Open Weekend = Possibility

Yesterday we didn't really have plans for the weekend, and yet we knew things would fall into place.  Bill wanted to get his new grill, we had the Open House at Ellie's new childcare place and the rest was still up in the air.

And then Friday night came and we filled up our calendar for Saturday.  With the first part of the day complete, it's already been a great day!

Early visit to Children's Lighthouse to visit their newest location, much closer to home in Sachse!  Ellie will finish out the summer program at her current location in Wylie, and move to the new one the first day of school.

It was gorgeous, and we were overwhelmed by the number of hugs that Ellie got during the visit.  And that was from the TEACHERS!  She is a popular girl apparently!  Not many kids that she knew during our visit, but the school-agers room is gorgeous and she can't wait to start!

From there we had an awesome lunch at Frankie's - literally next door to Lighthouse.  All that accomplished in time for Ellie's playdate with a new friend from the pool last evening.  The Cooper family live around the corner from us and Calena is also 8 and going into 3rd grade at Whitt with Ellie.  They recognized each other from school last year and struck up a friendship at the pool.  Her parents are awesome, and her siblings - Lydia (13), Garrett (10) and Landon (6) are all part of the friendship package.

She stayed for two hours and they played games, did puzzles and used kinetic sand - which was new to us!  What a great family - the Dad (Brian) is an exec at a medical company, and Mom (Natalie) stays home with the kids - moved from IL about 5 years ago.  Originally from Seattle - with a stop in Phoenix en route here.  And their kids love the pool too.  So we'll be seeing a lot of them.

After a light dinner we head to the soccer field for Ellie's first team meet and practice.  I say we didn't have all these plans yesterday because the email arrived about 6pm last night announcing this first meeting.  She has so much to be excited about she can barely contain herself!

Here's a few photos to mark some of our adventures today ...

Ellie in the school ager room with a huge safari mural and lifelike tree!

Checking out the outdoor play area.
Best part is the huge awning over the entire playset.

Ellie and her Taco Plate!

Frankie's Mexican Restaurant for lunch.
Ellie is the photographer!

Summer pleasures

In Texas our summer is longer than we've known in the past.  It was in the 90's in May and I understand it will still be summer until the end of September ... ahhhh, summer!

We all have memories we associate with summer.  Swimming, laughter, campfires, s'mores, back-to-school shopping and of course, ice cream.  It's in these reminders that we mark the times we've shared, the times we've celebrated.

We do a lot of that at our house still today.  We celebrate.  Whether we mark an event with a special meal or treat, we like to celebrate.  We have fun, and love to laugh.  Especially when we're all laughing at the same thing!  Not at each other ....

Summer in Texas is really just like summer other places, only longer and hotter.  So that's something to celebrate, right?

As you know Ellie loves her ice cream, and we find many ways and many days to celebrate that fact with her.  We're counting down the days until school starts ... and all the new things she's going to learn.  But that's not for a few weeks.

In the meantime we'll continue to celebrate summer.  And what's a better way to do that than by having ice cream!

August is a month of memories

There was a time when August was just another month in the summer.  To me, August meant that Saratoga was busy and crowded.  It was hot and almost back-to-school time.  As you can see, it wasn't anything particularly special to me.

And then things changed.  I moved (back) to Saratoga in early 1999 and had the most charming apartment on Union Ave.  It was smack dab in the middle of all of the "August Place to Be" and I either had to learn to love it or be miserable until the crowd left town.

Trina, who lived across the hall from my apartment, and I had a challenge that year to find one thing everyday that was unique to each of us that made Saratoga the August place to be.  I would write that one thing everyday on the calendar in my kitchen.  You might think it sounds like a gratitude journal ... and yet it was different.  We created memories that summer.  We went to SPAC and sat on the lawn for a concert, we dressed up and attended garden parties and benefits, we tried something different to drink - like Mandarin Orange Vodka and Club soda ... and it felt like a do-over.

August then became the time when Bill came into my life, and stayed.  We created August memories year and after year with family and friends, with visits to the track, and later with Ellie and her picture in front of the fire hydrant.

I now look back on those Augusts, full of memories with such fondness.  No regret for letting them pass by - because I refocused on the good stuff.  Its easier to just accept what it is, but it is immensely more rewarding to look for the good stuff.

Here's a old photo of Bill and his Dad.  It is what memories are made of ... and when I see it I realize that is a moment long before he became my husband.  It captures happiness and love.  The beginning of it all ....

We are Family ...

After the morning full of time apart - me at the grocery store and Bill and Ellie getting the oil changed and car washed .. we spent the entire afternoon at the pool with friends, Dan and Annette.  They are two houses down from us and are originally from Illinois.  No, they're not with State Farm, they moved to Texas five years ago to be closer to Annette's brother who lives in nearby.

