tales from a far-land

Six weeks ago, life changed.  It disrupted our normal way of life.  It felt like it happened overnight.  It adjusted our routines.  It overwhelmed our emotions.  It scared some of us, angered others or maybe a little of both at the same time.  It canceled life's small and big moments. It canceled national and local sporting events and seasons.  It brought life's uncertainties to the forefront of our minds and challenged us to adapt.  It caused some to hoard toilet paper, disinfecting products and even food which caused frustrations for others.  It allowed many to show acts of kindness and generosity.  It regulated the way that we interact with humanity.  We have had to social distance ourselves from those we enjoy and love.  We have had to celebrate holidays and birthdays virtually on Zoom or FaceTime or with drive-by car parades.  We have had to learn how to juggle work, home life and school with our family members toget...

This year, St. Patrick's Day was a little different than in year's past.  The Irish bars were not full of patrons.  The streets did not host Irish parades. And people stayed home to celebrate.  This was the result of recommendations by the C.D.C. to limit gatherings to groups of ten people due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.  So, we like many others in the country, celebrated this holiday at home with a traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage along with a pint of Guinness.   Here is a cute little Irish Blessing I found during this time of an international pandemic.  Enjoy! May the road rise up to meet you, But please do not meet up with anyone else. May the winds be at your back, And your coughs be in your elbow. May the sun shine upon your face, The rain fall upon your fields, And until we meet again, in no less than fourteen days, Though potentially up to four months, May God hold you in the palm of his thoroughly washed h...

On Sunday, March 15th, the Pattee family invited us to enjoy a day at Saguaro Lake with them on their boat.  Looking back, I am so glad that we had this opportunity.  Only a few days later, Phoenix would declare a public health emergency due to COVID-19 and boating with friends would not have been in our future.  So, I am very thankful that we had this fun excursion with our friends. Our day on the lake was perfect.  The weather was warm, but not too warm.  The scenery was lush and green.  There weren't too many other boaters on the water.  The kids enjoyed swimming in the lake and playing on a small beach we found without fighting or tears.  We indulged on the snacks, food and beverages we packed for the day.  It really was a great day!  Looking forward to repeating  this experience some day in the near future.   Aiden, Ben, Addison, and Madi My crazy water baby And her friend, Addison Even Aide...

In mid-March, we had the joy to host Lori and Richard Reisman while they visited Arizona for the  weekend.  During their visit, we dined with them Friday night at Mora Italian sans children.  And then, on Saturday we visited the Desert Botanical Garden with the kids.  It was a beautiful day!  While at the garden, we were able to enjoy the Wild Rising by Cracking Art exhibit and the Spring Butterfly exhibit.  The art exhibit was an installation of more than one thousand animal sculptures all made out of colorful and recyclable plastic.  It became a fun little game as we walked through the garden in search of different animal art pieces.  However, the kids really enjoyed walking through the butterfly enclosure more.  They loved watching and trying to see if the butterflies would land on them.  What a wonderful day to spend outside enjoying family and one of Phoenix's hidden gems. Our family with the Reismans Enjoying the art exhibit...

This winter our kids stayed very active by participating in many different sports team and lessons after school.  Madilyn enjoyed cheer, tennis, golf and soccer.  Aiden participated in tennis, golf, soccer and flag football. Wednesdays for the kids are early release days at the school.  So, after school, the kids walk or bike ride over to Moon Valley Country Club (MVCC) for their tennis and golf lessons.  Madilyn has been taking tennis lessons for awhile, but Aiden decided he wanted to join in the fun.  From what we hear from the tennis coach, they are doing pretty well and can volley back an forth with him for a bit.  We have also heard that Aiden may be a little competitive and likes to "crush" the ball.  As the kids have lessons pretty early in the work day, I haven't ever been able to capture any photos of them playing.  Maybe someday... The kids' golf lessons are after tennis.  They just walk over to the driving range.  They are...

Madilyn had her tenth birthday party on the Saturday following her special day.  It was a dog training party.  The theme and concept was one-hundred percent Madilyn's idea.  She conveyed what she wanted to us and we then worked on making it happen.  After researching different ideas, we hired a couple of dog trainers to teach the Madilyn and her girlfriends how to train their dogs and they even ran them through an agility course.  Madilyn included her closest four friends and their dogs.  The afternoon included dog training, dog toy making and ice cream cake eating.  It was a big hit!  Everyone seemed to love it. The biggest bummer is that I was unable to attend.  I was *so* sick that I couldn't even get out of bed.  I did happen to peek out of my bedroom window's curtains a couple of times to watch all of the fun.  Thankfully, I have an amazing spouse who made sure that the party was a success. The girls, their dogs and one of...