Black & White Wednesday: Intersection of Long Road to China & Darling Street

This is one of my favorite intersections on the Long Road to China.

The Fab Five and we Darlings have met up on several occasions over the years.
It started innocently a few years back...just Lisa and me having an impromptu lunch. Lisa's job takes her near and far...luckily, one of the "far" spots is an hour and a half across the border into the Garden State.


We've spent time together at photography workshops, get togethers with friends/fellow bloggers, etc. Our rendezvous' vary...sometimes they include some of the kids, all of the kids, both the kids and husbands, you name it. We're even apt to throw in a Texan or Two, we're crazy like that!

This time we decided to make a weekend out of it and, despite the rain that poured down on our BBQ causing us to move indoors THREE times, we weren't dissuaded from having the stellar time we always do.



Lisa, ever the overachiever, wrote all about our weekend last week HERE and, in true Dita fashion, I am late to the party...but I come bearing gifts...lots and lots of photos!

The girls cornered the market on bubble blowing and perched high atop the swing set for the better part of two days.


They did occasionally take time out to make some tea for themselves and their littlest tea party guest.

The boys played video games, ate, watched movies, ate, horsed around, ate, riled the girls, ate, smooched Reagan, ate, slept and ate.

After her bath, Reagan discovered the joy of light sticks and I'm not sure who had more fun with them; Reagan or my mom watching Reagan's fascination with them!

The slightly over 20 contingent gabbed incessantly, drank yummy sweet peach tea cocktails, ate, enjoyed one another, ate, smiled watching our kids play so sweetly together, snuggled Reagan, ate, moved the food in and out and in and out again...ate, slept, ate and generally had a great time just hangin' in on a rainy weekend (eating!) so effortlessly together.

Sweetie got "sweet" on Handsome Nick!
C'mon, with a face like that and the personality to match, can you really blame her?

And I believe I could hear Sarah's heart pounding with excitement from 10 paces when the Boy Wonder would sneak up on her in plain sight and "scare" her. Yes, I can hear the screams of glee still in the backyard!

Saying goodbye is always the hardest part.
No one was happy to say goodbye to our friends...but it did hit Sweetie like a ton of bricks...
she sobbed "Nick, NIck....NICK!" the second their car pulled out of the driveway.

She definitely deserves the Oscar....or the NICK, as the case may be!


There was no consoling her and, as you can see from these photos...it was so heartbreaking even JR got misty...AND Wonderboy, well, he got awfully quiet and just kept telling me he missed them and what a good time they had.


Of course, we've begun making plans for the next visit already, but for now, the memories of our wonderful weekend together remain tucked in each of our hearts.

To see some great images from some fantastic photographers, click on over to The Long Road to China

Timeless Beauty

Black & White Wednesday: Backyard Starlet

You have the power to bring the world to you.

I've been watching you, Little Miss.

Just with a glance;

your sly little smile and the twinkling in your eye

renders mere mortals helpless beneath your gaze.

You are sheer perfection from the tip of your nose to the bottom of your toes.

Where did you come from, my love?

Even I, with the grandest of imaginations, could never have dreamed you.

I am in a state of constant amazement when I hear the things that come out of you mouth.

At three years old you ask me what I'm thinking...and you actually wait for an answer.

Tonight when I told you that one day I'll be the Nana to your daughter, you cried and told me that I just couldn't do that because you always need me to be the Mommy.

That feisty personality of yours just cracks me up.

It is the perfect foil to your truly compassionate, comforting and oh, so loving side.

I will remember these mornings for the rest of my life when you wake to find me up already

and beg me with sheer urgency to come back with you to bed to snuggle "in the nest"

...my sweet baby bird.

I honestly don't know how we trudged along in life without you.

Not a day goes by when your father, your brother and I don't look at you and

beam as we fall deeper in love with our little treasure.
(And don't think we don't see the glee in that gorgeous little face when you realize that all eyes are on you!)

You are, by far, the icing on the cake of life!

*Thank you for sitting still for the 5 minutes before our guests arrived on Easter to let me capture the beauty that is you!

It's Black and White Wednesday!
To see some great images from some fantastic photographers,

click on over to The Long Road to China

Happy 12th Birthday, WonderBoy!

A few weeks ago, the Boy Wonder turned 12.

We celebrated his birthday with family on Easter and again several times that week with those who weren't able to join us on Easter.

We discovered an amazing bakery right in our neighborhood; actually, its the baker who's amazing. She's so creative that we can't pass by without picking up one of her sweet treats on a regular basis. Let's just say we've stopped trying to look for reasons to have cake because we're powerless under her spell.

