New School Year

Well, here we go...the beginning of Jack's 9th and Kate's 8th year at Berlin.

I wish I could be happy, I just feel so melancholy. It could be many reasons, they are getting older, that's one.

I enjoyed the summer, immensely....almost more than any other to date...that's another.

This football is tough, Jack just hates it....I work my whole life around helping them be happy and to see him hate something so much and be so unhappy, pains me.

Sometimes I look at him and see my brother Steven. I thought of Steven a lot this summer. Partly because I befriended his friends on FB and partly because Jack turned 14 this summer, the same age that Steven was when he died. Also, Jack looks very much like Steven.

Steven's best friend, Mike Meier, named his son, now 14 Stephen...Here is what he said about on FB

: Steven was so outgoing and would go out of his way to help anyone there was no way he could not have a positive impact on the people around him. This is true for your whole family and it all started at home with your Mom and Dad. Everytime I was at your house it I felt like one of the family and thats not only because I too come from a big family. it was because of your Mom and Dad. Them and Beau's parents were my other parents. I could talk with them about anything. You know one of these days I might have to just stop out there at the ole house on shadetree lane and have a cup of coffee with them. :)
I think the last time I saw them both was at Eddie's graduation party and thats too long ago....


and this posting too...

Maria, I have to say this has been nice to talk to you I always knew you guys were going on with life because I always asked Matt how everyone one was doing. It's also nice to talk with others about that night, I never have really spoken to anyone about what happened that night and as Mary has said if you are ever on long island and want to talk just let me know I am sure we could get a bunch of the old group together for a night of drinks and memories.
I visit Steve's grave at least twice a year and have my quiet time with him.
His life and his passing have had a big roll in my life, I do know I changed that night..


and this

It should have NEVER EVER HAPPENED the reason was just so stupid. I still play softball out there at stosky (park) and struggle at times over what happened and being right there I remember how he and I were laughing and having a great time that night, planning what were were going to do that weekend.
He touched my life and I am better for having had him as such a great friend.

Thanks Mike for remembering my brother.

Gabriel

This summer has been filled with many great adventures for us. We went to some pretty cool places and spent time with my family. One of the best things we did was spend some time with my mother’s friend, Caroline. She has a backyard pool and her granddaughter, Amelia is Kate’s age. The three kids had lots of fun swimming and playing together. Amelia was in for a short visit.

Carolina and her husband are also raising their grandson, who has autism. Gabriel is five years old and a great little guy. His speech has come a long way since last summer and he loves bubbles, swinging, swimming and riding his tricycle (like any 5 year old) around the driveway following the arrows that Jack and Kate make on the driveway (not like a typical 5 year old). I know I brag about my kids a lot but I have to say they are wonderful with this little guy. They get him to eat his dinner, (he currently eats meatloaf and watermelon and pizza) and he hates to eat. (Caroline makes the meatloaf with ground turkey, grated carrots and broccoli and oatmeal-he WON’T eat vegetables) They get him to talk and interact with them and they were so persistent with him.

He would get off the bus from summer school and hide when he saw them. Sometimes it took ½ hour before he would play with them. After a few days they figured out he loved goldfish crackers and by the last week, he came off the bus, hide behind his grandfather and 2 seconds after a goldfish was playing on the swings or getting them to make more arrows on the driveway. He can count to 100 and wanted to swing and have the kids count with them. At one point, Jack said, “We’ve done this 5 times!” He can also read already (he is entering Kindergarten) and they would write different words on the driveway, “Stop, turn around, go back” When swimming in the pool, he would recite the rule, “Don’t go down there.” And point to the deep end and then try to run down to the diving board. It took all three of us to redirect him to stay in the low end of the pool.



Besides getting to know Gabriel, my mom got to see my kids interact with him. They displayed patience, understanding, compassion and problem solving skills beyond their years. They would ask me questions on the way home from a visit, “Why does he eat so fast?” or make a comment, “Those shows on Boom-a-rang are great for kids with Autism, they repeat things for them so they can learn.”

