camp. We watched him at the circus, play football and tennis, and swim/kyack and play volleyball at the lake. We also got a chance to meet his friends. Best friends Evan and Ben were all too eager to meet us - and clearly noted that Eli is their best friend (in unison of course) and that he is awesome (which I already knew). It was also very satisfying to hear that Eli is loved by all the counselors, they think he is a terrific kid. They were quick to piont out that Eli is so great at helping kids who are home sick - he befriends them when they are sad so that they are no longer sad. WAY TO GO ELI!!! Mommy is so proud. This type of empathy and caring is something you cant teach - its something innate - and thankfully Eli has it!!
In one more week we have Visiting Day. All the grandparents are joining us for this big day - and we cant wait to see him. We will - once again - follow Eli from activity to activity while he shows off all his new talents, friends and accomplishments. We will get to see what makes Sleep Away the best place on earth and the thing that kids wait all year for.
Visiting Day also marks the half way point of summer vacation. With only 3 weeks to go before the busses arrive home once more - this time - with happy campers sad to say goodbye to friends and hello to their parents who make them clearn up their rooms, make their beds, take out the trash and clean off the table. Hey, isn't that all on the job wheel in the bunk???
Till next time.....
I grew up on Long Island and it was part of my childhood culture to go to sleep away camp programs for the summer. Back then it was for 8 weeks - YES, 8 full weeks!
Our parents would pack up a hard sided trunk with clothes, a sheet and blanket and some writing material for letters home. The bus to camp not only transported the children, but our trunks too.
We would spend every day having fun - activity to activity - with morning line up, sing and evening activity to end the day. We had snack (ICE CREAM!!!) and 3 meals served family style at our table. We sang lunchroom songs and made dedications to the boys we liked. We raided the boys bunks all the time - and they raided ours.
We made friends, played jacks and in general learned to live in a community of children, young adults and FUN was the name of the game all day, every day.
Our parents heard from us via letters we wrote home and a few precious phone calls. But otherwise, camp was a mystery to our parents. They trusted the counselors and owners to call home and advise if things were going wrong - and if there was no call - assume everything was allright.
For the first time, I sent my son Eli off to sleep away camp for the summer. He is having the time of his life. How do I know. I spend every night from 9 until about 11pm waiting for the pictures of the day to be loaded to the camp website.
We hit that refresh button about 200 times in those 2 hours waiting for the next picture to load so we can get a view into the life that our children are living every day - all day - while at camp. We see kids playing sports, doing arts and crafts, flying high on the trapeez in the circus area, riding go carts, swimming in the pool and the lake, and hanging out - with smiles on their faces - as they go from activity to activity throughout the day.
I offered Eli $5 for every picture he was in with 2 thumbs up -and in the first 2 weeks, we found 16 photos. 16 precious acknowledgements that he was thinking of me, doing what I told him, and racking up enough money so that when camp ends, he can get an XBox 360. We put an end to that bribe the other day. $90 is enough.....
We visited him for a day - on the premice of a Rookie Day for Bella - and got to spend a few precious hours with him as he helped a potential future camper enjoy the day - and learn about camp. We watched him at the circus, play football and tennis, and swim/kyack and play volleyball at the lake. We also got a chance to meet his friends. Best friends Evan and Ben were all too eager to meet us - and clearly noted that Eli is their best friend (in unison of course) and that he is awesome (which I already knew). It was also very satisfying to hear that Eli is loved by all the counselors, they think he is a terrific kid. They were quick to piont out that Eli is so great at helping kids who are home sick - he befriends them when they are sad so that they are no longer sad. WAY TO GO ELI!!! Mommy is so proud. This type of empathy and caring is something you cant teach - its something innate - and thankfully Eli has it!!
In one more week we have Visiting Day. All the grandparents are joining us for this big day - and we cant wait to see him. We will - once again - follow Eli from activity to activity while he shows off all his new talents, friends and accomplishments. We will get to see what makes Sleep Away the best place on earth and the thing that kids wait all year for.
Visiting Day also marks the half way point of summer vacation. With only 3 weeks to go before the busses arrive home once more - this time - with happy campers sad to say goodbye to friends and hello to their parents who make them clearn up their rooms, make their beds, take out the trash and clean off the table. Hey, isn't that all on the job wheel in the bunk???
Till next time.....
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Am I too old?????
Blog #3
I really thought I was a saavy web user. I was wrong.
I work on a computer all day long and I can type faster than most. My writing skills are very strong and I am pretty stree smart. But none of that matters.
In late June, I made the decision to attend the Blogher 12 conference in NYC in August with my step sister Andrea. In making that decision, I also decided to start blogging and using Twitter. I had to set up a blog account, a new email address, a blogsite, a Twitter account and create a persona for myself that would follow me in all of these new endeavors.
The blog site has been an easy adjustment. I just log in and share what is on my mind - easy peasy!
Twitter - not so easy!
While Andrea was great at giving me an intro lesson, I am lost on my own.
There are so many symbols and options. There's an @ sign and a # sign but I dont know when to use either and I dont know what each one represents.
Sometimes I want to respond to what another person said but when I hit the reply button, I find that my options for response are limited. And if I want to retweet something, I often want to add comments and I can't.
Lastly, sometimes the conversations get confusing,,,,so many @ and # signs - I dont even know who I am talking to.
