Long Time No Post

Not really a lot to write - just counting the hours until the holidays are over. I should finally get the Christmas letters in the mail tomorrow, so, knowing Chicago's famous postal service, you should be getting it before 2008.

Happy Birthday Viola

Today is Viola's birthday. Mason spent the evening with her while I went to the Open House at Mason's school. It's sad that Jenny can't be here to celebrate this day.

We love you Grandma.

Max & Mason

One Happy Day

Since Mason was 5, we've managed to make it to Six Flags Great America at least once each year (except last year). We couldn't have asked for better weather, it wasn't too hot and there wasn't a cloud in the sky on Saturday.

Mason was psyched to go, for several weeks we've been talking about roller coasters and log rides. As with all major outings, Mason asked, "Can I bring a friend?". This year, Nikki came with us and I'm glad she did. Nikki loves the big rides.

Up until this year, Mason wouldn't even think about going on a ride that had loop or a roll (just another way she is like her Mama) - preferring to stick to all rides where the horizon has blue on top. The last time we went, she got a taste of what a thrilling roller coaster ride felt like - the last ride of the day two years ago was Raging Bull. No loops or rolls, but this is the tallest, fastest ride at Six Flags Great America.

This year would be different, this year she was up to the challenge of Superman, Batman, Vertical Velocity and Iron Wolf. You've gotta see the pics of Mason's face while riding an old wooden coaster, The Viper.

Nikki and Mason are a great combo. They really have fun together and get along great, I'm glad that she could join us. Nikki's dad recommended we spring for the Flash Pass (for a few extra $, you get to avoid the long lines and scoot right to the front) - that really made the day enjoyable. After each ride, we would just reserve our spot in line for the next one - saving us hours of standing in line, well worth it!

Mason and Nikki even tried their hand at driving the Go Carts, they didn't go very fast (which is fine with me), but they didn't run into anything or anyone either!

We took lots of pictures, take a look and leave us comments on the ones you like. We are very happy with our new Sony Cybershot DSCW70 7.2MP Digital Camera and would recommend it to anyone who wants to take quality shots without a lot of fuss.

Max & Mason

IKON Lunch

Last Friday I went out to lunch with a few of my old friends from IKON. We all met at the Clubhouse in Oak Brook for a meal, but we got a lot of good old conversation. Sure we ate, but seeing these guys again was better than the food (and the food was good).

Tom put it all together. It was great seeing all of them; Tom, Dan, Roger and Steve - we missed Roger K., hopefully he'll be able to make the next one. It appears that everyone is doing great, IKON/Chicago was made up of a really great group of people. We worked hard and played hard - and we all survived. I think Jenny would be proud of me, reconnecting with friends from my past.

It's been a few years since we all worked together. But, it felt like just another lunch with buddies from work. I think we all had a great time and have committed to do it again in a few months (next time I'll bring a camera). Hopefully, our numbers will be a little larger. Maybe some of the people we talked about will be there ;-) Stay tuned...

Max & Mason

Brush With Famous

Well, famous in Chicago and to those who follow Major League Baseball.



Mason and I went to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum on Monday to see the Butterfly Exhibit and the new Robot Exhibit. We ran into the Chicago Cubs first baseman, Derrek Lee, and his family. Mason wanted a picture with him to give to her grandpa (who has been following the Cubs for over 90% of his 90 years). Derrek was very nice and we snapped a photo very quickly so we wouldn't interrupt his day with his wife and daughter.

In September 2006 Derrek Lee's daughter, Jada, 3 was diagnosed with Leber's congenital amaurosis, a rare genetic disease resulting in loss of vision. Lee and Boston Celtics co-owner and CEO Wyc Grousbeck began Project 3000 in an effort to eradicate the disease affecting both their families.

Besides this picture, we got a lot of good butterfly photos.

Max & Mason

Cubs Win!

Our 1st Game in 2007
Originally uploaded by max_rose

Mason and I went to our first Cubs game of the season yesterday. The Cubbies beat the evil Brewers to take a 2 game lead in the NL Central over the surging St. Louis Cardinals.

We had a great time watching the game and watching the fans. It was "Free Hat Day" sponsored by Arby's, so hey, we each got new hats! We ate hot dogs, but no Cracker Jacks. There was also a very cool orange full moon. Did I mention that the Cubs won? There were a few signs around Wrigleyville that said, "99th Time is a Charm" - that's pretty funny.

Unfortunately, we had to leave at the 7th inning stretch (sung by Bob Uecker, you remember him...Wacky World of Sports guy, Miller Lite commercials, Major League movies. Cubs fans booed him because he's also the Brewers radio announcer, lol) because the woman behind me had too much to drink - too much that some of it came up over the top, if you know what I mean, onto my back. Needless to say, Mason and I were a little upset. Mason was shocked that it happened, I was shocked that it wasn't some 20 something idiot - this woman was easily 40. Actually, this would be very funny if it happened to somebody else, I even have a little grin right now just thinking about it - I hope she had to get to work early today ;-)

Overall though, we had a great time. Thanks Mike; for the tickets!

Max & Mason

New Manicure / Pedicure

New Manicure / Pedicure
Originally uploaded by max_rose

Before the Berwyn Block Party, Mason and I went downtown so that she could get her nails done. School starts on Tuesday, and she wants to look her best for that first day. We went to Digits on Southport, which is right across the street from aunt Elizabeth's old store. The ladies there are all very nice and treat her like she's special (which of course, she is!).

She is very excited to get back to school, and so am I.

Max & Mason

Berwyn Block Party

On Saturday we went over to Mike's house in Berwyn for their annual block party. What a great time! The food was awesome, even a roasted pig (sorry Isabel :( ). Mike has a lot of great neighbors who all made us feel welcome.

Mike put together a Bagz tournament with 20 teams competing for the prize. Tony and I were partners and were dispatched in the first round by a couple of guys who claimed to have never played before. Mike and Jim won the whole thing, which helped Mike forget about the stress and pressure of being commissioner and referee. They beat Joe (the block party organizer) and Jose in the final match. I think everyone had a great time.

Mason made a few new friends, but seemed to spend most of her time with Boomer - Joe and Jana's boxer. We put the pics up on flickr for everyone to see.

Max & Mason

Aftermath

The lights just came back on.

A storm came through the midwest and knocked out the power. Ummm...that was on Thursday, today is Sunday. Electric service was knocked out for approximately 250,000 homes in and around Chicago, including about 1/2 of River Forest. Some people are still without power.

