I'm Thankful.

Noticing the many good people that are examples to me, is something that really helps me day to day. Some inspire me, inform me, humble me, teach me to be a little more patient and there are many other simple reminders that I love noticing. No matter what I learn, I am thankful... thankful for life too! Especially because I notice in myself that I often don't have a filter or that I don't say something when I should, making me... not the best example. Maybe that will be my New Year Resolution. ;) Love To All and Lots of It.

Thanksgiving Memories

2009

Paisley and I were up early. We got some donuts, saw a whole bunch of people with tall ladders walking down the street, headed to the same place we were...The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! We live about 8 blocks away from where the parade starts. The picture of the balloons waiting on the ground, is right to the side of the Natural History Museum. We weren't fortunate enough to get a front row standing view, but were quite happy with the large SUV that many children and adults used to prop themselves up on. Paisley got a spot. There was no way I was going to let her hang off of the tow truck that the tons of children in the other picture are doing! Welcome to New York, it was hilarious. So we were on 74th and Central Park West. A street that we walk down nearly everyday. It will never be the same walking down central park west...so magical and to think that they have been marching down that street for 83 years! I was touched when I saw that I'm not the only one who cries at parades! Both women on each side of me had tears streaming. I did remain under control thankfully. It was very cool. We met up with the Parade Party Poopers, Ella and Scott at the park after. They had made it down to 74th street, but it was just way too busy to try and squeeze through people.

So can you guess who Paisley was SO excited to see? The only thing that I said that morning that made her jump out of bed and go so early to the parade? Spongebob. She's got a thing for him.I love it when he tries to irritate me with silly faces. I look quite silly myself.

A little Native American Art with Daddy, to get the party started.

Ella and her first updo on Samantha.

Do you know how relaxing and wonderful Thanksgiving was? So much, that we were in the Graham's studio apartment for 7 HOURS, without a single care in the world on my end! We watched Christmas movies, played a little Rockband and just hung out! Thanks Kaye, Gary and Elise for your hospitality and great company! All of the food was delicious, like usual! It was quite a feast with all of our food together!! I did however, have another realization that it is nearly impossible to cook in our kitchen. I barely managed to make this Fall, in our tiny nook... Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Mississippi Candied Yams and Salad. Other goodies to keep Scott going during the past couple of weeks included Butternut Squash Soup, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake.

Hope Your's was filled with Family, Friends, Joy and Great FOOD! So thankful for all of those.

What we do...

I've been doing some picture file organizing and after reminiscing through almost 7 years of pictures, I noticed 3 very consistent common threads throughout them all. Here a few of the pictures I found, from each...

1. Cotton Candy- We're a little crazy bout the stuff. All. Of. Us.

2. Carousels- Learning about the different types of carousels and the era they were made is intriguing to me for some reason. I love to hear the different music of each . Everything about all of them are so unique from one another. And, the girls LOVE them. A few of the carousels that I can recall off the top of my head are, Central Park, Bronx Zoo, San Diego Seaport Village, Belz Mall in Las Vegas of course, The District in Las Vegas (one of my favorites!), Disneyland, Cedar Pointe and The Wild Animal Park

3. Children's Museums or Museums in general: These are pictures from this summer at the San Diego Children's Museum. It may be my favorite children's museum yet. Other favorites of ours are, The CMOM, Natural History, Lied Discovery in Las Vegas, and the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.

Oh how we LOVE Family Fun Days. They are the BEST, right? When we can laugh and feel like we have not a care in the world, at least for an hour or two? It's so nice to feel like a kid again once in awhile and these 3 things do just that!

7 Years.

Paisley and I went to a play date last Friday, where the other child's Nanny, I and another Nanny and the children she cares for watched after the kids in the buildings, basement/ laundry room/ bike room. These playrooms are especially lovely in the winter, as they are our children's space to get energy out after being cooped up inside a tiny apartment all day. I wish our building had a playroom/laundry room/bike room...but our time will come soon enough, hopefully.

