One of the things I like most about cooking is the unexpected. Sometimes you plan on making one thing and end up with something completely different. Hence our vegetable & brown rice balls. We originally planned to make friend rice, but things changed when I couldn't get the consistency of the rice right. I can make a million things, but rice still eludes me.
Realizing fried rice wasn't happening for dinner, I thought we could save this & viola.....Vegetable & Rice Balls . And they just so happen to be delicious and we'll be making them again in the very near future. Hope you enjoy them as well.
Vegetable & Brown Rice Balls
Heat oven to 400 degrees
3 cups of cooked brown rice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove of garlic minced
1 small yellow pepper diced
1 large leek chopped
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms diced
1 bay leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste
Prepare rice as usual and set to the side in a large mixing bowl.
Heat olive oil & garlic in medium pan until garlic is soft. Add pepper, leek, mushrooms and bay leaf, to pan, tossing until all vegetables are coated. Cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes, until vegetables are cooked, but with a bit of crisp. Remove bay leaf from mixture and discard.
Combine vegetable mixture with rice, mixing well. Add salt & pepper to taste and form into small fist-size balls.
On a lightly greased baking sheet, place the vegetable & rice balls sprinkling each with salt & pepper. Place into the oven for 20 minutes, checking regularly.
Serve rice balls with your favorite dip or sauce or by themselves. Either way is delicious.
Add-ins/Substitution - you can add spices, herbs, shredded cheese (parmesan, etc) or whatever else you want to make these treats your very own. ChowDown
5.22.2016
5.08.2016
Chocolate Bread Pudding with Fresh Orange Zest Whipped Cream......ChowDown
Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mother's out there. Recently, while at our country home in Starlight, my mother-in-law Carmen mentioned that she was craving bread pudding. I told her that I never had bread pudding that I would make her some. So in honor of Carmen, I made this special recipe.
CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING INGREDIENTS
2 cups of heavy cream
2 cups half-n-half
16 cups of bread cut into cubes (I chose a mix of sourdough & chocolate babka)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp of cocoa powder
6 eggs blended
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tbsp of vanilla
8 oz. of bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup of raisins or dried cranberries (if desired)
Heat oven to 325. Grease a 13 x 9 pan, coating all sides.
In a large bowl, mix heavy cream & half-n-half together. In a separate bowl, mix sugars and cocoa powders together. Combine both bowls & whisk until well-blended.
In a separate bowl, blend eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Once blended, add all ingredients to the liquid/egg mixture. Add chocolate and raisins to the mixture and blend well.
Pour mixture over the bread evenly and let soak for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Bake for 1 hour or until all liquid is absorbed. Let rest for 10 minutes.
FRESH ORANGE ZEST WHIPPED CREAM INGREDIENTS
1 cup of heavy cream
1 tbsp of granulated sugar
1/2 tbsp of vanilla
1 tbsp of orange zest (fresh)
Blend all ingredients in an electric mixing bowl or with a hand-mixer until soft peaks form.
Serve chocolate bread pudding warm with whipped cream topping. Enjoy and ChowDown.
5.04.2016
Cod in Coconut Milk & Ginger with Vegetables.....ChowDown
This recipe is very simple to prepare and is bursting with flavors. Feel free to make it your own by adding or substituting vegetables or spices to fit your particular taste.
1 pound fresh cod
2 16 oz cans of coconut milk (I use lite coconut milk)
3 tbsp of fresh chopped ginger
2 large sweet potatoes
1 large head of broccoli
1 large leek (white parts only)
2 cups of mushrooms
1 medium yellow pepper
1 medium orange pepper
1/4 cup of green curry paste
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
In a medium saucepan, boil 2 quarts of water with 1/8 tbsp salt (if desired). Peel sweet potatoes and cut into cube-size pieces. Once water is boiling, add sweet potatoes. Continue to boil until sweet potatoes are done, but firm. Remove from heat and drain.
Chop all vegetables (broccoli, leeks, mushrooms, & peppers) in bite-size pieces. Combine all in large mixing bowl and toss with olive oil and salt & pepper, until lightly covered. Add vegetables to a large heated pan and grill until cooked but still crisp.
While grilling vegetables, combine coconut milk, ginger & green curry paste in a large pot until slow boil, stirring frequently. Add sweet potatoes and grilled vegetables and keep on very low heat.
Salt & pepper cod generously and place on grill pan. Grill until cod is flaky and light.
Remove vegetable mixture from heat and place into a large serving bowl. Top mixture with cod and add salt & pepper to taste.
Can be served with grain (brown rice, barley, orzo, etc) or eaten alone. Whatever you decide, enjoy and ChowDown.
Serves 4 (with plenty for leftovers)
1 pound fresh cod
2 16 oz cans of coconut milk (I use lite coconut milk)
3 tbsp of fresh chopped ginger
2 large sweet potatoes
1 large head of broccoli
1 large leek (white parts only)
2 cups of mushrooms
1 medium yellow pepper
1 medium orange pepper
1/4 cup of green curry paste
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
In a medium saucepan, boil 2 quarts of water with 1/8 tbsp salt (if desired). Peel sweet potatoes and cut into cube-size pieces. Once water is boiling, add sweet potatoes. Continue to boil until sweet potatoes are done, but firm. Remove from heat and drain.
Chop all vegetables (broccoli, leeks, mushrooms, & peppers) in bite-size pieces. Combine all in large mixing bowl and toss with olive oil and salt & pepper, until lightly covered. Add vegetables to a large heated pan and grill until cooked but still crisp.
While grilling vegetables, combine coconut milk, ginger & green curry paste in a large pot until slow boil, stirring frequently. Add sweet potatoes and grilled vegetables and keep on very low heat.
Salt & pepper cod generously and place on grill pan. Grill until cod is flaky and light.
Remove vegetable mixture from heat and place into a large serving bowl. Top mixture with cod and add salt & pepper to taste.
Can be served with grain (brown rice, barley, orzo, etc) or eaten alone. Whatever you decide, enjoy and ChowDown.
Serves 4 (with plenty for leftovers)
4.29.2016
Father & Son
I know how fortunate I am to have children and I never take it for granted, but some days it really hits me smack in the face that I am a Dad. As I lie here in bed with Cyrus, alternating between reading, talking, snuggling, and being on our computers, I couldn't be more happy. Our family does plenty of things as a foursome, which we always enjoy, but these one-on-one times are some of my faves.
We are a tightly-knit family and value this bond, but the bond that each of us have with one another is even more special. Cyrus and I have a bond that is deep and multi-layered. We have the most special walks in the country where we go deep. Nothing is off limits. I feel so blessed to have Cyrus in my life and from what he tells me, he feels the same. Love this boy. xx..Dad
We are a tightly-knit family and value this bond, but the bond that each of us have with one another is even more special. Cyrus and I have a bond that is deep and multi-layered. We have the most special walks in the country where we go deep. Nothing is off limits. I feel so blessed to have Cyrus in my life and from what he tells me, he feels the same. Love this boy. xx..Dad
Hummus Recipe….ChowDown
Hummus is a healthy
alternative to other dips because it
provides you with protein and a number of essential vitamin and minerals. While
it can be high in fat, it is mostly heart-healthy unsaturated fat. On top of
all of that it is very easy to make.
1 16 oz. can of chickpeas
drained (save liquid for reserve)
1/2 cup of tahini
3 tablespoons of olive oil
(can use more or less, as desired)
2 heaping tablespoons of
minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
Add all ingredients
to a food processor and blend until smooth.
