Sunday, April 12, 2009

Vacation


We just got back from spending a week in NY with my family and Michael's family. A great time was had by all. We had a family Palm Sunday dinner, Seder at my MIL's, saw "Gods of Carnage" with Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, Marcia Gay Harden and James Gandolfini, and wandered around lower Manhattan. I got to spend a great deal of time with my family and I am really looking forward to my summer vacation! The best part, however, was getting to meet Evelyn M. Charles, 3 month old daughter of Allison and Edgar. She has a wonderful disposition, is super-cute and is lucky to have such great parents. I like to give some of my favorite books as baby gifts, because babies will grow out of clothes, but a love of reading is something that will grow with you, and hopefully turn into a life-long love.I gave her "The Giving Tree" because there are many messages that one can take from it and use through all stages of life, even though it is a very simple book. I also had the distinct privilege of reading to Evelyn her very first book. That was an honor. As was a luxurious 2 1/2 hour dinner with her mother! It also made me realize that now, my friends and I are the grown-ups. When did that happen? All these children are now in the world, and we are the ones responsible for them! It all seems a bit overwhelming. Tomorrow, back to reality and my 23 hellions.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Eleanor Roosevelt

Last week we were finishing our "Women's Biography" project in school. Each child gets a famous woman and then has to fill in a sheet with facts about that woman. Birth, death, famous because, etc. Plus five additional facts about that woman. I find that my kids come up with really interesting things that they think should be in the report. For example, did you know that Clara Barton's mother was disappointed in her? These are the things my kids put in because they think that is what people want to know. The absolute best conversation I had, however has to do with Eleanor Roosevelt. "K" came up to me and asked me to look over her first draft. As I did, I noticed one small detail that was not correct. "K" I said, "Eleanor Roosevelt did not survive the sinking of the Titanic."
"Yes she did!" K insisted
"No, sweetheart" I said "I am positive that she was not even on the Titanic."
"Yes, she was, look!" she says pointing to a picture in a biography about E.R.
"Honey, I want you to look at the picture of the ship and tell me the name"
"Titanic"
"No, Sweetie, look again"
"Ti-tan-ic!"
"Once more"
"Bri-tann-ia. Oh. Never mind."
Sigh. I really heart my kids.