Love Day....

I have a lot of thoughts about Valentine's Day....some are hearts and flowery, because let's face it, I'm a girl and I love the hearts and flowers idea, except I love it every day, not just on 1 specified day a year.  Some  thoughts are a bit jaded mostly because this day has become another day to buy things and I think the true meaning is lost there.  In researching the meaning of Valentine's Day (what did we ever do before Wikipedia?), this day was a day that was recognized by the church until fairly recently, 1969 to be exact.  I wonder how many of you remember that it was called Saint Valentine's Day?  (that's the catholic school education showing up here).  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentines_day

So, back to my reasons for loving it:  yes, I get the requisite flowers and candy and now that I have a child, hand made cards with glitter and hearts with adorable adolescent handwriting declaring his love for me and that's the best stuff.  My parents send small gifts to all of us and it's always fun to watch Wyatt open the box of goodies, that puts a smile on my face.  We make cards for Wyatt's school mates and friends, painstakingly making sure each one has the correct spelling and attention to detail on the candy bag, because let's face it, all the kids want is the candy!  Those are the things I love.

Here's what I don't love....the expectation sorrounding the day...the "what do you get for Valentine's Day?" questions....I don't love the idea that there's only 1 day devoted to celebrating the person/people you love.  And if you respond, "flowers and candy", you get a look like that's not enough.  I told someone I don't "do" Valentine's Day (as he held a jewelry bag in his hand) and it turned into a big discussion that ultimately was a waste of time. Celebrating your love for someone should be an every day thing...I would actually forgo the hearts and flowers for a daily dose of love and appreciation and garbage taking out.  I don't need jewelry, in fact, it's a bit ridiculous that this day has turned into a big jewelry day.  For me, jewelry should be given as a reason to celebrate a milestone....a significant birthday, an anniversary, or the birth of a child, not Feb 14. (Unless of course one of your significant days mentioned earlier happens to fall on Valentine's Day).  Oh, and by the way, who cares what I get for Valentine's Day???  That's why I don't love it...loving people has turned into a competition that I have zero interest in competing in. 

So now I'm interested to know how you view Valentine's Day?  There is no right or wrong answer just a fun little poll for my post next year :) Please take the poll to the left of this post, I'm looking forward to the responses.

For now, I'm off to do some Valentine's day shopping of my own and I truly wish each of you a Very Happy Valentine's Day...make sure the people you love know it :)  xoxo

Snow Days

We got 19 inches of snow last night....which prompted a snow day for the NYC public school system, this is not a frequent occurance around here, the schools have only been closed 7 times since 1978, so I guess 19 inches of snow qualifies for a closing. So, this was my first official snow day since I was a kid myself...and man, snow days are challenging! I have the luxury of being able to work from anywhere I can get an internet connection, so it's not uncommon for me to be at my kitchen table every so often working, however, on those days, I'm typically alone and can power through and get my stuff done. I do have to say that I am a fan of going to the office, I need adult interaction, socialization and all that stuff....working from home is NOT a good thing for me. So you can imagine when I turned on the TV this morning to NY1 (our local NYC channel) to see the red banner scrolling across the screen "NO SCHOOL"...Wyatt was estatic and I was shocked! We only live 2 blocks away, surely we can walk to school! So...we had a snow day. Or more accurately, we had a 5 year old bouncing off the wall day. Being the mean mom that I am,when I heard a bunch of our neighbors downstairs shovelling snow, I suited up my own kid and sent him out to help, which he did for 1 hour. Surely, I thought that would exhaust him...um...no. So then I allowed some time in front of the TV playing the Wii, still not tired. Then, we trudged through the snow to a friends house for a playdate, the kids ran around like little crazy people for an hour or so and then we trudged back home...STILL not tired...after more shovelling and more Wii playing and dinner making and homework doing he finally, finally decided it was time for bed, a mere 5 minutes earlier than usual. Where oh where does he get the energy??? I'm exhausted!!! Snow days are not my cup of tea! I have already checked the school website for tomorrow and I'm happy to report NYC public schools will be open for learning and I will be going to my office for some social interaction that does not involve video games and whining...well...maybe some whining. Happy snow everyone!!

Playdates

Cold winter days make me browse websites for vacation destinations! It's currently 24degrees in NYC, there's snow on the ground but at least the sun is shining so that makes it bearable. We're hosting a playdate at the moment, 2 of Wyatt's BFF's are over, playing with all the new toys he got for Christmas, and arguing at the same time...ah to be 5! When can we go to the park???? The energy level in kids in the winter is crazy and it forces creativity in parents....we've been baking, drawing, coloring, playing video games, board games, card games...you name it to keep busy. I have no idea what I would do if we didn't have school!!! So, I want to know...what do you do in your house to keep busy in the winter???? I'm taking suggestions! (and researching tropical destinations....)