Add liquid reserve, if
needed, for a smoother consistency.
Add-Ins (if desired) -
Roasted Red Peppers
Pine Nuts
Sundries Tomatoes
Chopped Spinach
ChowDown
#twodadstwokidschowdown
5.02.2015
Grady Gram
Happy Saturday Everyone! Today I went on a walk with my brother Cyrus, my uncle Emil, and my dad Calvin. It was a nice walk also because it was warm out. I am sore from that walk today, but thank god I got to eat a cookie my dad made today!
Making progress and seeing success
Today was
a great day in our family. Grady got her middle school acceptance
letter. And she was accepted by her 1st choice.
This may
not mean much to anyone who lives outside of NYC, but as a resident of our
great city, the public school middle school process is on par with the college
application process. It is long, arduous and full of highs &
lows.
Grady has
always been hardworking, determined and goal-orientated, but she's always
struggled in school. She had a private tutor since 3rd grade, after-school
homework help, test prep and tons of online help and still
struggled. No matter how hard she worked, she always fell short on
something. It was so frustrating to see your child work so hard and then be
disappointed by the results. This is a kid who has NEVER been late for school
and only missed 1 day since kindergarten, so it wasn't as if she wasn't turning
up and ready to work.
After
exhausting every resource possible, we had Grady tested to determine if she had
any learning difficulties. The test was administered at the Cornell Child
Development Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital. After testing her
cognitive and developmental skills, Grady was diagnosed with a learning
difference. While some parents may not welcome this news, we were so happy to
finally have a name to what she was experiencing and excited by what we
could do to help her learn in a way that benefited her most. We
proceeded to get Grady an IEP, an Individualized
Education Program (IEP).
An
IEP defines the individualized objectives of a child who has been found with a
disability, as defined by federal regulations. The IEP is intended to help
children reach educational goals more easily than they otherwise would. In
all cases the IEP must be tailored to the individual student's needs as
identified by the IEP evaluation process, and must especially help teachers and
related service providers understand the student's disability and how the
disability affects the learning process. The IEP describes how the student
learns, how the student best demonstrates that learning and what teachers and
service providers will do to help the student learn more effectively.
Developing an IEP requires assessing students in all areas related to the known
disabilities, simultaneously considering ability to access the general
curriculum, considering how the disability affects the student’s learning, forming
goals and objectives that correspond to the needs of the student, and choosing
a placement in the least restrictive environment possible for the student.
In
4th grade, Grady began her IEP, in a general education, mainstream classes with two
teachers. One teacher handles the general education while another teacher
gives specialized assistance when needed. Otherwise, Grady interacts and
participate in the class activities with everyone else. Grady gets extra test
time, can have the questions read to her and can test in a separate room,
with others who need a more specialized plan. As she was diagnosed with
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Grady also began take Concerta, which is
a prescription product, approved for the treatment of (ADD) as
part of a total treatment program that may include counseling or other
therapies. Concerta, coupled with the IEP and the two-teacher classroom,
made such a difference in her learning that it was shocking.
We always knew that she was smart; we just had to help her find a way to
tap into that smartness. 4th grade was a huge success for her.
She
continued her success in 5th grade, working with her strengths and improving on
her weaknesses. She participates in group discussions, something
she never felt comfortable enough to do, had loads of friends (sometimes
too many), and is even a mediator in her school. A mediator is an
elected position, in which 5th graders help others in the class navigate their
disputes or disagreements. She has made strides to last a lifetime.
I tip my hat off to Grady and wish her
continued success, strength in her struggles and much love. May 6th grade
continue to nurture her love of learning.
4.26.2015
The Cy Report from New York - The Funny One
Hi. My name is Cyrus. I like people named Bob. My grandpa was named Bob. I am 9 (and a half) years old and live in NYC. I am the best kid in the world. I love cereal. I love my sister Grady. I have a corn snake named Bolt who is on Instagram @boltthenycsnake. I like to make people laugh. Here is an old video of me being silly.
Grady Gram- Hobbies
Good Morning Everyone! Here is a list of things I like to do in my free time. 1. Mostly everyday I have play dates with Estelle. We play outside. Outside we play Taps and we play soccer. 2. I like to go to hockey games during winter break with my family. My dads don't go to the hockey games. 3. I like to play soccer with my cousin Sara. 4. I like to play with my friends at recess. We play four square. Four square is a really fun game to play. 5. I like to watch tv and play my iPad even though that's not really a hobby. But to others which can be me to think of it as a hobby.Well, that's it for today!
4.25.2015
We're back......and ready to do this
Morning. Wanted to say hi to everyone out there. We have really been away from this for way too long and we're back....and ready to do this.
When this blog was started in 2009, the idea was to create something that would live forever and take on the voice of the Wilson-Cuevas Family now and in the future. We wanted to start something that our kids, Grady & Cyrus, could be a part of and eventually make it their own. An online legacy of sorts.
The kids are going to begin posting things themselves. It's a free-for-all with those two, so I can't promise what you'll see. I'm excited about whatever they choose to post.
Tim (Papi) is going to start posting things in Spanish, in tribute to his Puerto Rican heritage. Maybe I'll learn a bit of Spanish myself.
Here is a recent picture of our family to see how much we've grown. The kids have grown vertically while we Dads have grown horizontally.
When this blog was started in 2009, the idea was to create something that would live forever and take on the voice of the Wilson-Cuevas Family now and in the future. We wanted to start something that our kids, Grady & Cyrus, could be a part of and eventually make it their own. An online legacy of sorts.
The kids are going to begin posting things themselves. It's a free-for-all with those two, so I can't promise what you'll see. I'm excited about whatever they choose to post.
Tim (Papi) is going to start posting things in Spanish, in tribute to his Puerto Rican heritage. Maybe I'll learn a bit of Spanish myself.
Here is a recent picture of our family to see how much we've grown. The kids have grown vertically while we Dads have grown horizontally.
Looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new ones, too.
x.....Calvin
Grady Gram- Introduction
Hi everyone! I'm a 10 year old girl named Grady Luella Wilson-Cuevas. I have two dads and one brother. I live in a wonderful world with lots of friends and family. My friends and family look out for me and I look out for them. My dads names are Calvin Wilson and Timmy Cuevas and my brother's name is Cyrus Roy Wilson-Cuevas. My dads are funny and so is Cyrus. I go to a great school called P.S. 40. My teachers are nice but serious about what they teach us. My best friends names are Estelle, Amanda, Lilly, and Devon. By the way Devon is a girl. My friends cheer me up when I'm sad and I cheer them up when they are not having a great day. They are great friends to have around.
10.30.2013
Celebrating Differences
Life teaches us lessons everyday and today I had to teach one at the kid's school. Not only did I educate a child, I soon realized that this kid educated me.
Today, we had a publishing party for Grady's class, at which time stories that each of the students have wrote are read and the parents and classmates make positive statements about the writing. It is a nice way to celebrate the writing process and takes the fear out of it for many of the kids.
After the stories were read, the class along with the parents meander to the cafeteria for a little breakfast. The kids have a great time and it is also nice for the parents to catch up on things going on with their kids and one another.
Both Tim and I went to the party today, which is very rare as one of us is always at work at this hour. Tim was off from work as he is starting a new job tomorrow and I had jury duty, so we were both able to attend. Regardless of our schedule, we always make sure to have at least one of us in attendance, so today was a special day that we were able to both take part.
