I'll Be Seeing Ya...

How time flies when you're having fun! With just a few weeks until the New Year things are wrapping up and starting anew. The month of December is packed full of friends, family and travel. My son is on his way home from college for his winter break, it will be wonderful to have him home for 1 month! This weekend Paul and I will enjoy a stay in Chicago and explore the holiday events in the City including the lights on Michigan Avenue, the Christkindlmarket, a play at Steppenwolf Theater and some Christmas shopping on State Street. Next week I will be joining my family at Disney World for Christmas and then it will be home to Chicago for a New Years Eve celebration with friends. 

2013 has been one of the busiest years in recent memory for me personally and professionally and it has been difficult to keep up with blogging on Lively Librarian. So for 2014 I am going to take a break. With the exception of the occasional update, this blog will be largely silent during the next year. I use other websites and apps to stay in touch with my family, friends, colleagues and readers so whichever sites you use, please connect with me at: 

• Personally on Facebook 
• Daily Updates on Twitter 
• For Book Reviews on Goodreads 
• Daily Photos on Instagram 
• Sharing Pins on Pinterest
• Professionally on LinkedIn  

It's been a wild ride readers and I've loved connecting with you online and in person, stay in touch and thanks for reading!

In the words of Neil Gaiman: "May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."

"Rushing" into Life

My son was initiated into his fraternity Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) at the fraternity headquarters in Lexington Kentucky over the weekend. Transitioning from the military to college has been a challenging but exciting time for him. During his first semester he has maintained an excellent GPA, joined his fraternity and settled into a new life in a new state. I'm incredibly proud of him.

Fraternity and sorority life at American colleges and universities is often referred to as "Greek Life" from the Greek letters that make up the names of the organizations. During my son's "rush" period before he was initiated the fraternity required him to maintain a vigorous study schedule and minimum B+ grade point average, complete weekly hours of community service, attend university activities, study his fraternity's history and participate in a leadership role within his pledge class. Greek Life is not what every college student chooses to participate in but for many students it's a great experience both academically and socially.

My son is the 3rd generation in my family to participate in fraternity and sorority life while in college. My father was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, my mother is a Sigma Sigma Sigma, my son's dad is a Delta Tau Delta and I am a member of Pi Beta Phi. After college life we've stayed active in alumnae groups for community, social and work related benefits. Like myself, my son went to college far from Chicago, knowing no one on campus and his fraternity will be a great source of friendship and support for him. I have a feeling he is going to enjoy his college years to the fullest, it's a once in a lifetime experience.

Monday 5 List #33-Fall Favorites

The weather has changed in Chicago from dresses and sandals to boots and sweater season. We still have the occasional day of 80+ temperatures but the evenings are cool and the air smells like leaves. So for this week's Monday 5 List, here are my favorite things to do in the fall.

1. Football. For the Bears season opener Paul and I joined friends at one of our favorite bars in Chicago to enjoy watching the game, eating bar food and drinking beer. This will likely be our normal routine for the season.
2. Road trips. We just returned from a weekend road trip to Bloomington Indiana where we tailgated at the Indiana University v Bowling Green football game. Go Hoosiers! My son's best friend plays Offensive Tackle for IU and it's much more fun to watch college football on a college campus. Our next road trip might include apple picking, whiskey tasting, hot cider and antiquing in Michigan in October.
3. Fire. We had out first backyard bonfire last week and expect to spend many more evenings sitting around the firepit on cool nights. Pulling out cozy sweaters for enjoying the outdoors is also a favorite part of the season.
4. Chicago events. The first weekend in Chicago we went to the Guinness Oyster Fest a street festival in Roscoe Village. Great neighborhood, not overly crowded with 2 stages (mainly Irish style music), and lots of Guinness and oysters. This weekend we will be attending Chicago in White, a pop up dining experience where attendees dress all in white and do not know the location until right before the event begins. The last weekend in September we are playing tour guides to friends visiting from Ohio and expect to spend the weekend at a boutique hotel in Chicago, wandering the city, and visiting the Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity exhibit during it's final days at the Art Institute.
5. Friends. Fall seems to be the best season for catching up with friends. Maybe it's all the opportunities for watching sports together, maybe it's the fun of getting together before it's too cold to enjoy being outdoors. We seem to be busier than ever in the fall whether it's a party or just having pizza and jumping in the hot tub. Whatever you do this fall, I hope it's a great season for you.