I took some pictures of the storm and the aftermath. The tree in the picture was uprooted by 60-80 mph winds. Fortunately (or unfortunately - since it would have been fine with me if a tree had fallen on my garage that needs to be replaced, or the kitchen that I need to remodel) none of our trees were damaged.

Max & Mason

Grandma & Grandpa VV

The past few weeks have been trying. I don't know what I'd be doing without Jenny's parents to watch Mason!

You often hear, "nice people", "salt of the earth" used to describe friends and/or family - but it is really true with Bob and Viola Van Vuren. I don't think I've ever heard them say anything bad about anybody. They are always around if Mason needs a place to "hang-out". Grandma and Mason do a lot of baking, puzzles and games. They are even good sports when it comes to things like fashion shows (both the Mason with her friends kind and the kind where Mason will dress up stuffed animals or dolls).

Jenny's mom, Viola, will be 83 next month and her dad, Bob, will be 90 in January, and he manages to call me every morning at 6:30, just to say hi and make sure that I'm awake. I hope that the time they spend with Mason takes away a few years, rather than adds. I know that Mason really enjoys spending time with them and I'm very, very, very grateful that they are close by.

Max & Mason

P.S. Mason took the camera over there the other day and took some nice portraits. They're on flickr.

Block Party 2007

A few raindrops wouldn't keep us from our annual Forest Avenue Block Party. I didn't count, but it looked as though 40+ kids and 30+ adults spent the day in the middle of the street, without fear of getting run over.

Every year we barricade both ends of the street; set up tables, chairs, grills and beer keg and spend the entire day getting to know our neighbors a little better. Some of the more resourceful families brought out their tents to keep everyone dry. It was actually a nice change from the 94 degree weather we had last weekend.

The kids all seemed to have a good time. We started the day with donuts and juice (and sugar packets and soda). Painted faces, played games, decorated bikes, jumped in one of those inflatable castles, played in the swimming pool, used chalk to decorate the asphalt AND got to feed and pet a bunch of farm animals. After eating dinner, the kids all went into the basement and watched a couple of movies and ate popcorn while the parents sat around and talked. I posted a few pictures that Mason took on flickr.

Jenny always liked this get-together. She really liked seeing all of the kids play in the street, throw water balloons and just have a good time. She would have liked to have been here yesterday.

Max & Mason

Robin Hood

Last night we joined a group from Keller Williams to see the play Robin Hood. The Oak Park Festival Theater put on a great production with lots of action, humor and quality performances. This has turned into our annual "cultural" event.

We had a group potluck picnic before the show and some of the proceeds from the ticket sales went to benefit KW Cares. You might recall that last year, Molly put a similar event together for Mason's Education Fund. This is actually the 3rd year that we've done this, it was a lot of fun. We enjoyed the company and the show.

I posted some pictures on flickr. Take a look.

Max & Mason

Grandpa Carved These

Grandpa Tony celebrated his 87th birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday Grandpa.

I'm not sure how long he's been carving pieces of wood and turning them into artistic masterpieces, but he's definitely very good at it. Mason snapped this picture of a few of his projects. I'm pretty sure most everyone in the family has at least one "bird" that Grandpa carved. We have a Mallard Drake, it sits prominently on top of the tv in the living room. Everyone who sees it comments on how lifelike it looks - when I tell them that my Grandpa made it, they don't believe me at first, until I show them the inscription on the bottom that shows it was carved in '92 and given to Jenny and me in '97.

Aunt Toni sent me an article that was recently published in the local Annapolis newspaper. The opening sentence is, "Wood carving saved Tony Cimino's life." Here's the link to the full article.

I've printed the full article into a pdf. So, if the story disappears or the newspaper deletes the article, I have it for anyone who wants it. Just send me an email.

Max & Mason

Ups & Downs

I played golf Sunday with my buddy Mike. We went to Algonquin to play The Golf Club of Illinois. The course wasn't anything like we imagined. Other Dick Nugent designed courses I've played (Harborside International, Heritage Bluffs, Seven Bridges) all seemed much more memorable. They are all courses that I will definitely play again (and have played numerous times) because the experience was enjoyable. Mike and I both thought the "Top 10" state ranking is a stretch. The 11th hole owned the title for "Longest Par 5 in the US" at 678 yards - I actually made par!

Mason and I have been spending a lot of time together. I do wish she had a little more going on in the way of activities, but school will be starting soon and that will "free up" some of my time.

Those are the "Ups".

I think about Jenny a lot. I haven't been sleeping very well and I don't appear to be very motivated. Just when I start to have fun, or right after having fun, I feel guilty for feeling good. I know this is probably "normal", but I don't like it. I know I can't live in the past or the future, I have to stay focused on the present - the "here and now", but my mind always finds a way to wander back to thoughts of what would my life be like now if Jenny were still here? Then I imagine many answers to that question, before you know it, it's 3 o'clock in the morning and I haven't gotten to sleep.

Anyway, maybe this is progress. Last year I couldn't sleep and wasn't motivated because I think I was still in shock and overwhelmed by what lies ahead of us. Now, I think I'm beginning to understand what lies ahead and I'm just freaked out and, honestly, pretty scared.

Everyone says, "it gets better". I'm sure it will. I'll get started on that tomorrow, after I get a good night's sleep.

Max & Mason

Grandpa and Me

Grandpa and Me
Originally uploaded by max_rose

One of the most amazing people I know.

He loved his wife forever, he is conservative and has managed to take care of his kids and grandkids (he's a rock). He is living an amazing life, in Europe, Asia, Guam and the US. He's managed to keep his wits, when all about him have lost theirs.

Grandpa Cimino is a man to be admired, loved and trusted. He is always warm and friendly. I've never heard a disparaging word. He loved Grandma Betty as much as anyone can love anyone ( I miss her so much, I wish Mason could have known her as I've known her, I wish I had known her better ). The time we've spent together so far is too short. I really hope he lives forever, so that we can get to know each other better. He's a pleasure to be around, makes a mean spaghetti and meatballs, carves wood like nobody else and has friends wherever he goes. Granpa Tony is a rolemodel that we should all emulate - what an amazing man.

Love,
Max & Mason

That Last Post

Geez, could I be anymore pathetic? I've got to stop writing in my sleep (or at least only save the posts as drafts).

Things aren't that bad. Sure, business is stressful right now (umm, I'm in the mortgage business - so unless you have been living under a rock, you can imagine things are a little topsy-turvy). Summer School ended and Mason isn't quite old enough to completely entertain herself - and unlike last year, there just aren't as many "volunteers" to help out. But, Mason and I are healthy. We're together. We get along great. So, I shouldn't whine so much.

