Joy to the World

Here we are in November. NOVEMBER! I can't hardly believe how quickly time has flown from the end of the summer until now. I feel like just a few days ago we were dropping Finnley off for her first day of preschool...but, now we, here we are, almost halfway through the school year!

Now I want to time to slow down. Just a bit. I want to savor the joy that this time of year brings with it. There is pretty much nothing that I don't enjoy about the last two months of the year. I don't even mind the cooler temps or the possibility of snow. To me, those prospects just make it seem all the better.

I have so many memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas from when I was growing up as a kid smack dab in the middle of nowhere. They were modest and grand memories all in one. The holidays were all about family, adventure, fun, forced time with the crazier relatives (and there were a few), food, more fun, and more family. It was a good blend of weird and awesome, just as you would expect.

As soon as the turkey was carved on Thanksgiving day, it seemed, the magic of Christmas started exploding everywhere. Well, after the turkey was carved AND the football games were over, that is. (We never missed watching the games. Thanksgiving and football just go hand in hand in our family.) Shortly after our stomachs had recovered from a welcomed practice in gluttony, we were in the car, tromping around in the freezing cold, picking out and then having dad cut our very own far from perfect Christmas tree (laying on his back, usually swearing because the saw was dull, or something else had gone wrong). A Griswold-esque Christmasy sort of family annual adventure. We would drag that freshly cut tree home (usually jammed with us into a conversion van that missing most of its seats in order to accommodate us all with said huge tree), and then we would let the tree sit in the garage to give it a chance to acclimate a bit to warmer temps that it would find in our house. That was always the hardest part...waiting for the tree to "acclimate" once it was home and letting it just sit there until the time when we could decorate it. But, we knew we had to wait because we had been totally convinced that if we brought the tree in without letting it acclimate properly, that the tree would go into complete shock and pretty much lose all of its needles immediately. The possibility of a mostly dead tree stripped of a vast amount of its needles helped us keep our patience.

Once we got to decorate that tree...well, that was just awesome. Our tree was usually quirky, with a strange top, a curvy trunk, or branches that were too close together or too far apart. Putting lights on was never fun, and that is why it was usually a task left to my mom (which is probably why later in life, my mom has resorted to owning a pre-lit Fake-mas-tree). The lights weren't long strands of pretty little white lights. No sir. Not in our family. Our lights were always the dullish primary colored gigantic C7 lights. The kind of lights that could beat up those pretty little white lights in the Christmas light schoolyard. The kind of lights that just screamed "we know how to make a plain and ordinary Christmas tree into a REAL Christmas tree!". Our decorations ranged from carefully picked store bought beauties, to handmade and hand painted plaster kit goodies, to primary school holiday project misfits. And, we didn't just stop there. We loaded that tree with glittery, sparkly, silver tinsel. From TOP to BOTTOM. Every inch of that tree was covered. It was generally the most delightful fire hazard you could ever imagine. I am pretty sure the tacky tree went particularly well with our 1970s brown, cream, and orange marbled carpeting. How could it not? And, what isn't to love about tinsel? Even dog puke and poop are more festive after being digested with tinsel! (trust me...I know that for a fact).
I remember these things as clear as day. I remember the decorating of the Christmas tree. I remember playing in the snow with a dad who was often more like a kid than us. I remember my mom trying to make me look "pretty" despite my tomboyish-tendencies. I remember on Christmas day my aunt pointing out the Cardinal perched on a branch outside of the window at my grandma's house and telling us all that it was her dead husband, reincarnated (ok...maybe a story for another day). What I don't remember is every gift I have ever received, albeit I know that I always received generous amounts of gifts. (Gifts I wanted and begged for. Gifts I didn't know I wanted until I got them, and then I loved them because who doesn't love a gift? Gifts I maybe really didn't like at all, but I pretended to like them because that is what a good girl should do at Christmas.) So, what I am trying to say is that, in the end, I guess it simply boils down to the fact that the biggest and best gift I ever received WAS in fact THE MEMORIES of those holiday moments with my family. Weirdly awesome memories that are mine all mine forever and ever and ever .

That is what I love about the approaching holidays...the prospect of Matt and I making our own special and unique memories with our small family unit. I want our daughter to breathe in the excitement of it all and get just a little bit wrapped up in the magic of the time. I want her to remember her mom and dad unsafely perched on ladders, crazily wrapping up an outdoor tree in those enormous C9 lights, just for "fun". I want her to remember the yearly trips to the downtown Philadelphia Macy's store to see the spectacular light show and the Dicken's Village, and to sit on Santa's lap and share with him all of her not-so-well-kept-secret Christmas wishes. I want her to look fondly back on the journeys out to find the less than perfect tree that will sit proudly in our home, decorated with our own collection of odds-and-ends Christmas ornaments. I want her to know that she is the reason that our Christmases are so filled with light and magic.

