This Job Is Not For The Weak.

On Saturday, our family headed down to Navy Pier for the National College Fair.

Yes, I said college!

Gabrielle is a senior this year and we are beginning our journey through the world of college choices, applications, waiting, acceptance (or maybe not) and $$$$.

I must say, that on my end of it, it hasn't felt too stressful.  There is the financial burden of dropping $70 to $80 per application that we submit and the worry of how on earth are we going to pay for college, but that's it for now.  I imagine it will feel a little more stressful around April when we are waiting to hear back from schools.

I feel as if the past few weeks have brought us all closer together.  Gabrielle has asked for me to help her organize her college prospects, remember all of her extra-curricular activities, achievements and awards of the past 4 years.  No eye rolling, no sighing, no being "annoying"....just collaboration and me totally admiring Gabby for all her hard work and achievements.  Sinobia is getting a crash course in college 101 and Eric is taking a breather from the college trips and visits for now and quietly glances over our shoulders as we continue our college research.

This morning, a good friend and colleague ("shout out" to Lizzy B) handed me a piece of paper with the title "The Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto".  I couldn't read it in front of Liz.  She knows I'm a big cry-baby and passionate about my children and take my job as a parent too seriously.  She has listened to me telling stories about my girls...their successes, their failures and me and my never-ending love for them.  I brag about them to her and I bitch about them to her.  She listens.  She knows that outside of work, these girls (and Eric) are my life.  She knows that parenting is not for the weak.  I have been the strongest I have ever been in my life over the past 17 (almost 18) years, working beside Eric to raise strong, confident, loving, compassionate, risk-taking, tell-it-like-it-is girls.  Thanks Liz, this says it all...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bren/wholehearted-parenting-manifesto_b_1923011.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp0000

Hasta Luego...

Our exchange student, Ane has returned home to Bilbao, Spain. Gabby will be going to stay with her and her family for 2 weeks in October.

The past 2 weeks have been a whirl-wind of activities and plenty of coming and going in our house.  The house is quiet without the hustle and bustle of a third kid.  There's one less girl squeezing in bathroom time, one less lunch to make, one less "good night" to say each night.  We miss our guest, our new friend, our third child....Ane.

The Spain exchange program is not about speaking the best Spanish.  It's about exchanging cultures with one another and becoming immersed in something new and unfamiliar.  It's about sharing pieces of you, your family, and the things that make you who you are.  There is a lot to be learned from this experience, both culturally and about your self as you spend 2 weeks with someone who is a complete stranger to you.

On Monday, after we dropped Ane off at the airport, Gabby was exhausted.  She was ready to re-claim her bedroom and then retreat to the couch for a little nap.

"Mom, you just don't know how exhausting it is to be responsible for someone else 24 hours a day!"

I give her a sly smile..."Oh yeah, your right...I guess I don't."

She realizes that she has just experienced in 2 weeks, what  Eric and I have been experiencing for the past 17 years.  She sighs and smiles.  "OK, I guess you do know!"

I wonder if this life lesson was part of the "Spanish exchange" curriculum goals?

Happy Birthday To Me

Today is my Birthday!  

Today I turned 44 years old.  

Year 43 went by fast.  It's been a good year...not a single complaint from me.

I've been thinking about getting older, being a wife, raising kids and having a career.  I've been thinking about all of the knowledge and wisdom I have gained, just by living my life...being myself, preserving who "Tracy" really is.  I wanted to share some of the things I learned and tried to live by during year 43...

1. Make-up and concealers are my friend.
2. Motherhood is the hardest job on the planet.
3. Raising strong, independent, confident girls is the 2nd hardest.
4. Starbucks (often/daily) is a luxury that I deserve!
5. Good friends are hard to find.  Cherish the ones you have.
6. "I've got this", "I've got that"...Who Cares!  Be humble, live humble.
7. Material things don't matter, they can be replaced.
8. You can love someone more and more each day.
9. Your one true love can melt your heart every time you see him (yes, you Eric).
10. Oh yeah, that what my parents meant!
11. Cherish your memories, especially memories of those you have lost.
12. "Mom we promise to take care of it" is ALWAYS a lie!
13. The world is quiet at 5:00 am (or at least in our house).
14. Try to take care of yourself.
15. Time flies, even when you are not having fun.  Stop and appreciate.
16. Embrace failure, learn from it, find strength from it.
17. Own who you are.  Don't try to be any other way.  Just be.
18. Appreciate.
19. Be grateful for all that is around you.
20. Let the ones you love, know that you love them...tell them you love them.
21. Family matters, love matters, your heart matters.

