It's hard to believe, but Con turned 40 today! Where did the time go? Well, Con although we are far away we are thinking about you on your big day, and I hope you enjoy the video clips of the children. We miss you!
Michelle, Ryan, Maggie, Jack, and Tommy
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Picture time
These are the latest pictures of the children taken at kiddie kandids. Our normal photographer was not here today, alas. He is knownas the baby whisperer and is very good at getting the shots on the first time. We did end up with some nice pictures but it took an hour and 20 minutes and was not all that much fun. Still, I took the kids to Sesame Place afterward for a special treat and they had a great time.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
In Memory of Dad Bodine
Michelle and I met 20 years ago. The first day we met she got me a ride home from field hockey practice and a job. I knew then that this was someone I wanted to be friends with. But our friendship has been so much more than I could have expected. It has always extended beyond the two of us to our families. We have shared our brothers, my sister, our in-laws, and our parents. Janet and Ken have always been Mom and Dad Bodine to me. A second set of parents that I knew I could always count on. I have no elaborate stories to tell but I would like to share with you my favorite memories of Dad Bodine.
He was always gentle with his African Grey parrot Gabby, and loved his dogs Winnie, Marco, and Maggie.
He always laughed at Michelle and I when we got silly.
He took our pictures on prom day and pretended to be a photographer asking us to do twirls in our prom dresses.
He bought me a 4” gold Elvis Christmas tree ornament when I was about seventeen and it still has a place of honor on my tree each year.
And my favorite memory, is the day Michelle was supposed to pick me up from my job at the Dry cleaners. She sent her Dad instead, and he showed up on his Motorcycle, looking all bad, he handed me a helmet and said “let’s go motorcycle mama”.
This is my favorite memory because for me it captures the essence of his spirit. His quiet good natured desire to be himself and enjoy the little things. I will miss all the little things that came from Dad Bodine’s big heart.
He was always gentle with his African Grey parrot Gabby, and loved his dogs Winnie, Marco, and Maggie.
He always laughed at Michelle and I when we got silly.
He took our pictures on prom day and pretended to be a photographer asking us to do twirls in our prom dresses.
He bought me a 4” gold Elvis Christmas tree ornament when I was about seventeen and it still has a place of honor on my tree each year.
And my favorite memory, is the day Michelle was supposed to pick me up from my job at the Dry cleaners. She sent her Dad instead, and he showed up on his Motorcycle, looking all bad, he handed me a helmet and said “let’s go motorcycle mama”.
This is my favorite memory because for me it captures the essence of his spirit. His quiet good natured desire to be himself and enjoy the little things. I will miss all the little things that came from Dad Bodine’s big heart.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Let’s not forget our American Boys!
As the mother of a 5 year old girl, I have a lot of expectations, hopes, and dreams for what her future holds. I try my best to instill the qualities she will need to survive in adulthood. She will need confidence, empathy, strong will, and determination to name a few. She will need these qualities if she is to be successful in business, or at home if she chooses, when she is surrounded by men. (Her father, brothers, husband, uncles, grandfathers, nephews, and sons.)
It is with this in mind that I am more conscious of how I raise my two small boys. Of course, our boys need all the same qualities as our girls, but there is another side to boys today that we should not overlook. With many households relying on two incomes, men are now taking on more responsibility in the home. Girls are taught to be nurturing from a very early age, but boys are often overlooked in this area. Many men are not thrilled to see their sons playing with dolls, or dressing up in Mommy’s shoes. And sometimes this kind of play is discouraged for boys.
My son Jack is three and is “all boy”. He loves trucks, tools, tractors, sports, and superheroes. However, on occasion, he likes to copy his sister and try on lip gloss, walk a baby in a stroller, or dress up with tinkerbell wings (although I have to admit he is usually superman, when he wears the wings, because as you know, superman can fly). My husband and I encourage this kind of imaginative play just as much as when he works side by side with Daddy fixing things with his tools. We encourage this play in the hopes of helping our son develop into a stronger man.
Stronger man, playing with dolls? Yes!! Tomorrow’s men need to be more nurturing than the men of today. Most of our fathers did not have an active role in childrearing or home-making. But fathers today are different, the nuclear family is different. Did my father ever change a diaper? NO WAY!! My husband however plays an active role in raising our children. Our husbands didn’t learn this role as children, so they often stumble through this process. Some shine, others have a much harder time. Our sons, however, will have role models in their fathers, and possibly even some grandfathers who are redefining their own roles.
It is important that we raise our new generation of boys to be more nurturing, and caring. It is important for them so that they won’t struggle in adulthood surrounded by their moms, grandmother, aunts, sisters, wives, and daughters. It is also important because our sons are the ones who will be waiting at the end of the aisle for our American Girls, and it is our Sons who will be fathers to our Granddaughters. When we raise our American Boys, we are raising them for our American Girls.
So let them dress up, encourage affection, let them cry, let them take dance class, let them bake with Mommy, teach them to not squash bugs. Teach them all the things that our American girls will look for and love in a father, husband, or son. And rest assured that even in Tinkerbell wings they will find a way to be Superman! Beecause, as everone knows, Superman can fly.
As the mother of a 5 year old girl, I have a lot of expectations, hopes, and dreams for what her future holds. I try my best to instill the qualities she will need to survive in adulthood. She will need confidence, empathy, strong will, and determination to name a few. She will need these qualities if she is to be successful in business, or at home if she chooses, when she is surrounded by men. (Her father, brothers, husband, uncles, grandfathers, nephews, and sons.)
It is with this in mind that I am more conscious of how I raise my two small boys. Of course, our boys need all the same qualities as our girls, but there is another side to boys today that we should not overlook. With many households relying on two incomes, men are now taking on more responsibility in the home. Girls are taught to be nurturing from a very early age, but boys are often overlooked in this area. Many men are not thrilled to see their sons playing with dolls, or dressing up in Mommy’s shoes. And sometimes this kind of play is discouraged for boys.
My son Jack is three and is “all boy”. He loves trucks, tools, tractors, sports, and superheroes. However, on occasion, he likes to copy his sister and try on lip gloss, walk a baby in a stroller, or dress up with tinkerbell wings (although I have to admit he is usually superman, when he wears the wings, because as you know, superman can fly). My husband and I encourage this kind of imaginative play just as much as when he works side by side with Daddy fixing things with his tools. We encourage this play in the hopes of helping our son develop into a stronger man.
Stronger man, playing with dolls? Yes!! Tomorrow’s men need to be more nurturing than the men of today. Most of our fathers did not have an active role in childrearing or home-making. But fathers today are different, the nuclear family is different. Did my father ever change a diaper? NO WAY!! My husband however plays an active role in raising our children. Our husbands didn’t learn this role as children, so they often stumble through this process. Some shine, others have a much harder time. Our sons, however, will have role models in their fathers, and possibly even some grandfathers who are redefining their own roles.
It is important that we raise our new generation of boys to be more nurturing, and caring. It is important for them so that they won’t struggle in adulthood surrounded by their moms, grandmother, aunts, sisters, wives, and daughters. It is also important because our sons are the ones who will be waiting at the end of the aisle for our American Girls, and it is our Sons who will be fathers to our Granddaughters. When we raise our American Boys, we are raising them for our American Girls.
So let them dress up, encourage affection, let them cry, let them take dance class, let them bake with Mommy, teach them to not squash bugs. Teach them all the things that our American girls will look for and love in a father, husband, or son. And rest assured that even in Tinkerbell wings they will find a way to be Superman! Beecause, as everone knows, Superman can fly.
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