just a little something...

the year 2009 - let's wrap it up

This has been quite the year for us, and, for the most part, the good parts have outweighed the bad. Our jobs keep us busy during the day - and sometimes at night or on weekends - but we’ve had lots of time for fun, and we’ve made the most of it. If I was creative, I’d have a video highlight reel of the events of 2009. Instead, I’ll give you a list. Because I like lists.

1. We started the year in Miami for the BCS National Championship game where we watched Florida beat Oklahoma.

2. Somewhere during the year, Oliver gave up Froggy and More Froggy, and he adopted Baby as his lovey du jour.

3. Sam and I escaped to Las Vegas for a long Valentine’s Day weekend. Dinner at Michael Mina left us with a large bill and something to talk about (tuna tartare with raw quail egg on top, anyone?). Sam fell in love with Tom Colicchio after eating at Craftsteak.

4. Madeline continued her swim lessons and became an amazing little swimmer. Oliver started swim lessons later in the year, and he’s still trying to warm up to the idea that he has no choice but to swim.

5. We made two beach trips - Crescent Beach for a cold, rainy spring break, and Rosemary Beach for a last fling before summer’s end.

6. The mountains of Dillard, Georgia, were the site of our big family reunion in the middle of the summer. It was great to catch up with everyone and to watch Maddie and Oliver meet and play with their second cousins.

7. Madeline started kindergarten in public school after months of agonizing over the decision between public versus private school. Needless to say, we’re VERY happy with our decision.

8. Oliver turned three in October, and Madeline turned six in December.

9. Sam and I escaped again in October, but this time to New York City for our first real trip there. The 24 hours we spent in New York back when we won a trip to the Dave Letterman Show in the late 1990s hardly counted for much, so we knew we had to go back. We walked a lot, mastered the subway [that may be a bit of an exaggeration], saw our first Broadway show [Wicked], were treated like VIPs at a very hip bar [Little Branch - way too hip for us], and ate our way through the city. My favorite restaurant experience was our dinner at Le Bernardin - the most perfect meal I’ve ever had.

10. Fritz, our fifteen year old Maine Coon, was diagnosed with gastric lymphoblastic lymphoma in the fall. It was the first time we had to face the fact that we’re going to lose our cats eventually. That they will die. He’s done great on chemotherapy, and he’s hanging in there, but we know that the inevitable is right around the corner. And, while we’re enjoying each day we have with Fritz and Mitzi, we’re getting prepared.

11. Because of a promise I made Madeline when she turned five, we made our first family trip to Disney World to celebrate her sixth birthday. We had so much fun that we bought our first set of annual passes. Disney takes your money, but they do it so well that you almost don’t mind. Besides, watching Madeline meet her beloved princesses was worth every cent.

12. And if I may brag a bit, I’m proud of the new foods (or foods I once hated) that I’ve tried and enjoyed over the past year -- rabbit, duck, fois gras, pate, brussels sprouts, and tuna tartare. Okay, I didn’t like the last one very much, but I tried. And I’ll try it again, just to be sure.

13. Somehow I almost forgot! We made our first trip to Napa in 2009. We had an amazing experience with our travel partners - a couple of real wine pros - and made new friends along the way. As a real bonus, Sam caught the wine bug in a really big way.

some updates

1. Fritz is doing much better and is continuing on his chemotherapy every week. He's gaining weight every week - a full pound over the last 6 weeks or so. Just to prepare the kids for the inevitable, we have been reading Cat Heaven by  Cynthia Rylant at bedtime. It's such a good story, and I find myself getting emotional whenever I read it to Maddie and Oliver. I think I'm trying to prepare myself as much as the kids for Fritz's death.

2. We had a fantastic Thanksgiving. We did our usual potluck style meal at my parents, and it was a success, as always. I took my camera and promptly sat it down and forgot to take photos. Madeline got really into it and wore a shirt with a turkey on it that she colored at school as a project. 

3. Maddie turns six next week, and one year ago we promised her a Disney trip to celebrate. So, we're keeping our promise and heading to Disney this weekend. Maddie will have a blast, and Oliver probably will too. Given that he's still into napping, I'm prepared for the worst since he'll miss naps all weekend. We thought about leaving him with his grandparents for the weekend, but Maddie doesn't want to go without her little brother. We plan to make the best of it. And probably have wine with dinner.

4. The house is decorated for Christmas, and it feels SO GOOD to have the decorating out of the way. I've even done a bit of holiday shopping -- all online, of course. Sam shopped a bit on Black Friday, a day I typically avoid any building with a cash register. 

5. Swim lessons are over for the winter, and it feels wonderful to have our Tuesdays and Thursdays open again. Of course, they are filling up with other crap, but at least we're not committed to being at the swimming pool twice  a week. 