Anyways, I was talking to the hostess Nanny and although I had heard of these situations before from books and movies, I had never met a woman, who moved to the United States for better opportunities for her family, from Nepal, leaving her 3 children behind with her Mother-In-Law and Sister...7 years ago. She left her youngest 2 year old and has not seen him or his two brothers in 7 years. That 2 year old is 9 now. I am so heart broken for her and the many other parents who sacrifice so much in hopes to someday live a free life that all people deserve.

Of course it makes me so grateful for ALL that we have been given and the rights that we have, but sitting there as she wept, talking about her children just affected me so much, I hardly felt like I had the right to be there or to look at her b/c I felt like there was no way that I could have any idea of what she has been through. I have the slightest idea of the issues in Nepal, but it sounds like after a peace treaty was signed in 2008, things are lookin' up.
This is what wiki said:

Nepal experienced a failed struggle for democracy in the 20th century. During the 1990s and until 2008, the country was in civil strife. A peace treaty was signed in 2008 and elections were held in the same year.

Many of the ills of Nepal have been blamed on the royal family of Nepal. In a historical vote for the election of the constituent assembly, Nepalis voted to oust the monarchy in Nepal. In June 2008, Nepalis ousted the royal household. Nepal was formally renamed the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal when it became a federal republic.

And the good news is, is that her children will soon be traveling to the US to be reunited with their parents! Hooray! Talk about 7 years of sacrificing and hard work, paying off. Can you even fathom? I know me, and I would never survive something like that. Women like her are such an example to me of strength and endurance.

The Wedding March- Mariella and the Sax!

A sideways video...Scott just LOVES it when I film sideways! Oh well.

Paisley Turns Four. She Enjoyed Her Birthday just the way we like it...in little pieces spread out over a few days!

Paisley was super excited when she woke up to her Birthday Banner. After staring at it for awhile she said, "Mommy I love it because the shape that the letters on looks like Dopey's head from Snow White." And they really do, don't you think? Cutie Anne.

A Pre-K Celebration. Ms. Santiago never fails to bring each student a balloon and gift on their birthday. Along with special attention all day. Ella snuck in through the joining bathrooms, which she is known to do...for the celebration. Paisley handed out a party favor to all of the children. I brought two-bite cupcakes and read our favorite birthday book that Auntie Jen got Paisley when she turned two. Birthday Monsters by Sandra Boynton. She's one of our favorite children's authors.

We are liking the Times Square, Toys R Us tradition that we've got going. We stopped by, let the girls pick out a toy...or two and then ate at Tony's, where they brought out vanilla ice cream, just the way Paisley likes it. With lots of cherries that she loves, because the texture reminds her of...binkies of course.

And then on Sunday, Paisley officially turned 4 years old! We had a family "Rockin Party" as Ella would say, with the Grahams.

Enjoying the cookie set that Aunt K.T. and Leesy gave her. The oven mit is so adorable on her little hand. Cute Stuff!

Gary gave her the newest Tinkerbell Movie and the girls watched it that evening. It even has a "Fairy Gary" in it! No Joke. We all laughed when we heard it. Good pick Gary.



Great Grandma and Grandpa Fabbi's card to Paisley.

And what birthday would be complete without a little bit of messy shaving cream fun? We will be doing a lot of that this winter...Happy Holidays to EVERYONE and thanks for all of the PERFECT cards, gifts and wishes sent to our sweet girl for her birthday. It makes life so special and fun!

The Quickest, Neverending Month.

The month is half over. It has gone by SO fast yet SO n.e.v.e.r.e.n.d.i.n.g. at the same time. We have been enjoying our time together, loving the Fall weather and celebrating Mine and Paisely's birthdays. Lots of fun for sure!

We have found ourselves, on countless occasions, simply walking to the park the past few weeks. It is so lovely and relaxing and we don't have to think of something wonderful or educating or overstimulating to do. After all, I don't think anyone would disagree that the park is both wonderful and educating, right? I am really loving the early Saturday morning double stroller jogs (Scott) walks (Me) and the sunset walks to Riverside.