I'm very grateful to everyone who has stayed in contact. We really appreciate everyone who makes any effort to include us. I thought about listing everyone we should thank, but then, like on the Academy Awards, if I forgot someone - that would be tragic. So, just so you know we are grateful and we don't take the effort you put forth for granted - we do remember you. Believe me, a lot of those sleepless nights are spent thinking of the amazing friends that we have and how impossible this would be without you.

Maybe I'm just bi-polar ;-)

Max & Mason

Where Did They Go?

Last year there were so many friends, so many people that said "we'll be here, we'll be here for whatever you need."

I can recall, sitting on the front porch telling Mason that everyone who said they'd be around, wouldn't. I'm really sorry that I was right. But, I'm not surprised. Look, everyone has to get on with their lives, I completely understand that. Mason doesn't quite get that yet. I know she will someday.

While I know that Jenny was important, her influence is diminished now that she's passed away. I knew that everyone who was here for us in the early moments would eventually fall back into their routine. I tried to be prepared for that, but it is difficult not hearing from Jenny's lifelong friends. I know they are thinking of her, but Mason would love note or an email, just to be sure.

A friend of mine asked me today..."Have you found a girlfriend?"

I can't even begin to think about that. Jenny was my one true love. I love her and can't imagine loving anyone else. I can't think of anyone other than Jenny. I still love her so much. I miss her. Without her I am lost. I don't know what to do.

Like tonight, most nights, I can't sleep. I just lie awake and think about what needs to be done. I try to accomplish daily and weekly goals, but I constantly miss Jenny. She should still be here. We were supposed to do this together. I'm not meant to do this alone.

Woke Up Thinking of Jenny

I woke up this morning and the movie Backdraft, starring Kurt Russell, was on tv. That got me thinking about Jenny. Kurt Russell was her favorite. We saw this movie opening weekend back in 1991. We had only been married a few months if I recall, and I remember Jenny really liked this flick.

Here's a list of Jenny's favorite movies:

Escape From New York
Used Cars
The Falcon and The Snowman
Taps
Backdraft
E.T.
Big
Yours, Mine and Ours (the one with Lucille Ball)
Overboard
Starsky & Hutch
The Princess Bride
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Raiders of the Lost Ark
All of the Die Hard movies, she would have loved the most recent one

I didn't really put those in a particular order, just typed them as I remembered them, but the first one, Escape From New York, was her #1 favorite. Do you notice a common thread? She had a crush on Kurt Russell, or maybe she just liked Snake Plisskin.

If you know of another movie that I forgot to list, just add it in the comments.

Visits From Around The World

A little over a year ago Mason and I started this blog. The primary reason was to communicate with friends, family and neighbors - to keep everyone up-to-date. I have had periods where I haven't done a very good job posting on a regular basis, but I think I've gotten better the past couple of months (at least I hope you think so).

About 2 months ago, I started using some tracking software for Max & Mason - similar to what I use for my business blog (which I need to do a better job at updating, but, hey - one thing at a time, right?). It's called Google Analytics. The statistics and reports are very interesting. The software shows us how many visitors our blog gets, where they are in the world, how they got there, how long they stayed on the site, etc. There are many business applications for this, but for Max & Mason, it's just for fun.

Today I looked at the report that shows where all of the visitors to our blog are logging in from - out there in the World Wide Web. Since June 8, 2007 (when I added the tracking) through today, we've had 810 visits from 100 cities! That's pretty cool. I wonder how many visits we've gotten since we first started? If you click on the picture, you can probably find your "dot", unless this is your first time visiting, then it won't be on there. The bigger the orange dot, the more visits from that location.

Thanks for stopping by. This report confirms that we're not alone and that, if even by random clicking from unknown people, we are being thought of and hopefully Jenny (through our tales) is being remembered for the wonderful wife, mother and friend she was.

Love,
Max & Mason

Family

There really isn't anything that compares to "family". Grandpa opened his home to us and Toni made time to entertain Mason. Mason had a great time with Aunt Toni and Sophia. Aunt Toni was very generous with her time, she spent many hours with Mason - shopping, sight-seeing and just "hanging out". Mason really enjoyed the time, and I think they made a very special bond. We even got to spend Erik's birthday with him, Mason even helped make the cake. It was a lot of fun.

Sophia was a treat. Two year olds are great to have around. Sophia is fearless, vivacious and happy. Eric and Lisa have a wonderful little girl.

Of course, Mason made friends with Dooly the new puppy. She took a lot of great photos and we've posted them on flickr.

Love,

Max & Mason

400 Years Ago...

A man by the name of John Smith explored the Chesapeake Bay.

Replica of John Smith's Boat

The National Parks Service designated a waterway trail to commemorate the exploration of the Chesapeake Bay by John Smith. Smith, along with a crew of 14, rowed and sailed 1,500 miles of waterway in a boat similar to the one pictured here, docked at Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Looks like tight quarters.

The English shallop (pictured) was an open, shallow-draft craft about 7 feet wide and 30 feet long and had probably been transported from England in two pieces that could be assembled in Virginia. The shallop could be rowed or sailed and carried up to 15 people. Smith selected a crew that included a doctor, a carpenter, a tailor to mend sails, ordinary seamen, and higher-status “gentlemen” to serve as Smith's bodyguards and entourage during visits with Native groups.

Smith, a man in his mid twenties, is responsible for drawing the first map of the bay. He and his crew survived this gruelling journey of discovery by fending off attacks from Native American tribes, befriending chiefs and living off the plentiful fish, oysters and vegetation that grew in the Chesapeake Bay.

Today the bay is in trouble. Too much sediment and fertilizer run-off is killing the ecosystem. Legislators and conservationists are having a difficult time preserving the vitality of this very important estuary. You can read more about this effort here.

Max & Mason

Maryland Vacation

Mason and I are back. We sure had a great time with everyone in Maryland. We spent a lot of time with Grandpa Cimino, Aunt Toni and Uncle Steve and DC area traffic (well, I spent a lot of time with DC traffic).

Mason got to know her Aunt Toni as they spent many hours shopping, seeing sights, playing cards and just talking about life. I'm glad that Toni, Steve and Grandpa could spare the time to spend with her while I was attending a class for advanced mortgage planning strategies (geez, that sounds like fun when I put it that way ;-)

That's a picture of Mason & Dooly. We took a lot of pics and have them posted on flickr. I'll write more later, just wanted to let everyone know that we're home. Safe and sound.

