five things, september 14th edition

1. I think I love blogging. Meeting Theresa and Teri when we were in California. Meeing Erin this weekend (And I can't believe I forgot to link to her in Wednesday's post! Sorry Ducks!). As we sat at lunch at Parc, she looked around at us all and said simply, "Blogging." If it weren't for blogging, this amazing world of new friends would never have opened up to me. And then, earlier this week, we came home to this (pictured above). Tina, at colourliving saw on Instagram that Callum liked some patches she'd posted a photo of and she touched base with me to offer to surprise him with some. When I told her that his birthday was coming up, she went to great lengths (literally!) to spirit some goodies to him. The extent of the goodies surprised and delighted even me, and I knew they were coming! Callum loved the London patches, but he especially loved the personal touches that Tina put in the gift. London stickers, a personalized card. One more delight after another unfolded, and Tina, we can't thank you enough!

2. I think sometimes I hate blogging. Yeah, I said it. I'm not hating my own blogging necessarily, but just wondering if all of your amazing blogs are setting me up for the cycle of dissatisfaction I've been trapped in lately. Hmmm. We've had those conversations about keeping it real and telling the whole story, and I'm not sure that's exactly what I'm talking about. I'm not sure we're required to tell the whole story. Face it, some things are private. Not meant for public consumption. But everywhere I read, people are doing big and bold things with there lives, and here I sit, feeling stuck.

3. I think instead of blaming blogging, I should probably just blame myself! I've been in a funk lately, no lie. And it's funny, because I've talked with so many friends who feel the same way. Just three this week. So what's up with that? September should be better than this! I had a wonderful chat with my friend Megan yesterday and she was 100 kinds of supportive and inspirational. She inspired me to keep on keepin' on (if I could only be a better self-promoter!) and made me want to include some house tours on the blog (But I'd have to travel to Nantucket! Oh well!) and just generally lovingly tried to push me out of my comfort zone. I think it's time I started paying better attention to things around here.

4. Speaking of Megan and her sage advice....I think I'm hoping my new Erin Condren planner will whip my butt into shape. I did it. I totally splurged and got one. It came yesterday, so I'll have to spend some time getting adjusted to it. I'll pop a picture of it on Monday Mash Up because, if I do say so myself, it's beautiful.

5. I think I've missed you guys lately. I know I've been AWOL. This time of year is hell at our house. That's no lie either. Start of school, birthdays, back to school nights, busy husbands, busy kids, new schedules and routines. Add to that my general feeling blue, and there you are. I had lunch with Neel this week and just started crying at the table. That almost always happens at some point in August or September. I had a rough project on my plate this week that I'd been putting off and it was weighing me down too. I can dust my hands of it a bit, and focus on the fun stuff. Like commenting on your blogs and responding to your comments here. I simply haven't had the time to do that and I've missed you. Every single one of you means the world to me. And when I do get down? Well, you lift me up. Each of you. xo

streets of philadelphia {life}

As much as I love our neighborhood, I often feel hemmed in by suburbia. We go back and forth about what we'd like, the solitary silence of nature or the vibrant pace of city life? Cities feel so alive, don't they? Teeming with humanity. I love the idea of living downtown in some metropolis and walking everywhere we need to go. This weekend, visiting our friends Erin and Boyfriend (and I'm proud to call them "friends" not "creepy stalkers we met on the internet"), gave us a sample of that. As soon as we pulled into town, we dumped our car at the hotel and didn't lay eyes on it again until it was time to leave.

Meeting Erin was nothing short of amazing. We quickly left our bags in the hotel and paced around outside waiting for her to arrive. Now that's an interesting moment, isn't it? Meeting someone you've never really seen before, but can't wait to? We took bets on which direction she'd come from, and Callum called it. He saw her first and as soon as he pointed her out (she was unmistakable!), I darted off down the street like someone in a cheesy movie. I promptly stepped on her foot, but she didn't seem to hold that against me. As for Neel and Callum, no introductions were necessary. I don't think we stopped talking for the rest of the night.

Erin suggested a wonderful diner for breakfast the next morning that was right across the street from our hotel, but sadly we had to bypass it. I love me some diner food, but we knew we'd be having a big lunch (hello, Parc!) and ball park food that night. We opted for pastries and coffee at Miel, just a door or two down from our hotel. And this is why city life is so nice. Walk to pastries? Not shabby.

Our hotel was located around the corner from Rittenhouse Square, named after a famed astronomer in the early 1800s. By the second half of the 19th century Rittenhouse was home to the fashionable elite of Philadelphia, which, I'm sure is why Neel's parents lived here for a bit when they were first married. Many years later, though. The square still teems with life. A farmer's market was set up on Saturday with Amish farmers selling gorgeous flowers. There are kids playing, people running and walking, sitting and talking. All manners of doggies sit and walk or bark at squirrels. It's not at all a bad place to spend a weekend morning. Or any morning really. Except perhaps a sleety, cold Pennsylvania morning when you're late for work and your dog won't pee damnit.

