Seems so appropriate on the last day of 2008 to be doing something that has become such a big part of our lives, especially this year: packing and preparing for another transition. Taking a quick break from the mounds of "stuff" that have accumulated since moving to Louisiana in July. We arrived with a three suitcases, some books, a few favorite kitchen items, and our pillows...now we have birthday gifts (why did I think a huge dollhouse would be a good gift for Camille? she loves it, but even when it is disassembled it is in a big box!) and holiday gifts (big garbage trucks are not so easy to disassemble!).
It doesn't matter how many times we've done this packing/moving business, it is still a lot of work and stress. The kids react in their own ways. Noah gets even more hyped up and energetic than usual. Camille gets whiny and clingy. And I get tired, frazzled and snappy. And this time is no different. And just as with other moves I always swear I will get started earlier and be more organized, but I don't and the end is always frantic. I don't like it and perhaps one day my mode of operation will change but right now it is actually a little layer of emotional protection. Because if I stop to think about what/who we are leaving behind in Louisiana I start to get very sad.
But I am not sad to be saying good-bye to 2008. This has been a big bad and very sad year for us. So I am going back to the boxes with the mantra that 2009 will be a better year and by the time we unpack all of this stuff we will already have entered that new year. 2009 will bring us back to Florida and back to being a family of four (can't wait for February!). 2009 will be the end of this deployment. 2009 will be our big move to Sicily. 2009 will be filled with all sorts of new adventures and we will hold on tight for the ride.
Thanks for all for the feed-back on the Santa debacle. Santa did indeed leave a spy kit at the big family Christmas party. Poor Noah has had way too many "life lessons" during this past year (and I just couldn't erase that image of him crying in the bathroom). Unfortunately my little guy didn't believe it was from Santa. He is thrilled to have the spy kit, but is convinced it was a gift from my uncle. So I didn't quite succeed in reviving the magic, but he did have lots of fun spying on family members throughout the day.
Lesson learned...never take your children into a store the day before Christmas. That's when Noah saw the International Spy Kit that would taint his Christmas. He pointed out the junky $10 plastic spy kit while we were madly rushing through our last minute shopping list. He'd never yearned for one before. It had never been on any of his lists and yet suddenly it was at the top of his list. He kept talking about it for the rest of the afternoon and fell asleep on Christmas Eve whispering about it to my mom. Why,oh why didn't I just hide it in the bottom of the cart? I honestly thought he would forget about it especially once he saw all of the other tantalizing things under the tree.
Christmas morning he woke us up by announcing his excitement about finally getting the spy kit. He kept searching under the tree. He was absolutely certain it was there. But it wasn't. He was excited about the garbage truck and the legos, but later in the day I found him sitting in the bathroom. Tearfully he said: "Don't believe what they tell you. Santa won't make all of your wishes come true". This Santa business is complicated and at times heartbreaking. I remember how sad I was when I discovered the truth about Santa. And now as a parent I feel a little heartbroken about Noah's disappointment. He still believes in Santa but not in the same wholehearted way.
So I am grappling here. Do I just chalk this up as a life lesson..."you don't always get what you want" and "sometimes people let us down" ? Or do I play the forgetful Santa card and discover the spy kit under the tree at tomorrow's big family gathering?
Christmas Eve
Christmas Morning
A Hanukkah party with Temple Shalom friends: latkes, dreidels, laughing, and singing. We will miss the small congregation here....such a warm and welcoming community.
Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah and also the Winter Solstice. Seems so appropriate this year that they coincide. The darkest, shortest day of the year and the festival of lights seem to go hand in hand. A time to celebrate miracles but also a time to acknowledge the larger forces of nature and our connection to the sun. But for me there also feels like an even closer personal connection between the two. I can't seem to shake my sadness. I have entered this holiday season with a heavy heart, but I am eager for tonight when we will light the first candles. There is something so stirring about candlelight, especially candles in the menorah. Tonight we will light the menorah that came from Adam's family, one we made with beans and applesauce cups, and something just for my dad. My dad didn't celebrate Hanukkah, but he did believe in the power of rituals so I have been trying to think of some way to honor him during Hanukkah. It came to me this morning when I was cleaning up from breakfast. I moved the bowl of paintballs and suddenly it made sense. So I took the paint balls and lined them up with nine alternating tea lights. I don't expect the sadness to suddenly disappear tonight when we light the candles for the first time, but I do hope to find a little comfort in watching my children's faces glow in the candlelight. 