Max & Mason

Finding The Humor

These days, humor and laughter are difficult for me to come by. I can recall many times when Jenny and I would literally begin to cry we laughed so hard, but now I don't find many things nearly as funny or silly as before. Sure, my kid does a lot of funny things and I think that Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert are funny - I watch them almost daily, and usually manage to laugh. I don't think I've laughed at a SNL skit in several years, but I don't think that has anything to do with me - that show hasn't been funny in a long time. I can count on one show, The Office, to bring about a full fledged belly laugh every time I watch it. That's the way it used to be with Jenny and me, every day.

Something happened a few weeks ago, that at first wasn't funny at all, but now I can't stop laughing about it.

We have a cat named Murphy. He turned 20 years old in April of this year. That's pretty old for a cat, so we cut him a lot of slack - I mean, that's like 120 in people years. Jenny got him as a kitten and has been a fixture in our house ever since I first met Jenny. We have pictures (somewhere) of Murphy sleeping with Mason when she was just a baby.

About three weeks ago, Murphy died. I'm not sure if you've ever seen an animal die, let me tell you - it's not an enjoyable experience. He did all of the graphic things you can imagine, he fell over, soiled himself, closed his eyes and gave his final gasp. Mason and I tried to comfort him. Mason rubbed his head and talked to him very softly until he breathed his last breath. It was very emotional, Mason and I both cried as we held each other for several minutes.

Because it was time to leave for summer school, I took Murphy to the basement (where Daisy won't go) and put him in a towel and placed him in an old shoebox with the intention of dealing with his body when I got home. We went about our day, Mason off to summer school, me to the office.

Later in the evening, just before bedtime, Mason hollered at me from the kitchen, "Papa!"

"Papa, Murhpy is alive!" I ran to the kitchen to find Mason holding a living, breathing; gray, tabby cat - it was Murphy.

I don't know how, or why. But he is still with us. He can't see farther than about 6 inches in front of him. He walks into walls and can barely manage to jump up on the couch, but he is still with us, meowing loudly when he's hungry. I think Jenny must be getting a kick out of this. For now, we'll just continue to enjoy each day he spends with us, because it surely is on borrowed time.

July 16th, Not Just Another Day

Come Monday, it'll be alright...

How I wish that were true today. I miss Jenny so much, and dates keep popping up that remind me of how much I miss her. I think about her life everyday, but certain days just mean more than others - maybe that's why we have a calendar? Maybe the main purpose for the calendar is to remember - it's funny how my brain works (maybe everyone elses works this way too, but I'm only really familiar with mine).

Today, Jenny would have been 46. She would have spent the day with Mason (and managed to squeeze in a few work related phone calls). She would have talked to her closest friends; Elly, Elizabeth, Susan, Cathy, Gini, Tracey, MaryAnn, Julia, Lois, Marie, Aunt Diane and Zenaida. She would have had lunch with her Mama and dinner with Susan and Elizabeth (they had celebrated their birthdays together for...let's just say 30+ years) - Susan's b-day is the 18th. Her father's half-birthday is today, they would have shared the Cinnamon Crunch Cake that Jenny's mom makes. She also would have talked to her brother, Rob - he always made it a point to call. He loved her so much too. Her e-mail box would have been crammed with e-greetings from all over the country - she even had friends in Australia and Mexico (met on our trips) that remembered her day.

At some point during the day, she would have managed to fit me into her schedule, but this day was mainly spent with friends. Jenny was like that, she put friends first - that's one of her qualities I admired most. Jenny and I were complete opposites that way, she had friends from decades ago, and I didn't and don't. Most of my relationships, are her relationships - when I pause and reflect about that, I realize that was a primary reason for my complete infatuation with her. Everyone liked her. She had amazing grace with people, from every walk of her very too short life. I see that quality in Mason, she too has many friends with varying qualities and personalities. It would be impossible to put them all in the same category.

While I'm definitely a better man because Jenny let me into her life, I struggle now. I struggle to find myself - because for so long (and for what I thought would last forever) I counted on her and her relationships to keep me connected to this world. Now I count on Mason for that very thing. I've never been truly comfortable in my own skin, but I could be myself around Jenny. She would let me know when I was wrong, without making me feel wrong. She made me feel comfortable when I was with her. She had so many expectations for herself and Mason and us. The dreams and goals we had were "ours".

I'm trying not to sulk so much, but it is hard. I'm in pain each day...trying to go through this life without my Jenny. Why did she have to die?

Mason and I miss her so much.

Love,
Max & Mason

Brain Freeze

Brain Freeze
Originally uploaded by max_rose

We went to Starbuck's in River Forest, for breakfast Sunday. Papa had his usual coffee with a sausage and egg sandwich. I had a cinnimon crunch bagel and caramel frappuccino, but i like the mocha better.

Rating on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best)

Coffee- 5
Frappuccino- 4
Food-2
Service- 4

-Mason

Kool Tool For Pictures

On bighugetools.com there are a lot of fantastic software tools to create an exciting picture display with photos that you store on flickr.com.

I made this mosaic of the pictures from our Mackinac Island trip. Make your own famtabulistic creation.

-Mason

Grandma & Grandpa VanVuren

Mason interviewed Jenny's parents for her Summer School class Movies, Music & More. She created this movie from the video. I think it's great that we have this recorded and hope that you enjoy it for what it is.



Love,

Max & Mason

Summer Trip

OK, this is only about 11 months late. Last year, Mason and I went to Mackinac Island and we had a very good few days together. Mackinac was perfect, completely removed from the hustle and bustle.

I've taken a few of our photos and made them into a short movie. I hope you enjoy it.



We have more photos from this trip, I'll post them to flickr soon.

Max & Mason

YouTube.com Windows Movie Maker Mackinac Island

Sunday Afternoon Round

Mike

That's my friend Mike. We play golf together about 25 times per year. He doesn't look too happy because I'm winning ;-) We played a round in the stifling heat at Big Run Golf Club on Sunday. This course is a test. In my opinion (and Mike's) this is the best value within 1 hour of Chicago.

To be fair, his handicap is about 8 strokes better than mine. But, I somehow always manage to bring my "A" game. I always tell him that he's the best golfer I know.

Max

Big Run Golf Club is in Lockport, IL. From the Championship Tees it plays every bit of 7,025 yards and has a slope rating of 142.

Daisy is 5 years old

Daisy

I can vividly recall the crucial day that Mason, Jenny and I were out for a family walk around the block.

We were walking south on Forest Avenue, and Mason was doing those "big jumps" that kids do while hanging between both parents; one hand attached to Mama and the other to Papa. Mason was 3, and Jenny and I had been "suburbanites" for two whole months.

A neighbor was walking his dog toward us. Mason let go of our hands and looked Jenny in the eyes. Without a spoken word between the two (they had obviously done this little dance before), Mason walked over slowly to the human and asked, "Can I pet your dog?"