Of course I also really DO want Finnley to be surprised and happy when she opens her gifts after a final night of excited wonder and anticipation, as this is part of the joy of being on the parental end of things. But, I mostly want for her to be instilled with a true appreciation of life and family above all else. I simply want these memories to mean more to her in the end than the fulfillment of her commercial wants. Outside of this gift of memories that we will continue to provide over the course of her life, I want my husband and I to try every day to give yet one more meaningful gift to our daughter. That gift being the promise to aspire to be the people that our daughter believes us to be at this particular moment in time. I want her to know that we deeply love each other, and that we immeasurably love her. I want her to know that we will always put each other, our family, first. I want her to know that we will always listen, be kind and fair, and generally be the good we want to see in the world. We won't always be perfect, but as long as we keep this worthy idea in our hearts and really attempt to put it into action as often as possible...then I think we are doing a good job, in my book.

So, with all of that being said, let's get ready to bring on this most wonderful time of the year. Let the memory making commence! Let joy be with us all, and let us send our joy out into the world!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!

The Calm....DURING the Storm

Hello again! It's Matt. The husband to Megan and father to Finnley. This picture was taken just about a week ago. Megan captured this moment during our first hurricane. Hurricane Sandy. I call it the calm DURING the storm. Because "the calm before the storm" didn't exist. It was a bit chaotic.

See, prior to the storm I was in Colorado for a reunion with fraternity brothers. I was due to fly in on Sunday just before Sandy was to make landfall basically right on our driveway. Megan did a fantastic job prepping us to be without power for days. Groceries were purchased. Laundry was done. Flashlights and batteries were ready. Electronics were charged. Screened in porch was secure. Cars were full of fuel. Wood was stacked in a dry area in order to build a fire. Megan did all of this....on her own while I was in route from Denver. Oh, and she cooked a huge dinner for us so we could eat leftovers for days. We. Were. Ready.

When I arrived there were a few more things to do. Rain began to fall around noon and fall hard. I went to the office to grab 30 gallons of water, fuel tanks to get gas for the generator that was previously delivered from the office, and anything else I felt was necessary for survival, which in this case turned out to be a bag of Oreos. I am glad I went to the office because the front lobby area was just beginning to flood. I placed a carpet in front of the door and that seemed to help. I went to Costco on the way home. There were 6 cars in the parking lot. Normally there are 600. I bought more batteries (totally unnecessary), gloves, trail mix, and toilet paper. Yes, toilet paper. I was fully expecting to crap my pants during my first hurricane. A lot. I. Was. Ready.

Turns out I didn't crap my pants. I did what a father and husband are supposed to do. I was at home protecting my family and keeping calm to keep them calm. Oh sure, there were moments when Sandy was so ferocious that Megan and I could do nothing but stare outside, wonder what was next, and say "whew" to each other quite a bit. In fact, there were several points during the next 24 hours where hell was literally breaking loose on our front lawn. And on lawns around us. And at the shore. Our poor shore. We witnessed the worst about Mother Nature. Megan thought she saw lightening. She didn't. She witnessed transformers exploding. Repeatedly.

But this picture captures all you need to know about our family. Calm during the storm. A dad there for his daughter. Cuddling. Sharing a moment. One calm moment. Love my girls and my dog. Don't love hurricanes.

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

As I see it, anyway. Ahhh....fall! Wonderful, beautiful fall! Leaves are turning magnificent warmed hues and spiraling their way in mini blizzards to the ground below. The air is cool and crisp both in the mornings and evenings...heck, sometimes even during the mid-day. Grocery stores smell of cinnamon brooms and pumpkin everything. Our outdoor fire pit is getting a more regular workout. Gone is the wicked heat and humidity, and with those things have also disappeared the mosquitoes. Everything is just, well..."wonderful".

Finnley is fully engrossed in the world of preschool at this point. I no longer hear how "quiet" she is every time I pick her up. She excitedly tells me about her snacks and juice offerings and about what they all did during her short academic day. It is a strange new normal for us, but I think we are both enjoying it. I take in a yoga class each week. I clean in peace. I run some errands with super hero speed. I get a latte' with a friend. Or by myself. I just do, and I do it all quietly and quickly. Totally a win-win for Finnley and me.