Soldiers and Sailors Monument on 89th and Riverside. The evening before Veteran's Day.

Michael's opened! Along with TJ Max and Whole Foods, just 11 blocks away! The girls and I are quite excited about the dollar bins. You will know where to find me M-F 8:30am- to 10:30 am, from now on...except Costco and Target just opened in Harlem as well that I've been meaning to go check out...this place is turning into a suburb I tell you and I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

Mclaren Recall

Just a heads up, Mclaren has recalled 1 million strollers...ours being one of them and we've all got Mclarens here in NYC, right? It's very relevant to us, b/c both of our girls were victims as to why the strollers are being recalled.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/09/national/main5586256.shtml

This is the corrected story, I got the two incidents mixed up originally!
I remember being at a primary presidency meeting. Scott called me,probably scared to death to tell me what happened...Ella went to sit down in our stroller. The hinge had not snapped all the way and her finger got stuck in it. Scott had to pull it out. The pressure had just completely made the tip of her finger explode. She had to go on antibiotics because it got staph. The first round didn't kill it and the infection came back a month later. It was SO SAD. And what is worse is that there have been 12 children that have had to have parts of their fingers amputated b/c of it. SO GLAD we took her to the Dr. about that. Twice. No scars either.

Paisley had the same thing happen to her a few months later. We were on the street and I panicked. I couldn't get it out and started screaming curse words! With the help of a random man off the street, we pulled her finger out. Her fingers are so little.

I love this stroller. It's only 9 lbs. and it has been my vehicle. I feel bad that I didn't report their injuries...I thought it was just us!

Kits will be out soon to cover the hinges, which I don't see how it will help any, but we'll see.

Halloween 2009

We strolled down Amsterdam and Columbus with our neighbor friends, stopped by Chipotle on our way back uptown, with our burrito costumes for a free meal and then ended the late night perfectly at The Graham's for a fun Halloween Party!

Mariella The Mermaid at the Mermaid Inn on Amsterdam and 88th. Auntie Jen sent Ella the sweetest mermaid book just in time for her to get excited about last night...Mermaid Dreams by Mark Sperring. We can really relate to this story. It is super cute.
Goldilocks




Friends...

...one for me...one for my bag...one for me...one for my bag...

This bed was TOO hard.


I threw these together 10 minutes before we left for the evening. Scott wasn't too keen on my last minute idea until...He then agreed that we had the best costumes in the restaurant.

I'd do almost anything for a free burrito.

Never met a burrito I didn't like. Especially you, Scotty.

I went the extra mile for my free meal. This bed was JUUUST right.

Coraline and the Dharma Initiative Crew.

For the love of sweetness!
Elise's FUN Halloween Party! Lots of food, fun movies and great company.

Can't wait to see all the cute pictures from your Halloween!

BOO-BERRIES?!

This is pretty much the extent of my Halloween "Decorating" this year....and they were all gone in less than an hour. Disposable/Edible is good. I could have spent more time on their faces, oh well. It's the non-perfectionist in me. And some extra shots of my happy girls. Paisley is doing a bit better today...hoping the antibiotics do the trick.

Speaking of Tricks...Ella came out of the bathroom tonight, with a tattoo adhered right where a necklace would sit. It reads..."Tricks N' Treats". Scott got a laugh out of that when he got home. And, I found two plastic spiders in my Brita pitcher tonight..."I just wanted to do a trick for Halloween, Mom!" I was very surprised.

Thanks for the Halloween shirts Grandma Sue and Papa Kent! And for the cute Halloween hair stuff Auntie Jen. And for the DARLING Halloween cards and balloons from Great-Grandma and Grandpa Fabbi! We wish we could be visiting this Halloween, eating dinner in a pumpkin and trick or treating on Peppermill Lane!