To which he replied, " of course, he loves kids."

Mason approached the big lab with confidence and began to pet his shiny black fur. In an instant, the tail wagged and the tongue licked the face (the dog's tongue, not Mason's - although at that age, it does require an explanation).

"Nice doggy. OK, honey, it's time to finish our walk", said Jenny.

We continued the big jump game for a few more houses and then it happened. Those fateful words were spoken, "Papa, can we get a dog?"

"Oh, sweetie", I said, "Not today."

"When?"

I glanced at Jenny, but she was conveniently looking at a house across the street...no help. Without giving much thought I replied...

"We'll get one when you're 8."

"OK, thank you Papa."

Little did I realize that Mason has some kind of freakishly powerful memory, and never forgets anything that anyone ever tells her. Six months before her 8th birthday, Jenny and I were reminded of this conversation and the search for our puppy began.

Daisy was rescued from a shelter in Kentucky. She was days away from "going to live forever on that farm up in Wisconsin" when we found her. She's a pain, and Mason hardly ever walks her, but I'm very glad she's here. I tell Daisy everything - because even if she remembers, she won't be able to remind me of what I said. She's a dog.

Max

The Police Concert

The Police Concert - a photoset on Flickr

Every little thing they did was Magic! Ok, not quite...but close. The Police were great, Stewart Copeland did a few "very youthful" drum solos, reminicsent of the early 80's. Sting appeared to have a hard time with a few of the really-hard-to-reach-notes, but he was spectacular and Andy Summers showed why he is still known as one of the most original guitarists ever. In short, they ROCKED.

Max

Do You Have A PHOTO?

I was thinking the other day...

Years from now, when Mason sits down to actually read this blog, it would be great if she could see pictures of her Mama's friends along with a little story or memory. Even if you don't have one of Jenny (which are very rare, I know), maybe you could send one of yourself and we could add it to the online photo album on flickr and/or post them here on the blog.

Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to compile a bunch of pictures of Jenny. I don't own a scanner, but maybe someone out there would let me borrow one, so that I could digitize some of our photos of Jenny and post them here - this way they would be saved forever. Once I scan and upload the photos, you could write a few sentences about a picture of an event that you remember (since many of them we have because you gave them to us). A caption along with the photo (make it a whole paragraph or 10 if you like, don't be shy) will really add to the memory 5, 10 or 20 years from now. Email your photo and caption to max_rose@sbcglobal.net.

For Mason's sake.

Max and Mason.

Friends, Food & Fireworks

We made our annual trek to Grant Park, on Chicago's lakefront to watch the 4th of July fireworks. Ray, Lisa and Nikki invited us to join them for a picnic before the show. The weather was great, but the food was even better. This is probably the best I've eaten in a few weeks! Ray and Lisa brought some great food from Fox & Obel.

Before the fireworks started, we ate and walked around. We made some new friends, had some good conversation and "people-watched".


We met four young ladies who took the train down from Grayslake. Toni, Amber, Ashleigh and Linnea successfully haggled with a vendor for some glow sticks.

Mason snapped a photo of a boy who made a hat perfect for the 4th of July. I've posted more pics here.


Once the show started, we just sat back and enjoyed the display that was accompanied by the Chicago Symphony playing in the Petrillo Band Shell and simulcast on the radio. To top off the night, we stopped in Little Italy for some Italian Ice for the ride home.

Happy 4th!
Max and Mason

The POLICE at Wrigley Field

Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland are coming to Chicago and will be playing two shows at sold out Wrigley Field on July 5th and 6th. A friend of mine has extra tickets that I said I would help move. (I get to go to the Friday show for this service, so I would like to help out!)


The Police are my 2nd favorite 3 piece band (next to U2 of course) and seeing them perform at Wrigley Field will be an awesome experience. Two years ago we saw Jimmy Buffett here and, well - it was incredible. This was the last concert that Jenny and I went to together, needless to say, I'll remember that Labor Day event forever.

If you would like tickets, they are being sold below face value. They are all for Friday night's show, July 6th. The concert starts at 7:00. Below are the details along with the listings on stubhub.com.

Here are the seats my friend has, I put the link to the StubHub listings so you can see the locations:

Section FF - these are on the field DETAILS these have a face of $254 and the ticketmaster fees are $31 (a real deal at $225 each) SOLD

Section 411 - these are upper deck box DETAILS these have a face of $94 and the ticketmaster fees are $19 (letting them go for, $112 each) SOLD

Section 433 - these are upper deck box DETAILS these have a face of $94 and the ticketmaster fees are $19 (letting them go for, $112 each) SOLD

Section 204 - these are terrace reserved DETAILS these have a face of $94 and the ticketmaster fees are $19 (letting them go for, $112 each) SOLD

Let me know if you or anyone you know wants them.

Max - send me an email or call me at (708) 406-6265.

Shameless Plug

I was clicking around on the links over on the right and noticed that over 300 people have viewed our profile. I'm not sure if that means 300 unique people have read it, or if one person has viewed it 300 times. I'm guessing that it's probably some combination of the two (although, I can't imagine why anyone would need a second or third look, not much there).

So, just thought I'd take a minute to say (here it comes, but hey, I'm not calling you - you can call me if you want my help) I just funded my 700th mortgage loan, so even though the mortgage business is constantly changing, I think I kinda, sorta know what I'm doing. If you would like someone to take a look at your current debt situation and give you an honest evaluation of your options, I'd be honored.

You can reach me at the office (708) 406-6265 or on my cell (708) 323-7673. You can also email me at mrose@ptffinancial.com or max_rose@sbcglobal.net.

If I don't hear from anyone, I can guess that the "Grandmas", "Grandpas" and "Aunts" have been doing all the "clicking".

Max and Mason

PTF Financial Mortgage advice mortgages homes real estate chicago oakpark riverforest IL

Jenny's Mom

*UPDATE JULY 13, 9:00 PM*
Viola has gone for another epidural injection today. She is moving around with minimal help and has hardly any pain. We are optomistic about her recovery and it appears that she will be back to normal soon.

*UPDATE July 2, 5:00 pm*

Well, Grandma is home. Not quite ready for the high-hurdles, but seems to be ambling along nicely. I was out all afternoon, but Mason (being the very good grand daughter that she is) went over to stay with Grandma while Grandpa went to the Osco to fill some prescriptions. Seems we're back to normal, whatever that is.

*UPDATE July 1, 9:00 pm*

Viola is making great progress. The epidural injections appear to be working and she managed to walk without pain today. If everything looks good, she'll be coming home tomorrow. I'm sure that Bob is happy about this.