After the kids and parents got their food, everyone sits around talking to one another. I stayed for awhile but had to get to jury duty, so I got my coat and bag and gave Tim a kiss goodbye, just as we do everyday. Nothing out of the norm. We kiss, said goodbye and I head for the door but sensed something whereupon I turned around to notice one of Grady's classmates snickering to a group of girls about us kissing. She had a look of disgust and disbelief that two men would kiss one another.
Never one to bite my tongue and figuring we were in school, I thought this was the perfect place to educate this young girl on her behavior. When I turned around and headed back, the girl realized that I had caught wind of her antics and literally froze. It was as if she thought if she stayed still enough, that I wouldn't school her, no pun intended. Little does she know me.
I approached the girl and her friends (who hadn't said anything about the kiss themselves) and sat down at the table with them. Grady was sitting within earshot of them at another table, but didn't hear any of this, which was a blessing. I told the ringleader that I heard what she said and didn't think it was very nice nor did I appreciate her speaking of our family as if we gross just because we were different than most. I was more upset that she was gathering the charges which in my eyes is a typical gang-like mentality.
I asked her where her parents were as I wanted to address the issue with them and see what they had to say. As the parents weren't there, I went in on this kid not to embarrass her or make her feel bad about herself, but rather to educate her. If I'm being completely honest, I didn't care whether or not she was embarrassed as I was embarrassed for her but I really wanted to make a point. As she and Grady were in the same class last year, she knew we had a non-traditional family, so I knew that the snickers were coming from a negative place rather than one that was just matter-of-fact.
I asked her and the rest of the girls about their families. She had a mom and dad at home as did most of the kids, another girl had a single mom (was actually a "test-tube" baby..how cool) and then there was our two dad family. I asked her if she felt her family was any better than ours and she replied "No." What about the single parent family, I asked? "No". I gave examples of other types of families and told her that all families are different and they each need to be celebrated. She was still in shock that I was schooling her, but better me than someone else who she may have pointed out and got a different response, i.e. a slap in the face, a name called, etc.
After speaking to the girl, I asked her is this something that I needed to share with her parents or had she understood what I was saying. She said no. I also told her that this type of behavior would not be tolerated and that she owed me, my partner, my children and the other kids that she tried to influence an apology. By this point, she was out of the deer stuck in headlights phase and realized that I meant business and I felt sincerely apologized to all of us.
Grady has no idea any of this went on but I understand one day she may be fighting these battles herself. Not just for her but for anyone who is made to feel bad about being different. We teach our children to be nonjudgmental and accept others as they are. If you don't teach your kids that we are all individuals and need to be celebrated not for our similarities but more importantly for our differences then you are doing them a disservice. I want to let any parent out there know that if I notice that type of behavior in my presence from any child, they will be schooled, as I would want someone to school my own kids on such injustice.
I told the teacher about the incident and suggested that I come in a read a book to the class that my Mom and Dad gave to the kids when they were younger called And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell based on a true story of two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo who essentially raised a baby penguin (Tango) as their own. It is simple for kids to understand and tells a great story about differences being celebrated. I haven't heard back from the teacher yet if I can come in to read the book, but I have faith that he will think it is a good idea.
Today, we had a publishing party for Grady's class, at which time stories that each of the students have wrote are read and the parents and classmates make positive statements about the writing. It is a nice way to celebrate the writing process and takes the fear out of it for many of the kids.
After the stories were read, the class along with the parents meander to the cafeteria for a little breakfast. The kids have a great time and it is also nice for the parents to catch up on things going on with their kids and one another.
Both Tim and I went to the party today, which is very rare as one of us is always at work at this hour. Tim was off from work as he is starting a new job tomorrow and I had jury duty, so we were both able to attend. Regardless of our schedule, we always make sure to have at least one of us in attendance, so today was a special day that we were able to both take part.
After the kids and parents got their food, everyone sits around talking to one another. I stayed for awhile but had to get to jury duty, so I got my coat and bag and gave Tim a kiss goodbye, just as we do everyday. Nothing out of the norm. We kiss, said goodbye and I head for the door but sensed something whereupon I turned around to notice one of Grady's classmates snickering to a group of girls about us kissing. She had a look of disgust and disbelief that two men would kiss one another.
Never one to bite my tongue and figuring we were in school, I thought this was the perfect place to educate this young girl on her behavior. When I turned around and headed back, the girl realized that I had caught wind of her antics and literally froze. It was as if she thought if she stayed still enough, that I wouldn't school her, no pun intended. Little does she know me.
I approached the girl and her friends (who hadn't said anything about the kiss themselves) and sat down at the table with them. Grady was sitting within earshot of them at another table, but didn't hear any of this, which was a blessing. I told the ringleader that I heard what she said and didn't think it was very nice nor did I appreciate her speaking of our family as if we gross just because we were different than most. I was more upset that she was gathering the charges which in my eyes is a typical gang-like mentality.
I asked her where her parents were as I wanted to address the issue with them and see what they had to say. As the parents weren't there, I went in on this kid not to embarrass her or make her feel bad about herself, but rather to educate her. If I'm being completely honest, I didn't care whether or not she was embarrassed as I was embarrassed for her but I really wanted to make a point. As she and Grady were in the same class last year, she knew we had a non-traditional family, so I knew that the snickers were coming from a negative place rather than one that was just matter-of-fact.
I asked her and the rest of the girls about their families. She had a mom and dad at home as did most of the kids, another girl had a single mom (was actually a "test-tube" baby..how cool) and then there was our two dad family. I asked her if she felt her family was any better than ours and she replied "No." What about the single parent family, I asked? "No". I gave examples of other types of families and told her that all families are different and they each need to be celebrated. She was still in shock that I was schooling her, but better me than someone else who she may have pointed out and got a different response, i.e. a slap in the face, a name called, etc.
After speaking to the girl, I asked her is this something that I needed to share with her parents or had she understood what I was saying. She said no. I also told her that this type of behavior would not be tolerated and that she owed me, my partner, my children and the other kids that she tried to influence an apology. By this point, she was out of the deer stuck in headlights phase and realized that I meant business and I felt sincerely apologized to all of us.
Grady has no idea any of this went on but I understand one day she may be fighting these battles herself. Not just for her but for anyone who is made to feel bad about being different. We teach our children to be nonjudgmental and accept others as they are. If you don't teach your kids that we are all individuals and need to be celebrated not for our similarities but more importantly for our differences then you are doing them a disservice. I want to let any parent out there know that if I notice that type of behavior in my presence from any child, they will be schooled, as I would want someone to school my own kids on such injustice.
I told the teacher about the incident and suggested that I come in a read a book to the class that my Mom and Dad gave to the kids when they were younger called And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell based on a true story of two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo who essentially raised a baby penguin (Tango) as their own. It is simple for kids to understand and tells a great story about differences being celebrated. I haven't heard back from the teacher yet if I can come in to read the book, but I have faith that he will think it is a good idea.
10.12.2013
A Full Year Has Passed
I have long wanted to post on our blog but the day-to-day just gets in the way. A full year has passed and here we are. So many things have happen over the last year but most importantly, the kids have finally adjusted to their new school. Last school year was a huge challenge for all of us with a new school, friends, teachers and school policies. We went from a very progressive school to a VERY traditional one that is very rigid in how it teaches.
Last year the kids were in 2nd and 3rd grade and never did I think that we would be faced with so many challenges. Kids learn different than we parents learned so not only are they learning something new, we are as well. For someone who was already no fan of math, I developed an even greater distaste for it last year. The kids learn math employing the TERC curriculum and it is more confusing then how I learned it. I won't even try to explain it, but you can Google it if you care to know more. Anyway, we made it through math.