I, too can take photos of people when they aren't looking! Erin is a wonderful host in her beloved city. She bought us bus tokens and zipped us around town with ease. Part of why I love traveling to visit people in their spaces is how relaxing it is. I didn't have to worry about a thing. Erin had the tokens. Erin knew which bus to take and when to get off. She knew where to hop into the gift shop for Independence Hall and how to time our tours. We certainly felt well tended to. And besides, Philly is fun! We met up with Boyfriend for lunch at Parc, and I didn't take many photos because we were too busy having fun. We shared some mussels and pommes frites, and we laughed and talked the whole time. You'd never, ever know we'd just met BF. Ever! And you'd never have known he was feeling crummy either. Poor guy. What a trooper.

After naps all around, we were escorted to the ball park with more of Erin's mad skills. You can see how dark the skies are. No more on this shall be spoken. We're still sad.

Oh, but nothing some doggie love can't cure! Brunch with Erin, Boyfriend and Fitz was the perfect cap to our weekend. Their city condo is so charming, and I can attest that the guest room project continues apace. It's going to be an amazing space...it already is! Boyfriend made an amazing quiche and having Fitz around was like some kind of interactive dinner theater! He and Callum got along famously! We felt welcomed beyond belief and it was hard to tear ourselves away.

I should probably go on the record here and say that Cal (and Neel, but really, Cal) just loved Erin (and Boyfriend, but really, Erin). Meeting her and spending time with her was just about the only thing that could make up for that-which-shall-not-be-spoken-of. He had a wonderful time. I think she's probably his first celebrity crush! I We can't wait to go back.

streets of philadelphia {still}

Monday Mash Up, Birthday Weekend Edition

1. Birthday cupcake, later eaten by the dastardly Violet. Bad dog! | 2. Cheasapeake Bay Bridge | 3. One of my favorite bridges | 4. Eastern Shore church | 5. Philadelphia Skyline | 6. Our room number AND Callum's birth weight! | 7. Cal reading all your sweet comments on his birthday blog post | 8. Dinner at the Midtown Continental | 9. Coffee | 10. Rittenhouse Square | 11. Liberty Bell! | 12. Independence Hall | 13. A little piece of Paris in the middle of Philadelphia | 14. Phillies Game | 15. The gang, assembled | 16. Rain out, :( | 17. Fitz does tricks! | 18. Brunch with friends.

Thirteen is a biggie, isn't it? For a long while, our plan for Callum's birthday was to try to do something that he really loved. Something BIG. What more would our baseball-loving boy want to do than to see his beloved team in their home ballpark? Not much, we figured. So on Friday morning, we brought a cupcake up to his room and brought along the dogs to sing "Happy Birthday." In his card we asked if he might want to go to a game the next night. That question was deliberately baffling, so we had him read a birthday email from the lovely Erin that clarified "Hey! Let's go see the Phillies!" I'm not sure I've seen him smile so bright.

He had half a day at school, so there was still a lot of rushing around, during which Violet (with, we think, Lucy as an accomplice) ate that birthday cupcake. Bad dog! That cupcake was as big as her head!

But then noon came and out from school he bolted, grin wide as the world, and we were off. The drive from our house to Philadelphia takes just over five hours and we travel up the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland. It's beautiful. Our true starting point is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, which is a 20-mile long bridge tunnel system crossing the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. It's considered one of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the World. I'll have more photos on Wednesday, but I just love it and love this drive.

We stayed at the Radisson Warwick in Rittenhouse Square, which made for easy walking everywhere. On Friday night we met Erin for an amazing birthday dinner at the Continental Midtown. If Callum loves anything as much as the Phillies, it's staying at nice hotels and eating in nice restaurants (are we raising him right or wrong?!), so this felt like the start to a perfect birthday weekend.

Saturday was very patriotic. We hit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, the real birthplace of our country. And can I just pause for a moment and give a shoutout to the park rangers in our national parks and at our national monuments? Most recently we've been at Fort Sumter and Independence Hall, and they've been simply amazing. Our ranger this weekend pointed out that the founding fathers of our country labored in a small room with windows sealed shut (so the press couldn't snoop!) in the heat of summer and STILL managed to compromise. Our politicians these days could do well to take a lesson.

