Wicked weekend

I decided to real-ify our spring break plans
***
~flashback music~
I originally thought I would drive
{yes, drive!
I had waited too late for good airfare}
the kids to Florida to visit Mickey.
We had hotel reservations and everything.
Then the 40 hours in the car
started making Florida sound
less like the Happiest Place on Earth
more like the furthest away.
So we made a quick spur-of-the-moment decision
{when I found 5 tickets to Wicked online}
to head down to NYC this weekend
for a quick one-day trip-let
***
I wish I had taken a picture of Sam
at the restaurant
when the gorgeous blond waitress
sat down next to him, put her arm around him,
and flirted.
Very rosy faced boy
with a wide grin.
Then he was picked not once
but twice to sing along with the
singing waiters.
Did I take a picture?
No. Shoot.
***
The girls especially loved the musical.
There were happy tears
& excited bouncings
& lots of recaps.

***
A map of Greg's travels
last week would make you suspect
he is spying on the Pope.
He spent two days in DC
in his shadow
and then we overlapped with him
in NYC (but no sightings except the
cordoned off streets).
***
That's all I've got for now.
Am having a bit of a blog drought.
A case of bloggerblock identity crisis.
A blog fast.

Providence was heavenly

We had a grand time. Amazing what a couple of days away will do to clear your mind and reshuffle your thoughts so that the things that really matter are on top.

Favorite moments: stumbling upon the storefront for a fantastic puppet workshop, belly laughing together during the Globetrotters, discovering & exploring a mysterious huge nest sculpture at Brown University, just walking around, and having deep and memorable conversations at restaurants with our own kids.

If you are one of the few people who want to know more or to see your grandkids more up close, you can click the links below:

1. cool ironwork, 2. chair dancing, 3. Downcity street, 4. I like these people, 5. Fam Damily,6. Carrot gone crazy, 7. Brown University quad, 8. Biltmore in Providence, 9. love these phone booths, 10. Tiled station, 11. Puppet workshop, 12. Pool roof, 13. Street of my dreams, 14. M in the nest sculpture, 15. Sam digs the pool,16. Sam & owl puppet, 17. Blurry breakfast, 18. she takes after me, 19. Improvising, 20. Cool twig sculpture,21. Contrasts, 22. beautiful view from hotel room, 23. Art is everywhere, 24. tiled columns, 25. M in euro cafe

I hope you had a beautiful Easter weekend. If you're wondering what to do with all the leftover peeps (yeah, right!) here are a few ideas. I'm glad I live in a world where people make dioramas from peeps. Here's another interpretation (thanks Dayna):

Let's make like a banana and split

We're off on a little family adventure this weekend. The kids have Friday off and Greg's starting to feel the slightest bit trunky during these last few weeks at his current job before the move to another company.* This morning we found a great deal for a couple of nights at a hotel in Providence (I know! how spontaneous, don't you think? Another new year's resolution enhancing our somewhat winterblah lives). We love Providence--it's got a great feel with the Rhode Island School of Design, the zoo, Brown University, nearby Newport, and great walking along the river.

And THEN the cherry on top of the weekend sundae, we found out that (cue Sweet Georgia Brown whistling) the Harlem Globetrotters are playing there on Saturday. We are so there. Greg has vivid memories of the Harlem Globetrotters playing at the Spectrum (will they win? will the Globetrotters be able to pull it out in the end? oh, the agony...) One entitlement of parenthood is forcing your own children to enjoy the things you remember loving as a kid, right?

And, let's be clear, there will be some minor forcing for some. This will not be the favorite moment of the weekend for one of our children (three guesses which one...). But our hotel is attached to the mall so I think that will more than make up for watching basketball antics for a couple of hours.

I'll leave you with one clip to brighten your day. If you've ever wished (even just a little bit) that life were more like a musical, this will hit the spot. It's another public improv project like the Frozen Grand Central one:

[Edited to add: I just found out that the Globetrotters have yet another place in Greg's childhood. When he was 7 or 8 he received free tickets to the Globetrotters for good attendance at school in Chicago. He was SO EXCITED he could hardly stand it. Then, in one of life's cruel twists....he got the chickenpox. He remembers sitting in an oatmeal bath, crying and thinking about the fun night that might have been. I picture him shaking his fist to the ceiling and mournfully crying "Globetrotters"! Luckily we are remedying this or it might have been his last words, a la Citizen Kane and rosebud.]

*yes, he's changing jobs. After months of decision wrangling and five rounds of interviews for the job, he's decided to leave his current job for an exciting and interesting new one starting at the beginning of next month. Still here in Boston, so no moving required.

San Diego, I hardly knew ye

{or alternate title:}
It was the best of times, it was the sickest of times.
The trip started like this:

rain.
That day I went to bed at 4 p.m. &
shivered feverishly in bed
& slept for the next 24 hours
Here's Greg's romantic valentines dinner out that night:

You're right: That's not me!
{When they did photos of the couples
this was the joke shot of Greg & our friend Laura,
who sat next to him at dinner. With her husband.}
I also missed the whale watching/
deep sea fishing trip the next day

Then things started looking up.
Great views from our seaside house:

Fantastic food, great conversation,
& dear, inspiring friends
{I've known them for over 22 years}

{watching the pod of dolphins on our last morning there}

Thank you, friends.
Until next time...

What I got for Valentines Day...

Ours has been a sick house off and on for the last month. Greg had strep, Lauren had strep, and then three days ago Maddy came down with a fever/cough combination gomboo. Through it all I have stayed healthy, practically bathing in purell and vitamins. I think I forgot to knock on wood.

On the drive to the airport yesterday I started feeling a little tickle in my throat. I'm sure it's just allergies, I whispered to myself unconvincingly. The headache started as I sat waiting in the airport for my flight. Maybe I'm just hungry, the delusional voice said. So I bought a chicken caesar salad to take on the plane with me.

By the time I got on the plane and buckled in, I had the uncontrollable need to cough. I will not be that annoying person on the plane I promised myself. You know, the one that everyone glares at for bringing their coughing germs to the shared air space. Instead I took a sudafed and spent the next 6 hours clearing my throat a lot.

About halfway into the flight I got sick. Really sick, the kind of sick you don't want ever be, but especially on a plane. The salad wasn't sitting with me well. I made...I don't know...12 trips to the lovely airplane loo. Now, I usually have a strong stomach. I'll feel queasy but not more than that. The last time I did that was 10 years ago. I have even spent an entire pregnancy without needing to do that.

My prayers in the claustrophobic bathrooms sounded like this: please help me to feel better. Or at least a little bit. Help me not to throw up on any passengers. And if I do, let them be really really understanding and compassionate. Please let me stay in the loo even if the fasten seat belt sign goes on. I will never take health for granted again.

At one point I asked one of the flight attendants for a bag to take to my seat just in case and she gave me a big white garbage bag! (Whatever happened to those cute little bags that used to be in the pocket on the back of the seat?)

We finally landed & I found Greg in the airport, who had landed just five minutes before me. He took good care of me & I'm feeling much better this morning. Things are looking up.

I'd just like to send my apologies out to the passengers of flight 411 last night. I'm so sorry. And happy valentines day, from me to you. Ah, the gift that keeps on giving.