Fairy Tales

I enjoyed reading about your experiences with the tooth fairy.
My little girl will be at her Dad's this week-end.
Son comes home tomorrow night.
So I have one kid-free night tonight.
With all the company and activities we had in the month of June, I'm tired.
What to do?
What will you be up to?
Saw Star Jones on Larry King last night. What did you think? Somethings up with her breathing. She doesn't sound too good. Do you have an opinion of her? Just wondering.

Little Miss Lady and The Tooth Fairy

She got picked up from school by her Dad yesterday and taken to her friend's birthday party here in our complex. When I arrived to pick her up the other mother's said, "Oh, I love her tooth necklace!" "What tooth necklace", I thought...she had gone to school with a dolphin necklace that her brother gave her. Turns out she had lost her first tooth at school and when that happens they put the child's tooth in a tooth-shaped container on a necklace for the kiddo to take home.
She was so excited! She's turning 7 in July and that's pretty late to lose your first tooth. Some of her friend's lost their first tooth in preschool. So last night was all about getting ready for the visit from the tooth fairy. What do you do in your family? When I was little I tied my tooth in a handkerchief and put it under my pillow. Sometime in my childhood I changed up that routine and left my tooth in a glass of water next to my bed. Little girl decided to go with the glass of water technique and wrote the fairy a lovely letter to go with it. She was excited to get a silver dollar this morning and a reply to her letter. Today's her last day of school...a half day....I love you sweet angel. Here's to a great summer!

He's Off!

This morning my 5' 11" baby went off to camp. I'm worried about some parts of this journey that he is taking, but also excited about the prospect of his room and bathroom being clean for five days. Also, not having the honor of doing his laundry for a few days. It's a long bus ride to Erie, PA from NYC. I'm worried about the stormy weather that Al Roker just told me about. I'm worried that the bus driver will fall asleep at the wheel. And, okay, I'm just gonna say it--I'm worried that because he is the youngest young man and the only one of his ethnicity, that somehow he will be singled out, put down, pranked, or as he put it "jumped".
I pray that this is a good experience for him. May he be safe and sound and may he have the time of his life!

Happy Graduation Son

This week has been busy with preparations for my son's graduation from middle school. Since he's leaving school early, today's his last day, and the rest of the kids go 'til Wed., I had some extra hoops to jump through. He leaves tomorrow at the crack of dawn to basketball camp. I've been shopping a couple of more times for things he will be needing. And also getting little miss lady some summer things...bathing suits, etc. I spent Thursday at Central Park with her class on Field Day and back home to get ready for her brother's graduation.
My friend from high school brought his lovely wife and kids over Friday night to see us before heading off to a Broadway show. So Friday was spent cleaning the house, washing windows, purchasing food and drink for our little get together, etc.
Saturday my girl and I went to Old Navy for one last round of shopping. Sunday we filled out her Birthday invitations, went to a friends art show, and last night I took the kids and my son's best friend out to dinner to celebrate everyone's accomplishments. It was fun. We went to a BBQ joint called Spanky's off of Time Square. The food and drinks were delicious and I'm snacking on the left-overs today.
So a lot has been going on. I'm getting fat from all this good food. How was your week-end?

Good Food, Good Friends Indeed

It took awhile to recoup from their invasion, but with the little girl off to her Dad's and teen son staying here with a friend and then off to a Bar Mitsvah (sp?) on Sat. I managed to spend the day at Lord & Taylor taking advantage of their half-yearly sale. Afterwards I came home and went to the fish mongers and bought lobster to make myself a lobster roll for dinner. Coupled with a margarita or two I had a perfect Saturday night!
Sunday the children's Godfather Dietrich was in town for business and he and I had a delightful day together before the kid's came home. We had brunch at a fabulous restaurant 44 & X, and then came home and got caught up with each other's lives until the kid's insisted on coming home...they love their Uncle Dietrich. We played outside and then went to dinner at 44 and1/2 and sat outside in their garden and had the best food I have had in a very long time. I consider myself so lucky to have enjoyed the friendship of Dietrich for so many years.
When it rains it pours....my best guy friend from High School (in Oregon) and his family are here celebrating his daughter's graduation from H.S. (in Washington State) and seeing theater.
While his wife and kids went to a taping of Letterman last night, he and our High School drama director (he lives in NYC too) went to dinner. I went back to 44 1/2 and it was amazing yet again. And again, I feel lucky to have such long enduring friendships with Gary and Ken. We had a lovely evening together and I love them both.
My 14 year old son is graduating on Thursday night, and leaves for a basketball camp in Erie, PA on Tuesday morning. His first time at sleep-away camp. It's a short one, just until Sun. July 1st. I went to Modell's today and bought him lots of stuff for the trip, including a cool duffel, sport bag to use as his luggage. Lots of unds, and t-shirts and socks, basketball shorts, etc. Let's fact it, without Mom there to do the wash, he'll need lots of all those things. I'm excited for him. And feeling slightly emotional that he's going. It'll be great!
Glad to read Sherri and Gracie back from trips. Sounds like you had great times and great experiences.

