The Return of Handsome and Gretel

Well, the 'three less' portion of the summer has officially ended with the return of "Number 1 Son" and "Youngest Daughter", also known as Handsome and Gretel respectively. I have sat down numerous times to write this blog and somehow couldn't get my thoughts in order.  I agonized over the title, the content and over the fact that I didn't do a one-less blog when Number 1 Son came home. So here I am almost two weeks later and I am determined to get this done - come hell or high water!
It's unbelievable how much my free time seems to dissipate even further with the return of each child - the endless loads of laundry and the grocery shopping take up so much of our time.  It also amazes me how things pick up exactly where they left off, with me wondering whose dishwasher day it is, or whose turn it is to walk the dog, who left their stuff on the kitchen table, nagging for the laundry to be put away, etc., etc. It's as if six weeks hadn't gone by!

First dinner at home - steak and roasted onion!

Why Handsome and Gretel?  Here is Handsome, but that's not Gretel - that's the wandering Jew.  Though he looks handsome here, the picture is not quite what I want to convey.  They all seem to grow and change at camp and it struck me when he got home how he was carrying himself a little differently and he seemed older.  He's always been confident, but somehow there's a little something extra, which I won't describe exactly because I don't want to embarrass him any further.  Perhaps the fact that he won the Fellowship Award at camp, has something to do with it, although he is a humble sort.  The Fellowship Award is voted on by the campers and it represents the person they feel is a friend and friendly to all, someone caring and kind and who also demonstrates good leadership skills.  I will brag a little and relay the fact that he won by a landslide that the camp director said she hasn't seen in all the years she's been at camp.  I'm not that surprised, but over the moon proud!

Visitor's Day

Then there's Gretel  - look at that face - so innocent and angelic! She had a fabulous summer and also came back with the Fellowship Award from Camp Shalom. What can I say?  I am kvelling (the yiddish word for beaming with pride) beyond measure.  She also grew in stature but like Handsome, there's more to it.  Confidence and security, she seems a little more comfortable in her own skin but I can't quite put my finger on it.  So why the nickname Gretel? It was coined by her other mother because she is constantly leaving a trail wherever she goes!  This is something that definitely didn't change. It took about 2 seconds for her to leave things lying around the house when she returned.  Let's see if they can grow just a little more and do some 'avodah' (the hebrew word for work) around the house as happily as they do at camp - lol (wishful thinking).

This is my life with children, it makes me crazy but I love them and most days I wouldn't have it any other way.

The less free kind of day....

Summer Reading

What a crazy week!  If you've been following you know that oldest daughter came home with friends, although we've hardly seen her - she's been quite busy, which is fine because I had to work and then I taught two classes this week.  Late nights, early mornings and little time to do much, but I decided I needed to be creative and post, so I quickly took a picture this morning and did this layout that I was planning since last summer!  It actually fell into place easily as soon as I saw a layout in Creating Keepsakes September issue that I liked and rediscovered the paper I used from Stampin' Up.  I took the picture of me reading last year, and the picture of the books today.   I am an avid reader and always have been but summer is when I really dig into my books.  I will read constantly, every free moment I have and as soon as I finish one book I'm on to the next.  It is incredible that I actually managed to read so many books, considering I work 2.5 days a week and teach my classes and all the other stuff of life.  But the truth is I have decided that I have to find the time to enjoy a good book (good is the key - I hate when I don't like one because I'm the type of person that will stick it out), even it's only a few pages every day.  I also get to read on the subway now which is a bonus 40 minutes on the days I work.  One of the few reasons I actually don't mind using public transportation - something I couldn't do in the car (well at least not safely)! So here is the only issue I'm having - all of my good friends who used to trade books with me have turned to the other side and have given up actual physical books in favour of the electronic versions.  Thank goodness my mother still buys books!  I have to admit I have been toying with the idea, but have yet to make the plunge - so many options.  

this?

this?

or this???

The debate rages on! I'm leaning towards saving for option 3 - going with Apple products all the way, maybe I'll even give up my Blackberry - not soooo fast.  First I need to learn how to use all the gadgets I have now before I pick up anything else that's new.  Maybe if I put my books down once and a while I might have the time, but for now I will just enjoy...

