a life beyond running shoes.

family..... we were having dinner with some friends just before we left brooklyn, and the husband was pouring wine into my glass that had just been used at a cocktail glass. his wife tried to get him to get out a clean wine glass..... he said, "why? she is family." sigh. i miss my brooklyn family. i miss my home. i miss my life. we have arrived in florida. and i am thankful. i got to go to a women's bible study on the book of ruth . this is what we were reading: So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi [which means pleasant]; call me Mara [which means bitterness], for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” So Naomi returned, and Ruth the...

we have hit the public pools, the beach, and the playgrounds.... all in our first full week of summer. we also had our first experience at day camp.... we opted for the sports camp variety. the boys loved it.... and sweet pea conned the director out of her own camp shirt. very cute!!!

two books from last month.... see, i am behind. having so much summer fun, i just have not sat down to blog all about it. shocking!! the dew breaker . by edwidge danticat she uses the history of haiti and immigration to new york as the backdrop for this collection of vignettes that are all tied together. it is like reading eight short stories that are all linked together.... there was only one that i was thoroughly confused on how it connected. this is where i am thankful for my book club to enlighten me.... and help me appreciate a good haiitan fish cake. i think part of why i loved this book is the connection to my own neighborhood of brooklyn. the streets i walk, the neighbors i pass, could all have been part of this story..... strides: running through history with an unlikely athlete . by benjamin cheever. okay.... i am a nerd. i am also on a reading about running kick. cheever sort of goes through the history of running. but i can't say it is complete or thorough. it is...

if you run, you are a runner. it doesn't matter how fast or how far. it doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. there is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. you just run. -- john bingham disclaimer, i did not READ these two books.... i skimmed them. but i have changed the way i run. it is crazy. it is a bit like following alice down the rabbit hole. i am not kidding. i am a little obsessed. poor little bit has had to watch more than just a few you*tube videos on all of this. barefoot running . he is an advocate of barefoot living.... but as it relates to my post born to run running life.... he is in agreement regarding the forefoot strike. since i don't plan on running barefoot (often), it was a bit too much for me in terms of how to strengthen up my feet. but the take away is about posture, strike placement, and some toe & foot strengthening exercises. chi running . using methods and philosop...

i have not hid my love for YA (young adult) literature. in fact, i am re-reading all the harry potter books before the last and final movie comes out this summer. and i really did read all the twilight books. (i don't claim that i always read good books, wink, wink). but i loved the hunger games . and of course, the movie is being made. it is all over the blogisphere. and here is the cool part: brooke, who is a babysitter for a kid at the boys' school, just got cast. here is the post from one of the fan websites. (perhaps, i have seen this blog before... cough, cough). brooke is going to be octavia. (small but really cool part) i think i was the only mom on the schoolyard the literally yelped when she was talking about her audition..... then i really did scream when she said she got the part. perhaps it is because i was the only one that knew what she was auditioning for and HOW S TINKIN' COOL IT IS!!! and i just hang with her on the park bench while the kids ru...

i ran the brooklyn half marathon today. finally, a day with no rain..... but only after a fully water logged week. in terms of race prep, it made me nervous not to have a week of any miles. but i got up early... well, normal early for a running day. walked three-fourths o f a mile to the bus. ran into a few folks i knew..... but then found my corral.... and waited for the start. i hate standing around at the start of a race by myself. i feel self-conscious. i start analyzing my training... i start to psyche myself out. no good. i was missing stef this morning. this was my first brooklyn half without her. it was also my first brooklyn half running the opposite way. we started in the park. did a full two loops (which means i met the hill twice). ran down ocean parkway. turned on surf avenue and finished on coney island's boardwalk. i had a great race. i found someone i knew and ran with her and her friend from mile 1 - 9. that made all the difference. at mile 9, i...