After Indepencene Hall, we traveled across the ocean to France where we had an amazing lunch at Parc with Erin and Boyfriend, proof positive that he does exist, he's just as delightful as you'd imagine (as is she, of course), and she really does love France. Parc was amazing, lunch was amazing, we had so much to eat and talk about that afterwards we all needed naps.

And here our story turns tragic. Perhaps you've heard about the massive cold front and line of storms that traveled along the northeast? Tornadoes in NYC? Nasty weather in our nation's capital? Steady drizzly rain in Philadelphia? Yes. It started to rain right as we left the hotel and hopped the subway to the ball park and was drizzly when we got there. As long as they didn't call the game, we stayed there, and the only bonus was that our seats were under cover (good job Erin!), but it didn't go well. We had some beer and some cheesesteaks and we watched the drizzle fall. After a few hours, that was that. Game called due to rain. Cal was devastated. We were all heartbroken for him. He was worried that he'd made a fool out of himself in front of Erin and Boyfriend, but oh, Little Man. Sometimes 13 is still a kid. I feel weepy simply writing this.

On Sunday, Erin and Boyfriend invited us to a simply amazing brunch with fresh New Jersey tomatoes and a gorgeous quiche and bagels and delicious coffee...and of course the incomparable Fitz. Fitz really felt like we'd brought him a boy for a present, and he was quite pleased with us. He thinks we can come and visit any time.

And we plan to go back. I'll download my photos and write more about Philadelphia for Wednesday, but we had an amazing weekend, despite the sad finale. It's such a quick trip and Callum and Neel both love it so. We're working out what to do about the missed game, but the season is short at this point. I just hate to see my sweet boy so sad. And all of your comments over the weekend meant so much to him! He even got a tweet (on my feed) from an ESPN analyst that he loves! All was not lost, not by any means. Thirteen is a biggie, you know. xo

now he's thirteen {still + life}

Callum turns 13 today.

Sit with that a moment. I'm having to. I'm the mother of a teenager. We're parents of a teenager.

But this is not about me. Not at all. I thought about telling you a bit about his birth, which to us of course, is a remarkable story, and I thought about drawing you through the past 13 years of our life with this kid. In the end, I settled on the now. The here and now and the who of Callum. He's always been my funny little bug. He loves dressing up. He always has. He wears a tie to school every day now that he's in middle school, and we joke that he dresses better than his dad. He loves playing video games, like any 13 year old: Madden, MLB, something I don't understand called Minecraft (???). He loves all of these, but interestingly, not too much. I'm amazed at his ability to self regulate. Oh sure, we have to pry his fingers from the controller from time to time, but more often than not, I hear the thud of his feet hitting the floor and the squeal of the storm door as he pushes his way outside. He loves the ocean. He and I could go there every day; Neel, not as much. He loves travel, and we're getting chastized quite regularly for the fact that we haven't been on a big trip in awhile. We're working on it. He loves dogs and adores his own pups. Last year, on his birthday Lucy (the beagle) managed to escape her crate, and she was the first to wake him up. We made sure the dogs got him up this morning!

A native San Diegan, he loves California. Of course he's a Chargers fan. He's a Phillies fan too. He'll watch Project Runway and House Hunters with me, but he loves King of the Hill and Storage Wars.

He loves history and science and is quite good at languages. We're curious to see how each of his academic interests will shake out. Patton? Yes. Spanish? Yes. Cell biology? Yes, as well. There's baseball too. A new love and one he's (as you well know) passionate about. And now there's cross country. And friends. Good friends here on the block and new ones over the past months. We love all of his friends, and we're glad to see him branching out. He's unfailingly polite. As an only child, he's used to being around adults and he handles himself well with them. We were recently in a group of people that included someone who is considering running for office in the future. We saw Callum talking with this person for quite some time, and when we asked they talked about (and if this person was going to run) he said, "I just told them to follow their heart."

He's a worrier. We're working on that. He's a homebody too. He likes the idea of sleepovers better than the actuality of them, but he doesn't like being left out. We have a lot to navigate in the years ahead, and I'm working hard to be a better mother to him.

He loves buffalo wings and hot sauce (he'd put it on everything if he could). He loves all spicy food, really. And, well, just food. He's never been a picky eater, and teenage-hood has made him simply an eater! His feet are bigger than mine and he's nearly taller than me too. At moments, this realization is bittersweet as I wonder where did my baby go, but you know? That baby is still in there. But as I keep telling him, it's a delight to watch him grow up.

He's on the cusp of something great.

We put the first lines from this song on his birth announcement. Thirteen years ago. It still brings me to tears. You gotta love Van Morrison.

I saw you standing with the wind and the rain in your face
And you were thinking 'bout the wisdom of the leaves and their grace
When the leaves come falling down
In September when the leaves, come falling down

In September, when the leaves come falling down