If you are looking for more ideas of what to do in Chicago this fall, read this great article. 

Emptynesting

As my son enjoys his college life of classes, sports, fraternity and fun I'm settling into being an empty nester. Last year during the months my son was in the military I never quite got used to living alone, most likely because I felt very unsettled due to worrying about him. This year I've adapted nicely to having the house to myself (well with the exception of my beagle Eloise, she is great company even though she's incredibly high maintenance). Paul and I are both empty nesters, his children are also away at college and we have our own routines around work and home. When we are not working, exploring Chicago together, traveling or with family and friends time seems to be longer with more time to linger. I find that I wander about. I wander to my book shelves, I wander through the yard, I wander through the neighborhood, I wander into the kitchen... Sometimes I play dress up, sometimes I cook ridiculous meals, sometimes I drink martinis and watch bad movies, sometimes I talk to the dog and solve the problems of the world. I pitter patter about really and it's a delight.

A friend recently shared a photo on Facebook and I think it captures where I am in life. Home is my little bungalow surrounded with my books and my garden and my treasures. It's lovely having Paul just down the road and my son as close as social media and a text away. What I'm learning is that even at my age I'm still growing up and growing into my skin.

Comfortable Skin

After a flight delay Paul and I returned to Chicago from Colorado in the wee hours of Sunday morning and after a few hours of sleep I was off to the mall with my son to buy his back to school wardrobe. In just over a week his Dad and I will be driving him to Missouri and moving him into his dorm room.  Over the summer I've been organizing his baby pictures and school art work and in an old box of memories I found pictures of myself from 1990 when I was the same age my son is now.

In 1990 I was 20 years old and working a job from 7-9 in the morning, then I went to classes at a local college then it was back to work from 3-6 pm and then I went clubbing at dance clubs in Chicago with my friends until 2-3 am. It was a crazy life until I transferred to Ohio University in tiny Athens Ohio in the fall of 1990. I went from being a Chicago club kid to a small town sorority girl literally over night. My son will also be moving from Chicago to a small college town and I hope he has as much fun having dual lives as I did.

As I donate his old high school wardrobe and buy him new clothes more appropriate for college including dress clothes for rushing a fraternity and sportswear for playing college lacrosse, it reminded me of how much you can feel changed by just changing what you wear. During our shopping spree my son was more interested in quality clothing from Polo Ralph Lauren and Banana Republic than he was in t-shirts and shorts from the Gap. He's not interested in dressing like a high school student anymore. Similarly when I packed to move away to college I left my "city club clothes" at home and brought clothes more fitting for social events in college. It was the start of my adult life and I have a feeling my son is having that moment right now.

The pictures were both taken in 1990, one is me as a club kid in Chicago (I'm in the middle) and the other was taken a few months later when I joined a sorority at Ohio University. 23 years later I still prefer pearls over stomach baring tops.

Monday 5 List #32-College Recipes

My son is traveling to his college orientation tomorrow at a college about 8 hours from Chicago. He will register for classes, tour the campus and check out his dorm. Since he returned from the Navy last fall and decided to forgo any further military career for college, I've been showing him some basic recipes for life in the dorm/fraternity/apartment. So today's Monday 5 list are recipes my son can use as a base when he leaves the nest.

1. BBQ. In the last year my son has taken an active interest in learning how to BBQ. I've taught him the basics of how to prep meat, chicken and fish and how to use a thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. He's become quite the BBQ connoisseur and regularly mixes up his own rubs and sauces. BBQ Master will serve him well in life.
2. Homemade sauce. Not from the jar. One of the first recipes I taught him when I started growing tomatoes, onions and basil. Once you know how to make a basic pasta sauce, the sky's the limit. He prefers to spice up homemade tomato sauce with red pepper flakes but I've also demonstrated how to add cream or cheese for a great alternative to red sauce. So basic sauce with a few twists and you've got multiple recipes. 
3. Cream of Mushroom Soup. Easiest recipes ever. I told him "No matter how broke you are, always have a can of cream of mushroom soup in the pantry." On any budget, a can of this soup can make a delicious meal with a chicken breast or some cooked rice.  
4. Salmon. Good grilled salmon as a main dish, made into salmon cakes or tossed on a salad, you can't go wrong. Maybe the easiest fish to cook and always a favorite. 
5. Fried Rice. Rice dishes have always been easy but especially after my brother-in-law showed my son how to make fried rice. Over the years we've experimented with it and my son makes large portions for his friends, usually in the middle of the night. The best thing about fried rice is the "garbage pail" method, toss in any veggies with chicken, bacon, shrimp or scallops and you've got a delicious meal.