22.  Each day I am thankful for the nights that turned into mornings.

And So It Begins....

The first day of school for the girls was almost 2 weeks ago.  I am just getting around to posting my "1st day of school" pictures!

When Eric and I were first married, we were sure we wanted to have 3 children...that was our plan.  After 2, we decided that we were done.  

For the past 2 weeks, I have an extra kid at my house, Ane, our exchange student from Spain.   I have been making 1 extra lunch, washing extra towels, cooking extra dinner, carpooling 1 extra person and keeping up and keeping safe 1 extra girl.  Whew...so glad we stopped at 2! 

I'm saying all of this to lead to my excuse as to why I'm late with my "back to school" post:)  Too busy with 1 extra kid!

Anyway, the girls started school on September 4th.  

After complaining most of 6th grade that she couldn't see, I finally stopped being a neglectful mother and took Sinobia for an eye exam.  Sure enough, my poor kid needed glasses!  So, armed with her smart, cute looking glasses, a new backpack and tons of school supplies,  Sinobia started 7th grade and was excited about getting back to school and having a little structure in her life after a fairly lazy summer.  She seems happy about her schedule and her new teachers this year.  So far, so good.

Gabrielle started her Senior year!  She said to me the night before school started, "This is my last first day of school."  I just about cried!  My 4 lb. baby is going to college in a year!  I know this year will slip through our fingers so fast.  I need to make sure that I cherish every minute, every hug, every eye roll, every smart comment and all the Gabby attitude I can get this year.

In addition to school starting, so has swim team, swim meets, circus classes and soon gymnastics!  

And so it begins...

My Summer Vacation Has Come To An End

My summer vacation is over.  Today was my first day of school.  I have been practicing getting up early all week, in preparation for waking up at 5:00 am this morning.  The alarm went off, but I didn't pop up quite as fast as I should have.  It's going to take some time to get used to this routine again.  

I had a great summer.  My recovery from surgery went well.  I'm feeling like myself again and have most of my energy back.  My Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings were spent at Starbucks, hanging out with Eric, drinking green tea, people watching, and catching up on our "couple time".  I got a few more days in at the beach than last year and watched loads of mind numbing, stupid TV.

So, the 2012-2013 school year has begun for teacher/mom/chauffeur Tracy!

As if the first day of school isn't enough excitement for one day, our lovely exchange student arrived today.  We will be hosting Ane for the next 2 weeks at our house.  The girls are excited.  Sinobia will hopefully get to practice her Spanish and Gabby will immerse Ane in the Evanston/Chicago/American culture while showing her how we "live it up" in the Aiden household:)   In October, Gabby will travel to Spain and live with Ane's family where she will have the opportunity to become immersed in their culture.  I am excited to pamper her and make sure she enjoys her stay with our crazy family.  Oh my sweet Eric...poor guy, we now have one more girl under our roof!  He's such a great sport!

Our good friends (shout out to the Greenwell family!!) have an exchange student as well, so this evening we hosted dinner for their student and Ane's first night in America.  Great food, friends and conversation.  A fabulous way to end the day.

Gabby and Ane within minutes of arriving at our house

Of course, I'll keep the blog updated with adventures from our exchange student's visit.

Gabby and Sinobia start school next week, so they are still sleeping late.  I'm off to bed, it's a school night you know!

Aiden Family Reunion

Grandma and Grandpa Aiden with their Grand-daughters.

Last weekend, the Aiden family loaded up our cars and headed to Detroit for our Aiden Family Reunion.

Yep, that's us...posing by the fountain!