Annette played with Ellie for a long time with the water toys - squirter, rings, football and water balls.  They had a ball together!  They are just a tad older than we are, with a daughter, Katie who is a junior in college in Peoria, IL.

What a nice afternoon we had chatted, sitting in the sun and playing in the pool.  That's exactly what I had hoped for - to be able to meet our neighbors when the pool opened.  And we have ....

Water break!

We all scream for Ice Cream!

Tonight after dinner Bill said he wanted to go for a ride.  So we piled into the car and found ourselves at a new ice cream place, Braum's on Route 544 near our house.  We got two cones and a sundae for less than $6 ... we were shocked!  And Ellie said it was the best ice cream she ever had ... might have something to do with the fact that it was BLUE!

Birthday Cake flavor ice cream after a day in the pool!

August Place to Be

Papa sent me a note to tell me how much he liked the last post with the three photos of us at ballparks the past couple  years.  He reminded me of the pictures we have taken over the years of Ellie at the fire hydrant at Saratoga Race Course .... who knew that since we started that series of photos at 18 months old that she's have moved to VA, IL and now TX and taking a quick photo each August would have become difficult.

We never know what the future holds for us.  There's truly no way to predict how things will turn out, how other people will respond and in the end isn't that better?  I tell Ellie all the time, we have to 'smile because it happened, don't cry because it's over."  It helps us enjoy the moment!

Here's a few photos of Ellie's recent trip to Saratoga for Josh's graduation.  The racetrack wasn't open yet - so there are no photos next to the hydrant.

Maybe next year ...

The 'other' famous shot of Ellie and Papa walking away ...

Photo Op - outside the church together

Truly she'll will stand for a picture with just about any one!
Papa, Ellie and Father Chevalier

Oh, how she's grown!

In looking at the photo of the three of us from Monday night's baseball game, I was compelled to find the other photos of the three of us at ballgames.  We have the first two in frames with the other sports memorabilia, and yet what I was really looking at was how tall Ellie is getting!

Busch Stadium - St. Louis - September 2011

Progressive Field - Cleveland - August 2012

Globe Life Park - Arlington - July 2014

Yankees Game

On Monday, July 28th we saw the Yankees play the Texas Rangers at Arlington.  It was easy enough to get tickets - although they were balcony seats, they were between home plate and third base - over the Yankees dug-out!

The sun set and we were in shade most of the time.  Although the temperature never dipped below 85 - and the that was until close to 11pm.

A good time was had by all!

Ellie loved being at the ballpark.  She counted the airplanes flying overhead, loved chanting Der-ek, Je-ter over and over - and of course, then there was the ballpark food!  Yes, it was a hot night, but the Yankees were in town!

She got to stay up late, see Derek Jeter for likely the last time and she loved the ballpark!

You can see from the photos that it's a great stadium, and the Yankees fans nearly outnumbered the Rangers fans.  Which was a welcome surprise!  Lots of fans sat all around us!

We'll go back, that's for sure.  May not be for the Yankees, but we'll enjoy this ballpark for sure!

View from the seats!

Pretty traditional family shot from the ballpark.
Together we have St. Louis, Cleveland and Arlington!

Daddy and her girl watching the Yankees!

Two girls at the ballpark

Great stadium!

Der-ek Je-ter, Der-ek Je-ter!

Hall of Fame Weekend

Joe Torre #HOF2014

One of my favorite baseball memories is the year that Bill and I went to Cooperstown on Hall of Fame Weekend ten years ago, July 2004.  We drove over on Saturday morning and walked throughout the village watching all the excitement, meeting fans and getting autographs from previous years' HOF inductees.

We met Yogi, Rollie and Earl the Pearl.  We saw Reggie and Willie Mays at a distance.  It was an awesome experience.  And every year since when I watch the ceremony I promise myself that we'll go back another year and have that experience again - only this time taking Ellie with us!

Today Joe Torre was inducted into the HOF as a manager.  A Leader.  A Coach.  An inspiration.  As I listened to his speech it reminded me of the kind of leader that I am as well.  One who has been lifted up on the shoulders of those that came before me and those who taught me to be a better leader by learning from them.

Joe said just that yesterday as he spoke of those responsible for allowing him to now be in the HOF.  Most meaningful for me was when he said the fact that Don Zimmer sat next to him for eight years made him a better manager, one who was willing to take chances and abandon his conservative style.

Sometimes you have to take chances.  You need to ruffle a few feathers, make some unpopular decisions and be willing to stand up for what you believe.

I'm endeared to leaders like Joe Torre, Don Zimmer and now, Joe Girardi.  Ones who are willing to do what matters, rather than do what's popular.

These leaders are inspirations to managing a team effectively.  Some days are harder than others.  And at the end of the day if you did what you believed in, we consider it a win!

End of a long week.