Are there any recipes you remember learning from your parents? 

Southwest Michigan-A World Away from Chicago

Before our upcoming vacation in Colorado, Paul and I enjoyed a short trip during the 4th of July holiday weekend. We spent a few days wandering "Harbor Country" and Southwest Michigan with a loose itinerary and a summer pace. Only an hour drive from Chicago, we started the trip with lunch at the legendary Redamak's in New Buffalo. We then drove up the coast another hour to Saugatuck for the day and wandered through the charming art community before doing some wine tasting from local vineyard Fenn Valley and then stopping by the local wateringhole Wally's.

We stayed in the small town of Holland, went hiking to the Lake from Felt Mansion and had a great dinner at Pereddie's before catching the tail end of the sunset at Boatwerks, a waterfront restaurant with an outside bar. We met locals Gan and her husband Peter who've been living in Holland since 2012 after years in Gan's native Thailand. After a drink on Lake Macatawa we headed down the street to New Holland Brewery to sample their beers and listen to live music.

On Wednesday and Saturday mornings, downtown Holland is the location of an outstanding farmer's market. Blueberries and cherries are in season in Michigan so we bought bags to bring home to Chicago. We stopped by Crane's Orchard in Fennville to buy fresh pie before a visit to the new brewery Virtue to taste their latest cider. We spent the afternoon in the beach community of South Haven before going to the small town of Three Oaks for the Corsets, Whips & Whiskey event at Journeyman Distillery. We ended our vacation back in Chicago with bottles of wine and whiskey to enjoy this summer.

If you are based in the Midwest or visiting I highly recommend Southwest Michigan, it's the perfect destination for a short vacation while feeling worlds away. To see pictures of the trip, follow me on Instagram, you can find me at http://instagram.com/livelylibrarian

Catching Up and Taking Time Off

It's been a busy few weeks in my world with my sister and brother-in-law visiting with their children, the American Library Association Conference in Chicago and the prom party that Paul and I hosted to kick off summer. Similar to last year's Great Gatsby party, our MORP (prom spelled backward): Second Chance Prom Dance was a costume party and every one of our guests came dressed in costume. The ladies were dressed in dresses with wrist corsages and the men in tuxedos with boutonnieres and most were dressed true to the decade when they graduated from high school. There were even a few women in their original prom dresses! The picture in this post is Paul and I in front of the beautiful photo backdrop he made for guests to pose in front of.  We had prom queen and king sashs with crowns and all guests took home a beer cozie printed with PROM 2013 on it. There was dancing under disco lights, beer pong, billiards and lots of cheap beer and wine (Old Style, Boone's) and snacks we loved when we were teenagers (Cheetos, pizza). Now we have to figure out next years costume party...

I attended the American Library Association Conference in Chicago the last week in June and will be blogging about the conference soon. I am starting a vacation for a much needed break and will be spending some time with Paul and friends in Union Pier, Saugatuck and Holland Michigan over the next few days. To all my American readers, have a great 4th of July holiday weekend.

Cooking at the Holidays

Years ago I experienced my first Feast of the Seven Fishes feast on Christmas Eve. A few years ago we adopted this tradition with the addition to the family of my Italian Uncle Vinny from New York City. Christmas Eves spent in Florida (where my parents and my Aunt Kim and Uncle Vinny live) include large quantities of fresh crab legs and claws (cold and steamed), lobster tail, jumbo shrimp and various other delights. This year I cooked this meal at home in Chicago for my son and his Navy buddy. As fresh lobster is hard to come by here I instead substituted various types of fish to go with the crab legs and shrimp. With sides of roasted green beans and parmesan and paprika roasted potatoes, the boys were quiet for 30 minutes while they gorged. It was tons of fun.

Christmas morning I made a quiche for the boys, another family tradition my mom's family has been making for years. I combined a few recipes to create the recipe below. Although a vegetarian I didn't enjoy this dish, but my hungry boys did.

