Memory Lane Monday: The Legend of... The MoffCloff

I have been looking forward to Kaj words lately. I am excited to see what the babble will transform into, and I was reminded of a childhood memory of my own.

I am certain mom's everywhere love to hear their kids say things, they may say them wrong every single time, and you giggle, and let them continue with their story. But, at what point, do you teach them the right word in place of the cute version they have come up with? When it's not cute anymore?

Well, perhaps I was 9-10 years old I had been referring to the good old fashioned washcloth as a moffcloff. "Mom, can you hand me a moffcloff?" I gestured toward the closet.

"A what?"

"A moffcloff."

"It's a washcloth." She handed it to me.

What the?! Um... I have been calling it moffcloff the whole time, we're talking my life to this point. And now you're telling me it is washcloth?! Ok...if you say so.

So, the answer is! The right time to correct children in their word errors is before they have a memory of ever saying is wrong.

Ode to Baby Teeth and Mom Ears

I have always loved a good set of pearly whites.
Anytime Kaj is in sight of his little elmo toothbrush
He must brush.
So he brushes...

Sometimes 5-6 times a day

But who am I to frown at oral hygiene?

It is amazing how thankful I can be for hearing
How you can distinguish the different sounds in the house
A crash
Kaj is dropping toys from his pack n play

A scraping

Kaj "vacuuming" very helpful, indeed

A bounce

The ball dropping down the stairs

Silence.
Listening isn't good enough then.
I usually find Kaj has dumped out my purse and wallet or he is on the chair laughing at the possibility of something funny happening at the computer.

RALPH'S FAMOUS ITALIAN ICE

Welcome to Ralph's! This is one of my new favorite places to go. The first time I went there, there was a line of at least 10 people, and I heard Sam's food advice echo through my mind:

"Just look for the places that are always busy..." Busy Busy Busy (the echo)

This is the menu! Wow, a little intimidating if you are amateur like I am.

The first time I got lemon because Sam told me he heard it was primo, that it is if you love to take bites out of lemons.. I, however, do not. But the texture was so amazing I had to give another shot!

As you can see Kaj is a little overwhelmed too! Ha! The second time I got chocolate hazelnut and peanutbutter! This time I learned you can add to flavors for the same price, and um..it was so so good! Bits of chocolate, bits of hazelnut in a delightful master piece

This is what I got today, the third time cookies n creme and chocolate milk. I'm just sayin,

Keep in mind this is ice..ground up so finely that it is like the best ice cream on the planet

Kaj is making sure that he is getting all of the dregs!

He got them!

Delicious!!!!

Come to New York

Perks of Port Jefferson

Living 15 minutes from the ocean!



Yes, yes, that is a park by the beach!



 



The Burger Shack Hunt

In New York, there is the gamet of good food. I speak from my obvious many years of being in New York...but really! And, it is not just the city- Long Island too has a few gems of it's own. The Burger Shack burger!! I love myself a good cheeseburger just like Sam likes himself a good pizza. Therefore, we have already found a pizza place Sam loves, and a burger place we all love! We're talking worthy of a showcase on the food network (that is if it hasn't already been showcased) they also have a 48oz man challenge of a burger!! And... I won. No! I really didn't! So I was out with Kaj today, running lots of different places, and I thought I want to take him back to the burger shack! (Back-to the burger shack) That has rap potential right there. I have  been travelling the roads of Long Island with my trusty GPS. It has been pretty great considering I would not be able to travel without out it just out of fear alone that I would not find my way home, but today...GPS system, sir, you failed me...I was looking for the burger shack, and it did not even register that it even existed.. Do not worry fellow future visitors! I have a little while longer here, and I am sure before long I will find the burger shack... with- or without my GPS!

Happy Sunday, Happy New York

Now, imagine, if you will, the boxes on the right towering high above the door frame, add an additional 25 boxes replacing the couch, and the floor space, what I am trying to say is: we have come a long way!! Yes, we are all together in New York, and it is nice to have our family in the same place again. We are facing the balance of home and school head on, and we are excited to see just how it is done.

All in all it was a good first few days here in New York, and a great first Sunday! The ward is great here, the people are very nice, I even made a fast friend... who will be moving to Boston in 2 weeks! HA! Of course!  We went to the park, saw the duck pond, and enjoyed the most uncomfortable humidity summer has to offer!

To Blog or not to blog...that is the question

I pose this, of course, because it has been over a month since I last posted anything. It is slightly odd that I would have to bring myself to write, to consciously say to myself: "Hey you, you should blog tonight." Anyone who knows me knows that I love, even have a passion for writing ever since I was young. I remember vividly sitting at my desk in the room I shared with my sister Megan writing stories, and wanting Megan to write stories with me. I still have get so much joy from writing, whether it be poetry or books, or thoughts. I would always say you can't lie on paper. Why would you bother? It would often make my emotions tangible, as if putting it on paper could ensure the reality of what I was feeling, even if it was just for that moment... So why... why do I have so much trouble with the blog? It comes down to the audience...statisically (according to Kathy, but probably very accurately) I am in the 1 percentile of the facebook world- yes, I do not have facebook. Nor do I want it. Though, I admittedly had a moment after watching "Social Network" that it crossed my mind. My point being, I would second guess doing it simply because why would ANYONE want to know my thoughts on fried versus baked, or the make shift toy chest, or the nonsense nothing that I am writing now...but it hit me, it doesn't matter. I will write for me, like everything else I have written. So cheers!
My mom advised me years ago, we're talking high school, to pick the people in your life that their opinion of you matters, and then stick with that. Since then I have been careful to select those people. I feel like the list may be small, but it will be those people that will always have your best interest at heart. I hope for my children that in the friendships they make they will be able to feel uplifted, happy, and leave feeling better about themselves, but mostly I hope they will have the courage to walk away from ones that don't. I am not saying to be a fair weather friend by any means, because there will be times where a friend needs you to lift them, whether it be just to listen, or just to care, and I am more than happy to be that friend, but to realize how you feel about yourself when you leave. There is something to be said about the kind of person that has the ability to make someone else feel better, when so much of the world wants you to feel worse...I hope I can be that person.