Christmas in PA!

This year we headed to Pennsylvania for a family Christmas with my Grammy, Dad, Sandy, Heather and Shane. What a time we had! There was no snow, but the 22 acres of woods left Brenden's imagination completely stimulated! We went on many walks around the "forest" talking about the wild animals running around, we searched and found animal tracks and even found time to go bowling for the first time as a family! Annie is in love with Grammy! She loved sitting and reading the phonebook (yes, I know) with her! The memories made have been tucked down deep into my heart.

Christmas morning was amazing! However, I am very proud of my Brenden!! He told Papa, "It's not about presents. It's about being with family and God!" There is no gray with my son...it's all very literal right now. Black or white that's it!

We all had a great time and can't wait to get together with the family again!!!

Making cookies...

My little man loves to bake!! So, we pulled out the time honored cookie recipe from my childhood. Over a long weekend we made the dough, let the dough chill, rolled out the dough and made the cookies, and then FINALLY iced the cookies! It was a really fun time with Bren. To those of you who know, check out Brenden's tongue while rolling out the dough...Kovalak genes at work!

First Snow in Boston

This was a fun start to the great amounts of snow we got a couple of weeks ago! It started off really pretty...then the wind picked up and it didn't stop snowing for 3 days! I even got an early start to my Christmas vacation!! What a change from Chicago-the city that NEVER cancels school for snow!!

Annie loved it UNTIL the wind started blowing!

Brenden has had a change of heart and now loves playing in the snow.

Congratulations Roo!!!

For the past 27 months, my sister Heather has been working her butt of getting yet another masters degree! She graduated last weekend with a Masters of Science. Now she is a Physician Assistant!! She loves her life as a PA! I am tremendously proud of her!! She has completed a rigorous program and has come out without too many scars. In a few weeks she will begin her career as a PA in an urgent care facility.

Heather's story is not unusual. What amazes me is how she's carried herself along the way. She has pushed through some pretty awful moments along the way, but she's still pushing forward. When most sane people would have broken down, Heather has risen to find the greatness that is so her. Her story reminds me daily of what everyday people can achieve. I am so proud to call this amazing woman my sister and my best friend. Congratulations to you sister. I love you.

Annie, Papa and Brenden all behaving!

Next Steps

Two weeks ago the family packed up and headed to the wonderful city of Chicago to celebrate Troy's public dissertation defence! We had an amazing time back in the city! We stayed with a wonderful family that has children surrounding both of mine. They played until we literally had to force them apart. It was awesome!! We got to visit with another dear family that we spent all of our time with... the McGoverns! It is fantastic to have friends like these families!!!
Troy's parents and I went to Troy's public defence of his thesis project. I am continually blown away by how smart my husband really is. I mean I KNOW that he is ,but to hear him speak is another thing. He is a great public speaker! He explained his project to his captivated audience and I actually understand what he's been doing for the past 5 years!! It was really nice to celebrate him!
So, it's official...he's now Dr. Camarata!!!! I know... pretty daunting. I gotta catch up!

Plimouth Plantation

One of the benefits of living in New England, is the real history that is at our fingertips! Last week, I took my students on a field lesson to Plimouth Plantation.

Now before I tell you about that, I need to thank those teachers at KIPP who put in the hard work BEFORE and BEHIND every field lesson!! I had some moments before we left our school in Boston when I questioned what was going to take place. Chalk it up to my "Type A" personality, but I needed to be in charge and know what each moment entailed!! So, to you (you know who you are) I thank you!!!

So, off we went field lesson journals in hand. Yes, my students were shocked that they actually had work to complete before, during and after the field LESSON! After an hour bus ride we ventured out into a replica 17 century colonial village. It was really neat! I spent many summer days at Colonial Williamsburg as a kid, but now I got to see things from a teacher's perspective. We had a great time! After many thoughtful questions and pleasant complements, we loaded the bus and rode home.

The pictures: View from top of village, my students in a Wampanog canoe, students standing on the fence to view...goats!!! I know, city kids! Sammy using a wheelbarrow, and a group photo of the 4th and 5th grade students who earned the trip.

I'm glad to have had the experience with this bunch of kids!!

Boston Duck Tour

When Alan and Lana (Troy's parents) were here a couple of week ago, we took a good 'ole fashioned Duck Tour. What is this you ask? Well, it is a tour of Boston upon a military vehicle that goes in the water as well as street! It was amazing! We started off going through down town while learning all kinds of great info about our fine city. Next, we "drove" right into the Charles River and tooled around there for a while. We learned that the best real estate on the river belongs to the Boston and Cambridge jail houses!!! The have outstanding views! It was a great way to view the city. Brenden highly recommends it!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!! We had a great night of trick-or-treating in Southie! Nanny Chelsea (pictured with the kids) had them ready when I got home. Brenden went as knight and Annie was a princess riding a pink unicorn. Adorable! We went around a friend's neighborhood with her two children. It was so much fun! The kids did a wonderful job with their manners and speaking to total strangers. But you'd expect that with the promise of candy, right!!! Everybody was very nice and in a festive mood. The kids lasted for a whole hour and we headed home. We now have a copious amount of candy! Brenden has been living with the one-piece a day rule...BUT this morning I found kit-kat rappers hidden in the bookshelf!!! I really had a hard time punishing him when all I wanted to do was dig in as well. I mean, a whole bowl of chocolate goodies just sitting there on the counter for all to see!!!!