*UPDATE June 27, 9:00 pm*

Mason and I just returned from a nice visit with Grandma. She was in good spirits (which is an accomplishment in itself considering all the poking and prodding) and appears to have the pain under control. She is scheduled for more tests tomorrow. The path that the doctors appear to be taking is to administer epidural steroid injections to cure the pain - the success rate for this procedure is about 75%, but Viola will probably have an asterisk next to her name in the record books now ;-)

Viola was admitted to the LaGrange Memorial Hospital yesterday for severe pain in her back and legs. The pain started on Friday and after a couple of visits with the orthopedist, without a solid diagnosis, she was admitted for further tests and appropriate pain management.

I'm sure that she and Bob would appreciate your thoughts and well-wishes. Email me if you want more information. We'll keep you posted.

Max and Mason

We love you grandma!

Quality Time

Mason and I FINALLY had our first round of golf together this year. Previously, she's been "too busy" to join me for a walk while we chase the little white (in her case purple) ball around. She managed to squeeze me into her schedule and we had a very nice time at Legends in Bensenville.

Even though Mason hasn't practiced much, she put together a nice round. She drove the green on the first hole and made one par. Like most golfers, she needs to practice her short game. She did however, make a putt that was over 20 feet. Pictures of our round are here.

I really cherish these moments together. We talked a lot, but not about anything serious (other than that Mason thinks I'm way overdue for a haircut). Just walking and talking about nothing in particular - it was a great way to spend the afternoon. Afterwards, we went to Johnnie's Beef for a hot dog and Italian Ice, yum!

Max and Mason

Thyme & Honey Review

For about the past year, my Papa and I have been going out for breakfast on Sundays. Today, we tried the newly reopened Thyme & Honey on Madison in Forest Park.

This restaurant used to be in Oak Park, but closed a few months ago - they just reopened on Wednesday of last week. It's obvious that they still don't quite have their system figured out. The service was slow. We were seated right away, but it took ten minutes for the waiter to come take our order. I ordered a Belgium Waffle and Papa ordered two eggs, bacon, potatoes and an english muffin. It took another 12 minutes for our food to arrive. My waffle was good, but I've had better. They overcooked the bacon (even though my dad ordered it to be soft) and they forgot his english muffin.

We noticed a long wait after we were seated, even though there were at least seven tables open.

Rating on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best)

Service - 1
Food - 2
Value - 3, but if you order OJ, it's $4 for a large glass!

We'll wait awhile before going back. Maybe they just need some time to get their act together.

-Mason

Summer School

During summer school I'm taking Ping-Pong first, then Movies, Music and More, next Girls Rule. During Ping-Pong we have singles and doubles tournaments all summer. In Movies, Music and More we are making a movie about a family member(I chose my Grandma and Grandpa on my mom's side.) and we interveiw them. In Girls Rule we do arts and crafts; so far we have done Father's Day presents, and "Barbie Makeover". Next we are decorating t-shirts.

Every Tuesday morning I have a flute lesson where I practice my songs at 8:30 A.M. with my flute teacher Mrs. Halter.

You can find more Summer School pics here.

-Mason

Remembering Jenny

Jenny would have celebrated her 46th birthday on July 16 of this year. I will miss spending that day with her and sharing her favorite "Crunch Cake", that her mom makes, with her. Jenny always ate the "ends" and left the middle for the rest of us;)

I put the journal entries from her Tribune Guest Book into a pdf, if anyone would like a copy of that, please send me an email and I will send you a copy.

Please feel free to add a comment about a memory of Jenny by clicking the "comment" link at the bottom of this post. To get things started, I'm posting a few memories from some of Jenny's friends below:

I've never written to you about my relationship with Jenny, I guess for a lot of reasons, none of them being any good I suppose.
Jenny and I met when Prescriptives was launched at Marshall Fields SS.
She was my counter manager. I was there when she met you ( or saw you for the first time) and the great amazing crush she had on you..............and then , well............there WAS Jimmy Buffett
A vivid memory of Jenny was her LONG dark nails and fishnets and little black boots. {back in the day},Prescriptives tried to get her to change up a bit, but that gal stood her ground!!!

I think that Mason summed it up in her 3rd grade story when she said that Jenny was as kind as a kitten and the hardest worker anyone will ever meet.

Jenny made me feel like I was the most important person in the world to her and she always had time for me no matter when I called or wrote. She was obviously magical in that way. She and I both had cats {back in the day} as single gals and I was always amazed that all of hers would come running when she called them. Her magic was clear with furry friends too.
I would want Mason to know that, Jenny loved that child with a depth that goes deep and never goes away.

I can tell you that every day that I use line preventor I think of Jenny.

Your wife was a gifted and magical person. She would not want you to suffer Max and I hope that you are taking care of yourself.

I married the man of my dreams, and the greatest gift I have gotten out of Jenny's passing is that I look at him every morning and thank g-d for one more day because the afternoon of Jenny's death could not have been a bigger shock no matter who you are or how you look at it.
I have gone to the stock room a thousand times myself, there is no way anyone could have thought of something so dramatic...happening.........to anyone,
There will never be another Jenny and we all know it.
Her greatest gift to all of us was the way she lived life, treated her friends, family and animals. We were all really lucky to have known her .
many blessings to you and Mason
Trish Freeman Gerencser
Ohio
---------------------------------------------------
Dear Max and Mason,

I mostly wrote this last year-I don’t know why I didn’t pass it on-maybe I thought it wasn’t done, but this seems like an appropriate time.

Some thoughts on my friend Jenny Rose:

Jenny loved life and all living things, and most of her family.
She valued honesty, loyalty and integrity above all.
She would want you to remember to hug your animals every day.
She also loved Prescriptives makeup, Jimmy Buffet, flea markets, old houses, lunch with the girls, red wine, grocery store bargains and Super Bowl parties.

I am proud to have been her friend.

Love,
Tracey
----------------------------------------------------
Max and Mason,
Jenny was on my mind all day yesterday, as were you and Mason. I'm sure this was a long year for you both. You are always in my prayers. She was a great person.If there is anything I can help you with -feel free to let me know.
In Friendship,
AJ

Thank you to everyone for your kind thoughts and actions. Mason and I appreciate everything. Please post a comment about Jenny for us to read.

Max and Mason

Barenaked Ladies in Chicago

The Barenaked Ladies showed off on Chicago's lakefront last night. They weren't naked and they weren't ladies, but they put on an awesome show. Below is a clip of Ed and Steve, two of the five band members, singing one of Mason's favorite songs. Enjoy.