Cards made using this technique and Noah's designs. Trying to keep things simple and homemade this year which is especially busy since Chanukah and Christmas are in the same week. Just like our crazy Louisiana weather (snowing last week, in the 80s this week), I find myself vacillating wildly with my emotions. Feeling like a grinch one minute and weepy with holiday emotions in the next minute. Trying to keep things simple, but fun and festive for the kids. Trying to savor the moments, but also wanting to just be done with the holidays. Missing my dad and Adam. This year feels like a crazy, mixed-up, bittersweet holiday season. Wishing you all the best and hoping we can all find some peace and joy amidst the holiday frenzy.
To the thieves who broke into our van this weekend:
Hope you enjoy the nice camera and the box of fortune cookies. But I really wish you had taken some of the other things with you...like the multiplying mounds of garbage and junky drive-thru toys. Or that annoying children's music cd that I keep meaning to toss out. Thank you for not taking the enormous Tonka recycling truck waiting to be wrapped. That was very kind of you. You must have known that was Noah's only holiday request this year. If you have a chance, could you please make prints of those photos from Noah's good-bye party with his class last week and stick them in our mailbox? And could you please mail that other package that you stole? I am sure once you open it you will discover that some fortune cookie ornaments and a homemade bookmark weren't quite the treasures you had been hoping to find (but if you mailed the box by tomorrow I would still make the deadline for the holiday book club exchange). I imagine things must be pretty rough for you right now, but they aren't super easy for me either and now I have another thing to add to this year's list of crappy happenings. I hope your luck changes soon, but even more than that I selfishly hope my luck changes sooner. Sincerely,
One pissed off cookie
We made snowmen today after school...a fun way to end a day that started with snow. Cotton make-up remover pads, cotton balls, popsicle sticks, buttons, stickers, and glitter glue. Yellow by Noah (age 5) and pink by Isabella (cousin, age 7).
I woke up at 5:30 am with a nagging cough and peeked outside to discover big flakes glimmering in the street lights. I went out on the screened porch to verify my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. Noah heard the door opening and he joined me on the porch. It was one of those magical moments as his eyes registered what was happening outside. We quickly dressed and headed out. Camille was a little more hesitant. She cried and wanted to be held until she saw how much fun Noah was having. Lots of snowball throwing. Lots of snow tracks. Rosy cheeks and cold hands (we couldn't find gloves anywhere so we all had socks on our hands!). And lots of fun.The last time I remember seeing snow in Louisiana was in 1988. I was fifteen. It was pretty exciting, but my first snow experience was even more memorable. My parents took us to the airport to watch the planes, but then they surprised us by getting in the line to board a plane headed to Cleveland,Ohio. Now I don't usually hear people talking about Cleveland as their top travel destination, but Cleveland will always be a magical place in my mind. We stayed in a fancy old hotel downtown. Went to some great museums. My dad was excited to see his friend's exhibit and I was excited to see Lucy. But the biggest highlight was the snow. Our snow experience this morning was pretty short lived (it is already melted and turned to rain), but it was still a wonderful surprise. Noah has been begging to see snow so it was nice to see his wish come true. I have been struggling to get into the holiday spirit this year but I have to admit that waking up to discover snow was pretty thrilling and sharing it with my children was pure joy.
Adam told me last week that his return date has now been set for the middle of February (so much better than March!). That happy news sent me to a giddy place. I spent several days smiling to myself, hugging the kids extra tight, and daydreaming about all of the good days ahead. But then those happy feelings were nudged a bit by other feelings. I suddenly missed Adam more than I have in the all of the past few months. Sounds crazy but I think I have been numbed a bit by living in survival mode. Now that the end of this deployment is within sight, I just want it to end and I want him home more than ever. I am sure some of these feelings are also related to the upcoming holidays. And in addition to those feelings of sadness and longing, I am also trying to keep myself calm in the face of another transition. The kids and I will be packing up and moving back right after the holidays. That means another long car trip, another period of re-adjustment, and hardest of all saying good-bye to family and friends here.
When we first arrived in Louisiana, the months ahead seemed so long and I made a list in my head of all the things we would do during that time. Places I loved as a kid that I wanted to share with my kids. People I wanted to see. Projects I thought I would do each night once the kids were in bed. Movies. Keeping in touch with friends with late night phone conversations. It just didn't happen the way I thought it would. I was too tired each night to do anything besides a little blogging and reading. I haven't had the attention span to focus on a movie in months. I have been bad about staying in touch with friends except for occasional e-mails. Our weekly schedules quickly got filled up with soccer and gymnastics. And I had to come to the realization that I am just not able to do everything right now. I am usually able to juggle many things at once. I am usually the one who volunteers for everything and starts up new projects/groups without a second thought. But right now I am not quite myself. These past six months, actually this whole year has really been hard. And I am still reeling from it. I am sure there are lessons to be learned from this past year. I am sure I have I grown stronger from the challenges and losses of this year. But right now I just feel drained and I am ready for a new year. And ready, more than ready for Adam to come home.
