Visiting Gramama

I am so grateful for our recent visit to Florida to see gramama. I am hopeful that the kids are now old enough to have some of these special memories fixed in their mind forever. Priya really impressed me with her sweetness towards her, and also to the other residents of Willow Wood. She wanted to cuddle with her gramama, talk to her, and show her how big of a girl she is.

The trip was bittersweet. It was my first trip back to Florida since my grandfather passed away. I kept picturing him- waiting for us to arrive out front, sitting at the dinner table with us and eating, and speaking of eating- how he would have just eaten up the kids and their snuggles. Grandma also showed us a tree with a little plaque that have been dedicated in his honor, and she told me that she likes to walk out back of Willow Wood to gaze at the tree and think of him. She must be so lonely for him.

Pompano Beach, push up popsicles, and catching lizards:











Watching Priya chase and catch lizards was very reminiscent of my own childhood. It also made me happy that she was so entertained by something so simple. We were, however, a little worried about the lizard's health after being held by the kids..



Who knew how fun shuffleboard was??!! The kids loved it, and it proved to be a good, relaxing way to spend time outside with grandma.




Grandma got her exercise while we were there- she pushed P and E around on her walker everywhere we went!


Photographer: Eli (hence the angle.)


Love this one:


Our sweet suite:






One of my favorite pictures ever:


Another one by Eli.

Patrick's Winter Boat

Here's a good one to remember. Today Desi was over, and Eli was telling him that Patrick was at his internship. Only, instead of saying "internship," he called it a "wintership." I didn't correct him, as I was too involved in assisting the conversation in other ways (we were talking about how many miles away he had to drive.)
Later, when Patrick arrived home, Desi said to him, "How was your boat?"!!!

Painting the place purple!

One of the coolest things I have done for myself since starting a family has been to undertake the living room revival project. I was so tired of beige. We had beige walls, beige curtains, and a brown couch. Ugh. I had to do something, it was driving me nuts. So.... while Pat and the kids were in South Carolina, I stayed home and painted the place purple! We also moved furniture around (including tipping the bookshelf on its side for toy storage!!) and hung art in different places. the result is a room that feels cozier than before, and alive in a way I couldn't have imagined. What a satisfying feeling! Note the beautiful pot addition, from Teta and Steve!! Also, Pat's lighting project turned into a fabulously sparkly accent piece that lights up the new "art area." I love it!!

Sweet Six

After coming back from South Carolina, Priya invited 3 friends over for a very sweet, small birthday party at home. It was one of the most laid back parties we have had, very nice. After having wonderful strawberry birthday cake and playing with couch cushions on the floor, we headed next door to Teta's where the kids LOVED creating with slabs of clay. It was so cool to see how different each person created with the same material.

Fripp Island in the Winter

Need I say more than Fripp Island. What a fabulous place to spoil ourselves, and get taken care of. Karen and Stan have the art of treating down to a science. I was only there for a couple of days- Pat and the kids for 9 days!! My highlights included: mother/daughter time on the beach (when Priya dug sand like a mad woman-machine and pranced around ecstatically in the waves with her shoes on), swimming in the heated pool (Priya swam in the most independent fashion that I have seen so far, to her cousins Meghan and Hannah), and taking a bubble bath in Karen and Stan's whirlpool with Priya and Eli. Oh, and how can I forget the dinner out at the Italian restaurant starring the colorful motorcyclist/chef who fell in love with our kids (as they did him.)