And, here we are already at the end of October. With the end of the month coming, we are also seeing more ghosts, spiders, witches, skeletons, and other creepy creatures littering neighborhood lawns. Finnley is finally starting to "get it". She is understanding Halloween for the first time ever. She understands that costumes aren't real, and neither are the strange things we see on people's lawns. She delighted in picking out her own costume this year, and she really can't wait to go trick-or-treating. We are getting our money's worth out of her costume and Halloween themed clothing well in advance, though, too. We have already been a part of a mom's group "trunk-or-treat" party at a local park / parking lot. Finnley participated in her school's Halloween parade and party today. On Friday we will be taking part in Halloween festivities at Storybook Land, including a hay ride, "corn" maze, and trick-or-treating. And, finally...we will get to the actual calendar holiday itself sooner than we can imagine. Time just seems to double its passing speed as we round out this last quarter of the year. Crazy!

Until later, here is a glimpse of our little Tink enjoying her first taste of Halloween 2012. What a great and adorable Tinkerbell she makes, in addition to being a simply beautiful little girl in every day "real life".

Firsts...

In having a child and watching them grow, you are constantly in awe of all of the changes that you continue to witness on a daily basis. Some changes happen slowly. Others seem to happen overnight. The one inevitability, though, is that the changes will occur.

With all of the change comes the opportunity to also witness many "firsts". We are so lucky and blessed to be a part of these milestones, and I try to engrain each moment into my mind, heart and soul. With there being immeasurable amounts of these moments, though, it will be difficult to hold each little detail with me.

So, what else to do but take pictures! Lots and lots of pictures! These pictures will serve as reminders to us as parents of each step we have seen along the way. They will also serve as a history book of sorts for Finnley, so even when she won't specifically remember a special event, she will at least have access to it on film.

The latest "first" for us was Finnley starting preschool! (sigh). PRESCHOOL! No longer do we share a home with a baby or a toddler. No sir. We now share our space with a full blown big girl who goes to school.



I am happy to report that there were no tears on the first day. None for mommy (although my heartstrings were pulled a bit tight). None for Finnley. No protests, no fights, no whining, no breakdowns, no begging mommy not to leave. Nothing! A simple transition for a very brave girl. A proud moment for her parents.



So far, so good! Finnley is referred to as "quiet" by her teachers. I don't mind that one bit. She follows along and completes all of her tasks. She plays. She goes with the flow. I like that about her. Perhaps more of an observer than a leader. For now, anyway. This is just the beginning of who she will blossom into over time. I can't wait to see how it all unfolds!



Right now school is only 3 days a week for 2.5 hours each day. Baby steps...for each of us. A good way for us to ease into letting her go over the next few years. A good way for her to learn how to become more independent. Also, a good way to get a house clean, or run some errands, or workout, or do "whatever" with no interruptions!
Amazing!

It's all good. It's all really really really good.

So, onto the next chapter. Onto the next "first"...

In a Flash and Taking Forever....

This summer seemed to start early and quickly for us. It probably had something to do with the right-off-the-bat family vacation to the Outer Banks we scheduled, but that is the time that works best for us right now. In the beginning of June, everyone else on the East coast has kids in school , the heat hasn't really taken hold, and the weather can be iffy....so, the beaches are far from crowded. Just the way we like it! Two years running it has been a dream for us, this year included. So, we kicked off the summer the first week of June and headed down to Corolla. New house this go around. New group of invitees / attendees. New awesome memories. It really couldn't have been any better. A perfect blend of of family and friends, fun and relaxation. Just what a vacation should be. It is always nice to spend time with people who don't sweat the small stuff, who don't take themselves too seriously, and who allow themselves to laugh not only with and at others but at themselves, too. It is happiness for the soul times ten, I tell you...and my soul was beyond elated. I think everyone enjoyed the vibe in the house, at the pool, and on the beach. I hope we get a lot of repeat "customers" next year, as we already have the house booked again! Yeah, it was just that good.



Given the early kick off, though, and the fact that it has been around 1,000,000 degrees or so for the majority of the days since then....the summer has now seemed as if it has been here forever. I am completely over it. Have been for awhile now. I have always been a "fall" kind of girl, but this year more so than ever. We have lived in a perpetual heat wave since June, with humidity through the roof, and very little rain. I don't like it. The bugs are everywhere. It isn't enjoyable to sit outside for more than a few minutes. The playgrounds are like toaster ovens and frying pans. You just think of the outdoors and sweat. No fun!

