How do you explain things to your kids?

I know that they have to earn about the disappointment and sadness in life, but it is really hard to watch. A friend of mine recently had to attempt to explain to her son why he would not see a friend anymore. Not for anything he had done, but for the circumstances of life that he had no control over and he was really sad.

Sunday I had to tell William that someone he really wanted to attend one of his soccer games this year (and had said they were coming), was not coming once again. Then I had to break it to him that due to scheduling conflicts for the last two games, it was not going to happen at all. He looked at me with that same sad hopeful face that he did when the person did not come to a baseball game in the spring and said, "Maybe he will come next year". How sad. How sad that I have now heard that same statement for two years and two seasons and he still has hope. It broke my heart. Then it made me really mad. But what can you do, you can't make someone do something they don't want to.

I am hoping that he doesn't know how much William looks up to him, or how disappointed he is every year and every season when he doesn't show up for even a part of a game. How sad it makes him when he is always to busy. I hope he doesn't know these things and not come anyway. I know it isn't a pro game, and I know William isn't the star of the show. But he is our star. He gets up every Saturday or Sunday, and puts on the gear of the season, and heads to the field and he wants people to see him and be proud. So I guess I will hold on to hope with William that during his next season, he might get a visitor that will come cheer him on as promised, who will show him that he is important to him and worth making the time to come and see, not just taking it.

But in the meantime, explaining why disappointment happens, and making sure they know that it has nothing to do with them, and letting them feel the hurt. I have to say is one of the most difficult jobs a parent has. And I have to say it pretty much stinks! I write this blog for the good and the bad, and most of the time it is the good. This one was hard. No photos, no smiles, nothing, but this is what I was feeling today so here it is.

A good day!

Now I know that not everyone can have a good day at the same time...

and yesterday was one of the most rotten I have had in a while...but two of my very best friends friends had stellar days...so here is to you who had days of a lifetime, that change a life. My stinkin, rotten bitter day in most ever way was worth it if any of the good karma was thrown your way!

I hope you both have more good days and I have less stinky ones... Lots of LOVE - me!

Fun with flashlights!

We have been having so much fun lately!
Fall is great, a moonlight hayride and corn maze with flashlights, what could be more fun! I have always loved our annual trip to Merrymeade for pumpkins, but it is even better when you get to go with someone new. Maggie just moved here from Florida and we are having so much fun reacquainting her with the seasons! It took a while for fall to hit but since it has, it has been beautiful! I was looking forward to the caramel apples and the pumpkin painting and all the things we normally do, but when we had to adapt the plans to go in the evening not of the normal things were open. To my surprise..there were so many more fun things to do that I would have never known about if we had not done the night shift. So as it normally happens, we all learned some new stuff!

Maggie and Tim had fun too. Although I am not sure Tim would admit it. He got to wander around the corn for a while looking for the elusive questions for two little boys who were so very excited! Finally Maggie and I decided we were hungry and we contacted "the policeman" to get us un-lost...

then we all picked out our pumpkins...sadly Tim and Maggie came up on the Motorcycle and the pumpkins they picked wouldn't fit on it so we had to babysit them till they could get to Ambler, but it was still lots of fun.

I am so happy that our family is spending time together. William and Patrick love their Uncle and love seeing him. It never matters what they are doing. They just love seeing him. I hope he continues to come around for them.

Here comes the bride!

well, here comes the ring bear...

Haven't blogged in a while, I was in Virginia for a wedding then NY for a conference came home and was sick in bed for three days...now I am was just distracted by life - or was. All better now! Finally!

So let me tell you...Patrick did SUCH a great job! What a beautiful wedding it was. I have never seen a Greek ceremony before, the priest chanted in Greek for a long time then he put crowns on their heads tied together with ribbons, he switched them back and forth three times, then he walked them around the alter three times. That represented their first steps in to their new lives...and they were married. Pretty cool, and I am sure I didn't do the description justice.

We all got dressed up in our finest, finery and had a wonderful time with our family. Brian and Alyssa are so perfect together. I really enjoyed watching them, just so kind. Really nice people, I am so glad they found each other.

Tom, Alyssa, Brian & Trish... (Rollie, bride in white...love-ya!)

Tom and I and his cousins & their spouses...they are really great, I wish they lived closer.

this was our gift, I spent a long time going through the photos Brian's mom gave me, and I love the chocolate paper!!!!!! Finally I used a cute clip to clip the "gift" in the back. A labor of love. I hope they like it.

I am designing this weekend, that always makes me happy. I have 2 kits up for the S.A.V.E. club, and a kick -XXX class for the January event to do. All it takes is the clouds to part and the creativity flows. We are also going pumpkin picking with my brother and Maggie. Lovin' Maggie! She went mini golfing with us last weekend while Tim was on duty, fits right in with our goofy family. Tim done good!

I will have to sign off now, I am so tired, not much sleep lately and I really feel like I can sleep tonight. Talk to you soon! T