And then to top it all off, I have a full time job - following the conversations and the topics of interest are timeconsuming - who has the time?
Am I too old or do I just need a longer lesson?
I really thought I was a saavy web user. I was wrong.
I work on a computer all day long and I can type faster than most. My writing skills are very strong and I am pretty stree smart. But none of that matters.
In late June, I made the decision to attend the Blogher 12 conference in NYC in August with my step sister Andrea. In making that decision, I also decided to start blogging and using Twitter. I had to set up a blog account, a new email address, a blogsite, a Twitter account and create a persona for myself that would follow me in all of these new endeavors.
The blog site has been an easy adjustment. I just log in and share what is on my mind - easy peasy!
Twitter - not so easy!
While Andrea was great at giving me an intro lesson, I am lost on my own.
There are so many symbols and options. There's an @ sign and a # sign but I dont know when to use either and I dont know what each one represents.
Sometimes I want to respond to what another person said but when I hit the reply button, I find that my options for response are limited. And if I want to retweet something, I often want to add comments and I can't.
Lastly, sometimes the conversations get confusing,,,,so many @ and # signs - I dont even know who I am talking to.
And then to top it all off, I have a full time job - following the conversations and the topics of interest are timeconsuming - who has the time?
Am I too old or do I just need a longer lesson?
Monday, July 2, 2012
Learning a bit more about me.....
Blog #2
Returned today from a week long vacation with my side of our family. Watching my children play with their cousins is more than any one person can ask for. It brings pure joy! Across all of MY first and second cousins, my kids have 16 cousins that very close to their age. Over the past week, we played with 9 of them - in addition to numerous aunts, uncles and grandparents. Its a yearly Jamboree. We all visit a family summer home in MA and do a whole lot of nothing. We go to the pool, we lounge by the lake, we cook, we watch TV, we let the kids play in the woods and we huddle around one another and we do everything but argue, fight, yell or complain about eachother. And I mean that seriously. We are lucky. No one is forced to go - we go because we want to - and everyone wants to be there.
Many of us are not blood related - My mother passed in her mid 50's and my dad remarried in his late 60's. She brings to the table three children and 2 grandkids who fit right in and would never be considered steps.
It all sounds a bit surreal - but we do have lifes little complications too.
Last week my husband lost his job. This was the first casualty in our house of the sinking economy.
Changes are in store. No more dinners out. Shopping for anything other than necessities is over. The clothing stores in my area will miss me and the restaurants we frequent will see far less of us. We are very generous with the clothes we out grow. In the past we bundled them up and dropped them with friends who have kids they might fit - or we called in the local charitable organization for a pick up. From now on, we will do a clothing swap with friends who have kids the opposite age as ours. We will own less - and we will live within our means.
I look forward to cooking more, shopping less and more home time with my hubby and kids. I loved living the 'high life' but I will love this just as much.
I live a good life - stick around - Ill be back...
Returned today from a week long vacation with my side of our family. Watching my children play with their cousins is more than any one person can ask for. It brings pure joy! Across all of MY first and second cousins, my kids have 16 cousins that very close to their age. Over the past week, we played with 9 of them - in addition to numerous aunts, uncles and grandparents. Its a yearly Jamboree. We all visit a family summer home in MA and do a whole lot of nothing. We go to the pool, we lounge by the lake, we cook, we watch TV, we let the kids play in the woods and we huddle around one another and we do everything but argue, fight, yell or complain about eachother. And I mean that seriously. We are lucky. No one is forced to go - we go because we want to - and everyone wants to be there.
Many of us are not blood related - My mother passed in her mid 50's and my dad remarried in his late 60's. She brings to the table three children and 2 grandkids who fit right in and would never be considered steps.
It all sounds a bit surreal - but we do have lifes little complications too.
Last week my husband lost his job. This was the first casualty in our house of the sinking economy.
Changes are in store. No more dinners out. Shopping for anything other than necessities is over. The clothing stores in my area will miss me and the restaurants we frequent will see far less of us. We are very generous with the clothes we out grow. In the past we bundled them up and dropped them with friends who have kids they might fit - or we called in the local charitable organization for a pick up. From now on, we will do a clothing swap with friends who have kids the opposite age as ours. We will own less - and we will live within our means.
I look forward to cooking more, shopping less and more home time with my hubby and kids. I loved living the 'high life' but I will love this just as much.
I live a good life - stick around - Ill be back...
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
My first blog
On Thursday, my step sister told me all about her plans to attend Blogher in NY in August. After months of considering blogging to record all of my thoughts and life experiences, I decided to attend with her and learn from the best. I hope find some inspiration - and meet some friends while there.
My favorite movie is Breakfast at Tiffany's - there is something about Holly that just gets me every time I watch. Her flirty, vivacious and flightly personality helped me choose the title of my blog. Hence Holly Go Lightly. Join me as I discover myself and amuse my followers with what I hope will be the start of a lot of amusing details of my wonderful life.
Wendy
My favorite movie is Breakfast at Tiffany's - there is something about Holly that just gets me every time I watch. Her flirty, vivacious and flightly personality helped me choose the title of my blog. Hence Holly Go Lightly. Join me as I discover myself and amuse my followers with what I hope will be the start of a lot of amusing details of my wonderful life.
Wendy
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