Happy Thanksgiving!

Not too much to say at this hour - but I couldn't leave all my fans hanging. Waiting for a release for the holiday... Be free. Enjoy. Consume and be merry.

I will share with you what Keelin is giving thanks for - according to the turkey she made at school:

1. Her dog
2. Pumpkins
3. Turkey
4. Trees
5. Legs

Ain't that the TRUTH!

Finn made a centerpiece for the table - with fake flowers and leaves stuffed into a paper towel roll, glued to a yellow paper plate. I absolutely love it.

For those of you spending a nice long weekend with your family and friends - think about the new holiday NPR has established for Friday - The National Day of Listening. Sit down with someone you care about and ask them to tell you a story... something you have never known about them. And be thankful.

Shout Out To Norman

Susie's Grandpa G died last night.

Norman ~ May there be baskets-o-plenty. Rest in peace.

If only she weren't so SHY...

Last week when the kids were at Gigi's, Keelin created this costume. She's playing Fancy Nancy - and if you know Fancy Nancy, I think you will agree she pulled it off fabulously. I called her Mother Nature for the rest of the night.
Ps - she did not wear that dress there, nor have I ever seen it before.

This next shot has so much to say that I think i'll just leave you to your imagination. Just please note:

• Finn has shells paper clipped to the net he is wearing over his shoulders.
• Keelin is holding Hannah on the lease. Inside.
  

And the closing shot. Because even Mother Nature has to eat dinner.

On a more serious note, Loch actually went to the doctor twice today. He had a very slight limp on and off after the treadmill incident, then he fell in the bathroom the other night, and the limp is now more pronounced. They didn't think it was much, but we're waiting for test results tonight. Keep the Lochster in your thoughts!

GooooooooObama!

I'm just struck by my total lapse of brain power and planning in this blog-o-mine. Robin, I can hear you tsking me as I type. I let the election and the results slip by with nary a comment. Well for the sake of my children, who I trust will be reading this in a few years, I have to mark this momentous occasion.

WARNING: Nothing terribly eloquent coming up here. Just me.

Barack Hussein Obama. Sound presidential or what? I love it. I do remember when I was young and I determined which candidate was more well-suited for the big house on Pennsylvania Ave by his name. (Yeah, it was always "his" name back then kiddos). Good thing I was only voting in the phony booths in the gym. I also have a really vivid memory of walking home from the drug store one afternoon with one of my best friends Jill. I was convinced that I could do a better job than Jimmy Carter, and I was explaining why. Keep in mind I was somewhere between 8 and 12. I ruled the world.

I am not sure if I was a dyed in the wool Democrat yet. My parents, being aliens and all, were - and are - both independants who typically vote democratic, but they never rammed any politics down our throats. Luckily they never really rammed ANYTHING down our throats... but I digress.

I do however remember when I became a Democrat. It was a conversation with my mom about how Democrats are typically more liberal on immigration than Republicans. That was the moment when I decided to lean the donkey way. Silly as it may have been, my political bias began right there. I might have been 8. I recall the thought -People think all immigrants are shimmying under a fence to get in here, but some of the immigrants are doctors and educated and simply want to raise their kids away from guns and tanks and peat. (Ok, not so much peat IN Belfast, but in my head the whole country smells like peat. Which I love.)

And really I feel the same way today. Only it's not about the doctor and educated part. I believe that people who need and want to get the heck away from something should have the right to do so. And we should help. My dad served in the Air Force when he got here - because he had to. I'm cool with that part. Bring it back - we need some help in that department.

It might also be the fact that my parents were the minorities where they grew up. They were the ones who couldn't get certain jobs or go to certain clubs or eat in certain restaurants. And America was the land of the free. Thank God. Belfast had lots of guns and bombs.

And I like to think - although I don't think THEY thought about it - that's why they never rammed anything down our throats. Nor was there any prejudice in our house. Dad had lots of patients who couldn't pay and they bartered help for healthcare. Wow - what a concept. Dad took an oil change in exchange for a physical, or an office visit. So much for the "new" healthcare crisis. People have been struggling to pay for doctor visits for as long as I can remember.

Lots of those patients were black. They were a part of our lives as they would work to pay down their bills with Dad. And I just can't remember a single conversation about race or equality or anything. Everybody just was. And worked hard. And treated my Dad like a super hero. That part was cool.