Mason, her friend Nikki, and I braved the thunderstorm and saw the show at Charter One Pavilion on Northerly Island. Last night was a great escape. You can see all of the photos here. I've also added other photos from the memory stick there too.

Northerly Island was designed by Daniel Burnham in 1909, it was originally intended to be a public park. In 1930, the Adler Planetarium was constructed on the island. In the 40's, publishing mogul, Merrill C. Meigs convinced local and state governement to put an airport on the island to cater to Chicago's executives and elite. In 2003, Mayor Daley closed the airport and converted the island back to a venue for public enjoyment - Mason, Nikki and I sure did enjoy ourselves.

Max and Mason

Tribune Guest Book Coming Down

I just sent out an e-mail to all of Jenny's address book to notify everyone that the online Guest Book is coming down on June 18. Like an idiot, I forgot to include the link in the e-mail. So, I've included it here. Jenny's Guest Book

While you're here, feel free to read what Mason and I have been up to lately.

With love
Max and Mason

I'll Never Forget

That Day, One Year Ago

On Wednesdays, Jenny would work the opening shift at Marshall Field & Co. at Water Tower Place. She would drive her car to the Green Line stop at Harlem Avenue and catch the El around 7:30 in the morning. Wednesday, June 14, 2006 started out like any other Wednesday.

I got out of bed around 7:00 to be greeted by an already showered and dressed, beautiful wife of 15 years. Mason got up a few minutes later and we said goodbye to Mama. Like many couples, we exchanged the "I'll see you tonight" and a peck, I had no idea that I'd never see her or hold her again. I hopped in the shower and got ready for work, it was summer vacation and my first job of the day was to drop Mason off at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Jenny would be there after work to pick her up.

I held a weekly sales meeting at my office on Wednesdays, we started at 9:00. I don't recall the meeting topic, but I'm sure it revolved around things like improving client retention, finding more clients or increasing productivity - pretty normal stuff in any business. I went about my day, talking to clients, reassuring loan officers, eating lunch at my desk, structuring loans, etc. Everything was normal until I got that call from Mason around 4:45 saying, "Mama's not here yet. I've called Marshall Field's, they said she left a couple of hours ago." I told her, "There's probably something wrong with the El, or she missed her bus. She'll be there soon."

I tried to reach Jenny on her cell, nothing, just got her voicemail. "Hi, this is Jenny. You've reached my cell phone, please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

About 30 minutes later, Mason called again. "Papa, Mama's still not here. She always calls if she's going to be late." I reassured my daughter and told her I would track her mother down and call her back in a couple of minutes. At this point, I wasn't worried - who would be? Jenny was only an hour and a half late, by Chicago's (and mine) standards, that's not too unusual - but, Mason was right, this was strange by Jenny's standards.

When I called Marshall Field's, I was told that someone would have to call me back. "Now that's odd," I thought. After about five minutes, no call, so I called back. This time I was transferred to someone in HR. I asked if he knew what time Jenny left work, he said that there had been an accident at work and that someone else would call me back. I explained that my office is only a few minutes away, and that I'd be right over. I gave him my cell number for this other person to call me back and promptly left the office.

I was at the intersection of Chicago and Wells when my phone rang. It was a detective with the Chicago Police Dept. He told me that Jenny had had a serious accident and asked if he could send a squad car to pick me up. When I told him I was only a few blocks away, he told me where to park and that officers would be waiting for me, and that they would watch my car while I went into the store.

I hung up the phone. Now I was worried. My heart started racing. What happened? How badly is she hurt? It must be bad, the cops are going to "watch" my car, during rush-hour in downtown Chicago! When I arrived at the spot where the detective told me to go, two officers greeted me. "Are you Mr. Rose?"

"Yes"

One of the officers said, "We'll watch your car, you should go in and ask for the HR Manager."

"OK"

"Mr. Rose, prepare yourself. It's pretty bad."

I literally felt my knees buckle and my heart drop into my stomach as I began to walk toward the entrance. I was met by a woman wearing a radio earpiece, she asked me to follow her. I did. (While I recall most of the details of this tragic day, I don't remember everyone's name. I could probably, if I thought hard enough, but for a few of the people involved, this was the first and last day I saw them - so it makes it hard to remember). We, along with several other security and management personnel, walked through some back rooms and hallways till we reached the loading dock of the store. There, just before we got on the elevator to go to the stock room, the woman pulled me aside and told me that Jenny had died.

I was in shock. I just stood there with a blank look on my face. I thought, "this woman is crazy", "what am I doing here?", "just shut-up and take me to her." We rode the freight elevator up to the 6th floor stock room where a couple of detectives asked me to "have a seat".

"No, I'll stand. Where's my wife?" I just stood there with a blank stare and tears rolling down my face. My mind was racing and standing still at the same time. After they asked me a few questions, I asked again. "Where's Jenny, can I see her?" The policeman advised against that. He said that the paramedics had done everything to revive her, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

At that point, I lost it. I cried, I screamed, I threw things - I just lost it. About the time I calmed down, Lisa showed up. Lisa is one of Jenny's long-time friends. A few minutes later, Tracey appeared, then Elly. Word had traveled quickly (much quicker to them than to me - throughout all of this, remember that Mason and I had been trying to find out where Jenny was for several hours. Nobody called us. The only reason we found out anything when we did, is because Jenny was late. What if she had an appointment after work? What if she planned on stopping by her real estate office? Who knows when we would have been told?) After a long time of crying and explaining to Lisa, Tracey and Elly, Elly offered to drive me home and a couple of Marshall Field's employees followed in my car. Now comes the hard part...

On the way home, I called Jenny's brother, Rob, in Florida. I also called Jenny's parents and explained that Jenny had an accident and I would be home in a few minutes to fill them in.

While the rest of the evening is quite vivid, I don't think I can write the details here. Not yet. Maybe someday.

Our lives are much different one year later. My goals have changed, my objectives are different. Somedays I don't know which end is up - and unfortunately, bad things continue to happen and we have to deal with them. It hasn't gotten easier yet. I hope it will, until then we'll just keep getting through each day as best we can. Jenny, we miss you!

Love,

Max and Mason

How an 8th Grade Science Teacher and His Bunny Really Messed Up My Day

Today is the last day of school for Mason and all her friends. We've started summer!

A lot of the normal things happened with the end of the school year; cleaning out the locker, rowdiness, saying goodbye to teachers and friends, signing yearbooks - oh, and giving away the classroom pets. This year, there were leeches (yuck), snails and a bunny.

