popcorn, pandas and fries

Another amazing week of firsts for Peter. For the first time in 5 years, we ate in a restaurant… all of us! Ok – it was a McDonalds, but Peter hasn’t allowed us to sit through a restaurant meal since he entered the family 5 years ago. His new-found desire to eat a variety of foods & his ‘settling down’ behaviorally has made this event possible.

Peter has never been to the movies – and I haven’t been for five years as well. Well, today was Peter’s friend Aidan McMahon’s birthday party. Aidan’s choice of party venue was to take his friend to the movies. About a dozen kids went to see Kung Fu Panda today. I showed Peter the online trailers this morning to get him excited, and it worked. He wanted to go to “the panda movie” with Aidan. He was excited about watching a movie in a theater… while eating popcorn! It was not a perfect event for Peter, but it was quite good; he got restless about 2/3 through the movie. He wanted to sit in the top row of seats, then the front row, and back up to the top again. The theater was not crowded, so we did some seat hopping.

After the movie, we all gathered in the lobby to sing Happy Birthday to Aidan & eat cake – Peter participated fully.

“Get your hands out of my popcorn, birthday boy!”

Happy Birthday, Aidan & Way to go, Peter!

sizzlin’ sunday

There’s no reason to leave the comfort of one’s air conditioned home today. The temperature is hovering near 100° F , and the heat index is around 108° F. The sun happened to land on my outdoor digital thermometer sensor, and gave me the toasty reading of 112° F.

Iced tea, anyone?

emma’s 9th birthday on ice

Emma recently celebrated her 9th birthday. We hosted a party at Mt. Vernon Recreational Center in Alexandria, Virginia. After the kids enjoyed their cake and sit-down activities, we all went into the ice rink. Much to our shock & delight, we were the only people in the skating rink! Emma and her friends skated around for nearly 2 hours. Only an occasional skater from ‘the outside’ came by, but the ice was Emma’s to share with her friends.

a bug’s life – chapter 2

There has been a transfer of ownership of a family entity. This ‘thing’ has been around for a while, and has seen the far reaches of our country. No, I’m not talking about a person or pet, but rather a bug – a Volkswagen Beetle. It’s not a new car. It’s famous, however. You see, it is the same Bug that my sister-in-law Mary Gillen drove around the country a few years ago to celebrate her 50th birthday. Mary is starting a new chapter of her life, having now left the Commonwealth of Virginia and heading back out on the road for another ‘excellent adventure’ with Doug & Walter (Walter is a black lab – Doug is not).

When friends learn that Mary has left for another journey, they usually ask “in the bug?”. When we tell them no, they grow very concerned about the bug’s safety without Mary’s guard. Rest assured, all – the bug is still in the family. We will always think of Mary when we drive her our bug.