So back to Barack. Hot damn it feels good to be proud of our president-elect. Bill Clinton was pretty darn exciting too, but the legacy has been tainted. I voted for Barack in the primary back in February and I voted for him again last week. I agree with his plans. I like his thinking. I am so glad he wants to regain our status in the world as a nation that helps our neighbors - not one who arrests them, tortures them and holds them for a few years. Back to Belfast - that crap happened to people in my family and I have heard the stories firsthand. I'm talking hours - not days and not years. That wasn't right in the 70s in Belfast and it sure as hell isn't right here in 2008.

I'm not actually into National Healthcare (call my dad for the 411 on that opinion) but I am for covering kids, seniors and for catastrophic coverage for everyone. I still think people should work for their living. I think families who are on extended periods of social services - young adults especially - would be well served with a few years in the military or an organized community service program that gets results. I'm ok with that exchange. You get what you need to survive, keep your kids safe and stay proud.

I really voted for Barack because he is a smart man. I trust the guy. He taught constitutional law. He is aggressive and fought tooth and nail to get where he is. I love that his mother woke him up at 4:30 in the morning to do his homework together. I hope I would do the same if tested like that - but I really hope I never have to find out. She was a role model and he is now a role model because of her.

I don't think he's going to take us too far left. I do think I'm going to pay more in taxes, but I don't think he is going to screw me. I'm ok with paying more. Who the hell else is going to pay for all the debt we've racked up? I expect the former head of Lehman Brothers to pay a lot MORE, but I don't think I'm exempt.

Oh yeah, and one more point. I keep hearing the word historic. This was and is a historic moment in our history. I am so proud to be part of it and can not wait to watch it unfold. I am humbled by this accomplishment and how great and proud a moment this must be for black Americans. But one news clip keeps ringing in my head - "nowhere else on earth could something like this happen - only in America".

To that I say, get off your stupid high American horse and get real. Stop giving yourself a pat on the back and let's get the job done. We've got a smart guy in the hot seat for a change and let's make the most of it. Don't turn this into a "we are so great" routine of another flavor. Let's build back our credibility. And be ethical. And grow. And set global standards on renewable energy. Then stand on an EARNED moral highground. And two more words: Nelson Mandela.

Pictures from Duxbury

You may recall the earlier story of our insane tuna festival in Duxbury right before we went to the Vineyard. Well I just got the pictures Kerry took - and there are a few cuties to post. I won't elaborate and recant the weekend, I'll just say we had a super time and we all loved our brief stay. We're ready to move in with Kerry and Brian. Anytime. As soon as they invite us. :)

This shot was only possible because of the torrential rain that followed us to Duxbury - then onto the Vineyard. All the kids were running around like mad in the rain and they needed a warm bath to take the chill out. You try separating them. Just try. A tub for 5 was the easiest option for keeping the troops happy!
Here is Keelin grabbing on to Izzy for dear life. A GIRL. A GIRL! Keelin wore Izzy's clothes for most of the weekend. Dirty, clean. Didn't matter.

And this is the best one of all. Finn was in LUV with Kate - and this shot captures his possessive nature I guess. As Kerry put it - Finn is protecting his girlfriend!! Note the stance. Look at that face - he means business!Next time we hope Betsy, Ted, Caroline and Addison will be able to join us for the fun. Although my kids might not be able to handle the fact that the four girls are cousins. Could get ugly. Scratch that - we'll just have to visit them all separately!

Weekend blurrrrr

Friday night was actually pretty mellow. I think. I can't remember that far back! Yes, we stayed home after Rob & I both worked a little late.

Saturday morning we had a terrible scare when Loch took the pin out of the treadmill and the whole platform fell. On him. Splat on the floor. It was horrible. Poor little guy was silent for about 30 seconds after I got him out while his eyes just popped out of his head. Then all he could say was "I scared. I scared. I scared". Awful. But he was normalish about 20 minutes later. Luckily we were headed for Dr Grandpa's for lunch.

The kids had just about had it when we arrived, but they were excited to tear up dad's house. For those of you who don't know my dad, he has a MASSIVE sweet tooth and he hordes candy. He keeps insane amounts of candy in his office. This summer the kids searched and searched for the holy grail, and they found it. Luckily Grandpa got smart this time - but then he just doled it out like The Candy Man after lunch. AFTER a birthday cake too. Major sugar overload - even for my kids who will actually volunteer to stop when they've had "too much sugar". The grownups were busy working the champagne, red and dessert wines. ZZZZ.