Reading and writing also came with their challenges. Not so much for Cyrus as he was in 2nd grade but for Grady, 3rd grade was no joke. There was loads of reading, writing, editing, publishing. Publishing parties are all the rage in NYC public schools I think as I was always going to one or another. Nice idea for the kids to see their work "published" but a bit much overall.
The principal at the new school is in a league of her own. You can take that however you want. She definitely needs to find some extracurricular activities and branch out a bit. She eats, breaths and dreams of this school. I swear she wraps her arms around it every evening before heading home, giving it a tight hug and kiss goodnight. I've heard of tree huggers but not school huggers. I guess I should be happy about her love of the school but she needs to deal with reality and realize that nothing is perfect, not even our school. Wake up lady.
Cyrus had a great 2nd grade teacher who was loving but stern which is exactly what he needs. My little one likes to be the class clown but she let him know that everyday is not a circus. Save the antics for Ringling Bros. boo. He learned a lot in class even though he didn't always seem interested.
Grady's 3rd grade teacher was the worst. Never have I met someone who is so non-communative. You're a grade school teacher, so you should expect to have questions asked of you. She was miserable and a yeller. It's one thing for me to yell at my child, but I don't need a teacher to. She never yelled at Grady, but I did witness her on several occasions yell at other kids. I am not sure why she decided to be a school teacher b/c she really seemed to dislike her job and children in general. Besides the fact that she was horrific at her job, she also failed to realize that Grady had a learning difference.
Every evening doing homework was a huge struggle. Grady wasn't comprehending things and processing them as she should. When I mentioned this to her teacher, she said that she just needs to concentrate more and pay better attention. My kids are not saints, but they are very well-behaved and respectful so this is not an issue. However, her ability to focus and concentrate on things waivers and it is hard to be successful when your head is in another place. After months and months of this back and forth, we finally did an independent evaluation to address our concerns and sure enough she has a learning difference. Grady was diagnosed with attention-deficit and is now on the road to recovery.
I won't even get started on the TEST PREP that NYC public school children do each year. It is just short of barbaric and should be outlawed. The pressure that they face with these year-end tests is incredibly intense and intimidating. Made it through that too, but just barely. This year both kids are taking these tests but our motto is that we are not going to let the stress of the school or these tests, get the better of us. My kids have extended day twice a week, homework help and a private tutor so we are doing all we can do to make sure they succeed. My feelings are that they have everything in place to do their best, so we will leave the rest up to what they learn in school and in life so that they can be the students that they are going to be. We stress education, but I think it is important to know your child and play up their strengths and put your energy there. My kids are already successful so I don't worry about what a test score says. I refuse to play into this NYC public school parent role that so many parents fall into.
Anyway, we have begun the new school year and 3rd & 4th grade seem to be going very well so far. We are excited to see what they learn and to watch their minds grow and their interest peak.
Most importantly, they actually seem to be enjoying this year too.
9.14.2012
New School
The kids started a new school and we've made it through our first week successfully. Whew! Not only is it a whole new set of friends for them, but we dads have to start the whole process of making friends with other parents. This group of parents is much different from our old school, in that they are a bit more "rigid". This is not a bad thing, simply an observation. Let's see how this things goes. For the dads.
8.26.2012
New Beginnings
It has been much too long since my last post but at lost has happen since my last posting. After my mother passed away in Nov, then came Turkey Day, Christmas holidays and a New Year, which brought with it another long road for our family as Tim's Dad was really sick. From January til his passing on 4 July 2012, we all struggled to make it through each day and be there for not only him but for one another. Juggling our busy lives was quite a job and navigating the issue of death and dying for small children was something that we dealt with on a daily basis. Our kids had lots of questions about death and what it all meant. Sometimes we had the answer and sometimes we didn't but we did our best to explain matters to them as best we could. They did a great job with it all and had moments of sadness and moments of joy and like true kids, their spirits helped to make all of our lives better. We are so honored and blessed to have had Angelo Cuevas in our lives for so many years and know that he is in a much better place now. And as our kids say, he's probably in heaven hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Connie, eating something and having a great time. We love you and we miss you.
twodadtwokids. xo
twodadtwokids. xo
12.07.2011
Cookies, cookies, cookies
Like many Americans, our family love to bake really amazing cookies. Chocolate, nuts, spiced, bars, oats, sugar and everything in-between. If you enjoy baking cookies as much as we do, I highly suggest that you get yourself a copy of
Betty Crocker Cooky Book
http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Cooky-Crocker-Editors/dp/0764566377
This book was originally printed in 1963 and I cannot remember a time when we did not have it in my family. An absolute, must-have cookbook for a die-hard cookie fan. Over 450 recipes, some dating as far back as the 1800's. The best thing about this cookbook is that there is a great variety of cookies and all are made with pretty simple, easy-to-find ingredients. Nothing worse than trying to find a spice you can't pronounce, locate or even figure out what it taste like when you are making a recipe. This book keeps it fun and easy and is a perfect gift for all ages.
Enjoy and let us know what your favorite cookie is. We love the Trix Cookies.
Happy Holidays,
CTGC
Betty Crocker Cooky Book
http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Cooky-Crocker-Editors/dp/0764566377
This book was originally printed in 1963 and I cannot remember a time when we did not have it in my family. An absolute, must-have cookbook for a die-hard cookie fan. Over 450 recipes, some dating as far back as the 1800's. The best thing about this cookbook is that there is a great variety of cookies and all are made with pretty simple, easy-to-find ingredients. Nothing worse than trying to find a spice you can't pronounce, locate or even figure out what it taste like when you are making a recipe. This book keeps it fun and easy and is a perfect gift for all ages.
Enjoy and let us know what your favorite cookie is. We love the Trix Cookies.
Happy Holidays,
CTGC
Family Restaurant Review Project Status
We have been a bit inundated as of late and have decided to halt our weekly restaurant reviews. We will, from time to time, highlight some new spots and old standbys.
One place we don't want to forget to share with you is
La Pizza Fresca Ristorante at 31 East 20th St NY, NY 10003.
Phone Number: 212.598.0141
www.lapizzafresca.com
Italian food to die for. 10's across the board. Hope you visit and enjoy it as much as we did. 'Til next time, good eats.
CTGC
One place we don't want to forget to share with you is
La Pizza Fresca Ristorante at 31 East 20th St NY, NY 10003.
Phone Number: 212.598.0141
www.lapizzafresca.com
Italian food to die for. 10's across the board. Hope you visit and enjoy it as much as we did. 'Til next time, good eats.
CTGC
11.20.2011
Mom
It's been a while since I last blogged and much has happen. It has been a rough couple of months, but I am stronger than I started and optimistic that things will get better. Onward & Upward!!
On November 5, 2011, my beloved Mother, Nancy Larson passed away. This is the day I most feared. Losing a parent is hard, but losing my Mother I could never imagine. My Mom was the most special person in my life and helped to shape me into the man I am today. Without her love and support, my life would have most definitely taken a turn down the wrong path.
Nancy Larson came into my life when I was two-months old. She was my foster mom at that early age. As a baby, I was placed into foster care after my birthmother left my father with three children under the age of 2. That's a lot to handle for anyone, let alone a single man who hadn't done much child-rearing himself. After my birthmother left, my father decided that it would be best to place us boys in foster care. This was probably the most wise and unselfish thing that he could ever do for us. I believe it saved my life and I am grateful for his decision.
