No gray yet but apparently plenty of wrinkles

So, as I put my sweet boy to bed, after the ridiculously adorable songs he sings to me in his angelic voice, after we do our ritualistic dream machine routine, after the 10-minute-much-too-short exchange of I love yous and I love you mores, he announces: "You know Mama, Colleen (gym teacher) just had her baby. He's really cute, and his name is Henry. And you know what, he has all these wrinkles on his forehead. Just like you, Mommy." Nothing like a truthful five-year-old to put you in your rightful place. Guess I should have listened to my mother after all and used the 15 instead of the 'but I'm only 20 and I'll look like this forever' zero oil.

Wir freuen uns!

Liebe Heidi und Familie!
Wir hoffen, die Gelegenheit zu haben, Euch alle zu erblicken!!
Teddy, Kuki, Gaby, Silvia ... bis bald!!

HOW many years have gone by?

DENIAL! We headed to Boston to visit Mommy's (college) and Daddy's (boarding school) alma maters. Okay, so 20 years ago, we were approaching 20 (which at the time seemed impossible- an entire two DECADES?). 20 years from now, we'll be staring at WHAT??? Denial was a good friend this past weekend. Aside from the time warp craziness of being back in places that seemed so familiar but yet from another lifetime, we LOVED our visit. The children are ready to sell the house, move permanently into a hotel room (which they associate with sleeping in the same bed, swimming in a cool pool and cozy tight quarter living) and forego home-cooked meals forever. So much fun to experience my school with the loves of my life. Marc, who participated in an alumni squash tournament at his boarding school, similarly loved showing them around and cozied up to the idea of sending H and P there. Never going to happen unless we indeed sell this house, move to MA and make day students out of them. This clearly from someone who still struggles with the loss of her son to kindergarten. I don't expect much of a mentality shift from myself for, well, ever.










Sweetheart of a new friend! Too bad she's a)10 and b)living in New Canaan.


Guest of honor (after whom the tournament is named) arrives at the luncheon. 94 year-old former school squash coach and up until recently still playing the game!



Masterful angles of Hugo's shot taking






Forbes dormitory- same benches Daddy sunned on 20 years ago!




Another new buddy. This time a resident of Canton, MA. At least reunions will come on an annual basis via this tournament.

New Year Celebrations

Both children's schools celebrated the Chinese New Year with fanfare. Marc was instrumental in both celebrations and has become renowned for his dumplings. For both classrooms, he designed a double happiness project where the children cut along designated lines and made their very own Double Happiness. H and his classmates received red pockets (filled with Chinese currency!) from their 9th grade buddies, enjoyed the dumpling feast and heard from Marc all about the Chinese zodiac and various Chinese customs.








Note most children in red...customary for the New Year.




From monkeys to rats to roosters to dragons to..... Fairies. A very sweet, no-boy birthday party of a former nursery school friend.

Winter's last hurrah

We've taken full advantage of Old Man Winter this year. Skiing - even mommy got outfitted this season - has become the children's sport of choice. This thanks to a very fun trip to NH and VT a few weekends back. What a difference a fantastic teacher can make! While I will unlikely ever graduate from the green trails, my more athletically inclined children are skiing blacks after one lesson. One very amazing lesson. Skiing footage below. For the velocity-averse, bowling is a nice option. Hugo's school hosted a school-wide bowling night which was a big success.









Footage from Dartmouth Skiway and Quechee


Following day, we're off the t-bar, on chair lifts, skiing down blacks and graduating to parallel skiing! (We, meaning the children. I am still crying my snowplowing self down the bunny slope.)

California Dreamin'

A wonderful trip to San Francisco. Pictures can do a much better job than I can illustrating how much fun we all had. To H and P the trip was about 365 days too short.