Run, Bernie, Run!

With my TWO favorite, future Presidents of the United States!  Bernie, 2016...and Ira, 2048!  

Engaged!

That's right, we're getting married!!!! People Magazine's Most Eligible Bachelor (Hahaha, he'll never live that down!) is no longer eligible!  Making this family official!  And now to plan a wedding in three months, without spending money...can it be done?  Stay tuned!

NYC

Just returning from the BEST vacation ever!  Keep in mind that I usually don't enjoy myself in a city that much…cities normally bring out the paranoia in me, even though I've always appreciated the culture and things to do, (which makes them a necessary evil on occasion) I've never felt terribly relaxed and able to really have a great time.  Cities, as a rule, tend to scare and depress me.  This was completely different, perhaps because I try hard with my boys to not project my fears, maybe because we stayed with awesome friends who are as native as they come, maybe because we had perfect weather and not one single thing went wrong the whole trip, or maybe it was simply the magic of seeing my kids experience The Big Apple for the first time.  They were in absolute awe  and so excited.  Luis planned the perfect itinerary and we did every quintessential New York thing we could think of, somehow without feeling rushed or stressed.  We visited the Museum of Natural History where the dinosaurs and shrunken heads were a highlight, we explored Central Park, climbed all the rocks and checked out all the playgrounds, went to the zoo and watched them feed the penguins, we got totally pruney in Luis and Deb's pool, ate dinner in front of the apartment windows and counted taxis, tried New York pizza, bagels and lox, giant pretzels and everything in between.  We rode the subway all over the place, and the tram across the river, we took the ferry to Staton Island and climbed up in The Statue of Liberty, we watched street performers, we went to an enormous candy store, FAO Schwarz and peed in The Plaza.  We fed carrots to the hansom cab horses, rode the carousel, and slept like rocks every night.  Eli quickly memorized the whole subway route and Ira was a favorite with doormen everywhere.  Elevators and escalators and new sights, sounds, smells abounded.  Thank you, thank you, thank you to our sweet hosts who went above and beyond to make us feel at home, enough so that even worrywart Emily LOVED the city!  The most dreamy trip yet! 

11th Hour

Jack took our picture.  Or a lot, actually.  Many hundreds of pictures, and all fabulous, of course, in true Jack fashion.  Looking over the proofs, we're having a hard time choosing our favorite promo shots.  Such fun!

Tutu Cute

Nearing the end of another session of my Baby Ballet classes, which have remained pretty popular, despite the fact that we never know what room we're going to be stuck in, from one week to the next.  ...Makes for some challenging lesson planning on my part!  I try to repeat the basics a lot: warm-up stretches, the positions, tendu, chasse, plie, port du bra, jete, simple choreography...and so on.  But, to keep them from getting bored, we always throw in plenty of creative movement, games, and some fun props and toys.  The parachute, bubble maker and Elsa, the lamb, have been crowd favorites this session!  Because we have so many kiddos, I teach back-to-back classes on Tuesday nights and by the time I hit the hay, I'm utterly wrecked.  They're all so darling though, and our 'fridge artwork gallery has certainly multiplied from all the pictures and crayoned cards that get thrust into my hand by wee ones in tutus.  Plus, Ira's math skills have improved from being my cashier, so really, it's win-win!