When I entered the foster care system, I was placed apart from my biological brothers, James & John, who were one & two years older than me, respectively. They were placed together in one home, while I was placed in a different home. That home would become my lifeline, even more than I ever would know. As I was a newborn, I don't recall being placed with the Larson's but they certainly recall that day. Robert & Nancy Larson (aka Old Daddy & Mrs. Larson) and their four children, Connie, Karen, Joan, & Mike became my foster family sometime around November 1969. Maybe I was an early Christmas present, because they always made me feel like I was a gift from God. Nancy, who I would call Mrs. Larson, until I was a teenager, said that once she saw me she felt an instant connection, the same connection she noticed when Grady first came into my life as my foster child. Mrs. Larson took one look at me and said that she couldn't believe that someone could ever give up such a beautiful child. The Larsons have always told me that I was "the most beautiful baby." Mrs. Larson certainly made me feel beautiful and very special every moment of her life, as did the rest of the Larsons.
My early childhood memories are filled with lots of love, laughter and good times. I feel as if I was handpicked by God to be part of the Larson family. Although we were from very different backgrounds, me being a biracial child from inner-city Detroit and them being a caucasian family from the suburbs, we were a family who loved each other very much. If you look at photos from my childhood, it is evident that I am "different" than everyone else in the photo. In a sea of blond hair and blue eyes, here I was, a biracial kid, with a very curly afro. It was a noticeable difference to anyone who saw us, but the most special part of being in this family, was that I was treated the same as everyone else. That's how the Larsons made me feel. Some foster children have horrible memories of being placed in homes that are not loving or where they are made to feel different. This was never the case with the Larsons and I loved being part of this family.
When I was almost three, it was decided that my father would get us boys back. He had remarried and started a new life and was ready to be a parent. Mrs. Larson was a bit shocked by this news, as my father had never made contact with me or them during my time spent with the Larsons. The plan had been for me to be adopted by a family who wanted a baby, so it came as a big suprise that I was being returned to my birthfather. This was a sad period for everyone, as the Larsons wanted to remain in my life in some capacity, but the social worker said that they would have to give my father at least 6 months to be alone with me and were forbidden to make any contact with me. I don't actually recall that day, but I'm sure it was extremely hard for everyone when I left the only home that I had ever known. With no information available on being able to stay connected, I'm sure the Larsons thought that this was a final goodbye.
I returned home to my birthfather, biological siblings and a new stepmother but I know in my heart that I missed the Larsons. How does one express their sadness at age 3? I'm not sure I even processed the whole thing and I'm sure life just moved into this new direction. The Larsons were heartbroken that I was no longer part of their lives, but God has a funny way of doing things. A few months after my departure, my oldest foster sister Connie was at a festival in downtown Detroit with friends and she spotted me with my birth family. She didn't know the people I was with, but she was definite that it was me, so she approached them, introduced herself and told them how much her family missed me and would love to reconnect with me. My father and her exchanged contact information and this single act changed the rest of my life forever. My birthfather didn't know very much about the Larsons, but for whatever reason, he allowed them to be a part of my life. I am forever grateful for his decision. Funny thing is, I never knew about the story of Connie seeing me at a festival and making the reconnection until very recently. I always thought that when I left the Larsons, it was assumed that they would always be a part of my life. Such was not the case. This was a divine intervention at hand.
Moving forward, I would visit the Larson family on random weekends, holidays, summers and as often as possible. We never lived more than 10-15 miles away, but there was a huge difference in the life that I once had with them and the life that I was now living. There was stability, love, warmth, structure, rules and an overall feeling of family with the Larsons. I don't recall many of those things with my birth family. We were always moving from place to place and living from paycheck to paycheck. I can't recall how many elementary schools I attended, but it was well over 10. It seemed like we would be in a place for a few months and then move onto another place for just as long. When we did stay longer in a place, it usually amounted in the conditions getting worse and worse over time. No electricity & food, drugs & alcohol everywhere, people coming and going at all hours of the night, fights, screams and beatings, which we called "whippins". These were administered with belts, switches from a tree and extension cords and would be given as to us while we were stripped naked. We were on a downward spiral and this was definitely not the place for small children. Whenever we moved, I would immediately call Mrs. Larson so that she would come and get me for a visit. I still remember the phone number, 313-274-6613. I can't tell you how many times I called that number and arranged for a visit. Mrs. Larson would always pick me up, usually bringing someone along, as it was probably not a good idea to visit alone. I lived in the "hood" and it scared me, so imagine what it must have been like for a middle-aged, white woman from the suburbs. Nonetheless, she was always there to bring me back for visits and I don't ever recall her saying that she was ever too busy to have me come.
I visited as much as I could and would look forward to these visits like a kid looks forward to Christmas. They couldn't come often or soon enough. While I looked forward to the visits, I despised returning back home to my birth family. I would kick and scream each time I had to return home. Even today, thinking about those moments upset me. I couldn't understand why I had to go back, especially since the only attention that I ever got at home, was negative attention. It was also very hard on Mrs. Larson to see me go through this, but it was out of her hand and I suppose she was happy for the times that we could be together. There were always lots of tears, but she always reassured me that she would be back.
While I loved my birth family, I didn't really have a strong connection to any of them. I was so drastically different from all of them, which they always pointed out. "Why you tryin' be white?" "Don't act like a honky." "You a Oreo, black on the outside, white in the middle." I can still hear these words to this day. My brothers came to despise me for being "good", doing well in school and for "talking proper". Also, they were on a completely different path then I was. We had no direction at home and oftentimes were left to our own devices. It's no wonder that as adults, my brothers would eventually serve prison sentences of 19 & 20 years, as well as become "crackheads". We were growing up in 1980's Detroit and it didn't get any more dangerous than that. These visits helped me to stay on the right path and were instrumental in shaping the rest of my future.
Throughout my childhood, I played a constant internal dialogue over and over in my head about escaping my birth family and returning to live with the Larsons. While I could never share this with my birth family, I did share it with the Larsons. I didn't want to upset my father, but most importantly I didn't want him to put an end to these visits. I believe that my father was jealous of the relationship I had with the Larsons, but on another hand, he could see what they meant to me and probably helped to take some of the burden of parenting off of him. When I was about 10 years old, my father and stepmother split up and we shuffled back and forth between living with one of them or with friends. It was a mess! We had nothing and were really struggling, which I completely understood as I had this "other life" that set an amazing example of what a family is. My brothers thought this was how every family lived and pretty much resigned to the fact that this was a normal existence. It's so sad when this is all you know, so I would try to include them on visits to the Larsons whenever I could. Unfortunately, these visits were always a disaster, because they didn't know how to follow rules or be respectful to anyone. I can't really blame them, as they knew no better, but I finally stopped inviting them.
When I was 12, my brothers and I were living with my father in a house in Detroit. A few things struck me funny about living in this house: it had about 6 bedrooms (there were only 4 of us and we boys stayed in one room together), we seldom had electricity and my father was never around. My father wasn't around very much. He was often away working odd jobs, bowling or drinking at the bar. I spent many hours doing homework by the light of a candle and warming up a can on soup by the same flame. To this day, I cannot stand the taste of cold soup! There was a very nice older couple who lived next door, who would sometimes invite us over to watch television and have a bite to eat. They must have known we were neglected, but they never mentioned it or asked us where our parents were. I think it was a pretty common thing to be left alone where I came from, so no one thought much of it.