or at least it can feel that way. living in a borough of one of the greatest cities in the world.... and most of my life is playgrounds, diapers, homework, and dinner.... with a bit of running thrown in..... i can get down on my lack of cultural experiences. between the financials of getting out much less getting a babysitter. ...... fu'gettaboutit. or at least it can seem that way. in the midst of surviving life with three small kids, major surgery, the anniversary of loss.... we have had an uncanny season of cultural opportunities: a concert. (that is glenn phillips from toad the wet sprocket.... the band i saw) a top modern dance company's performance. (albeit three weeks post-op) the opera. (see previous post ) the ballet. (mind you lincoln center twice in a month.... i have not been once in the six and a half years we have been here). plus, a small off-off-off (not even near) broadway play. it is because we have experienced the overly generous kindness of f...

last week was full of fun! cousin baby bear came to visit... oh, he brought my brother and his wife with him as well. brooklyn bridge, playgrounds, ny style pizza, peanut butter balls, the sand box, the stoop, and sidewalks.... too much fun. then i hosted a bridal shower while daddy took little bit to the ER for stitches. (he was jumping off a wall...of course he was). three stitches! but i made scones for our english tea party. it was delightful!

an opinion about opera that is. i have been to two in my life. i don't consider that enough to have figured out if i love it or not. i mean, i have friends that LOVE it. (i took one hoping she would rub off on me) i have an old friend who was in new york city opera's production of seance on a wet afternoon by stephen schwartz (from wicked and aladdin ). he was one of the singers and was incredible. the entire cast was incredible for that matter. (me with singer friend, todd wilander) i don't really know what i think of english opera. it was a bit jarring to have operatic voice singing, "billy" over and over again. as much as i am not accustomed to the genre, the voices were amazing.... and the show riveting. the lead soprano was .... phew... amazing. and one of the fun things about knowing a cast member, is getting to go back stage. um... shaking hands with stephen schwartz. ...and sitting on the rather spectacular set. throw in a super bizarre party upstai...

.... well that would be our easter. guess that is what happens when sunday is a work day..... and easter is the biggest work day of the year. i did have to pass off the camera in the midst of the egg hunt and never got a chance for a family photo.... there is always next year. the school we use on sunday mornings let us use the courtyard for our egg hunt. it was awesome! 250 jelly bean filled eggs!

amazing how when you are in a fog, you don't know exactly how thick it is until you come to the other side. then you can look back and realize exactly how foggy it was..... like when your husband donates a kidney. it was six weeks ago yesterday. definitely a fog. hubbie is back to work full time. he went for his first jog. and is feeling pretty normal.... just gets tired every once in a while. i guess i am feeling pretty normal too. the house is cleaner. i feel less frayed. and i am sitting down to blog..... life is returning to normal. last week we celebrated a six-year-old birthday. with mimi and mr. denny to join the festivities. we had breakfast at chuck *e* cheese. a family day into manhattan (including playing hookie from school). and friends teach us how to make sushi rolls in the comfort of our own home. plus pokemon cake. does it get better?! happy birthday, peanut! ....and happy birthday, uncle bud. the big 3-0!!! you are loved.

we also hit the staten island children's museum. my kids LOVE this place. we went on our way out of town while daddy worked at a local coffee shop. i mean, dress up like a firefighter, a construction worker, a talk radio dj, and life size connect four..... how much fun can one possibly have! i'm just glad i got good pics!

so i made my own laundry soap. my husband made his own beer. his is more fun....tastes better.....and easier to photograph. my idea came from my mother-in-law. tried my own.... a bit skeptical of my success. (i only have about 5 gallons of it to figure out if it worked) got the recipe here . he got a gift-certificate from my dad. there is actually a place locally that sells all the stuff you need. first batch was started just after new years.... and we have been enjoying the spoils for about a week. i can honestly say..... not bad! second batch is just waiting to be bottled.... guess we got some drinking to do to empty out those bottles!!!

we have had a ball in the snow. we love it when school is canceled! thank you, mayor. half of that pile is what left over from the snowfall over christmas. will it ever leave..... not anytime soon. guess i should order those snow boots for sweet pea already!

and she is missing her gran-babies.... here are some pics from our adventure to the brooklyn children's museum.

christmas in the city. our annual lessons and carols. christmas eve. our first trip to train exhibit at new york botanic gardens. thank you nanee and big for this fun adventure! christmas morning. reading the luke story.....just a bit blurry without my flash. (still hadn't had my coffee) sweet pea's first baby doll. christmas sweatshirts.