It was pretty cold and rainy in Detroit.  None of us were prepared for the weather after enduring 90 degree plus weather for much of the summer.  After a few trips to Meijer for some wardrobe additions, we were all set to explore the city and hang out with family.

Gabby, Ashley, Terena and Sinobia doing it like they did when they were little...
all dressed alike!

Friday, we all loaded up on the tour bus to visit the Henry Ford Museum.  As soon as the bus pulled up to the museum, the clouds cleared up and the sun began to shine.  With that, we headed over to the Greenfield Village, where you are taken back in time:

 

"Entering Greenfield Village is like stepping into an 80-acre time machine. It takes you back to the sights, sounds and sensations of America’s past. There are 83 authentic, historic structures, from Noah Webster’s home, where he wrote the first American dictionary, to Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory, to the courthouse where Abraham Lincoln practiced law." 

Family shot by the fountain.

Next we headed over to the museum.  The girls were excited to see the Civil Rights exhibit where the actual bus that Rosa Parks rode on resides.

Of course, no museum visit is complete without a trip to the gift shop!

Saturday night was the highlight of the whole weekend, what we all had been waiting for...

The 70's Themed Party!

We spent a whole Saturday (6-7 hours) shopping for these outfits!
I think we did a good job!

Eric and the girls!

Aiden's In The House...Super Fly!

Everyone enjoyed the 70's music, great food, dancing and fun!

Sunday ended the reunion with church, brunch and then back on the road, headed home.  

Halloween is in a few months, hopefully there will be a party or two going on...what on earth are we going to do with these costumes!

Summer Circus Comes To An End

This summer, Sinobia attended the 2nd session of summer camp at the Actors Gymnasium.  The summer circus production this session was their very own adaptation of The Tempest.

Sinobia spends 10 months of her year in the pool swimming, this is where she is most comfortable and graceful.  Swimming is her love.   She has grown up watching Gabby hang from stuff, climb stuff and live the circus life.  After rigging our swig-set years ago with silks, a trapeze and a cloud swing, Sinobia started learning a few aerial tricks from Gabby and teaching herself some new ones on her own.  Last summer was her first try at Circus Camp, she returned this year for another session.

Like her sister, Sinobia will pretty much hang from anything and try to do a trick...here she is on the famous "diamond" during The Tempest:

What took my breath away was her love for dance and how quickly she can catch on to a dance routine and execute it.  I think she looks so cute in this great dance routine (which she practiced in our kitchen for a few weeks):

Summer camp is over now, Sinobia didn't mess around...she is now back in the pool, playing Water Polo for the next 3 weeks!

The girls will enjoy the rest of their vacation sleeping late, watching the rest of the Olympics and possibly a few trips to the beach.

Circus Summer Intensive

This summer marks the 10th summer that Gabby has spent at The Actors Gymnasium.

After her first summer at Circus Camp, she declared that she was never going to another camp ever again...she fell in love!  10 years later, years of being a camper, mentor, and now counselor at Circus Camp, you can still see the love in her eyes for this place.

Sinobia has now joined the Circus Camp love fest and is now in her 2nd year there.

This summer is the 3rd year that Gabby has taken the Summer Intensive class at the Actors Gym.  This is a 6 week workshop that allows for students to practice their skills at a higher level of intensity, while giving them the opportunity to choreograph their own work for a final talent showcase.

This years "sold-out" 2 show Saturday was filled with exciting acts and incredible talent.

If you know Gabby, you know that she pretty much lives her live being humble and modest.  She is not one for wanting the spotlight on her.  She finds it difficult to let her star shine as she dislikes being perceived as cocky or full of herself.  So, we were very surprised when she agreed to do a solo piece this year.  We were even more surprised when we saw it...she was cool and confident, no modest Gabby in this act!

Gabby also performed a duet piece with her dear friend Hannah, who has been with her at the Actors gym for most of her circus years.  Hannah is going away to college in the fall, so it seemed very fitting that they tango together in one last routine.  This was a beautiful piece of work!

I was always the kid in gym class that couldn't climb to the top of the ropes, so when I see how strong, confident and talented these performers are, I get goose bumps.  I am always grateful for the time that Gabby has spent at the gym.  The training that she has received during these past 10 years is a huge part of the confident performer that you see in these videos.  The Gym has become her home away from home.  A place where she can explore her athleticism and grow her self-esteem in a safe and nurturing environment, with people who have watched her grow up right before their eyes.