Resolutions.....

So another year has passed us by...2010...Wow, what a year! This year brought a lot of "unexpecteds" to my life. I tried out for a talk show (we all know how that turned out), got to travel (a lot) with friends and family internationally, and I volunteered to organize my 20 year high school reunion. It was fun, exciting, fulfilling and at times trying. Overall, I had a great year.

It was also a year of reflection. I became passionate about a little baby who I had never met and his fight for life to the point that I am determined to help his family in any way I can try to find a cure for pediatric cancer. He lost his fight but his parents have only begun theirs. I was also shocked into reality when a family friend was suddenly taken from us in an accident only a mere 4 weeks ago. My heart aches for his family and friends as they are still reeling from this. These events are life changing for so many including me.

Last year my good friend sent an email to the girls (that being my most amazing group of girlfriends I chat with and see on a daily basis) on New Year's Day with her list of resolutions and she challenged us reply with ours. It took me 2 days to find the email trail but I found it and I have to say out of my list of 11 things, some (not all) were accomplished. And the same goes for my girls too...YAY!! This year, as I was thinking of something to write I thought it might be good to resolve to do things differently. Yes, we all make the same resolutions every year...lose weight, get in shape, stop whatever vice ailes us....and typically we don't accomplish completing them. So might I suggest a new way to have a New Year's resolution? How about we resolve to step into the subway car a little further so more people can get on during rush hours? How about we resolve to be kinder to others? How about we resolve to be more charitable? How about we resolve to be happy with what we have and not lose sight of the work it took to get to this point? All of these things are my resolutions for 2011 and beyond (along with the workout more, blah, blah, blah!!). I am a very blessed person and I know this. I am blessed with family and friends, with health, with love and I hope you all are too.

As I type this entry, Jay Z and Alicia Keys are singing about New York...fitting for today. Happy Happy Happy New Year from the greatest city on earth...may all of you have a wonderful 2011...I look forward to sharing it with you.

xoxoxoxoxo

Happy Holidays....

Ok, so we are officially missing the blizzard of 2010 back in NYC....we're currently in not so sunny (or warm for that matter) Florida visiting my family for the holidays. Ah, the holidays...how I love them...and loathe them all at the same time. It's a fine line really. Here's what I love, in no particular order: anticipation, excitement, twinkling lights, merriment, parties, gifts, planning, decorating, preparing, shopping, NYC, family, friends, surprises, creating memories, tradition. I know there are more things that I love about it, but you get the gist. Here's what I loathe: not enough time to get it done. I live by the rule that the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are for doing all the things that require a successful Christmas day. So we decorate the house, shop, cook, wrap, and plan all in that very small window of time. OH, and work full time and maintain a regular life all while doing this extra stuff and unfortunately, every year something falls by the wayside. I wish I had some extra time this year to bake. I used to bake for weeks prior to Christmas. I would make all kinds of cookies and give them as gifts...that has almost completely stopped in more recent years. I'm too busy with other obligations and then I'm too tired to sgtart baking at 10pm. BUT, if that's the only thing that I'm slacking on then I don't think it's too bad.

We also typically travel during the holidays, this year we left on Christmas night, and I'm happy to report that it wasn't too bad since there was an impending blizzard in NYC and severe weather all along the eastern seaboard. We only had a 2 hour delay this year. Unfortunately, upon arriving in Jacksonville on Christmas night or well, the day after Christmas morning (12am), the rental car place was closed and we had to deal with a little additional delay at the airport. Rest assured, Enterprise Rent A Car will NOT be getting our business EVER again, since there were real live rental agents at the airport when we landed....according to the very nice guy, Chris, at Alamo (where we ultimately ended up getting a car from), the Enterprise guys could have totally helped us and they were being lazy...thanks dudes, Merry Christmas. But hey, Chris hooked us up with a nicer car and a cheaper rate, so there! Now I have to write my bad customer service letter to Enterprise, I hate having to do that.

I also have to give props to my kiddo, who is the master traveler...he is so good at getting through airports, and behaving on planes that he makes going places enjoyable. I love traveling with him! He can even sleep the whole plane ride, be woken up, help with the bags at the airport and go right back to sleep in the car without so much as a complaint, he's the best!