WonderBoy decided he wanted to have a camouflage chocolate on chocolate cake (big surprise, right?!)
The baker was excited about creating something special and one of a kind for him so she requested his favorite toys for the top of the cake.
WonderBoy rummaged through the ridiculous amount of army men, tanks and aircraft he's amassed these last dozen years and came up with a few of his favorites. Although they're indoor toys, I had to wrestle with him to soak them overnight and then he and his father delivered them to the baker the following day. He couldn't understand why I insisted on washing them and he wasn't happy with me at all....

Until he saw his cake, that is....and then he was oh, so happy!



Sweetie was uber excited for her brother's birthday that she'd wrapped up a present for him weeks before. She's big on wrapping and loves to help me wrap anything, including leftovers. In fact, she now asks why her good girl treats aren't wrapped when she earns one for doing something special at home or at school.
She's become somewhat of a wrapping snob, actually.

So when she heard his birthday was coming up and I saw her wrapping this present for "brother" I wasn't surprised. I did have to contain my laughter when she chose one of her favorite coloring books (all good'n used up, colored in and tattered) and wrapped it all by herself; even putting a recycled card on top that I had stashed for our arts and crafts. I was cracking up wondering how he was going to recieve this, uh, unique gift as I watched her hide it in her closet.



Then she told Nana as the birthday neared, that she wanted to wrap something else for him. My mother tells me that the contents of the second gift and all the wrapping with lots of "sticky tape" as she calls it....was again done all on her own.

I was so intrigued when I saw her stashing it with the other one but she refused to tell me what was inside and each day she checked on them in her hiding place waiting for the celebration day.



I have to hand it to WonderBoy...he feigned complete and utter excitement when she handed him her special treasures (the used coloring book and a dollar bill). It just melted my heart. She was so proud.

Unbeknownst to him he was soon to be rewarded for his efforts when he finally opened the last gift...a special one from JR and me.

There was no need for him to feign excitement at all when he read what his gift was...because there's one place in the world that the Boy Wonder loves more than any other......and it was his wish to go there again this year.



Bet you know how this story ends...our young Prince got his wish!

We're headed out of the country in a few weeks to celebrate his 12th birthday (along with another special occasion) on our favorite little paradise where sand, surf, sun and scrumptous food and drinks await!

He's been walking on air since!
We all have.

Easter 2011

Black & White Wednesday: Charmer

This is just ONE shot of so many really fabulous ones that capture the essence of my WonderBoy.

He agreed to be my muse a few weeks ago in honor of his 12th birthday.

It seems futile for me to try to explain how quickly he is growing so I'll just have to show you.I hope to have the rest of the photos up here later in the week.

It's Black and White Wednesday!

To see some inspiring images from some fantastic photographers, click on over to The Long Road to China

Dream

Dream, My Darling......and I will be right here when you awaken.

Don't mind me if I get nothing done and just sit here and stare
because my whole life I wished for you and from the moment you joined me here in my life, I have found it impossible to leave your side.



You are today and always...my precious baby girl.

Thankful Thursday: Papa's Got His Groove Back

And the Boy Wonder can't even contain himself...
he's giddy like a schoolgirl that his favorite playmate is back in action!




I have to admit, so is Mama!

Thank each and every one of you for your prayers and heartfelt wishes for JR's recovery.

He's on the mend bigtime now, and we are so grateful!

*************

Girls Rule!

All Aboard!

My Daughter, My Sunshine

A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer.

~Author Unknown

(...and yes, that's WonderBoy's Kiddie in her little loving hands...he was long gone on the school bus and didn't know she had him....SHHHHHH!)

Piggy Paint

Sweetie was born in September 2007, the Year of the Pig.

I'm not sure if its that knowledge or just coincidence but for the last few years, both she and I seem to gravitate toward anything with a cute pig on it. Of course she's head over heels for Olivia the Pig and any related paraphernalia (and, truth be told, I've got a Mom Crush on Olivia the Pig too!)

Up until very recently, Sweetie never in her life had her nails painted.

In addition to being concerned about the chemicals and formaldehyde in nail polish on my little angel's fingernails; I really don't enjoy the sight of chipped nail polish on anyone, young or old. After many misspent years in my 20's abusing my own nails with glue, powder, gels, etc. making me the envy of even the proudest of Jersey Girls; today I rarely even paint clear polish on my own nails.

So when Sweetie finally asked me for nail polish, I had to come up with something and, coincidentally for sure, it involved a Pig!

Of course, we had to get it!