If you didn't have a chance to see it, you missed a great show.  Put it on your calendar for next summer!

Happy Birthday Eric!

On Tuesday, July 10th, Eric turned 45!

It is our tradition for me to bake Eric a cake on his birthday.  Last year he wanted a key-lime pie.  This year we went back to his favorite...German Chocolate.

Over the past few weeks, we have been teasing Eric about his collection of gifts that we have given him in the past that are still in the boxes, never opened, never used.  We threatened to re-wrap one of those gifts for his birthday.  


What do you get the guy that seems perfectly happy with a German chocolate cake and being with his family on his birthday?  All of the gifts in the past have been great, but obviously not that great, since they are still unopened.  We always bought him exactly what he asked for, what he thought he wanted at the time.  


This year we presented Eric with love letters from all 3 of us.  I gave the girls their assignments a few days before Eric's birthday..."write dad a letter telling him how much you love him and why he is such a great dad to you."  No eye rolling or mumbling....they wrote their letters.  I was not allowed to read them, they sealed them as soon as they were written.  I wrote my letter too and we handed them over to Eric Tuesday evening.  


Eric started with Gabby's letter "45 Reasons Why You Are A Great Dad."  I could see his eyes getting teary.  He sent us away so he could read his letters in private.  From the other room, I could hear him laughing as he read both of the girls letters.  I think they got their message across.


Our love for Eric is priceless.  It is always out in the open.  It cannot be bought, boxed, contained or placed on a shelf.  There is nothing of more value that we could have purchased for him.  We needed for him to know this.  There are times when people need to be reminded of how much they mean to you.    

Happy Birthday Eric...we love you!

Recovery

I am recovering nicely.  It's been great having my mom take care of me and the family.  I could sleep the day away and not worry about everything getting done.  I couldn't have had this surgery without her being here.

By Wednesday of last week (1 week after my surgery), I was so hungry that I was becoming very irritable.  Eric came home from work and grilled chicken breast for the family.  I decided to chop it all up and make it into chicken salad.  I had to figure out some way to eat something other than soup, yogurt and ice cream.  Ahhh....the chicken salad went down nicely.  No pain, just a little discomfort, but my stomach felt better.

On Thursday, I was starting to get some of my energy back.  I was able to have some of the left over chicken salad for lunch in a salad.  My mom made me scalloped potatoes for dinner.  Yum!

Friday, Eric takes me to the doctor for my post-op appointment.  She takes my bandage off and says that it is healing nicely.  All of my diagnostic tests have come back and my thyroid was not cancerous!  Yahoo!  She shows me a picture of my thyroid after she removed it.  The nodule was really huge, lumpy, and irregular in shape.  It needed to come out.  I'm not supposed to resume strenuous activity yet, I'm supposed to let my synthetic thyroid hormones start to kick in before going all crazy with the physical activity.  Oh yeah...I am cleared to drive!!!

Saturday, I'm feeling more alive again.  We go to a friend's house for a bar-b-q.  By 10:00 I'm exhausted!  the problem is I wake up feeling really good and fool myself into thinking that I am back to normal.  By the end of the day, my body is reminding me that I just had surgery a little over a week ago.

Sunday morning I wake up with a sore neck.  I tried to get comfortable the night before and sleep in my normal sleeping position.  Apparently, my neck does not agree that I can do this yet.  I'm achy most of the day.  I've started putting scar cream on my neck to help with the healing.  I've been instructed to keep the scar covered when I am outside, or keep it slathered with sunscreen.  I spend about 45 minutes in CVS reading sunscreen labels.  The picture above is from Sunday.  I keep looking at it wondering what it will eventually look like when all of the healing, both inside and out, is complete.

This morning (Monday) I took my my to the airport.  She's going back home.  I'm back into my mommy position. You can tell she's gone already...there are dishes in the sink, no candles burning in the house, and all of the flowers are gone.  It's quiet in the house today.