They are learning to look at the person first and the “disability” second. After the last day the kids and I went there, Caroline told me that Gabriel looked out the window at his swings and said, “Jack, Kate, Ring around a Rosy.” (they played that together too) And that night in his evening prayers he added their names to his “God Bless” list. Caroline said she was so grateful for their friendship and patience with Gabriel. Yet I wonder who gets more from the relationship, Gabriel or Jack and Kate? That is a pretty special prayer list to be on.



Jack's Cannonball!

Shea.....I mean Citi Field

Last fall my brother's blog was a long obituary and tribute to Shea Stadium. I felt much of what he stated in those blogs. We didn't go on huge vacations when I was a kid. Heck, we were 5 minutes from the beach, took swimming lessons (2 weeks of the summer that it was guaranteed to rain.) There was a weekly bus to the library. My brothers played little league and we went to those games all summer. Sometimes we went to DC or Virginia or PA to see my aunt and Uncle and that was nice. I got to Gettysburg, the Smithsonians, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, Mount Vernon, etc.

But my best memories of the summers growing up were swimming in the Sound and.....following the Mets. We would watch those dumb bas***** lose game after game and sometimes pullout a win. We watched them on the old independent station, channel 9 WOR-TV. When they weren't on TV we listened to them on the radio, sometimes taking my dad's old transistor down to the beach to listen when we dared to leave the house if a game were on.

The summer always culminated with my dad taking his 2 weeks vacation. He joked that they were "honey-dew" vacations, "Honey do this, honey do that." But he always made time to take us to Shea for a game. The first game we went to the Mets played the Reds (the Big Red Machine of the 70's) The best had been on a losing streak of course but they beat the Reds that day 12-2. I still remember it. My brother Steven wanted to collect hats from the different ball teams and my dad had bought him a Reds hat. He got harassed leaving the stadium wearing that hat!

Sometimes we brought a neighbor kid, David, or one of the younger kids brought a friend. My grandfather would go with us and my aunt too. Mr. Shea (yes there is a Mr. Shea) went to Catholic schools in NYC and loved the nuns and would have a nun's day and give them tickets for their families. So we got to go to a few games from my Aunt Margaret. (a sister of St. Joseph in Brooklyn, still teaching 8th grade!)

Every time I have been to Pittsburgh stadium, it was to watch the Mets, win or lose. I'm a fan. Jack spent his first birthday at a Met game at Pirates stadium and got on Diamond vision. My sister and her husband were in for a visit.

The kids first game at Shea, we had seats in section QQ in the upper deck. Andrea swore there were seats past us, but no...Shea Stadium stopped at QQ. We had the last seats in that stadium and the kids were 5 and 3 the summer of 2000! It was crazy. Fireworks nite, sell out game (56,000+) they were playing the braves and we hated the braves that year. What a great game! Mike Piazza got a grandslam homer in the 8th and the Mets came from behind to win 12-8 or something. My brother Matt has it taped from "Mets Classics" (My family is crazy for them!)

We always try to get to a game each summer, sort of a family reunion place."Let's meet at a game!" It is fun and nostalgic and win or lose we always have a good time. Usually I am with a sibling and they can help with the kids, or do the driving or at least be a co-pilot. This was my summer of true Independence because I was meeting Annie and her new beau at the game and I had to drive myself. The train takes too long. The game was at 7 and I left at 2:15! No traffic and we got there by 4:15. The parking lot was sparse and these kids that were parked next to us were grilling Nathan's hot dogs and offered us some. I was not prepared with anything to eat beyond goldfish crackers. That was the best hot dog! The kid had a charcoal grill. They had everything, hot dogs, hamburgers, camp chair and table and don't let people tell you New Yorkers are rude. They were high school kids and they were so nice and friendly and polite. It was refreshing.

