I was ecstatic when we ran into our neighbor and found out I was invited to his 80th birthday party (especially when he mentioned there would be no children). I love my kids more than anything, but celebrating a remarkable man’s monumental day—amongst adults at an establishment other than Chuck E. Cheese’s—sounded amazing.
Read MoreOne of my all time favorite movies is Rudy. There is nothing like the classic tale of an under dog who’s determination lands him on the field of his dreams. Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to witness a similar story take place—only it was in real life and the person was Sandler. His passion and perseverance landed him a successful run on an eleven foot vert ramp, followed by the feeling of pure pride and glory.
Read MoreWe are celebrating another holiday: “Ski Week” (aka another entire week off school). Ski Week in Southern California makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. Having grown up in Colorado, a holiday made for skiing or snowboarding would have made sense—we certainly would have enjoyed the extra time to be on the slopes—however, being a stones throw from the beach makes “Ski Week” sound like another strange excuse for kids to miss school.
Read MoreWe rarely miss an opportunity to have dinner at our favorite restaurant for Taco Tuesday. Not only is the food delicious, but we frequent the place so often the staff knows us by name and expects whatever shenanigans we inevitably bring.
Read MoreThe other day Sandler overheard someone mention he was the most passionate person they had ever met. As a mom, I took that as a compliment, however the moment slightly deflated when Sandler interrupted with, “Mommy, what does passionate mean?” At first I thought I had a simple definition, but when I tried to explain the feeling I realized it [passion] is a tricky emotion to describe. Once again, Sandler had stumped me and my wikipedia skills.
Read MoreRight on schedule, I received one of twenty-nine phone calls from Sandler on his bus ride home from school today. Usually, the first sentence out of his mouth is an enthusiastic, “Can we go skateboarding when I get home?!” Today was different, however, his voice was cracking and I could tell tears were about to follow. As he tried to be strong and get a few words out, I stopped him and asked what was wrong. He started crying and said he watched the news at school and it was just way too sad. Not only had he been processing the loss of a very special teacher the week before, but as a way to catch up on current events, he and his classmates learned about international and local news reports which were flooded with tragedy.
Read MoreHaving Sandler is often a reminder of all the exciting and crazy stuff I used to do when I was a kid. I notice this most when the novelty of holiday gifts has worn off and it’s time to come up with fresh ways to pass time. The activities he comes up with are a perfect blend of his creativity and blissful ignorance. Often times it even unites him and his sister to come up with a new game—that inevitably ends with a three hour clean up or one kid stuck to something, hurt and in tears.
Read MoreThere is one thing that never gets old when it comes to raising Sandler: making his dreams come true. Unlike many kids his age, he is not wishing to be rewarded with material things or trying to achieve unattainable goals — such as becoming the next Fortnite champion of the world. In fact, his hopes and dreams are that everyone is happy and he can skateboard for “five ‘mo’ minutes.” Telling him I was delighted to take him on a tour of skateparks he had never been to was as if his greatest wish had been granted.
Read MoreLong holiday breaks mean a lot of quality time with Sandler. Quality time with Sandler means two weeks straight at skateparks and answering the strangest and most thought provoking questions. As much as I look forward to all the fun and excitement that comes with the holiday season, I have to prepare myself for what will inevitably be a test of my parenting patience.
Read MoreThe other day, after another awesome session of skating, Sandler and his buddies gathered in the parking lot to say their goodbyes. One of his best pals was explaining he had to hurry to get to work. He happens to work at Sandler’s favorite place—second to the skatepark—Trader Joe’s. We let him know we would probably see him there; we frequent the store several times a week not only for groceries, but also so Sandler can see some of his favorite people… the TJ employees.
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