For the love of the game..

A few nights ago, Troy and I taught Brenden how to play "Sorry"! He desperately needs to learn how to loose gracefully. I know, coming from Troy and I he's got an uphill battle! We are incredibly competitive and both kids have inherited it...darn genetics!! All went well. He was able to pick up the rules quickly and practiced his counting. He won so we had to play again so that we could practice loosing. It was a disaster!! One game was long enough and asking a five year old to be patient for yet another game was asking a lot. Well, Troy won. This was a worse fate. Troy is a terrible winner. I was trying to teach my husband how to win while teaching my son how to loose. I was not a happy camper!

Brenden played with our nanny Chelsea the next day and beat her! Really! So, back to the drawing board on how to teach loosing....

Pumpkin Pickin'

We went to Lookout Farm last weekend to get pumpkins and Asian Pears. It was a crisp Autumn day and we had fun looking at all the pumpkins. After finally choosing our precious pumpkins, we went down to the market store and bought fresh bread, grapes off the vine, apples and Asian pears. It was so nice to by fresh from the farm. The farm is located near Wellsley, MA so that's where we went for a really cute lunch. It was a lovely morning.

My favorite time of pumpkin picking is the carving and carve we did! I have child-safe knives...I know doesn't seem right, but they are knives that are serrated but not sharp. Brenden was able to carve his own pumpkin this year! When lit, his is really the scariest because of the slash marks around the eyes! A great day!!!

Our Chelsea

Our new nanny, Chelsea, has been amazing! She's taken the kids to the library, the Children's Museum, to the park and a walk to Target (a woman after my own heart). Her recent crafts have been bag pumpkins (paper lunch bags filled with leaves and painted) and fall masks. She bakes with Brenden almost every afternoon. They've made chocolate spoons, apple cinnamon muffins, pumpkin marshmallows, and today candy corn cookies!!! I know she's really phenomenal! Annie adores her and even Brenden is wonderful with her. I feel so lucky to have her with our family.

Peace..

Troy is finally home!! He totally surprised (lied) me! Heather and I took the kids to Maine over this long Columbus Day weekend for a wedding. When we drove into our drive way, Brenden bounded out of the car (small bladder). He opened the back door and this is where I began to panic!! I know that I locked the door. I began to yell to Brenden to get back into the car as Heather and I flew out of the car. I heard Brenden yell, "Daddy!" and wow, can that boy move! We are one big happy family now. The kids can't stop touching Troy!
These past 5 weeks without Troy have been, well for a lack of a better word...they sucked!!! Single parents have the hardest job in the world! It was tough and I knew that there was an end in sight and it was still a trying experience. I was tested daily! But we've made it and now all is well....

New Day

I have just hired our new nanny. She's wonderful! I can honestly say that she is so good for our family! Today she came over for the morning to see how we run. We spent the whole morning at a beautiful park running and playing and get this...watching a women's rugby tournament. Ah, the memories of college! Brenden wanted to get out there but alas, he's too little for this!
I wish there could be more days like today but as short as it was, I feel comfortable with her. Annie adores her already. She follows her around calling her name. Brenden asked her to play ball today! He has yet to figure out how far she can be pushed but she's ready for him. I hope that this is it!!

Minor adjustment

SO, as all of you know moving to Boston has created some new challenges for us as a family; one being childcare. We were sending the kids to an amazing daycare in the North End and spending a fortune!!! I'm talking more than most normal mortgages!!! So, I went on a hunt for a nanny to care for the kids. We found Rose. Things started off good. Now I know it's only been about a month but things are about to change. She's not living up to my expectations and is a bit mean to Brenden. You know my boy...he's outspoken and honest. Rose calls him "fresh", I call him refreshing! I have spent the past 5 years trying to raise an individual who's not afraid to stand on his own. I'm not going to stop now...So, I'm back on the hunt! Cross your fingers, add me to your prayer list, hop on one foot or whatever it is that we all do to ask for help 'cause I need it now! I will find a loving caregiver for my children!!!

Lookout Farm, MA

This weekend the kids and I went apple pickin just outside of Boston at the Lookout Farm. It's a beautiful 180-acre farm that has amazing fruit, a huge pumpkin patch (going back to pick pumpkins) and a great area for the kids! The kids climbed the huge hay pyramid, talked to the goats, rode the caterpillar train and YES picked fruit. I was introduced to the most amazing Asian Pears...Annie ate 2 all by herself! We picked until Annie lost her cool, after all it was WAY past her nap time. So after hours of playing and picking, we drove the 40 minutes back into the city for rest and more good eatin'!!