Screaming for joy (?)

Poor Tyler.

Karie's last supper

So I go weeks without posting and now I'm posting several entries within one night. Go figure.
Here's a picture from dinner out with Karie (bottom row, second from right), who's expecting TWINS (and already has two toddlers at home). If there's anyone who can handle this situation with calm and grace, it's Karie. She amazes and inspires us with her relaxed demeanor. I have definitely learned from her.

Firewater

We are so fortunate to have found such a great group of people within our own neighborhood here in Bedford Hills and Katonah. These are some pictures from Steve Barbera's surprise 40th (HOW on earth are we all nearing 40??). The guys all started getting together almost a year ago on Thursday nights and have dubbed their gang "Firewater", for the large amounts of "water" they consume and the fact that they do it near a fire pit at Steve's house, usually (hence the votives in many of our hands in the picture). It's a group that couldn't have been handpicked any better, and we all live in the same neighborhood. Pretty amazing to have found them at a stage in life when you don't expect to meet good new friends.

Where do people find the time...

to update these things?
Anyway, it's been a wonderful New Year so far. New Year's Eve was spent with our friends Annette and Gary and then we joined Rachel and Brian at a really fun party in Ridgefield. I can't remember the last New Year's Eve we've been able to have fun... I'm usually working. It was GREAT. We are so blessed to have found good people up here.
Did I mention in this blog that I'm pregnant? There you have it. We're doing this again! Ava has told us that she will only accept a sister, and there's only so much explaining that I can do for a three-year old. That's not true... I can explain until I'm blue in the face, but there's only so much understanding she can have. We think she gets it. She told me that she had a baby in her belly too, and out fell her Snow White doll from underneath her shirt. Is this normal?
I worked on a very cool skating show (yes, I said cool) with my friend Jennie, which starred Seal! None of that Squirrel Nut Zippers crap for us... this is the real deal. He was fantastic. I'll upload some pictures I took at some point. Too bad the show had to be collapsed due to long-running hockey game, but I believe it's re-airing as a cut-down show this coming weekend for all those figure skating/Seal junkies out there.
Dad and Roz came up today and we had a great time together. I got to nap while they watched Ava, which always makes for a better day for all involved.
Wishing you all a blissful New Year.

Happy New Year!

May 2008 bring you all that you hope for!

Mack and cheese

Ken and Ava were at the airport traveling home from Cincinnati after Thanksgiving. They sat down to eat with Mimi and GranTed. There was nothing Ava wanted on the menu. Ken, good dad that he is, took Ava to three restaurants before finding one that she was happy with. All she wanted was mac & cheese.
They sat down to dinner at Max and Erma's and Ava ordered her mac & cheese. Dinner arrives, along with a side of fruit. She devours the fruit. The mac & cheese is getting cold.
Ken: "Ava, please eat your mac & cheese."
Ava (dramatically, in tears): "I don't like mac & cheese!!"
Ken: "You made me go to three different restaurants to find mac & cheese! You LOVE mac & cheese!"
Ava: "I DON'T like mac & cheese! I don't like to eat mac & cheese!
Ken: "But it's your favorite!"
Ava: "Daddy, I don't like to EAT mac & cheese. (devilish grin appears)...I like to ORDER mac & cheese..."

"Just the cookie, nice man."

I have been looking for pictures for our holiday cards and came across the 'cookie series' which reminds me of this funny story.
Ava and I drove out to Long Island to have dinner at the Gold Coast Diner with Gommy and Ava started to chat up our waiter, Leo. We order, we eat, Leo comes to tell Ava about her dessert options.
Leo: "You can have jello..."
Ava: (interrupting) "Ew..."
Leo: "a cookie..."
Ava: Ooh!!
Leo: "or ice cream..."
Ava (interrupting, while waving him off, not even giving him eye contact): "Just the cookie, nice man."
In an instant, he is nameless. Just a man with access to a cookie.