I thought we would see a win. It was the top of the 9th and they were winning 7-4. I took kate for nachos...("Now? the game is almost over?!") well I get back to my seat and the game is tied and then extra innings and to make a too long blog short, they lost! 12-7. The Mets suck.

But we had a nice time at Citi Field. Because we got there early we saw some batting practice, looked at the misplaced tribute to Jackie Robinson (we played for the Brooklyn Dodgers NOT the Mets) used the batting cage, threw balls at the dunk tank, bought some T-shirts (Daniel Murphy and David Wright!) This one candy shop had a Mr. Met made out of jelly beans. And we got to spend the nite with Annie and James.

Sorry for blabbing, enjoy the pictures.

Cowbell Man

Jelly Bean Mr. Met

David Wright (sigh)

She is becoming a very good chef

(This blog was written by Kate)

The sun shined most of the summer but there were a lot of rainy days. On the dreary rainy days I took advantage of the time and cooked a variety of dishes. I made apple pie with flower and heart designs on it. I think it definitely added to the appearance of the pie. All it needed was cinnamon and sugar and it was good to go.

I usually went to bed around 1 o’clock this summer so I would wake up at 11:00 sometimes later or earlier. But one day when I woke up at 9:00, I thought that it would be interesting to make veggie sandwiches for lunch. I also helped my mom make a pasta salad. My grandma’s cousin was coming for lunch.




Flavorful grilled zucchini and eggplant, sprinkled with feta cheese on toasted Ciabatta bread.

Back Home and Random Thoughts

I really have not right to be down..but alas...I am. It was so nice spending that time with my family. Though it isn't reality. Staying there like that is fun but not real. I mean, if we lived there we wouldn't even see them that much. Do we appreciate it more because we only see them in chunks like that?

I want to know...why is it easier to do dishes at my mothers house than my own?...it is also easier to clean the bathroom, living room and to cook. It is crazy.

Though I enjoyed the kids when they were so little and helpless, I have to say this Summer goes down as one of the best. The older they get, the more fun we have doing stuff and going places.

Jack is almost as tall as me and Kate will NOT be able to fit into any of her capris or jeans...I fear.

Wow...7th and 8th grade...scares me.

Madame Toussand's

We went to Madame Toussand's when we were in the city a few weeks ago. I forgot the camera so this were taken with a disposable. (they got me for $15.00 for the dam thing!) but I HAD to take pictures. It was a neat experience and because we dressed in yellow, we got a discount.....celebrating Sponge Bob's B-day. They had a wax figure of him too. The kids and I thought they looked more real up close and fake in the photos. Enjoy!

Even though the Mets suck, ya gotta love this guy.

Forget Paula and Randy....what about Jack and Kate!

or add them to your dose of the "Today Show"

Singing with Johnny cash

Dracula's next victim

This was inspiring. these were the firefighters who raised the flag at the end of the day on 9/11

Posing with the presidents

Hanging out with JP2

Kate and Rachel Ray

Harrison Ford

Carrie Underwood

I hate these two but Kate wanted the pic.

"Make it so!" Baba Wawa.

Van Gogh the Fifth Ninja Turtle (written by Jack)

This is my pet turtle “Van Gogh the Fifth Ninja Turtle”. Do you get it? Sometimes people don’t. Van Gogh is a red-earred slider turtle. They originated in Texas but after being kept as pets they spread all over America. Van Gogh is just a baby so he is very small. In a few years he will reach full size. The average size turtle can be eight to ten inches. Sometimes they even grow longer than that! My mom was just thrilled when I told her that. Van Gogh loves to eat and by eat I mean anything! And by anything I mean anything except vegetables! I try to feed him vegetables but he doesn’t eat them. What he does eat is shrimp (sun dried shrimp from a can), any type of seafood, chicken, hamburger meat (I cut off a tiny pieces), and one time a piece of steak. Well I don’t want to bore you. Please enjoy your feature presentation.










Van Gogh Bustin' out a Ninja Move!

Van Gogh eating from my hand.

Van Gogh doing something awesome!