6. My dad celebrates a birthday on Friday, and we're taking him out to dinner to celebrate early next week. I'm posting this here so that he can't back out. I have a feeling he'd rather fall asleep in his recliner instead of going out to dinner with us, but we're not taking no for an answer. Plus, it's a really fabulous restaurant.

five things i'm grateful for today

1. Fritz is gaining weight! He's eating all the time and he's back to his old self - which means he's cuddly with us and fights with his sister. The lymphoma is "in remission" according to the latest ultrasound. We are not so delusional that we believe it will last, but we are very, very grateful for the unexpected gift of these good days with Fritz.

2. Swim lessons are over until the spring semester. My parents are probably just as happy since they share in the swim lesson duty. 

3. My mom wrote the most amazing little children's story featuring Madeline and Oliver. You can find it here , and if you like the preview, buy it! You won't be disappointed.

4. I'm counting down to another vacation. A real one. In a far away place. I'm ignoring the fact that part of it involves a work conference. It's still going to be a great trip.

5. We're off on our first family trip to Disney in a few weekends, and Madeline is so excited. Heck, I'm excited. 

reading now

1. Gastrokid by Hugh Garvey and Matthew Yeomans. Haven't made anything yet, but this book is incredibly inspiring. Such simple recipes that look like they are packed with flavor. I've earmarked several to try out in the next week. They have a blog, too, which I've just discovered and love. The blog came first, of course, followed by the book.

2. Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. He seems a little rough around the edges (he IS a little rough around the edges), but I'm loving this book. It's a great no-frills look into the chef's life - by no means glamourous for the majority of chefs and cooks out there.

3. The Fodor's guidebook on New York City. Brushing up so I feel a little less like a tourist when we take our trip in October. 

4. And lots and lots of food blogs whenever I get the chance. Some of my current favorites are Gael Greene's site, smitten kitchen, Chocolate & Zucchini, Gwen Walters' Pen & Fork, Michael Ruhlman's site, David Lebovitz's blog, and Eater (the New York site, of course). 

five things i learned this week

1. It only takes a casual comment on facebook to begin a whole debate on the US healthcare system.

2. Agreeing to give three talks to be given within a one week period is a great stress-inducer.

3. I am very, very good at procrastination. 

4. Madeline is good at extracting herself from a toilet when she falls in.

5. It's actually possible to get back on the Weight Watchers wagon after falling off.

counting down

In exactly one week, I'll be getting packed for the annual oncology conference in Orlando. For the past two years, the conference has been in Chicago, and I had the opportunity to visit with my sister both times. It was wonderful to catch up with her in her own territory. This year I get Orlando. Hooray. 

In exactly four weeks, I'll be sitting at some winery in some small town in the Napa or Sonoma valley sipping on a glass of cabernet and eating cheese and crackers. This is all I can think about lately.

In almost two months, Oliver gets to start swim lessons. We're excited about this because the rules at our swim lesson facility state that he must be three to start. Luckily, we've recently gotten a little pull with the swim coach and he gets to start a few months early. It will be so nice to be able to take both kids at one time. 

In almost three months, Sam and I will be headed up to the mountains of northern Georgia with the kids for the George family reunion. Madeline should be a breeze to travel with since she's happy to watch hours and hours of movies on the DVD player. Riding with Oliver is another story, however. I'm just hoping he gets sucked into the world of Disney before we leave to head north.

In just over eight months, we're off to Maui - the first time either of us have been to Hawaii. It's for a conference, so I'll be tied up in meetings for a couple of days, but the rest of the time we get to play. I love crossing off travel destinations off my master to-do list. 

And, tomorrow I need to actually be productive at work. Hard to do when there's all this counting down going on.

first the bad

...Working all weekend and missing out on a visit from some of our Kentucky family.

...Not getting to exercise the entire weekend. Missing out on that stress reliever always puts me in a funk.

...Waking up on Sunday morning to find that the overnight lightning storms sent a surge through my Mac laptop (which I had stupidly left plugged in and charging), frying it.

...Realizing that I probably lost the last couple of months of family photos when the Mac died.

And, now for the good...

...Sitting in the rocking chair on my front porch with a glass of wine, reading Food & Wine magazine.

...Kisses and wuv you's from Oliver as I'm putting him to bed.

...The lovely and glowing compliments from Madeline's prekindergarten teachers at her spring evaluations.

...The cardinals and finches and wrens who have finally made a home at our birdfeeder after all of these months.

...Spring break and a week-long break from work is just one week away.

a list, some bad and some good

The bad:

1. Madeline's tantrum this morning.

2. The rain that didn't let up today.

3. Feeling fat.

4. Guilt over eating the extra piece of cake last night.

5. The frustrating phone call to the patient at the end of the day.

The good:

1. My new black patent leather Born flats. Love those things.

2. Oliver's sweet kisses.

3. Watching Oliver try to kiss Fritz on the lips.

4. Twelve days until Las Vegas!

5. Sam on daddy-duty, and doing a fantastic job of it.