Of course, that does not mean that Finnley and I have been hermits. It mostly just means that I whine and complain about the weather a lot. Every once in awhile we even luck out and are gifted with a day that is only near 90 and somewhat tolerable. Last week we received one of those gifts, and we headed into the city with friends to try out a new park. It is called Sister Cities park, and it is built to be sort of a miniature version of Wissahickon Park which you would find over in "farther-out" PA. I haven't been there, so I can't compare the two, but I can say that the park in Logan Cirle in the city is awesome. I will also say that this little park helped Finnley to make a liar out of me. See, my kid doesn't like getting wet. She just doesn't, especially her hair and face, God forbid. So, even though I knew that this new park had a wading type "pool" and some "streams" and "waterfalls"....I never once thought to pack extra clothes for my daughter to change into for after we were done playing. Because, as I mentioned, my daughter doesn't like to get wet. Uh-huh. Five minutes in, and I had her dress tied up in a knot behind her back and her leggings and undies were completely soaked. Twenty minutes in, and Finnley was riding the streams and waterfalls like a slide all the way down from the top of "mountain" to the wading pool at the bottom. So, after our time in the park was over I had to untie Finnley's dress and strip her of her leggings and undies. They were just too wet, and we still had plans to head over to the Academy of Natural Sciences. Air conditioning and soaking clothes don't mesh well. So, we did what we had to do. And, I learned that I should "never say never" (and always have extra clothes with me), and Finnley learned that sometimes it is ok to "go Commando". Hey, we do what we have to do...flexibility is key in life!





Finnley isn't the only one around here who gets to have fun and get dirty, though. Matt and I took our turn at the 2012 Philadelphia Merrell Down and Dirty Mud Run presented by Subaru. This was our second year running the race, and it was just as much fun doing it this year as it was last. Now, with all the health / pain issues I have had recently, I didn't train for this race. Not a bit. Not a lick. Not at all. I was a bit nervous because of that, but there was not a chance that I was going to back out of the race. I still wanted to run it just to prove that I could. So, I did. My only goal was to not quit and to not stop. And, I didn't. I finished the 5K military style trail and obstacle mud race 129th out of 330 racers in my age group. Not hateful. Hey, I wasn't last! Now, my husband is a different story. He works out every day, for the most part. And, he runs sometimes in his workouts. He is in shape. So, he got out there and raced. He finished as a Rock Star in 5th place out of 153 racers in his age group. He also finished 86th out of the 3376 total racers in the field. That is in the top 2 percentile of all racers! Yeah, he is a machine! I am very proud of him for doing so well, and I am proud of myself for just getting out and doing it at all. It isn't a race for the weak or the faint of heart...and once again we proved we are neither. Go, Team Ritter!



Now, back to complaining about the weather...here I sit on one of the last days of July. It is again in the 90s or around 90, with about a gazillion percent humidity and a chance of severe thunderstorms (you know, that generally don't pan out). I am inside, because? Because who wants to be outside! My husband is outside because someone had to do the yard work, and he seemed more eager about doing it and getting heat stroke than I did. Plus, he seems to think I will cut down all the flowers if he allows me to do the landscaping. I don't know where he gets these preposterous ideas! I, instead of being out in the heat, chose to clean the house. Finnley chose to take a RARE nap, and that is the only reason I am "here" blogging. So, here I sit complaining that the summer is dragging, and at other times I come here and complain about time dragging in general, but in reality, the next thing you know...BOOM...there it went, in a flash!

I know that "BOOM" part is coming. I know it because this week my sweet Peanut is turning 3. THREE! And, that means that this week it will also be August. And, we will be traveling back to Chicago, celebrating said birthday, spending quality time with family, and just hanging out. And, when we get back, the month will practically be half over. And around the corner, in the very beginning of September, preschool will be starting for real! And, fall will be here! And, I will soon start complaining that Christmas trees and decorations are already being put out at Target and Michaels and I will not have even started my shopping for Halloween candy yet. So, time drags, and it flies. It all seems to balance out. And, I will happily complain about the too hot crappy summer weather because it sure beats complaining about life or my kid. We are balanced out, too. We have figured each other out for the moment and found a cadence and a rhythm that works for us. It isn't perfect, we ebb and flow...but we do it fairly quietly, and it is harmonious and mostly peaceful. I like it. I like this moment in time. So, it can drag. It can fly. Whatever. I just plan to soak it up as it goes.

And, as it goes...Happy 3rd Birthday to my beautiful Finnley!!!