Finn went berserk and played catch with my dad in the tv room. Keelin was zoned out after the rush and Loch was pretty close to full on exhaustion, but no - there's more! We then went to see my nephew Willy (Carrie's middle son) play lacrosse at Wesleyan. He's on a travel team - and they were playing a CT team, so they came down from Boston. It was pouring rain - so about 20 minutes we headed to Grandma's house to get ready for dinner.

Tom invited the lax coaches and about 4 other kids to come over, so we had about 20 people in the house for dinner. That includes 3 cousins - but I think our kids thought all 10 of the kids were their cousins! Finn was in 7th heaven with the big kids. And he wasn't just following them around - Finn was actually holding court with these highschoolers. I was so proud. Finn was completely out of his shell and loving every minute of it. Chit chatting away. About skateboards. He ate his dinner (because the boys did). He drank gatorade (because the boys did). He hung out in the bedroom (because the boys did). It was probably the best day of Finn's life. I think we need to find him an older boy to hang out with on a regular basis!

But the best line of the night was Keelin's. At one point after dinner, she came running in like the cat who ate the canary. Grinning from ear to ear she said "Ummm. Aunt Lisa? I have something silly to tell you. The cousins went outside. To clean the car. But they are just in the back seat. AND THEY ARE KISSING!!!" Tommy was snagged. Making out in the back seat with his girlfriend.

I guarantee he's not looking forward to our next visit :)

Then today I took the kids for a hike and a few rounds on the playground at school. Gigi and Baba watched them while I got my nails done, we had dinner at their house, and came home in time for bed. Which is where I need to go now.

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday Rob surprised me with a birthday dossier that included tickets to see Phil Lesh in the city. We left around 1:30, arriving at the Sheraton around 2:30. With car parked and bags in hand, we waited to check in. There were hordes of post-marathon zombies hobbling around. Lots of ahsifiggernemani, several wheelchairs, many crutches and even a few people with medals proudly hung around their necks.

I started chatting up one woman there - telling her it was my birthday surprise so Rob hadn't used my Starwood Preferred number when booking the room. "So can we add it and check for any potential upgrades?" Clearly a woman who appreciates a birthday, she zipped us up to the counter, telling the check-in woman to upgrade us. But, uhhhhh. No room.

Turns out there is ANOTHER Sheraton right across 7th avenue. So we schlep over there with our bags. Bad news was that this was the worse-looking of the two lobbies. Good news was the woman from Sheraton #1 came running over with a special birthday order for us! She probably felt badly for us in the dumpier Sheraton! The man at the desk DID upgrade us - to a bigger, corner room on the 16th floor. With a cool view straight down Broadway to Time Square. This shot was taken with my blackberry from the room - not bad!

Then we went to a yummy restaurant in Hell's Kitchen - Taboon. Luckily we got in early enough to eat without rushing and get out in time to stop into the hotel to change before the show. We got into the Nokia Theatre with ease and were happy to see they WERE serving drinks. I love the venue - small and intimate with easy acess to the loo and the bar! Here is another phone pic of Phill jamming it out. We were super close to the stage and still had lots of room to bust a move.

When we returned to the hotel (with take-out slices of birthday cake in hand) we found a bottle of nice wine, cheese and crackers and a bowl of cut strawberries. Our little friend from Sheraton #1 hooked us up. Very nice indeed. Too bad we both passed out after just a few bites and sips!

All in all a great birthday. Now i'm watching election excitement on TV. All news looking good right now... PHEW.

Quickie

Trying to step up the pace - so this is a blackberry pic from today! I have a better one from a fallen tree they managed to rig into a seesaw, but for some reason it won't go from phone to email.

Ann & I took the kids for a hike around the trails at Earthplace. We were on the move for 90 minutes and my kids were EXHAUSTED! Literally groaning about how long it was and how their legs hurt. YIPPEE - Mission Accomplished!

It was so nice out - a crisp, clear November day. I wish I had the real camera. Then we went to Gigi and Baba's for dinner and crazy tubs. I'll get Gail to send me some tubs shots. It is ridonculous how many bubbles that tub can create.