Bill decided to take a couple  hours off on a Friday afternoon and asked Ellie if she'd like it if he picked her up early from Lighthouse to enjoy the pool!  She was overjoyed!  She packed her bag in the morning so that they'd be ready when they came home to change.

Towels, sunscreen, water toys and swimsuit were ready to go!

They text me from the pool about 2:30 to tell me how wonderful it was to be there.  So I was able to scoot out just before 4pm and join them for an afternoon at the pool.  We had the opportunity to meet more of our neighbors and Ellie played for hours with other kids.  It was such an enjoyable afternoon!

Happy to be back in the pool!

Reapply sunscreen - over and over to prevent a little red face!

Start of another day

Backyard view of the Texas morning sky

I love the sight of a Texas sunrise.  The colors are brighter, the view is so much broader than I've seen in the past.  There's a different feel to living in Texas than I've felt before.  Now, before you go off thinking this is Eutopia, I assure you it's not.  It's hot, there's bugs and things are really spread out and far apart.  Yet - the people are happy, the food is amazing and there's a peacefulness in the pride that Texans exhibit.

As all there of us were born in New York, I recognize we'll never be Texans.  Yet, the people are welcoming and happy to share their love of football, delicious food to share and these expansive Texas sky sunrises.

To me its a sign of so much more to come ... Anticipation.

The long and the short of it.

Today was Gold Carpet Day at school for Ellie.  She told me she was going to wear a dress, was willing to have me make her hair look nice AND she wanted to wear make-up.  So we took this on as a project - she picked out her dress the night before and this morning we worked on hair and make-up.

You'd think she was a pro.  She wanted the curling iron, but we  used the blow dryer instead.  And as far as makeup goes - a bit of bronzer, a little cream-colored eye shadow and some lip gloss.  You'd think she was the belle of the ball the way she danced around with it all put together.

She had a wonderful day, got many complements on her dress - and arrived home safe, sound and in once piece.  Although wearing a dress did limit the ability to sit 'criss-cross applesauce.'  I've explained the being a girl has its perks, and it's sacrifices as well!  She just nodded in agreement....

All done up! Ready for Gold Carpet Day.

The back of her hair looks longer when we blow it dry.  She loved it!

The pool is open!

Today the Community Pool opened around the corner from our house.  It's not only walking distance, but also is just for our small neighborhood of homes.  And, of course, Ellie was the first one in this morning at 10am ... you'd think she won a car for being the first one there!! But, no, she just got to be the first one in the pool .. and that was enough.

She'll want to go everyday now!  And Bill thinks that okay too!

Take two at the pool

Ellie wanted to go back to the pool after dinner.  Mind you the weather has been unseasonably mild for July.  And after dinner its was 76 degrees!  And the pool was still on day one of being open.

Since Bill and Ellie had the earlier field trip by themselves, I tagged along with them this time.  Ellie showed me how to use the key to scan us in, picked us a couple chairs and pointed out the bathrooms.  She's the pro.

Yet, the pool was still empty.

And the water was cold.  Really cold.

So we didn't last more than 15 minutes and she only made it up to her knees.  That's okay.  Its right around the corner, didn't cost a dime and it made her happy to get out of the house after dinner.

Here they are ...

Coke cans

Not sure if all of you have been following the coke craze of trying to locate your name on a can or bottle of Coke or Diet Coke.  I hadn't really been looking ... until an event we had at work today for a graduation of associates!

I found this awesome can of Coke that said, "share your Coke with your Soulmate."  Couldn't have been more appropriate .. so I drank the Coke and brought the can home to show and tell at dinner!

Ellie's been published!

The Pantagraph newspaper in Bloomington was constantly taking submissions from kids on specific topics.  As a class they would submit their work and wait for their name to show up in the Grove newsletter as a Flying Horse selection.

After we moved from Bloomington I never gave it another thought, until Ellie's name and submission showed up in the newspaper.  Her wonderful Religious Education teacher sent me a picture of her selected 'hobby'.  We were thrilled to see it and know she was selected!

How cool!

BabyCakes

Today was the day I promised Ellie we'd make the Cake Pops that she was so determined to make.  I anticipated a long day of 12 cakes at a time, lots of sprinkles on the floor and icing stuck to the counter.  And let's be honest - I got exactly what I thought I would ... and a lot of decorated cake pops too!

It was a family project with a tasty treat waiting for us after dinner!  Lots of colors and little cakes .. with plenty more in the freezer to be decorated at another time.  At least the baking part is over ... for now!

And here's the fruits of our labor.  Ta- da!

Ellie making the batter.  She's very experienced with the eggs at this point.

Getting ready to mix - and go into the baby cakes machine

Baked little cakes to go onto the sticks ...

Here they are .....

All lined up in a row!

How times flies!