The reading kind of day...

Home Coming #1

This is it, the beginning of the end of 'three-less'.  Oldest daughter came home from Israel today with a beautiful smile full of happiness and contentment (although I know there is a touch of sadness because she actually had to come home), a great tan and some wonderful stories.  This was her first trip to Israel and I can't wait to see some of the 3800 pictures she took and hear the adventures that go with them. There is nothing like the glow of that first experience in the holy land, it stays with you for a long time and leaves you wanting to return.  

So with the return of oldest daughter (and three friends) it all begins - the grocery shopping- I already spent $146, the cooking - Daddy made steaks, sweet potatoes and chicken rice, the laundry - load number one is in, and the revelations - I got a belly pierce, but at least it's not a tattoo (that's how she made it seem better) and it's not an eyebrow pierce, which I totally hate! Oh well, she's only been talking about it for about 2 years or more, and 17 is better than 15 (I think). Not sure if hubby will feel the same - I better tell him before he reads it here.  

I'll post some more pics later - maybe some comparisons of me and her in the same place but 26 years apart.  Here she is on her free weekend at our friend's house - she's still sporting that smile.

The homecoming kind of day...

Back to the Beginning

I'm going to back track a little bit and go back to the beginning of the summer when my kids left and I had big plans for all my 'free' time.  


I am one of those mothers who happily sends her children off every summer to camp for 4 to 6 weeks.  For the last 5 summers we have been completely childless for a minimum of 4 weeks and it is wonderful!  I subscribe to the philosophy that we all need a vacation from each other - it's good for them and for us.  I thank my parents for instilling this value in me.  Sorry to all those who weep when their kids go to school or camp, I personally do a little happy dance.  I think overnight camp is a great experience for kids, a place to escape all the pressures of city life and it's routines.  It is a place to grow emotionally, gain independence and build strong friendships, which if you are lucky, will be for life.  It is my greatest joy to pass on that experience to my children.  

This is all the farewells.  Oldest Daughter went to Israel and returns home Monday, # 1 Son is at camp in Sudbury and Youngest Daughter is at camp in Gravenhurst.  I used October Afternoon papers and stickers, which I'm starting to love (I'm a late bloomer Dena) as well as American Craft ribbon.  Look at the close up to see one of Emily's great journal stamps, from Stamping Bella.


Ok, enough with the philosophy - truly the best part of all of it is...ME time! 


My first summer without any kids I dubbed the Summer of Sindi.  I didn't work and I made the most of it, meaning I did a lot of nothing! Relaxing, reading and hanging out with my hubby and friends were high on my list of priorities (not necessarily in that order) .  These things are still at the top of my list but I'm  working  and my time is a little less my own.   The overall feeling of is the same - three less (though very loved) people to worry about! Three less lunches and dinners, three less people to shop for, three less people to drive places and at least three less loads of laundry (I feel another layout coming on - entitled '3-less"!). 


So pretty much this is what I am doing with my 'free' from three time


1. Posting
2. Scrapbooking (and not always just for fun)
3. Spending time with my hubby - though not as much as I thought considering we're in the      city all week together for the first time in 11 summers!
4. Relaxing - which includes reading, crosswords and creating my art journal
5. Mahj - occasionally and definitely not enough!


The three less kind of day...

Mid Summer Musings

It is hard to believe that we have already hit the mid summer point.  Why does it seem to have gone so quickly this year? I probably say that every year. This year the kids left much later for camp so it really did seem like a late start to it all, plus some of our friends were away and we didn't have our first official Friday night get together until this weekend. It's just weird and feels off somehow, but I am going to turn it around and not whine (which I fully planned to do),  instead I will list some of the things I am grateful for.  


Here goes...
1. There is still another month of summer left!
2. These four individuals - which really are number one on my list.

3. Our parents who are all healthy and a big part of our lives.

4. All of our family.

5. Good friends who so graciously share their cottage with us and who are more like family.

6. Good friends who are always supportive and fun to be with.

7. A house to call a home.

8. New art supplies - look what they helped me do.

9. On Demand so I can watch the last season of Mad Men when there's nothing else on. 

10.  People who read my blog!

There, I feel better already.  

Look for more layouts this week!

The mid summer kind of day...