tales from a far-land

 Here are Madilyn's ten  year old interview responses.   What has been your favorite moment as a ten year old?  Vacationing in Avila Beach, CA. One word to describe you would be _______.  Smart. What do you love most about your sibling?  That Aiden plays with me often. What was your favorite activity this year?  Cheerleading. What was your favorite family event this year?  Surfing in Avila Beach. Can you tell me a bit about your birthday party from this past year?  We learned how to train dogs. What did you like about it?  I liked that I had all of my friends and Sadie at the party. What would you like to do differently next year?  Less yelling. What was your favorite story book?  Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Is there a character from one of the books you read that you still think about sometimes?  Harry Potter What qualities about this character do you admire?  Brave, scared, and weird. What is something ...

It's a new year.  While reflecting over the year, I realized I haven't interviewed the kids in over three years.  Ugh!  Time passes so quickly.  So, I interviewed them.  Here are Aiden's age nine  interview answers : What has been your favorite moment as a nine year old?  Playing Super Smash Bros. on my birthday with my friends. One word to describe you would be _______.  Talkative. What do you love most about your sibling?  She helps me. What was your favorite activity this year?  Going to friend's houses for playdates or sleepovers. What was your favorite family event this year?  Jumping and climbing rocks in Wyoming. Can you tell me a bit about your birthday party from this past year?  Very small.  Oliver and Owen came over to swim and play video games. What did you like about it?  Playing video games.  I received a new game called Super Smash Bros. What would you like to do differently next year?  Have *...

2020.  How do I describe it? Exhausting.  Chaotic.  Relentless.  Surreal.  A dumpster fire.  Transformative.  Unprecedented.  Soul searching.  Lonely.  Overwhelming.  Quarantine.  Tumultuous.  Pandemic.  A monumental election.  A devisive county.  Civil unrest.  Masks.  Sports with no fans.  Political discord.  Toilet paper hoarding. And with all of that said, our family found it to be one of our best years yet.  There were so many blessings in 2020.   We connected with friends and family members in ways that we had not previously done.  We enjoyed Zoom happy hours, birthday parties, weddings, game nights and family reunions.  We connected with and befriended our neighbors.  We even created social bubbles so that we could connect with some family and friends in-person.  In a world full of social distancing, we still managed to feel connected and communal...

Our year ended pretty quiet.  No big New Year's Eve gathering or party!  No trip to Mexico as we have done in years past.  But it was still meaningful and special.  We hosted my parents for New Year's Eve.  We constructed and ate individual pizzas with buffalo wings on the side.  We drank champagne.  We introduced my dad to virtual reality and played some Pinochle.  And after my parents left, we watched the ball drop in an eerily desolate Times Square, toasted to the New Year, and ignited some sparklers before heading to bed.  It may not have been our normal New Year's Eve, but it was perfect for me -- time with family, lots of laughs and a little bit of kid drama.   Here's hoping 2021 brings just as much family and togetherness!

Christmas morning didn't start too early in our household. That is a tradition in itself. Our kids have never once woken up before us on Christmas morning. So funny! The morning was spent opening gifts, drinking coffee and eating bubbleloaf. Santa brought each of the kids a Halo Rover X Hoverboard, so they spent a majority of the morning riding around the neighborhood and testing them out. We spent our afternoon celebrating and eating dinner at the Landers new home in Mesa.  It was a beautiful afternoon.  The kids enjoyed riding their hoverboards over there and petting the horses that live behind the Landers' house.  The evening ended with in a blaze, literally!  The neighbors decided to build a huge bonfire, which then had to be put out by the Mesa Fire Department and Police.  What a 2020 way to end Christmas!    

My parents hosted our Christmas Eve celebration.  With the pandemic and all, they wanted to have a more traditional and special celebration in their home.  Since Lynsey and Mina could not come home this year, our evening started with my dad's annual reading of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas."  All of the kids joined via Zoom.  It was so cute to watch all of their faces.  Wish my sister and niece could have been with us, but thankfully technology allowed us to still connect with them to celebrate the holiday.   We then transitioned to the living room to open presents.  The kids were so excited to receive leather jackets, boots, jewelry, and football flags from Grandma and Papa.  They are going to look so fashionable and sporty. For dinner, we had crab legs, twice baked potatoes, salad and bread.  They were magnificent!  I am not sure that the kids thoroughly enjoyed them, but, at least, they did try them. After dinner, Dad introduc...

Just a fun little holiday poem that I found entertaining ... the holiday season was definitely different this year. T'was the month before Christmas,  And all through the town,  People wore masks,  That covered their frown. The frown had begun  Way back in the Spring,  When a global pandemic  Changed everything.  They called it corona,  But unlike the beer, It didn’t bring good times,  It didn’t bring cheer. Airplanes were grounded,  Travel was banned.  Borders were closed  Across air, sea and land.  As the world entered lockdown  To flatten the curve, The economy halted,  And folks lost their nerve.  From March to July  We rode the first wave,  People stayed home,  They tried to behave.  When summer emerged  The lockdown was lifted.  But away from caution,  Many folks drifted.  Now it’s December  And cases are spiking,  Wave two has arrived,  Much ...

This year for Hanukkah, we were very blessed to share five out of the eight nights celebrating with friends and family.  Here is a recap of how we spent our Hanukkah holiday this year. Night 1 ~ Hanukkah with the Feldmans On night one, we rented a carriage to view the special Hanukkah lights at Salt River Fields' Holiday Lights.  The carriage was electric and we were able to stop along the route to take pictures.  We even stopped to light a menorah and sing a song with Rabbi Allouche who was out there for the evening to bless the event.  What a unique experience!   Night 2 ~ Hanukkah with Dad The second night of Hanukkah was also my dad's birthday.  Since the candles and menorahs are portable, we transported them over to my parent's home for the night.  We lit the candles, consumed Mom's homemade stroganoff, indulged in a slice of Nothin' Bundt Cake and relished in some quality family time. Night 3 ~ Hanukkah with the Langhofers Again, we transpor...