Seems I've been rather melancholy lately thinking back to all that we've celebrated and experienced over the years.  Perhaps its the fact that my 30th High School Reunion is this fall.  And that certainly makes me feel old.  I was driving home from work today and a song from 1984 came on the radio.  It was a band I saw in concert just after graduation and it really brought memories back.

Inside I'm still that girl.  And yet instead of spending all my time wondering about the future, I spend all my time in the living of it!  Wife, Mother, Runner, Reader, Cooker (Ellie's word), Friend, Leader, Mentor ... it's an active life that is a reality because of those 30 years since graduating high school.

It was an incredibly memorable day at work filled with meeting with new employees to motivate and instill hope for the future, and with several folks that I mentor to listen and encourage!  And the reason I'm able to help is due to the experience gained over the years.  And then it felt better.  I accept where I am, and what I've experienced - and better than that am able to pass along some of the lessons.  Whether that's to Ellie or to the folks I lead at work.  Its an amazing feeling!

So here's a look back .. just a decade to Aunt Kathy's 4th of July party in Syracuse.  You may see a few familiar faces!

July 4 2004
Quite possibly the cutest little boy EVER!

July 4 2004 - Gina and Julianna

July 4 2004 - Ron Esce and Bill (I think Bill still has that t-shirt!!!)

BFFs -and yes, it's Papa holding the drink AGAIN
7.4.2004

Good memories!  July 4 2004

That's A LOT of SISTERS!
July 4 2004

"Another picture, Uncle Charlie??"
July 4, 2004

Luau Day at Summer Camp

Monday was Luau Day at Ellie's summer program.  They celebrated with a Hawaiian celebration.  And that certainly makes sense as we've quickly moved into the 100 degree days!  We knew they were coming, and here they are!

Although the only impact is when we're doing something outside in the evening ... and that is rare these days.  Even Ellie still gets Water Pad day at her summer camp to find some relief to the heat.  In fact they are happy for it.

Here's a great shot of her all ready with grass skirt and hair flowers to celebrate Luau Day!

Fun-filled weekend

Since we had Friday to get many of our errands done, that left Saturday for having more fun!  Bill was determined to find a pool for he and Ellie to enjoy as the temp continues to tick up in July!

So after just a couple of stops at places that had been closed the day before for the holiday, we were ready for some fun.  I got my 4 miles done, while Bill and Ellie headed to a pool in Garland.  Although it did the trick for 45 minutes - it wasn't State Farm Park.  And like many other things when you move, we'll have to keep looking for just the right fit!

Ready to go swim at the pool in Garland!

Cool new popcorn place we found in Plano called Crave!
We brought home a couple bags to try:  Denver Mix and Puppy Chow

This is what happens after a very long day.
My girl sleeps really well ....

R.I.P. Jack: 2004-2014

Jack - just 6 weeks old!

Jack - a year and a half on Ichabod Lane

The last few weeks my brother, John has been sharing the health problems that Jack has had.  He wasn't eating well and lethargic which caused John to seek medical attention.  They found that Jack had cancer in his liver and although he might have some good days left, the prognosis wasn't good.

The vet gave him no more than 6 months to live.

In looking back he added such color to our lives.  Bill and I adopted him at six weeks old.  I distinctly recall holding him in my arms when choosing which puppy to adopt.  He was charming and oh, so cute.  I hope Ellie doesn't choose boyfriends that way .... but I digress.

Jack was always getting into something and loved to bark and chase squirrels.  We had a big yard back then for him to run.  When Ellie was born he didn't like not being king of the castle and let us know.  So John happily took him in and they became family.

We had Jack in our home for the first two years of his life.  He remained in our lives for the rest of his 10 years through visits with my brother.  Ellie always looked forward to seeing him too.

Jack lost his battle with cancer last night.

He will be missed.  Greatly.

Happy 4th of July

We're so happy for a three-day weekend at our house.  It's wonderful to have us all back together ... to laugh, share meals and just stuff done!  Our day was full of dining room furniture shopping, discovering new places in Plano, chicken with bacon skewers for dinner and the perfect ending to the 4th of July - Root Beer Floats!

There were no pool parties or even crowded fireworks displays.  And yet, we enjoyed our time together and through a story in one of Ellie's books why we celebrate the 4th of July ....

They grow up so fast!

Ellie has always liked to hang with the 'big girls' ... and Madeline and Sydney have been there over the years to play with and now hang with...  On their recent trip to Saratoga Bill and Ellie spent time with Milissa, Craig and the girls on Saratoga Lake.  Their day was spent on the boat and in the water.  And even with Ellie on the tube behind the boat!

I found a few photos to show how our girls have grown over the years!

Sydney, Ellie (8) and Madeline
June 2014

Madeline and Ellie (2)
Summer 2008

Milissa, Ellie (6 months) and Sydney
Rocker Klotz 2006

Madeline, Ellie (2 1/2)
Rocker Klotz 2008