Lively Librarian's Bacon and 3 Cheese Christmas Quiche

1 9 inch deep dish frozen pie crust
1 lb bacon ( I used honey and apple smoked bacon)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 oz shredded cheddar cheese
3 oz shredded mozzarella or swiss cheese
3 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup half and half
4 lightly beaten eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the bacon for 20-30 minutes until crisp, pat dry with paper towels to remove the grease. Chop bacon into bite size pieces. In a large bowl combine the chopped onion, the cheeses and the bacon pieces. Pour this mixture into the unthawed pie crust. Lightly beat the eggs with the half and half and pour this mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350, bake an additional 35 minutes until top of quiche begins to brown.

Today I have soup in the crock pot for the boys which they can enjoy all day in-between naps, holiday movies and projects around the house.

Light

The Saturday after Thanksgiving Paul and I awoke as the sky was starting to fill with light and walked to the beach. In 42 years I had never seen the sunrise so we grabbed the camera and headed out to watch it rise over the Atlantic Ocean. I have of course been up before the sun and spent nights without ever going to bed, but I've never sat and watched the sun rise over the horizon. We arrived at the beach where families with children, seniors with dogs and couples were also waiting for the sun. It's nearly impossible to describe the exact moment when the sun first appears on the horizon...one minute the sky is soft shades of pink and blue and then you blink and the sliver appears, the most vibrant color, like fire. It grew brighter as it changed from a sliver to an orb and the brightness increased until you couldn't look directly at it. It is truly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

Our trip to Florida was an experience of light. The evening before we woke to see the sunrise we attended an oyster roast at the home of a friend of Paul's family. The house was set on a point overlooking the water, the home itself was built in a southern low country style around large oak trees dripping with Spanish moss and lush palm trees. The party was outdoors and lit only by the lights in the pool and the light that spilled out of the open doors and window in the main house and the pool house. On the boat deck was a table where our hosts would spill the oysters they were roasting on the shore. Guests were free to shuck their own oysters, indulge and toss the shells back into the sea. As an oyster lover, these were obviously the freshest I've ever had.

If you haven't experienced watching the sun rise over the Ocean or eaten oysters in the dark, I highly recommend both.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving with those you love. I am on my way to Florida to enjoy the holiday with Paul and members of his family, a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner, watching some college football, a delicious oyster roast and hopefully beautiful sunsets on the Atlantic Ocean. Wherever you are, whoever you share the day with, enjoy.



What I am Thankful for This Month

• My son being home, healthy and happy
• True Love
• A warm cuddly beagle on a cold morning
• Earl Grey tea with vanilla soymilk
• Good health
• Flannel sheets
• Mittens
• Family
• My vintage home
• Sparkles
• The library 

Vote

I voted today. This is the first election year that I have voted early since I was eligible to vote in 1988. The process was easier than I expected especially considering the length of the lines. As I waited I watched the crowd and was encouraged by what I saw. Cordial, patient voters who were anxious and proud to cast their vote...young women with children, spouses, people with mobility issues in wheelchairs who were handled with care by volunteers, older people with walkers, someone with an interpreter, Latinos and college kids.

Here is what I don't want to hear, "It doesn't matter if I vote, the election has been decided." or "I don't need to vote, my State is going to go to_____". Unfortunately I have heard that too often from young people, including my son. I am going to march him over to the local court house where he can still register and cast his vote through grace period registration.

Seriously, vote. Things DO change. My "cousin" Beatrice a young woman dear to my family who has been un-formally adopted by my Aunt and Uncle, was born in Mexico, arrived in the USA illegally, went to school and busted her ass to earn straight A's. She feared for her future but is finally allowed to stay in the USA, legally work and hopefully one day go to college because of the Obama administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program.  Beatrice no longer fears her future. Vote.

5 Hotel Rooms in 1 Week

As much as I would like to say that I've been around the world and stayed in 5 hotels in exotic locations over the past week, alas the reality is much different. Last Monday I went to Peoria Illinois for the annual Illinois Library Association Conference, 3 days of programs, vendors and socializing for Illinois librarians. I have blogged about the ILA Conference before in 2008 and 2009.

Thoughts on ILA 2009-Peoria 
ILA Conference at Navy Pier 2008

Last year the conference was held in Rosemont Illinois and I presented a program on Screencasting for Librarians. This year I am serving on the Illinois Library Association Awards committee and the winners and sponsors were honored at a luncheon on the first day of the conference. I truly enjoy the conferences, the sessions are informative and inspiring and it is always good to socialize and network with librarians from around the State. However, the conference accomodations were not good, but it does make for a good story.