Piggy Paint is a great non-toxic, low odor way to share some special time with my favorite girl...

and when that first chip appears...well, out comes the Piggy Paint Remover to the rescue.

Both mother and daughter are in Pig Heaven!

Faux Sushi

JR and I love sushi. The kids are big fans too.

We hit our favorite sushi haunt so regularly that they know us by name and our littles spend more time with the owner who fawns all over them than they do with us (great little perk!)

We order the same thing for the kids every time...a Bento box to share and two japanese sodas.

JR and I like to try new things and, for the most part, we love it all.

WonderBoy is a creature of habit and rarely veers off the beaten path when it comes to edible delights but Sweetie is another story.

She'll try anything once.

Of course, she wants to partake in our sushi since it always looks so perfectly gorgeous.

I still don't allow her to eat raw fish because of her age and, well, I'm a worrier.

So unless its California Roll or something thoroughly cooked like Smoked Eel or Spider Roll she's out of luck and I shoo her away from my plate.

In outlining my reasons for denying her I explained that most sushi is raw fish.

I didn't think it dawned on her what that really meant before but it did seem to sink in the other night after our discussion.

Actually, I'm pretty sure that she got the message loud and clear.

I was working at my desk on Sunday when she called me to the table for lunch (after we had a just eaten an hour before).

She said she made me sushi.

Indeed, she did.

(I caught her seconds before the entire teetering bottle of soy sauce perched on the couch spilled all over it and the living room rug)

Opening Day

This Saturday WonderBoy kicked off baseball season.

He marched with his team in the Opening Day Parade, then posed for team pictures followed by their very first victory of the season on the field that afternoon.

You'd think that would be the highlight of his weekend, right?

Though it was exciting for him, the true highlight was when I surprised him by showing up for his game with his two best friends, (The Sweet Sisters) along with his own little sister, to cheer him on...and, of course, our celebratory trip to Rita's after the game!

It's Offical...PLAY BALL!

Black & White Wednesday: JR, An Update

It's been a long, hard road for JR since his cornea transplant on February 10th...and the ensuing mega-infection that took hold and has been JR's constant companion for the past month.

He has been so strong through it all; never complaining.

But it has really beaten him down.

Anyone who knows my man knows that this is not him.

But it is, right now.

I sure do miss THIS guy.

In fact, we all do.

This experience is teaching our children (and me) all about patience and compassion for one another.

JR is teaching us all about strength and perseverence.

We are continuing his course of daily appointments and treatment and have sought a second opinion, which concurred with the first. They tell us that the infection is clearing very slowly and as much as wish I could speed things along, it is the passage of time that will ultimately close this chapter.

I cannot thank so many of you enough for all the well wishes and thoughtfulness you've shown JR and our family over this rough patch.

Your thoughts and prayers have meant so much to all of us.

Our sorrows and wounds are healed only when we touch them with compassion. - Buddha

*********

It's Black and White Wednesday!

To see some wonderful images from some fantastic photographers, click on over to

The Long Road to China

A Modern Day Cinderella Story: Special Photo Slideshow

I took these photos of my Sweetie back at the end of May 2010 while we waited for a performance of my niece's Cinderella themed Girls' Show to begin.

The gym was hot and crammed with people.

Sweetie was the Black Team's mascot in her Cinderella costume...however, she wasn't having ANY of it. So I took her outside to run off a little of her 2 year old energy.

Little did I know I would get some of the most favorite photos of my daughter that I've ever taken. They are my favorites because they truly show off the electricity of her personality and her iron will determination.

She wanted to get on that football field so badly and she not only wouldn't take no for an answer and found her way in; but she discovered a football buried beneath the bleachers....and, well, as they say, the rest is history.

I hope you enjoy this special slideshow that I only JUST put together after all these months (time is always at such a premium 'round these parts and I have decided to put blogging down on the priority list and living life right up top!).

Whenever I look at these photos I see her strength, beauty and the world of possibility that is open to her as a woman born today. I am so grateful to be her mother and to watch her evolve into the person she is meant to be. I strive to teach my daughter that she is all she will ever need and to always seek to improve the fine art of embracing and loving every facet of herself.

There is no doubt she will once day find her Prince Charming...but I'm confident that by the time he shows up, she'll have long realized that she wants him and doesn't need him.

CLICK HERE to view the slideshow.

I'm hitchin' my wagon to Stefanie's Sunday Snapshot....she's a girl with LOTS more adorable excuses not to find the time to blog than I have...and who somehow, manages to do it all!

Click around to my fellow Linky Linkers over there and see a slice of life from every corner of the world!