One day after school, we arrived home and found our belongings on the front lawn. There was an eviction letter on the front door. I had no idea what that meant, but as the door was bolted and we couldn't get into the house, I knew it was not a good thing. We didn't have many things, so it wasn't as if we were losing a lot, but to not have a home was something I couldn't even begin to imagine. We wanted to speak with our father, but as we didn't even have 25 cents to use a pay phone, we decided to walk to his job at the time. He was working at a restaurant not far from our house, so off we went. When we arrived, he wasn't there so we asked to use the phone so that I could call the Larsons. Unfortunately, they weren't there either, but I knew they would eventually turn up, as they were likely out playing bridge. 3 hours and about 10 miles later, we made our way, walking along the side of the expressway, to the Larson's house. When we arrived, we waited at the neighbors until the Larsons arrived and I instantly felt better.
What happen directly thereafter, is a bit of a blur but the end result was that the three of us boys were placed in a group home. We stayed in one group home together for about a month and what I remember most is that they would lock us in our rooms each night like prisoners. I was so confused by it all and couldn't understand why we couldn't leave. Eventually, my brother James and I were placed in another group home, much nicer than the first, although I longed to be in a permanent home. I'm not sure where our brother John went, but if I had to make a guess, I would say he probably ran away, as he always ran away. Being the oldest, he took the brunt of everything, so sometimes it would just be easier to not have to deal with it at all. During our time in these group homes, I don't ever recall speaking with my father, which isn't suprising given his history of parenting.
During this time, I still remained in contact with Mrs. Larson and needed her more than ever. She came to see me, brought me treats and even took me to her home for visits. I don't remember this, but Mrs. Larson told me that I insisted on my social worker to contact her, because I was set to attend the wedding of one her children. I'm not sure whether or not my father was privy to any of this information or if he had to agree to the terms, but I was granted a temporary release to attend the wedding. Being with the Larsons only made me long to be there forever. Eventually, we were due to be returned to my father but I told the social worker that I refuse and that I would run away if I had to go back. I couldn't imagine things changing much and didn't want to go through it again. Anything would have been better and I begged them to put me back into foster care and I knew exactly the family that I wanted to be with; the Larsons. This sounded like a great idea to me, except the Larsons were no longer foster parents. Their kids were all out of the home and they were nearing retirement age, so the thought of having a teenager in the home was not the first thing on their minds. After speaking with Mrs. Larson, I told her of my desire to live with her and to my delight, she gave it some thought and discussed it with Mr. Larson and I was allowed to return to their home. I would later learn that she would have had it no other way and the choice was made from the moment the planned was conceived in my mind. Once again, I had been rescued by my Angel on earth, Mrs. Larson and it would lead to me becoming a forever member of this family.
I could not have been more happy that I was back with the Larsons. I kept in contact with my birth family, even going for occasional weekend visits but eventually lost touch with them after about a year. I would not hear from any of them again until 2004, after more than 20 years. To say that they had a hard life would be an understatement, which was so sad to see but reconfirmed the fact that I made the right decision not to return to my former life. A big decision for anyone, let alone a 12 year old kid.
At this point, I had a forever family and lived the life that I always dreamt of. It wasn't always easy, but my family was always there and I finally could call the Larsons, Mom and Dad. What a blessing it was to have parents of my own, especially my Mom. She is every thing you think a Mom should be and so much more. She helped me gain confidence, learn to trust, care for others and be the person I am today. She taught me the importance of family and commitment, how to be a good Christian and a kind person. I went on to do things that I would have never done such as attend great schools, go to camp, take family vacations, have food in my belly and have a home where I was always welcomed. I graduated from college, moved to New York City, had great professional success, travelled the world, met the man of my dreams and became a Dad myself. Without Mom, I am confident that I would have been another statistic of the foster care system.
I thank you Mom for all of the gifts you have given me and will think of you each and every day. Your spirit continues to live through me and your beautiful grandchildren, Grady & Cyrus. A star shines in the sky for you each night and I know that it will remain bright 'til the end of time. I love you Mom.
Your son, Calvin
On November 5, 2011, my beloved Mother, Nancy Larson passed away. This is the day I most feared. Losing a parent is hard, but losing my Mother I could never imagine. My Mom was the most special person in my life and helped to shape me into the man I am today. Without her love and support, my life would have most definitely taken a turn down the wrong path.
Nancy Larson came into my life when I was two-months old. She was my foster mom at that early age. As a baby, I was placed into foster care after my birthmother left my father with three children under the age of 2. That's a lot to handle for anyone, let alone a single man who hadn't done much child-rearing himself. After my birthmother left, my father decided that it would be best to place us boys in foster care. This was probably the most wise and unselfish thing that he could ever do for us. I believe it saved my life and I am grateful for his decision.
When I entered the foster care system, I was placed apart from my biological brothers, James & John, who were one & two years older than me, respectively. They were placed together in one home, while I was placed in a different home. That home would become my lifeline, even more than I ever would know. As I was a newborn, I don't recall being placed with the Larson's but they certainly recall that day. Robert & Nancy Larson (aka Old Daddy & Mrs. Larson) and their four children, Connie, Karen, Joan, & Mike became my foster family sometime around November 1969. Maybe I was an early Christmas present, because they always made me feel like I was a gift from God. Nancy, who I would call Mrs. Larson, until I was a teenager, said that once she saw me she felt an instant connection, the same connection she noticed when Grady first came into my life as my foster child. Mrs. Larson took one look at me and said that she couldn't believe that someone could ever give up such a beautiful child. The Larsons have always told me that I was "the most beautiful baby." Mrs. Larson certainly made me feel beautiful and very special every moment of her life, as did the rest of the Larsons.
My early childhood memories are filled with lots of love, laughter and good times. I feel as if I was handpicked by God to be part of the Larson family. Although we were from very different backgrounds, me being a biracial child from inner-city Detroit and them being a caucasian family from the suburbs, we were a family who loved each other very much. If you look at photos from my childhood, it is evident that I am "different" than everyone else in the photo. In a sea of blond hair and blue eyes, here I was, a biracial kid, with a very curly afro. It was a noticeable difference to anyone who saw us, but the most special part of being in this family, was that I was treated the same as everyone else. That's how the Larsons made me feel. Some foster children have horrible memories of being placed in homes that are not loving or where they are made to feel different. This was never the case with the Larsons and I loved being part of this family.
When I was almost three, it was decided that my father would get us boys back. He had remarried and started a new life and was ready to be a parent. Mrs. Larson was a bit shocked by this news, as my father had never made contact with me or them during my time spent with the Larsons. The plan had been for me to be adopted by a family who wanted a baby, so it came as a big suprise that I was being returned to my birthfather. This was a sad period for everyone, as the Larsons wanted to remain in my life in some capacity, but the social worker said that they would have to give my father at least 6 months to be alone with me and were forbidden to make any contact with me. I don't actually recall that day, but I'm sure it was extremely hard for everyone when I left the only home that I had ever known. With no information available on being able to stay connected, I'm sure the Larsons thought that this was a final goodbye.
I returned home to my birthfather, biological siblings and a new stepmother but I know in my heart that I missed the Larsons. How does one express their sadness at age 3? I'm not sure I even processed the whole thing and I'm sure life just moved into this new direction. The Larsons were heartbroken that I was no longer part of their lives, but God has a funny way of doing things. A few months after my departure, my oldest foster sister Connie was at a festival in downtown Detroit with friends and she spotted me with my birth family. She didn't know the people I was with, but she was definite that it was me, so she approached them, introduced herself and told them how much her family missed me and would love to reconnect with me. My father and her exchanged contact information and this single act changed the rest of my life forever. My birthfather didn't know very much about the Larsons, but for whatever reason, he allowed them to be a part of my life. I am forever grateful for his decision. Funny thing is, I never knew about the story of Connie seeing me at a festival and making the reconnection until very recently. I always thought that when I left the Larsons, it was assumed that they would always be a part of my life. Such was not the case. This was a divine intervention at hand.