ALL-STAR CAFE--Good Food, Good Friends

The precious children in my daughter's class did such a good job putting on their restaurant. The hand-drawn menu covers, the host and hostess, manager, wait-staff, chefs, cashiers and busboys...the cutest thing I have experienced in a long time! I was happy that my parents could come and see it. The food was good as well. My little darlin' angel was a waitress and she did such a good job. They had made a sign for "No choking" and "No smoking" and that was funny...the pictures they drew were funny.
My folks came and hung out at my place until their car picked them up. All in all it was a good visit. Except for the little bit of self-righteousness that was spewn my way on Monday night, this visit would have to be labeled a success. Thanks for your comments friends.
Speaking of self-righteous...I went to a parent appreciation lunch at a neighborhood restaurant today...put on by my sweetie girl's school. Seems that in between my blogging and parenting I managed to give enough of myself and my time to qualify for a nice lunch and a lovely framed picture thanking me for my contributions. Always nice to get a pat on the back!

Parents Part Three

I told you. Tonight at the Mexican restaurant when I mentioned blogs--BLOGS I love--father gave me his opinion of the blogosphere and with Mom trying to calm him down and while he was explaining his contempt for all of us she was telling me that he helps build houses in Africa for homeless children, he made the point that people who write blogs are full of themselves and should be volunteering instead of wasting their time blogging.
Mom was next to me and touting Dad's virtues as a humanitarian although he doesn't really build the houses in Africa he helps make sure they are getting built I kept thinking "OH NO, GET ME OUT OF HERE. IF IT WASN'T FOR MY VIRTUAL PENPALS AND MY ABILITY TO SIT AND WRITE OUT MY DAILY JOURNAL, OR SMALL THOUGHT, FOR SOMEONE TO RESPOND, I WOULD HAVE A SMALLER SADDER LIFE, AFTER DIVORCING MY KID'S DAD AND HANDLING MY DAILY LIFE BY MYSELF.
I, who was never allowed to use my ex-husband's computer, and just got my first computer a little over a year ago, must say that I love my new friends and commenters... Joy, Deana, Sherri, Chelsea, Suzann, Gracie...
I'm off to sleep now. We will be attending my little girl's Restaurant that her first grade class will be running tomorrow between 11AM and 1PM. Grandma and Grandpa will be going as well and then they will return to Oregon. This has been exhausting. Thanks for listening, it's just me, as always, Annie Hall.

Parents Part Two

This visit is going well. Knock on wood. I'm glad because I have spent a lot of time trying to heal the wounds that have come before. My journey has been a well-planned one. I have had the comfort of my relatives back in Oregon and my dear friends here in NYC. "It's their problem, not yours", I've been told and I have grown to agree with them.
Today at the pool my parents called my son over and surprised him with a graduation card and check for $500, so that he can buy the guitar he has been saving his money for. Grandpa and son had gone to the music district yesterday to look at all the guitars. My son was totally surprised by this gesture and psyched, to say the least.
Then about 20 minutes later they called ME over. I have to say, I was ready for the other shoe to drop. Oh, no, I thought, what did I do? Here it comes. Now what?
They started talking about a cruise they were planning on taking next year....and to make a long story short they want us to go with them...out of New York City...the pier is just a few blocks from our house...probably to Bermuda! I was surprised as well, and hope this is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
My father made some nice comments about the children and how well they are doing and what a good job I have done--and that means a lot. I am content.

Parents

My folks are visiting from Oregon and I've been afraid to post about it. Our history is rampant with lots of drama and sadness. I've been fearing their arrival since they called a couple of months ago to tell me they were coming. I am pleased to say that our time together so far has been fairly pleasant.
They leave on Tuesday and I will post more then. I've been super busy at work. Blogger was acting up last week and I feel like I've been ignoring my people. I'm here.

Stuff

This week-end is going to be a busy one. My little girl's school festival is tomorrow and we'll be out most of the day. It's supposed to rain and it is an outdoor event. I'm working the hula hoop booth. I hope it won't be too much of a wash-out. Sunday we are attending a friend's church confirmation and party.

Last week-end was a blast. On Sunday and Monday (Memorial Day) we went to the pool. We love summers at our pool because it is so convenient here in our complex. New York Magazine rated it the best indoor pool in Manhattan in their "Best Of..." issue. There is a great outdoor area and attendants who fetch us lounge chairs and we can order food and drinks from the deli and sit out on our chairs in our swimming suits and enjoy lunch. It may not seem like such a big deal, but to us city folks, it gives us a respite from the heat and the chaos of our everyday existence in the concrete jungle. We feel like we are at a country club!! We laugh and call it our "ghetto country club"! We know that after a few hours of swimming and playing and eating and sunning ourselves that we are the luckiest people in the world! In our little world anyway.

Hope you all have a fabulous week-end.

The Cute Show

Just got back from seeing my little girl's spring concert at school. How adorable to see the pre-K through 2nd grade students singing songs from around the world. My little miss lady had a nervous breakdown yesterday when she found out "Karen"** was planning to wear the same dress as her to the concert. My gal calls this dress her "Showstomp" dress. It's an American Girl dress that has a bit of sparkle to it. My gal cried that Karen was copying her, when in fact Karen wore this same dress to last years concert which to me meant that my gal was gonna be copying Karen. Oh, the drama of first grade fashion!!
After the nervous breakdown, we regrouped and I came up with an even better outfit for her to wear...white American Girl twirly skirt with lots of gauzy slippy layer things...a white tank top embellished with beads and sequins, and a short turquoise top that ties under the bodice. She was so happy! She looked beautiful up there in white standing next to Karen in her dress that was "Oh sooo last year!"
P.S. **Name has been changed to protect the innocence of the fashion victim.