272/365: everyone knowing...

"Does everyone know"...my sweet nephew, Max...and that he loves "challah bread," chick noodle soup, applesauce, all the family at big dinners, Jewish holiday festivities..."does everyone know" that we love him and everything he says! Thank goodness for everyone knowing we love Max

271/365: Reaching this Day of Remembrance

"Many are our blessings on this Day of Remembrance. We give thanks for life itself, for all that sustains body and mind, for love and friendship, for the delights of the senses, and for the excellence of the Torah which deepens our life and enriches our days. O let abundant life be the heritage of all earth's children!" Thank goodness for reaching this Day of Remembrance 5772

263/365: matching pajamas

Once in a while, there is nothing like two little siblings matching exactly...I love it! Thank goodness for matching pajamas

262/365: sweet sleeping baby boy

Can you tell that daddy did bedtime tonight? Luke's snaps are all misaligned and his diaper is out for all to see...but it didn't stop him from getting a non-stop trip on the shluffy train. My favorite times are checking on my sleeping boys before I go to sleep myself...thank goodness for sweet sleeping baby boy

260/365: pee wee soccer

Today was Sam's first day playing organized recreational soccer! He was so excited for the cleats, shin guards, team orange shirt and especially the snack at the end of the game! We were excited to mingle with the mommies and daddies and enjoy the short little walk to fields from our house. Day one was a success! Sam started out clinging to me and moved to running with the team, scoring a point for the opposing team and having a great morning! I'm sure there will be many blog posts of Sam in action on the field every Saturday morning! Thank goodness for pee wee soccer

259/365: favorite books

So I picked up this funny potty book for Sam when he was first learning to use the toilet and the title is, Everyone Poops. It talks about all the different animals and how they go and of course how adults go and at the end of the book it shows all the animals lines up and says "everyone eats so..." and then you turn the pages and it is the back of all the animals and it says, "everyone poops!" When I went to tuck Sam in tonight, there he was amongst his "buddies" and says he wanted me to take an "everyone poops picture of him" ha ha! Thank goodness for favorite books

258/365: the birds

It looked like an Alfred Hitchcock movie in our back yard tonight...there were so many of these white birds perched all throughout the trees! I tried to snap a photo or two when they began flying away after they heard my camera but many were blurry. This is definitely a skill I want to work on during the next class I take in October...being able to show movement minus the blur and still demonstrating quality and clarity. Thank goodness for the birds

257/365: bubbly love

When I haven't taken a picture all day, and it has been harder to get them in now that I am back at work part of the week, the boys and their bath is my picture-perfect time to capture a priceless pic! Tonight there were many cute splashy photos but this one really captures just how much Sam loves Luke and he really loves baths with him...actually, lately, he would rather shower if Luke isn't going to be in the tub with him! He loves on him, tries to get him to giggle and his baby talk with Luke is the cutest! Thank goodness for bubbly love

256/365: tolerating water on our head

Sam has many little "shticks" that keep us on our toes...he prefers to be "line leader" and walk first down the stairs, you can't give him a straw before he picks out his smoothie in the morning, you must pause a DVD before shutting it off entirely, the list goes on and on and on and on and on and on...ha ha! Anyway, on that laundry list is when Sam gets his face or specifically his eyes wet in the bath, he likes a towel right away to wipe his eyes. Well tonight he surprised us with wanting to wash the shampoo out of his head all by himself! We take careful precaution to tip his head back and barely get a drop below his forehead which is why this picture is such a hoot! He made a little "visor" in attempt to block the water, but as it came pouring down, he laughed and loved it and did it over and over again! What a perfect precursor to our imminent swim lessons! Thank goodness for tolerating water on our head

255/365: a new front step

The front step has been crumbling down little by little so after finally deciding the best way to fix it and settling on the details, loads of rain prevented the job from starting! But finally the mason was able to pour the concrete and we are now on our way to a new and improved front step...which is the first step to a welcoming front entrance to the house...no pun intended :) Looking forward to some pretty mums up the walkway, maybe a bench of some sort on the landing and we will soon be getting some knocks on the door! Thank goodness for a new front step

254/365: day of remembrance

Ten years have passed since we felt this horrific jolt in history...I remember vividly where I was on the Ithaca College campus when I saw that first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center and thinking over and over to myself that it appeared to be a tragic and awful "accident" and then the second plane crashed into the South Tower...my heart came up to my throat and we all knew from that moment that things can go terribly wrong in our world and this was a living nightmare! It was a very tough day today recalling the day's events and hearing the names of nearly 3,000 innocent victims and their families...our lives and the country will never be the same. I recall traveling when Sam was 15 months old and the airline security insisted I remove his shoes to ensure nothing dangerous was hidden on his body. I began to cry at the thought that someone could and would do this and the fact that Sam and all of us now live in fear. Each year on this day and each day in between I think about the brave men and women that fight for our freedom to live in this wonderful country and I am so grateful. After watching and hearing the stories of many people caring for one another and helping to survive that dark day and the ten years following, it is clear that September 11, 2001, taught us that we as Americans must find comfort in our capacity for love and to understand one another. Thank goodness for this day of remembrance

253/365: Ithaca offspring

Today we hosted a little Ithaca reunion and what a great afternoon! The weather held out for most of the day and little and big Ithacans had a ball! And it is so great that no matter how much time goes by, these kids still have so much fun hanging out...literally :) Thank goodness for Ithaca offspring

247/365: a little lemonade stand

Our neighbor and friend's daughter, Rian had been wanting to have a lemonade stand all summer long so this last weekend of the summer, she finally did! Sam loved walking down the bike path to purchase a cup from his buddies and each customer received a seashell! Thank goodness for a little lemonade stand

246/365: bumper cars

This was the first summer that the boys did the bumper cars together along with some other non-kiddie rides! As always, they love being together on rides, each boardwalk fries, holding hands...doing just about anything or nothing at all! Sometimes it's fun not having them look at the camera and smile or wave...so here's is the only one with both boys in the photo! Lola sat this ride out! Thank goodness for bumper cars

244/365: Margate JCC

Today was the official first day of preschool for Sam and Luke's first day where I actually go into work and he stays until 3:30pm...not an easy day for mommy! In 10 months, Luke never cried and today he cried when I left the room, I tried to wait until he settled before I left the building which didn't happen so I complete sobbing mess, I eventually had to go to work and resorted to calling every hour! I am not sure how I am going to do this, but just hoping that Luke gets more adjusted and starts to enjoy his room and that fact that his sweet big brother is right next door! All I can say is I feel very comfortable with Luke's loving teachers who send me sweet texts and pictures to get me through the workday and Sam is so happy in the building with his buddies and all the staff that he knows and loves! Thank goodness for the Margate JCC