Moving forward, I would visit the Larson family on random weekends, holidays, summers and as often as possible. We never lived more than 10-15 miles away, but there was a huge difference in the life that I once had with them and the life that I was now living. There was stability, love, warmth, structure, rules and an overall feeling of family with the Larsons. I don't recall many of those things with my birth family. We were always moving from place to place and living from paycheck to paycheck. I can't recall how many elementary schools I attended, but it was well over 10. It seemed like we would be in a place for a few months and then move onto another place for just as long. When we did stay longer in a place, it usually amounted in the conditions getting worse and worse over time. No electricity & food, drugs & alcohol everywhere, people coming and going at all hours of the night, fights, screams and beatings, which we called "whippins". These were administered with belts, switches from a tree and extension cords and would be given as to us while we were stripped naked. We were on a downward spiral and this was definitely not the place for small children. Whenever we moved, I would immediately call Mrs. Larson so that she would come and get me for a visit. I still remember the phone number, 313-274-6613. I can't tell you how many times I called that number and arranged for a visit. Mrs. Larson would always pick me up, usually bringing someone along, as it was probably not a good idea to visit alone. I lived in the "hood" and it scared me, so imagine what it must have been like for a middle-aged, white woman from the suburbs. Nonetheless, she was always there to bring me back for visits and I don't ever recall her saying that she was ever too busy to have me come.
I visited as much as I could and would look forward to these visits like a kid looks forward to Christmas. They couldn't come often or soon enough. While I looked forward to the visits, I despised returning back home to my birth family. I would kick and scream each time I had to return home. Even today, thinking about those moments upset me. I couldn't understand why I had to go back, especially since the only attention that I ever got at home, was negative attention. It was also very hard on Mrs. Larson to see me go through this, but it was out of her hand and I suppose she was happy for the times that we could be together. There were always lots of tears, but she always reassured me that she would be back.
While I loved my birth family, I didn't really have a strong connection to any of them. I was so drastically different from all of them, which they always pointed out. "Why you tryin' be white?" "Don't act like a honky." "You a Oreo, black on the outside, white in the middle." I can still hear these words to this day. My brothers came to despise me for being "good", doing well in school and for "talking proper". Also, they were on a completely different path then I was. We had no direction at home and oftentimes were left to our own devices. It's no wonder that as adults, my brothers would eventually serve prison sentences of 19 & 20 years, as well as become "crackheads". We were growing up in 1980's Detroit and it didn't get any more dangerous than that. These visits helped me to stay on the right path and were instrumental in shaping the rest of my future.
Throughout my childhood, I played a constant internal dialogue over and over in my head about escaping my birth family and returning to live with the Larsons. While I could never share this with my birth family, I did share it with the Larsons. I didn't want to upset my father, but most importantly I didn't want him to put an end to these visits. I believe that my father was jealous of the relationship I had with the Larsons, but on another hand, he could see what they meant to me and probably helped to take some of the burden of parenting off of him. When I was about 10 years old, my father and stepmother split up and we shuffled back and forth between living with one of them or with friends. It was a mess! We had nothing and were really struggling, which I completely understood as I had this "other life" that set an amazing example of what a family is. My brothers thought this was how every family lived and pretty much resigned to the fact that this was a normal existence. It's so sad when this is all you know, so I would try to include them on visits to the Larsons whenever I could. Unfortunately, these visits were always a disaster, because they didn't know how to follow rules or be respectful to anyone. I can't really blame them, as they knew no better, but I finally stopped inviting them.
When I was 12, my brothers and I were living with my father in a house in Detroit. A few things struck me funny about living in this house: it had about 6 bedrooms (there were only 4 of us and we boys stayed in one room together), we seldom had electricity and my father was never around. My father wasn't around very much. He was often away working odd jobs, bowling or drinking at the bar. I spent many hours doing homework by the light of a candle and warming up a can on soup by the same flame. To this day, I cannot stand the taste of cold soup! There was a very nice older couple who lived next door, who would sometimes invite us over to watch television and have a bite to eat. They must have known we were neglected, but they never mentioned it or asked us where our parents were. I think it was a pretty common thing to be left alone where I came from, so no one thought much of it.
One day after school, we arrived home and found our belongings on the front lawn. There was an eviction letter on the front door. I had no idea what that meant, but as the door was bolted and we couldn't get into the house, I knew it was not a good thing. We didn't have many things, so it wasn't as if we were losing a lot, but to not have a home was something I couldn't even begin to imagine. We wanted to speak with our father, but as we didn't even have 25 cents to use a pay phone, we decided to walk to his job at the time. He was working at a restaurant not far from our house, so off we went. When we arrived, he wasn't there so we asked to use the phone so that I could call the Larsons. Unfortunately, they weren't there either, but I knew they would eventually turn up, as they were likely out playing bridge. 3 hours and about 10 miles later, we made our way, walking along the side of the expressway, to the Larson's house. When we arrived, we waited at the neighbors until the Larsons arrived and I instantly felt better.
What happen directly thereafter, is a bit of a blur but the end result was that the three of us boys were placed in a group home. We stayed in one group home together for about a month and what I remember most is that they would lock us in our rooms each night like prisoners. I was so confused by it all and couldn't understand why we couldn't leave. Eventually, my brother James and I were placed in another group home, much nicer than the first, although I longed to be in a permanent home. I'm not sure where our brother John went, but if I had to make a guess, I would say he probably ran away, as he always ran away. Being the oldest, he took the brunt of everything, so sometimes it would just be easier to not have to deal with it at all. During our time in these group homes, I don't ever recall speaking with my father, which isn't suprising given his history of parenting.
During this time, I still remained in contact with Mrs. Larson and needed her more than ever. She came to see me, brought me treats and even took me to her home for visits. I don't remember this, but Mrs. Larson told me that I insisted on my social worker to contact her, because I was set to attend the wedding of one her children. I'm not sure whether or not my father was privy to any of this information or if he had to agree to the terms, but I was granted a temporary release to attend the wedding. Being with the Larsons only made me long to be there forever. Eventually, we were due to be returned to my father but I told the social worker that I refuse and that I would run away if I had to go back. I couldn't imagine things changing much and didn't want to go through it again. Anything would have been better and I begged them to put me back into foster care and I knew exactly the family that I wanted to be with; the Larsons. This sounded like a great idea to me, except the Larsons were no longer foster parents. Their kids were all out of the home and they were nearing retirement age, so the thought of having a teenager in the home was not the first thing on their minds. After speaking with Mrs. Larson, I told her of my desire to live with her and to my delight, she gave it some thought and discussed it with Mr. Larson and I was allowed to return to their home. I would later learn that she would have had it no other way and the choice was made from the moment the planned was conceived in my mind. Once again, I had been rescued by my Angel on earth, Mrs. Larson and it would lead to me becoming a forever member of this family.
I could not have been more happy that I was back with the Larsons. I kept in contact with my birth family, even going for occasional weekend visits but eventually lost touch with them after about a year. I would not hear from any of them again until 2004, after more than 20 years. To say that they had a hard life would be an understatement, which was so sad to see but reconfirmed the fact that I made the right decision not to return to my former life. A big decision for anyone, let alone a 12 year old kid.