So now that we're here, we're looking forward to warmer weather (hopefully), spending time with my most awesome niece and nephew, friends, and family and returning to the great white north on New Year's Eve in time to hang out with friends and ring in 2011....WOW! I hope you all had a very Happy Holiday and I'm gonna contemplate my resolutions for my next post....Merry Merry everyone!!

My Shared Day

On this date, 5 years ago at 3:46 in the morning, my water broke...ON MY BIRTHDAY!!!! That was not what I had hoped for to say the least. You see, my favorite holiday is my birthday. I love birthdays, and not just mine...everyone's!! I love the ritual of celebrating the day of your arrival, gifts, cake, dinners, parties, cards, candles...all of it. Birthdays are the best!! Heck, we've even made holidays out of them (ahem, Christmas)...so you can imagine my reaction to this tragic event...I would have to share the day with my own KID??? WHAT??? NO!!!!! I don't mind sharing the day with JFK, Jr (rest his soul), but my own flesh and blood?? A travesty I tell you!!!

Sparing you the details, I was basically in labor with 13 other women on the day after Thanksgiving with only 1 doctor on duty...needless to say it was a long day. A day of my husband watching the monitor and narrating the contractions..."here it comes", "wow, that was a big one", "here comes another"...thanks babe, I think I got it, UGH! A day of "where the hell is the epidural guy"??? A day of deciding on what to name our son. Up until the minute he was born I was still unsure I actually want kids (yes, that's the complete and honest truth). I loved our life, the city, our friends, traveling, restaurants, parties....I wasn't really into the prospect of having my style crimped. You can call me selfish all you want, I'm just being real. And then, at 7:20pm (exactly the time the doctor said he would), Wyatt Nathanial Livingston Ichabod 23 arrived after a very uneventful (thank God) labor, and changed my life. And...I effectively lost my birthday at the ripe old age of 33.

For the last 5 years, Wyatt and I have shared our day, this year, for the first time together on Thanksgiving. As he grows, I become more aware of how special this is...to have the same birthday as my precious boy. He's an amazing, smart, happy, hilarious, wicked, sweet child. And as far as my life changing, well it did, but not as drastically as I thought it would. He was totally portable from day 1, so we never missed out on the stuff I thought we would. He came with us. So I would consider him an enhancement to our lives, a perk, a bonus...the best thing that ever happened to us. I am so blessed to have this little person in my life, sharing my favorite day of the year with me, it's a privilege.

So on this Thanksgiving I'm wishing my sweet angel boy a very Happy 5th Birthday....and myself a very Happy 5th Anniversary of my 33rd Birthday!! :) I love you Wyatt.

Thanksgiving.

A few months ago my co-worker and friend lost his baby boy, Declan, to a battle with cancer, he was 11 months and 358 days old....a few days ago my brother's best friend (and subsequently, a friend of our family), Josh, lost his life in a car accident, he was 34. At this time of year, Thanksgiving, I want to be thankful for their lives. Both of them taken too soon, they had more to do, I'm sure of it. Declan's parents have started a foundation in his memory to help raise awareness for pediatric cancer...hopefully in the coming years we'll be walking/running/fundraising for them the way we do for so many other worthy causes. Josh's friends have started a memorial page on Facebook and I don't doubt for one minute that there won't be a fund created in his honor that will benefit a charity in the near future.

I'm a firm believer in remembering loved ones for the lives they lived...they should be celebrated. Josh should be celebrated for his exeuberence for life, his love of words and for his hearty laugh and smile. I remember him at different stages throughout his life...as a boy on the football field, as a young adult home from college, at my brother's wedding, at their restaurant chatting with customers welcoming them, joking with me whenever we were in town on a visit about how crazy I am to live in New York, but still getting a hug anyway :)....he was a force and I know he will be missed by so many. The special thing about the town we grew up in is that it truly is a community that comes together in good times and bad. I know Josh's family is sorrounded by family and friends who will support them and love them and help them through this horrible time. His family is strong, they are faithful and they are blessed to have had the time they did with him.

I used a quote in my post about Declan when he passed away and I'm going to use it again here. "People think a soul mate is a perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave. And thank God for it." Josh, I know some of your soul mates and I know you are missed terribly, and I know your memory will be kept alive through them everyday.

This Thanksgiving, be grateful for the ones we have loved and lost and the ones who are here with us to celebrate. Be thankful for your sorroundings, for your family, your friends, your children, your faith. Life is short, live it.

Rest well Joshua Douglas Crews...05.18.76 - 11.21.10