First night in Peoria. Arrived after a 3 hour drive with a colleague and located an Indian restaurant near Bradley University, the major college in Peoria. Sat down, ordered, watched a roach run across the table, left immediately and found a pizza restaurant favored by students. Finally found my hotel, a good 10 minute drive from the conference center and was given a room near the elevator and laundry units. I won't stay in hotel rooms near laundry or elevators. I learned this the hard way in Las Vegas. Got another room, went to bed.

2nd day in Peoria. Woke up, turned on the shower, the handle fell apart in my hands, streaming scalding hot water all over the bathroom with no way to turn it off. Called the front desk. Hotels are frequently staffed with students since Peoria is a college town. She had no idea what to do since maintenance was not at the hotel so I asked for another room immediately. She brings me to a room with a free standing jacuzzi tub right next to the bed. I looked at her and said, "Are you kidding me?" So we went to another room, a suite with a separate room with a kitchen and living room. About time.

Got home to Chicago on Thursday night after 4 days in Peoria, was home for 24 hours and left to tailgate at Indiana University on Saturday. My son's best friend Peyton (#59) is a starter on the IU football team so I went down with friends to tailgate, IU against Ohio State. Being an Ohio University alumnae, I like the opportunity to watch any team give OSU a run and IU had a great game against the Buckeyes.

Friends and I (4 women) stayed at the Motel 6 in Bloomington that is within walking distance to the IU Memorial Stadium. Being a motel this place is tailgate central for parents and friends visiting for games. Lots of pickup trucks pulled up directly to the rooms, doors open and tailgating in the parking lot. Who needs more than a bed and a sink when visiting a college? Well that's about all we got. The bed was so concave it was like sleeping in an egg. But hey tailgating was super fun and partying with the football players until 3 am reminded my why I'm glad my college years are over. Picture below is Peyton and I after the game.

So I am home. Finally. No more hotels for me for at least 2 weeks? :)

18 weeks later...

My son is home. My Navy sailor. He's tired, nearly 40 pounds thinner, and so happy to be home with his family, the Beagle and his friends. Have a great weekend with those you love.

Flash Back Friday #54-Pure Michigan

This beautiful video from the Pure Michigan series narrated by actor Tim Allen is from a few years ago. I am heading to Michigan today with Paul and my parents to stay in a cottage near Lake Michigan, eat the local delights, walk on the beach and go antiquing for my Lively Vintage Etsy store.
The leaves may not be changing yet, but Fall is in the air and I plan on enjoying every minute.
Have a great weekend readers. 

Dare to Dash?

On Saturday Paul and I competed in the Warrior Dash, a 3.2 mile run and obstacle course that takes place at various locations throughout the country. Run by Chicago based company Red Frog, Warrior Dash combines a 5k with a festival atmosphere of live music, beer and food vendors, awards and lots and lots of mud.

We teamed with 4 of our friends on Team Booby Trap and competed at the Wisconsin location which included crawling under barbed wire, climbing over rope bridges, barricades, wooden walls, mud pits, swimming through ponds and jumping over fire. You can view the course here. From start to finish the race was about an hour long, with approximately 600 people racing every 30 minutes or so, the obstacles would get congested but the running or walking in-between allowed for people of various fitness levels to participate at their own pace.

Participants are encouraged to compete in team costumes and there were some good ones: ballerinas, super heroes, 80's disco and many others. Everyone racing were very friendly and always willing to help someone who had fallen or had trouble completing the obstacles. It was absolutely the dirtiest I have ever been, from the murky water hazards to the multiple mud pits there is no way to avoid getting wet and muddy. Upon race completion, you get a medal, t-shirt, fuzzy warrior helmet and a free beer! We jumped in a pond, tried to clean off the mud and finally just ditched our shoes, drank our beer and listened to the music.

There is camping available at many of the Warrior Dash locations, however we stayed at our team members cottage in nearby Lake Geneva and relaxed after the Dash at a Cheap Trick concert. We plan on doing the Warrior Dash again next year, maybe I'll see you in the mud pit!

A Favorite Book is Back in My Bag

I recently found a favorite book in a box full of my son's things in the back of his closet. I remember carrying this little paperback, dog-eared copy with me for years when my son was little. It was often found in the diaper bag, under the seat of my car, in the toy bin, in his little toddler bed, in my purse...

