12 hours

The kids graduate in 12 hours. I feel more excited than I do before Christmas vacation! It feels so surreal, this time that they have been gone. I kept myself busy: exercising, cleaning, going to work, visiting with friends, reading...but I can't WAIT to see them, hug them and have them here. I know I will cry when I see them.....

Today I kept myself busy with my venti black coffee with 2 shots of espresso mmmmmmm.

I have nor cooked all week. Do you know when you don't cook, your kitchen stays really clean? Interesting

Then I went food shopping and made their new favorite: Eggplant rolletini. It is really good. Here are some pictures:

The breading station

Frying: I guess you could bake it too, but what is the fun in that. Olive Oil is good for you anyway.

Then I put the cheese mixture in the middle and wrap the eggplant around it and put them in the pan, seam side down.

I made about a dozen of them, plus the smaller pieces I use for a eggplant lasagne. 

I had one of these myself while cooking. 

I can now go on the Food Network Show: The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

By the might of His glory you will be endowed with strength needed to stand fast, even to endure joyfully whatever may come.

 

I'm not sure what bible verse this is. I am not one of those people that walks around with a sign that says, John 16 or whatever that one is that people hold up all the time. 

However, a friend of my sister's was recently ordained a Deacon. He was the person who married her in that beautiful ceremony. He friend requested me on FB and I feel honored as he is a great guy, full of incite, wisdom and compassion at his young age. His faith means something to him and he posted this yesterday. 

I feel it is something I needed to hear, read, and contemplate, particularly with the children away. It applies to me as well as to them and the physical and emotional things required of them this week. 

Today is the last really tough day. Tomorrow they will get to go on a Field Trip to the Armory in Friedens, ground zero of Flight 93, use a radar gun, watch the drug dogs work, go in a helicopter, etc.

Thursday they will get to do the ropes course, rock wall, zip line and repel wall at Outdoor Odyssey. It will be a great day for them. I enjoyed myself when I got to do that and I feel it will be really good for them.

Friday is more physical training and getting ready for graduation.

Saturday at 11am can't come soon enough, but we all will have the strength to get there.

Camp Cadet, here they come

Well, 4 hours and counting. I miss them but I haven't cried. I have so many fears. I wish I didn't do this. I did just clean my kitchen, started some wash and tried to scrub between the wall and the stove.....DISGUSTING! I need to get on my hands and knees to get it half way decent..


I find reading and cleaning keep my mind off missing them. Right now it just feels like they are over a friends how or on a long field trip. I bet it won't feel like that by Tuesday...

Next cleaning ventures, my living room.

I did spend my first hour and half at Starbuck sipping a venti Pike's Peak, black and reading the NY Times,( OK I also snuck a peak at USA Today.)

It was nice because reading kept my mind off missing them.

I plan on finishing my Nelson Demille novel this week and reading Eat, Play, Love. I'm being trendy, sue me!

Here are pictures of the kids and some of the other Berlin crew that went to Camp Cadet.

This is probably the last these guys will be smiling until Saturday at 11am.

Cooking at the Murphy's

Wow, Kate made cupcakes yesterday. I wish I had taken a picture because they are all gone now. So here are some of the culinary delights we are making here.

Refrigerator Pickles, Kate's summer specialty.

Zucchini Bake, from a recipe my mom makes with Bisquick.

Pound Cake

with Strawberries

Don't forget the Nathan's Hot Dogs. Jack is a master at grilling.

Yeah, fun times at the Murphy's

I am really going to miss them.

God, Give Me Grace

Camp Cadet is ....tomorrow...'Oh dear God, Give me Grace.' Give THEM Grace and strength, physical and emotional to get through this week. I am going to miss them, it is beyond words what I am feeling. What was I thinking when I encouraged them to sign up?????? What was I thinking?!?!??

7 pairs of black shorts

7 plain white crew neck t shirts

7 pairs of underwear

7 pairs of socks

2 pairs of running shoes

2 towels/wash clothes

Shower shoes

soap shampoo toothbrush/paste

laundry bag

That's it. No books, no money for a whole week. I know they can go without cell phone or video games, but NO BOOKS???? It keeps your mind off...reality. NO BOOKS?

I have been sick to my stomach for a week and it gets worse every day.

God, Give Me Grace.

I did all I could to get them ready. They ran A LOT since May. We missed 2 weeks when we were in NY but otherwise, they ran. I really am proud of them. I can see them getting stronger each time we get out on the track. Jack hates it but he is doing it. Kate has now listed running as one of her favorite activities.....


God, Give Them Grace. Protect them and keep them safe and make this coming week go really fast.

Running, running, running

It seems like my whole life is running. Running to work, running to practice, games, food shopping. Running to get dinner made, eat together at the table! homework done. Running out of time. Running to get to bed on time, so you can get up to do it all over again.


Who has time to clean, when you are running, running, running. The weekend comes, you take a breath only to run again to get to a tournament, game, rent a movie, 'mom can I have ______ ' (friend over, see movie, go to mall, new shoes, try to cook) and then run to church on Sunday after you run to get your lesson plan done.

Even over holidays I run. Run to LI for precious moments with my family. Run to get to our favorite store, restaurant, church, beach. Hopefully try something new, whether its sightseeing, reading a book, getting to a historical sight.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE all these things but today was a day for no running. We gradually straightened the house while watching Top Chef, Kate made some cupcakes, Jack cleaned his room and invited some friends over. Later Kate is going to volleyball and I have some shopping to do but I AM NOT RUNNING. Today, we are just being, being a family that loves and cares for each other, respects each other and enjoys each other.

Can I capture today and get another one soon?

Flower Gardens

My mom has taken up gardening the last few years. With her children out of the house, she now has time for it. She cracks me up and inspires me with her planting, transplanting, weeding and mulching. I love that she does this and gets such joy out of it. Here are some pictures I took of her different plants and flowers.

 Day Lilies

Several Hydrangea Bushes

This one is a really dark blue, beautiful.

 There are also Daisies and Lavendar

 

 

 

Iris

 

 

So very pretty and beautifully arranged. My mom is going to really enjoy her well-deserved retirement.

Family Time

This last 4th of July weekend was crazy, fun but crazy. My whole family was together to celebrate by sister's marriage to a wonderful man. And it was great to be all together.

 Some of the best times were in my parent's backyard, watching all the cousins play

Picnicing

Kickball

Enjoying the shade

catching fire flies

Making Smores Around the Campfire

dancing (Practice for the wedding)

First Corn on the Cob after getting braces off

Talking and Laughing

 Then there was
Food Tasting in Montauk

Kate on the boat ride back

Oh...and there was a wedding

More pictures to follow from the church and reception