Sprouting Amaryllis bulbs make me happy which is why I grow them every year as gifts (and keep a few for brightening up our house, too). This year we decoupaged old tissue paper on the pots to make them a little more festive. Once they are ready for gifting we'll attach a bow and handmade holiday cards. The kids are having fun watching them grow before our eyes. 
Since we didn't bring many holiday items with us to Louisiana, we are creating our own decorations. Here's our recycled menorah.
The kids and I made this menorah with toilet paper (and one paper towel) rolls, a large box, and magazines. We started by cutting out images we liked and then attached them with blue masking tape. This was much easier than my original plan for glue/modge podge. I cut out a couple of words that were meaningful for our family and attached those. Then we painted the paper rolls, glued on construction paper flames, and we had ourselves a colorful new menorah.
A few book "things" to share:
First of all, Karen's book is now for sale. She wrote In Etna's Shadow while living in Sicily and it is a vibrant and tasty read about her culinary adventures. Full of great photos, interesting history, market tips, and some delicious recipes....makes me want to get on that plane for Sicily today! A perfect gift for anyone who loves food and travel(and anyone planning to visit us in the next three years!).
Secondly, one of our favorite children's authors/illustrators, Grace Lin, is graciously doing a bookplate promotion. We love her picture books (Dim Sum For Everyone, Round is a Mooncake) and her chapter book series (Year of the Dog, Year of the Rat). Check out this link for more info on her beautiful book plates. And this lovely quote she used on her site:
A book is like a garden in one's pocket.
Chinese Proverb
And finally, visit the Sweet Thing(s) blog for an interesting post on blogging, mothering, comparing, struggling, and making it all work. Sarah and I have had some on-going discussions via e-mail about this topic so it was nice to see her post and the comments it elicited. In connection to that discussion, she is hosting a book give away. Looks like an interesting book. Leave a comment on Sarah's blog for a chance to win the book.
Hope your pockets/stockings are filled with good books this holiday season!
I am happy to say our most recent cross country trip to San Francisco went very smoothly and with it came a few realizations: traveling without diapers is very nice, charging us to check bags is not nice, and my two kids are traveling pros/troopers. I also realized that as my kids get older our list of travel necessities is changing so I thought I should update from previous posts on the same topic. So here are some things that worked well on our recent trip:
1) Pipecleaners: handy, small, lightweight and good for all ages. Can be used to make crowns, flowers, aliens, and many other twisty designs. Also good for wrapping around the handle of bags to distinguish your black suitcase from all of the other black suitcases.
2) Shoelaces: go great with sewing cards. We love this set and these, too (both brands have nice illustrations and durable cards). But I have also been thinking about making our own set with family drawings.
3) Velcro shoes: makes security lines so much easier. And dressing kids in sweat pants/knit leggings is also good for traveling. Comfy and easy to get of/on in tight airplane bathrooms. And even though my kids are older, I am so glad I still pack extra clothes in our carry on bags. We volunteered to get off one of our flights (got some nice travel vouchers for future flights) and ended up having to spend the night in Houston (yes, I am nuts to do this with two small children...but happily it all went well and now we have a free trip!)...anyway the extra set of clothes was put to good use.
4) Blank sketch books: good for drawing, tick tack toe, etc. Also, keep meaning to make some pencil rolls like these because they would be great for traveling.
5) Magnets and stickers: (or band aids, too!) keep little hands occupied. These sets are nice for air/car travel and also good for restaurants because they are so thin and lightweight.
6) Little things: Noah was thrilled to have some micro machines (thank you, Aunt Carol). Camille loves these animals. I always find myself stashing little figures, matchbox cars, etc into small bags in anticipation of upcoming trips.
7) Hand gel: I am a fan of the Bath and Body Works hand gel. Nice small containers and less harsh on skin. Baby wipes are also good to have on hand. Just never know when a mess will happen or when you might be someplace without quick access to soap and/or a sink.
8) Car Seats: We travel with our car seats so we don't have to rent them at our destination and for use on larger planes. The GoGo Kidz is a long time favorite for car seat travel. And here's a more recent favorite. Since my son is now in booster seat (which can not be used on flights), we went with a booster that could be folded and fit into it's own travel bag. Very happy with the Compass booster seat. Here are my other travel gear recommendations.
9) Books: lots and lots of paper back books. This book and this book continue to be big hits when we are flying. I also try to find books about the area we are visiting. I buy a few new books for each trip but mostly just go through our book collection and pick books that haven't been read in awhile. I also packed a couple of "blank books" (paper stapled or sewn together) so the kids could make some of their own on the trip.
