It’s a funny thing sometimes, how one handles watching a second child reach important life milestones after already watching the oldest child reach them. In some cases, and for some people, it’s easy to make light of the accomplishment, or not document it as much as the first time. I try my best not to be that parent. My younger child deserves just as much attention and kudos for his accomplishments as my older child does, and it’s not only an important part of his general emotional development that I do my best in this area, but also an important part of our relationship. So, I was ready to fully…
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Chicago, Elevated.
Normally I would put a post such as the one I’m about to share over at my review blog, but this experience was never meant to be a review. I wasn’t asked to participate in what you’re about to read and I did indeed pay for it with my own money. I wanted to share it here because it’s something truly fabulous that I experienced personally in the city of Chicago. It’s my duty to share it with you here! Over the last five years as I’ve been working on my book, I’ve done lots and lots of research about things to see and do in Chicago. Some of those…
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As It Turns Out, He’s Way More Accurate Than Nostradamus
D returned home from college for the weekend today, and the first order of business (after he messed around with Roxie for a minute) was to open those two letters from his younger self. The first envelope contained some specific personal goals, like (as I mentioned yesterday) “Be nicer to J”, “Be better at turning in my homework”, and other things that, thank goodness, he has learned to do over the past four to five years. (Did I mention here that his GPA for first semester in college this year was a 3.752? WOOT!) That piece of paper was pretty awesome, but it was the letter in the OTHER envelope…
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Simple Gifts
My sister, upon seeing the title of this one, will think that this post is about one of my favorite songs, which is “Simple Gifts”. The older boy used to play it when he was in middle school orchestra, and then the younger boy learned it on the guitar. I adore it, and he rarely plays it for me anymore. Don’t know the song? Since I haven’t yet caught my kid playing it on camera yet, here’s my second favorite version. But this post isn’t about that. As a second grade religious school teacher, I sometimes receive gifts at Hanukkah or at the end of the year. It’s not necessary,…
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The Gift Of Self
We broke Hanukkah tradition this year, since the older boy is away at college. Normally the boys open one gift each night (give or take) during the holiday. This year, the younger boy opened a gift each night, all alone, for the first couple of nights until his brother came home for the weekend. Saturday night we had our Hanukkah extravaganza (latkes, blintzes, kugel, oh my!), and the boys opened all of their gifts together. The older boy had a special gift for his brother, something I didn’t ever expect. When he told me about it earlier in the day Saturday, the whole thing had an egotistical slant to it,…
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I Think Everyone Should Get At Least One Letter Like This In Their Lifetime.
One of my favorite pictures from the older boy’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor last year is this one, of him and a little boy he used to babysit. So cute, right?? That little boy (Jake) has been very vocal about how much he looks up to my son; it’s really very, very sweet and would melt the coldest heart. Jake decided to write a letter to his hero and send it to his college post office box. I wish I could see his face as he reads it*. (You can click on it to enlarge if you’d like.) *Even though I can’t be there when he reads it, I’m…
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What Does Christmas Have To Do With a Tornado?
After getting a story starter from Kate McGroarty, the Museum of Science and Industry’s roommate for the month, I sniffed out the rest of the story of how one of the focal points of a current major exhibit came to be. I had the extreme pleasure of speaking with Kurt Haunfelner, the Museum’s Vice President of Exhibits and Collections. Here is the story, paraphrased, since I’m not that fast of a typist while listening to a really nice person who is telling a very interesting story. Besides the fact that I was thrilled as a fan of the Museum to get this backstory, it made me nostalgic for all of…
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Halloweekend
The older boy’s college hosted their annual Family Weekend this past Friday through Sunday, so Jim and I made plans to go up there. (The younger boy originally–before he was struck with a three-day fever–had school on Friday and a full weekend of activities himself, so we left him in the great care of Aunt Julesie.) Actually, Jim had to be at work on Friday, so he planned to take the train in the evening, and I got to spend the day with the older boy by myself. It was a great day, a great weekend. I won’t bore you with all of the details (especially because I am sharing…
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Resisting Temptation For The Greater Good, Sort Of
My boys have had a mostly typical brotherly relationship with each other. When they interact, the older boy can be bossy and critical and the younger boy can be annoying and defensive quite often. They take turns instigating trouble. (They actually get along–or at least tolerate each other–more than they think they do, but it can get a little ugly at times.) It is sometimes very reminiscent of what was going on when I was growing up with my younger sister. Though Julesie and I do have some really great memories (just a few include playing Barbies, watching “Donny & Marie”, recording ourselves making radio shows, and that day in…
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McMels Gone Wild*!
My high school friend, McMel, came for a visit last weekend. Actually, she didn’t come for a visit, technically: she came for a two-day seminar, sent by her new employer. I was thrilled to find out that the seminar wouldn’t be in the city after all: it was in Oak Brook, which is only about fifteen minutes from my house. That location made it easy for me to pick McMel (and her super-nice co-worker) up for dinner both evenings, and then take them to the airport for their flight home on Saturday. Getting together with old friends is a priceless experience. Sharing a history, especially history from the teenaged years,…