It has been too long!

I just logged back on to my so-called blog and realized that the last time i posted something it was to announce the birth of my twin sister's son Fenton. Since then, he has turned one and boy is he a cutie. Just look at him over there to the left. He is now walking andtalking up a storm. He sucks his two middle fingers and is the happiest-go-luckiest of the bennett-flatt-muckleroy bunch.

In addition, since we last spoke, my son has turned 6 and has entered the 1st grade and my daughter has turned three and started pre-school. They luv, luv, luv the latest addition to the family and that is in addition to their other favorite cousin Ridge. Since we last spoke, Ridge

has turned 4 and has started his second year in pre-school. His parent decided to move him to another pre-school where his brother could go to, called Little Beginnings. Ridge very cutely, if not accurately, refers to it as New Beginnings. Maybe it is and maybe this is. I hope so. Anyway, i post a picture of my children now one year later, with their cousin Ridge, during Mia's birthday in July.

We have lots to catch-up on. I think i will start by writing something current at least each week and then trying to compare it to the same time last year. That way i will catch-up, no?

Well for starters, it is Monday, December 13th, 2010 and we woke up to the first dusting of snow on the ground. This time last year, that would be December 13th 2009, it had already snowed heavy once. Last night we put up our Christmas lights on the house. We had to buy new strings of light to go around the roof because the ones we used last year weren't working well.

This year we are so greatful to have Ms. Clara helping us with our family in addition to Gloria. Last year we only had Gloria. Now that both children are in school, Gloria works mainly with another family in the neighborhood. Fortunately, we get to see her on Fridays.

Well i am off to Post this update before another year passes. Wish me luck!

Fenton Beck Flatt Born Today

With Titi and Dad at Mom's bedside, we watched him come into the world...

Born approximately 3:15am

George Washington University Hospital

Weight: 8lbs 13oz

Height: 19.5inches

Welcome to the world Fenton!  We love you!

Mother's Day May 2009

I had a great mother's day this year. Nothing major. Just a simple day. We all strolled down the street to our local diner for brunch and then the kids and dad washed my car and vacuumed it. This was no small feat given the amount of crumbs that had collected on the floor, in the seats, etc... The kids put on their swimsuits and each took a rag to the dirty car. Dad squirted them with the hose, setting off squeals galore. The day was sunny and bright with a nice breeze. Perfect! 

Tres in The City April 2009

For Tres' spring break this year he and I did a "mother/son road trip" to NYC. It was the first time for me to drive up to NYC and into Manhattan all by myself and the first time for Tres to set foot in NYC (although he has driven over the GW bridge a few times in route to and from D.C. and Cape Cod). We stayed with a good friend of mine from high school whose family lives on the Upper West Side.

Tres had a great time. The best part of the trip for him wasn't the ferry ride to Staten Island to see the Statue of Liberty, the observatory on the Empire State building, 42nd street, South Street Seaport/Brooklyn Bridge, or Museum of Natural History. Rather, it was hanging with his friends, Demetria and Keifer. 

Catching Up to My Normal Routine

Have you ever felt like you are constantly having to catch-up on things? Periodically i feel like this, particularly when the calendar gets too packed with stuff (e.g. book club, weekends away, business trips, visitors over the weekend, parties, etc...). Part of it or most of it is self-inflicted. I make these plans and they sound good when i am planning them but once the day to implement the plans approaches i often feel ambivalent.  

I think the ambivalence stems from the fact that i really like my "normal" routine. It has balance.  It is easy. It requires little or no planning and is fulfilling.  So when things get busy, it disrupts my equilibrium and then i feel like i spend a lot of time catching up to my normal routine.  I guess that's the nature of the beast. That's life!  

Anyway, part of catching up to my normal routine, includes writing more blog entries so i hope to write a few more before this month ends!  

St. Pattys Day in NYC

Before the month of March is gone, i thought i would write a quick note about a recent business trip to NYC. I was there over St. Patricks Day which is a VERY BIG DEAL in the City. It wasn't that big of a deal growing up in Texas but i NYC there are so many Irish Americans that the City is covered in Green on St. Pattys day.  Everywhere you turn on St. Pattys day in NYC, people are wearing green sweaters, ties, scarfs, hats, socks...and all the Irish pubs are flying the flag of Ireland proudly.  

After my colleagues and I finished our meeting on St. Pattys day, we went to the local Irish pub near the NY office (one block away) and of course it was packed. There was a traditional Irish band playing, including a fiddle and accordion. One of the young female accordion players in the band was the daughter of one of my colleagues.  He was very proud to see her up there on the stage.  That night he was sort of passing a baton of sorts to her as he use to play the fiddle in a band at this Irish pub on St. Pattys Day and we use to all go over to the pub to listen to him play and drink Guiness.  

California Uber Alles!

My husband and I just spent a great long weekend in the California Bay area.  I LOVE the Bay area, in particular the pungent smell of the mile high Eucalyptus trees, the micro-climates, the light breeze and birds-eye vistas of the City from hilltop trails above Palo Alto, the ubiquitous yellow fields of mustard, the warm sunny February skies of Half Moon Bay, the wineries, the redwoods, the art, the cliffs, the Ferries, the Embarcadero, the amazing egg scrambles, the list goes on and on!  Despite the earthquakes, California rocks!  California Uber Alles!