At this point, I had a forever family and lived the life that I always dreamt of. It wasn't always easy, but my family was always there and I finally could call the Larsons, Mom and Dad. What a blessing it was to have parents of my own, especially my Mom. She is every thing you think a Mom should be and so much more. She helped me gain confidence, learn to trust, care for others and be the person I am today. She taught me the importance of family and commitment, how to be a good Christian and a kind person. I went on to do things that I would have never done such as attend great schools, go to camp, take family vacations, have food in my belly and have a home where I was always welcomed. I graduated from college, moved to New York City, had great professional success, travelled the world, met the man of my dreams and became a Dad myself. Without Mom, I am confident that I would have been another statistic of the foster care system.
I thank you Mom for all of the gifts you have given me and will think of you each and every day. Your spirit continues to live through me and your beautiful grandchildren, Grady & Cyrus. A star shines in the sky for you each night and I know that it will remain bright 'til the end of time. I love you Mom.
Your son, Calvin
10.15.2011
Lyon - Family Restaurant Review Project 3
Another Sunday, another new dining adventure. We never know what each Sunday will bring and just go with the flow. We really had no idea about this particular week, because we didn't even know where we were going to dine. In previous weeks, we picked a restaurant prior to setting out, but this week, we all climbed in the car, put on Jay Z and Kanye's WATCH THE THRONE album on blast and drove around downtown looking for a place to dine. We wanted to go to somewhere in either Chelsea or the West Village. We settled for the latter and boy were we happy with our choice of LYON (118 Greenwich Avenue at West 13th Street), a modern bouchon. What is a bouchon you ask? According to LYON'S website, the Bouchon evolved as a modest local restaurant where silk craftsmen and traveling through Lyon would stop to eat. The bouchons, akin to present-day taverns, welcomed guests with warm hearty meals created of locally produced ingredients and serving delicious wines poured from heavy bottomed decanters called pots lyonnais. Basically this means good-eatin.
LYON is a fairly large restaurant with plenty of seating and a separate bar area for drinks. There were lots of couples dining and not many children, but we did arrive a bit on the late side for a Sunday evening, but that's another story. We got a table immediately, which is a huge bonus when you are with young children who are "starving".
I am not the most ardent fan of French cuisine, but I can definitely get my meal on, especially since spending so much time in Paris for various fashion weeks over the years. Regardless, there were many items on the menu that struck a chord and were not your typical French cuisine and everyone seemed to find something that wet their whistle.
As per usual, we started with some appetizers because, as previously stated, my kids were "starving". First, we started with the barbecued duck wings, which were dressed with an orange glaze and red chili's. We rarely order duck so we were pleasantly surprised when we bit into them. I never knew how big a duck wing was, but these were huge and equally as delicious. Next on the menu, were two tasty salads; the Salade Lyonnaise which consisted of mixed greens, smoked bacon and a poached egg. Honestly, when I bit into this salad, I joked that I was going to the kitchen to slap the chef for creating something so wonderful. I eat tons of salads but this was by far in my top 3 all-time faves. We also ordered a beet and orange salad with goat cheese. We devoured that one, too. Without a doubt, I would order each of these appetizers again.
Next out were our main courses. The kids had the Lyon Hot Dog. This was nothing like your typical NYC street vendor hot dog. This was a real delicacy. The hot dog was served with a hint of black truffles, Dijon mustard and sauerkraut, but the clincher was the pretzel roll that it was served on. I have never seen Cyrus enjoy something so much. He was pretty full after the appetizers, but he literally wouldn't put the hot dog down. He said "Dad, I am so full that I feel pregnant, but I just can't stop eating. It is too good". Grady couldn't speak much because he mouth was full pretty much from the jump-off. Tim and I decided to share the Steak Au Poivre with green peppercorn sauce and frites. Tasty, but needed a bit more salt, which was easy to adjust. It definitely didn't take away from either of us liking it, as was evident of the clean plates.
While we were all incredibly stuffed, we didn't want to go without dessert as the food was so good. The desserts didn't disappoint either. Grady chose the chocolate mousse, which was rich, creamy and so very delicious. We had our spoons all over that bowl. Yum. I ordered the vanilla bread pudding with raisins and vanilla ice cream. As I don't really like vanilla or raisins, I am not exactly sure why I ordered this, but I was more than pleasantly surprised that I loved this. It was just the right blend of spices and vanilla and was served warm. Very happy with my choice.
We ranked the experience as
Calvin 9 out of 10 Tim 10 out of 10
Grady 10 out of 10 Cyrus 10 out of 10
Total 39 out of 40 or 97.5%
We highly recommend LYON to others and will most definitely make another visit.
LYON (118 Greenwich Ave at W. 13th Street 212.242.5966)
http://www.lyonnyc.com/
LYON is a fairly large restaurant with plenty of seating and a separate bar area for drinks. There were lots of couples dining and not many children, but we did arrive a bit on the late side for a Sunday evening, but that's another story. We got a table immediately, which is a huge bonus when you are with young children who are "starving".
I am not the most ardent fan of French cuisine, but I can definitely get my meal on, especially since spending so much time in Paris for various fashion weeks over the years. Regardless, there were many items on the menu that struck a chord and were not your typical French cuisine and everyone seemed to find something that wet their whistle.
As per usual, we started with some appetizers because, as previously stated, my kids were "starving". First, we started with the barbecued duck wings, which were dressed with an orange glaze and red chili's. We rarely order duck so we were pleasantly surprised when we bit into them. I never knew how big a duck wing was, but these were huge and equally as delicious. Next on the menu, were two tasty salads; the Salade Lyonnaise which consisted of mixed greens, smoked bacon and a poached egg. Honestly, when I bit into this salad, I joked that I was going to the kitchen to slap the chef for creating something so wonderful. I eat tons of salads but this was by far in my top 3 all-time faves. We also ordered a beet and orange salad with goat cheese. We devoured that one, too. Without a doubt, I would order each of these appetizers again.
Next out were our main courses. The kids had the Lyon Hot Dog. This was nothing like your typical NYC street vendor hot dog. This was a real delicacy. The hot dog was served with a hint of black truffles, Dijon mustard and sauerkraut, but the clincher was the pretzel roll that it was served on. I have never seen Cyrus enjoy something so much. He was pretty full after the appetizers, but he literally wouldn't put the hot dog down. He said "Dad, I am so full that I feel pregnant, but I just can't stop eating. It is too good". Grady couldn't speak much because he mouth was full pretty much from the jump-off. Tim and I decided to share the Steak Au Poivre with green peppercorn sauce and frites. Tasty, but needed a bit more salt, which was easy to adjust. It definitely didn't take away from either of us liking it, as was evident of the clean plates.
While we were all incredibly stuffed, we didn't want to go without dessert as the food was so good. The desserts didn't disappoint either. Grady chose the chocolate mousse, which was rich, creamy and so very delicious. We had our spoons all over that bowl. Yum. I ordered the vanilla bread pudding with raisins and vanilla ice cream. As I don't really like vanilla or raisins, I am not exactly sure why I ordered this, but I was more than pleasantly surprised that I loved this. It was just the right blend of spices and vanilla and was served warm. Very happy with my choice.
We ranked the experience as
Calvin 9 out of 10 Tim 10 out of 10
Grady 10 out of 10 Cyrus 10 out of 10
Total 39 out of 40 or 97.5%
We highly recommend LYON to others and will most definitely make another visit.
LYON (118 Greenwich Ave at W. 13th Street 212.242.5966)
http://www.lyonnyc.com/
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