Written in 1955 by Crockett Johnson, Harold and the Purple Crayon is the story of Harold who creates his own world and adventures by drawing them with his purple crayon, always with the moon following him. There is a dragon who guards an apple tree, a "very hungry moose" and a "deserving porcupine" who eat pie, and Harold's adventures by sea, mountain and balloon. The drawings are simple, the story is charming and the creativity is wonderful.

I don't know why I'm carrying this little worn copy in my purse again. My son is too old to be read too but as I re-read the story I imagine my little boy as Harold all grown up now and creating his own adventures in the world and always with the same moon I can see following him.

The Great Gatsby Inspires a Summer Party

Recently Paul and I both re-read the classic, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. If you haven't read this beautifully written novel about the Jazz Age, you should read it as soon as you can get your hands on a copy. Especially after an article in last weeks Chicago Tribune called this "the Year of Gatsby" and before the latest film version is released later this year starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby.

As we were reading the book over the winter, a particular section in chapter 3 sparked the idea for a summer party, "There was music from my neighbor's house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars."

So we started planning a party. Paul created an amazing invitation, we rented a roulette table, hired 3 college kids to work as dealers for roulette, poker, blackjack and video horse racing, bought some vintage clothes and before we knew it, we were hosting a 1920's inspired lawn party in the afternoon and a speakeasy in the evening. The party was a huge success and all but one of our 40 or so guests dressed in 20's attire, some guests even wore 2 outfits, an afternoon and evening costume. There were gangsters, flappers, bootleggers, gin, jazz, gambling, croquet and lots of laughs, it really was a party to remember. (The image above was taken after we changed from our garden party clothes into our formal wear for the speakeasy party. My vintage fringe flapper dress was found on eBay, my feather hat is also vintage and was bought at an antique mall.)

Now we have to figure out a way to top this party, we've already started planning...

If you've read Gatsby or you're going to read it for the first time, here are a few of my favorite passages from the novel:

"I've been drunk for about a week now, and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library."

"The bar is in full swing, and floating rounds of cocktails permeate the garden outside, until the air is alive with chatter and laughter, and casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot, and enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each other's names."

"And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy's dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.  He did now know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us...So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back carelessly into the past."-The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925.

19 years

19 years ago this evening I enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner, saw Jurassic Park at the movie theater, went into labor and delivered my son. It was a long night. He was born so quickly only his father, my best friend Wynter and a nurse were in the room at 3:30 am on June 15, 1993. We were home from the hospital 24 hours later.

I remember every birthday of his life...his 1st birthday party with his own little cake he could smash into his fists and stuff in his mouth, the birthday parties at indoor amusement parks, his 4th birthday when he erupted in chickenpox at the party, his 5th birthday trip to Disney World to find Peter Pan and all the parties that included dinosaurs, Harry Potter, Legos and water gun fights with his friends.

This will be the only birthday in his 19 years that we have not been together. As a mother I hope that even though he is in bootcamp being pushed to his limits, that he knows that his family and friends are thinking of him and sending him love.

"The Doll House"

For the first time in 19 years I am living alone. After my son left for basic training it took me a few days until I was ready to pick up the towel he left on his bathroom floor, wash his sheets, put away his laptop and clean up the "man cave" basement where he hung out with his friends during his last weeks at home. Now that I am beginning to adjust to my life as an empty-nester I'm finding it fun to have a home to decorate without sports equipment, video games and boy stuff.

As I settle into my new routine, my fridge and pantry are full of fruits and veggies instead of meat and dairy, the windows are open, and my favorite radio station is playing music from the 30's and 40's whenever I am home. I have more wine in the house, more high heels scattered around the house, clothes and hats on tailor mannequins, bowls full of jewelery on tables, new girly smelling soaps and lotions in the bathroom and vintage pictures on the walls.

My 1950's bungalow is full of period details and because I purchased it from the original owners it was well loved and rarely updated. I'm adding my own touches such as my home library, remodeled basement, raised vegetable beds in the large newly fenced-in yard, new landscaping around multiple patio areas and lots of vintage pieces.  I'm considering adding large mirrors to a wall in the basement with a ballet bar to create an area to stretch and dance.

Although I am sad my son is not around to ask me repeatedly, "What are you making for lunch Mom?" or "Where are my shoes?" or "Is there gas in the car?" and I miss cooking his favorite meals, watching movies together, and waking up in the middle of the night when he comes home and wants to talk, I'm adapting to finally having a little home exactly the way I want it. My own doll house.