10) Extra hands and extra time! I had my mom with me on the most recent trip which was a huge help, but when I have flown solo with the kids I have quickly learned to ask for help. I have also learned to book flights with enough connection time to get additional food, bathroom break, and run around/play time. I'd much rather have a longer lay-over than be rushing to catch a plane with two little ones in tow. And for military families, check out the airport USO (great for free snacks, computer access, help, and some even have areas for naps and/or showers). 
Yesterday was filled with some of our favorite people, places,and tastes. It started with a visit to Aunt Janet's: picking and eating satsumas; checking out the garden; and a walk in the swamp. And ended by eating boiled crawfish with Pris, Eddie, and Bea. 
Crawfish Etouffee on Christmas Day 
Gateau Na-Na is my favorite holiday dessert. My dad would always pick one up on Christmas Eve during his annual shopping trip to The Kitchen Shop. This year Camille and I made the trip to Grand Coteau and had a nice visit with Jesse and Nancy.
Amaryllis in full bloom in my mom's kitchen
The big family holiday party and annual step photographs. The party starts with a big holiday lunch at Aunt Carol's house. After everyone has filled up, we head down the street to Aunt Christine's house for dessert, gift opening, and the step photos. After a couple of hours of visiting, everyone heads back to Aunt Carol's for a dinner of left overs and card playing late into the night. It's a crazy, cozy, chaotic family gathering and I wouldn't want it any other way. So glad my kids have been able to experience the holidays Louisiana style for the past three years.
A Hanukkah party with Temple Shalom friends: latkes, dreidels, laughing, and singing. We will miss the small congregation here....such a warm and welcoming community.
Putting Camille to sleep tonight she said "Thank you for Hanukkah"...it melted my heart and I said the same words to both of my children because I am truly grateful to them. Their excitement and awe is contagious. The last two nights have been good for all of us. We spent the first night listening to The Golden Dreydl, lighting the candles, eating matzah ball soup by candlelight, and opening little gifts. And tonight we added another candle, another dinner by candlelight, and some more Hanukkah stories. Thanks to all for the kind comments and continued support. I hope that you and your families are also surrounded by warmth, love, and hope this holiday season.
Cards made using this technique and Noah's designs. Trying to keep things simple and homemade this year which is especially busy since Chanukah and Christmas are in the same week. Just like our crazy Louisiana weather (snowing last week, in the 80s this week), I find myself vacillating wildly with my emotions. Feeling like a grinch one minute and weepy with holiday emotions in the next minute. Trying to keep things simple, but fun and festive for the kids. Trying to savor the moments, but also wanting to just be done with the holidays. Missing my dad and Adam. This year feels like a crazy, mixed-up, bittersweet holiday season. Wishing you all the best and hoping we can all find some peace and joy amidst the holiday frenzy.
I woke up at 5:30 am with a nagging cough and peeked outside to discover big flakes glimmering in the street lights. I went out on the screened porch to verify my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. Noah heard the door opening and he joined me on the porch. It was one of those magical moments as his eyes registered what was happening outside. We quickly dressed and headed out. Camille was a little more hesitant. She cried and wanted to be held until she saw how much fun Noah was having. Lots of snowball throwing. Lots of snow tracks. Rosy cheeks and cold hands (we couldn't find gloves anywhere so we all had socks on our hands!). And lots of fun.
Sprouting Amaryllis bulbs make me happy which is why I grow them every year as gifts (and keep a few for brightening up our house, too). This year we decoupaged old tissue paper on the pots to make them a little more festive. Once they are ready for gifting we'll attach a bow and handmade holiday cards. The kids are having fun watching them grow before our eyes. 
The kids and I made this menorah with toilet paper (and one paper towel) rolls, a large box, and magazines. We started by cutting out images we liked and then attached them with blue masking tape. This was much easier than my original plan for glue/modge podge. I cut out a couple of words that were meaningful for our family and attached those. Then we painted the paper rolls, glued on construction paper flames, and we had ourselves a colorful new menorah.
I am happy to say our most recent cross country trip to San Francisco went very smoothly and with it came a few realizations: traveling without diapers is very nice, charging us to check bags is not nice, and my two kids are traveling pros/troopers. I also realized that as my kids get older our list of travel necessities is changing so I thought I should update from previous posts on the same topic. So here are some things that worked well on our recent trip:
Highlights from a busy trip included: visits to the California Academy of Sciences, a spa escape to the Claremont (my mom and I sans kiddos...thanks to Adam and my in-laws), a neighborhood walk in Berkeley, the most amazing fabric store, the SFMOMA (great exhibit by Martin Puryear ), Habitot, the Berkeley public library, exploring local parks, and best of all lots of good food and family time. It was a memorable Thanksgiving for all of us.
Bits and pieces of daily life, nomadic rambles, pickled cravings, piles of books, and a furry dog. Cajun, Jewish, Taiwanese, American family on the move.