For those of you who don't know, we have a houseful of pets. Daisy, Lily, Murphy, Stephanie and several aquatic creatures. The last thing we need is another furry friend in our home (at least that's my opinion, Mason thinks differently). Apparently, a science teacher at school has a bunny that he no longer wants, so he offered it up for grabs. At least he had the sense to require parental authorization. Maybe he just needs a home improvement loan? On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - Mason attempted to get that authorization from me. It all started out nicely, "Papa, can we get a bunny?" to which I replied, "No, we're not getting a bunny." Variations of this exchange went on for three days!

Normally, Mason and I agree. I've found it's just easier this way and neither of us ever asks for things that the other finds too difficult to accommodate - but I feel very strongly about this, we aren't getting a bunny. This disagreement really took its toll on us. I think we both spent more tears on this subject than any other in the past few months combined. Mason, is, of course, upset because she feels very strongly about "getting this bunny" and I was upset for causing her to be upset. It's no secret that I dote on her. I love her and want her to have everything, but I just can't have the responsibility of another pet.

In the end, other than some hurt feelings, we're OK. Things seem to be back to normal, whatever that is? Jenny, I hope you would approve. I sure do miss you.

Mason's Hero

Yesterday, Mason gave me a folder that contained homework assignments from each year all the way back to kindergarten. Apparently, they compile this information each year and give it back to the students at the end of 6th grade. It was great reading through her "works of art". One in particular was extremely moving. I've transcribed it below, mispelling and grammar are all Mason's (I see worse from adults, everyday in business). This was written when she was in the 3rd grade, her teacher was Mrs. Miller at Lincoln School in River Forest.

My Hero

By: Mason Rose

2.20.04

Who is your hero? Mine is my mom. She takes care of me in a very kind way. She is a hard worker, she does work every day. Whether it is at home or at her job. She always loves me know matter what I do. My mom is a hero to me, and she is the most kind person I know.

In the morning my mom starts off with a kind start. Every morning she brushes my smooth shiny red hair. Sometimes my mom does it hard, but I forgive her. It's kind to me because even though I can do it myself it's nice of her to do it anyway. After she brushes my hair on weekends, she usally plays with me. Sometimes we play games like pick up stick or cur plunk. Sometimes we play board games like "What would Lizzie do?, chekers or mollopaly. My mom even plays hide and go seek with me or we play on the computer. My Mom is kind as a kitten, but also is works as hard as an elephant. My mom is a hard worker. She loves to work in the yard. Sometimes I work in the yard too. My mom makes the yard look beautifil. She plants flowers every spring, mows the lawn and plants new grass if we need it. When ever my mom plants flowers with me the squirrels always dig the flowers up again, but we keep trying. She offen goes to work insted of staying home. My mom is a realetor (she sells houses). She also works at Marshall Fields. Her name is Jennifer Rose. She mostly sells lipsticks, perfume, and lots of make-up. She offen goes on the computer to see what homes to sell or to see what homes are selling. My mom works very hard but loves me just as much.

My mom is a loving person. Whenever I'm hurt she takes care of me. For example when I fell off my bike my knee was gushing with red blood. My mom gave me some stingey medicine and a big bandaid. After that she always holds me. Every night she saids good-night, we read a story, she gives me a hug and a kiss, and don't forget she tucks me in.

Hero's come in all shaps and sizes. My mom is a blond headed hero. My mom treats me very kindly. She is a hard worker, whether it is at home or at work. She loves me know matter what. My mom is a hero to me, and know one can ever replace her.

Happy 12th Birthday Mason!

Well, I'm only about 3 weeks late posting this announcement. I really need to find the time (scheduling and self discipline were never my strongest subjects) to post to this regularly.

Mason turned 12 on May 8th. We had an eventful birthday week ;-0 Uncle Rob (or as Mason calls him, Ant Rob - long story) and his daughter Hannah came up from Florida for the event for a few days. It was good to see them again.

Mason invited a few friends to Margie's Candies for some ice cream sundaes and we all had a great time. It's one of those old fashioned ice cream parlors - same location for almost 90 years! We also had a nice dinner with Jenny's parents, Ant Rob and Hannah. Elly, Shannon and Tracey stopped by for some pizza and soda too. More photos here.

I can't believe that she is 12. She's quite a young lady, pierced ears and everything now - growing up too fast. 6th grade ends next Friday and then we start our big summer. Plans are coming together and I'm really going to try to post more often.

Happy New Year!

I'm still in awe of how much time these kids get for winter break. I'm absolutely, positive that we didn't get 2+ weeks when I was a kid (if we did, I'm not sure how my mom handled it!).

We kept up with the tradition that we started back in 1998 and Mason had some of her friends over for a New Year's Eve celebration. I'm not sure how this one will rank, but from the sleepy eyes on the morning of the new year, it should be somewhere in the top 3 so far. We had some fun with crafts, making some sort of basket/box with paint and decoupage - apparently girls like to do this sort of thing. Then we ate pizza from Bertolli's (definitely the best pizza around). I had planned to make brownies for dessert, but my plans were foiled when the brownie mix was infested with some kind of silk worm - gross. So, I had to run out to the White Hen and pick up some ice cream treats - not as good as brownies hot out of the oven, but I don't think the girls cared.

At 11:00, CST, we watched and counted down as the Ball dropped in Times Square (I took a break from the Bears post-game coverage to join the party girls). That's when it started to get a little crazy. Since they're 11 (or so), I excused myself to the upstairs and let them do their thing. I was awakened at 12:05 by the sound of party poppers and the smell of sulfur, not to mention Daisy the dog jumping on the bed, seeking some refuge. I used all of my strength not to go down and see what they were up to, I was strong and eventually found comfort in the pillow.

On New Year's Day 2007, Daisy woke me (at exactly 6:20) and we went about our daily routine, feeding the cats (Murphy almost 20 and Lily 3) and going for our w-a-l-k (you can't say the word, or else Daisy runs to the door and starts barking if you don't follow her with a leash - she hasn't learned how to spell...yet). When we returned at a few minutes to 7:00, the Little Party Girls were just starting to stir. All of them were sleeping on the mattress of the pull-out couch, poor Vicky was sleeping at the foot, with a lot of feet on top of her! They kept warm throughout the night with a layer of confetti and body heat. I'm told that the weakest links made it till 2:00 a.m. and that the rest stayed up till 3 watching movies. How fun is that?!?

We had breakfast (thanks to Lisa and Ray), scrambled eggs, blueberry waffles and blueberry muffins, everyone had an appetite ;-) Then the girls did another craft that involved some plastic beads and the iron.

Overall, it was a great party and Mason and I are so glad that everyone could come. I'm sure this tradition will go on for many more years.

Max and Mason